Fourteen nonprofit organizations located throughout Arizona and the Four Corners area will receive more than $1.2 million in STEM-supported grants, the APS Foundation announced. Supporting science, technology, engineering and math (also known as STEM) and other education programs has been the Foundation’s principal focus since 2012.

“Arizona is blessed to have a number of local organizations doing impactful work in STEM educational areas,” said Tina Marie Tentori, executive director of the APS Foundation.  “These grants will help move their efforts forward, including encouraging and preparing Arizona students to pursue future jobs in technology, clean energy and other STEM-related careers.”

The following nonprofits received grants from the APS Foundation:

  • American Indian College Fund received a $100,000 grant for a scholarship fund that provides financial support to 15 Navajo college students pursuing majors in STEM or related fields at Navajo Nation-serving tribal colleges and mainstream universities in Arizona and New Mexico, with a particular emphasis around the Four Corners region.
  • Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence received $5,000 for its annual conference dedicated to training 700 childcare providers throughout Arizona on integrating STEM activities into daily programming.
  • Arizona Science Center received a $385,000 grant to support the continuation of its Professional Learning and Development Rural Communities Expansion Project, which helps integrate STEM curriculum into rural school districts, including grades 3-8 in Cottonwood, Oak Creek, Humboldt, Winslow, Prescott, Sedona, Tonopah, Florence and Yuma.
  • Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce Foundation received a $20,000 grant for its Ready.Set.Code. Digital Initiative which introduces area youth and teachers to the various roles and potential careers that make up the digital workplace eco-system.
  • HandsOn Greater Phoenix received a $10,000 grant for its Your Experience Counts academic mentoring program that trains volunteers to work alongside elementary teachers in the classroom, helping with academic improvement in reading, writing, math and science.
  • Audubon Arizona received a $25,000 grant for its River Pathways program, which introduces urban youth to environmental science-related careers and gives students access to natural resource professionals.
  • NTC Research Foundation received a $108,000 grant for its BrainSTEM program, which brings 45-minute live performances by professional actor/educators to rural schools to introduce STEM principles to low income 5th through 8th graders. The program will reach 20,000 students, 700 teachers and 50 schools.
  • Teach for America received a $50,000 grant for a targeted STEM initiative that will sponsor 10 math and science teachers in Title I schools in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
  • Valley of the Sun YMCA received a $45,000 grant for its STEM Thursdays program, which provides fun, engaging, hands-on group STEM learning projects and encourages low income elementary school students in the Valley, Yuma, Somerton and Flagstaff to pursue STEM careers.
  • Arizona Chamber Foundation received a $100,000 grant for A for Arizona, an initiative to improve and serve K-12 low-income schools throughout Arizona.

Additional organizations receiving grants during this funding cycle include: Arizona State Parks Foundation, Expect More Arizona, Grand Canyon Association and Great Hearts Academies.

The next cycle of APS Foundation grant applications opens on July 15 with a deadline of Sept. 1, 2016.