Yes, there are numerous makerspace grants available at the local, state, and national levels, including government-backed STEM grants, corporate or individual grantmakers, and grassroots funding sources.
STEM Grants for Schools: How to Fund a Makerspace | Chompshop
With a new school year underway, you’re eager to create just the right makerspace for your students. However, with your classroom and district budget earmarked for other expenses, creating a hands-on, STEM-based learning environment seems impossible without external funding, such as makerspace or STEM grants.
But with so many STEM grants for schools out there, you’re likely wondering which ones are legitimate or what to include in your application to make it stand out. This page covers where to find the best STEM grants, how to craft a winning grant proposal, and everything you need to fund your makerspace from start to finish! To begin, take a look at the open STEM grant funding opportunities in the table below.
What STEM and makerspace grants can pay for
STEM and makerspace grants can fund the following for your classroom or organization:
- STEM and STEAM tools and equipment
- Makerspace setup
- Crafting and building materials and supplies
- Curriculum
- Educator training
- Educational workshops and student showcases/exhibitions
Most hands-on STEM tools and makerspace equipment are usually eligible for grant funding.
Where to find STEM grants for schools and makerspace funding
| Funding source | Award | Who can apply | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crowdfunding | |||
| Start hereDonorsChooseThe fastest path for smaller equipment requests. Teachers post a project, donors fund it, and Chompshop partners with DonorsChoose. | Your project total | Teachers at US public and public charter schools | Post any time |
| AlternativesAdoptAClassroom.org, ClassWish and PledgeCents also let teachers raise money from donors for classroom supplies. | Donor-funded | K-12 teachers | Any time |
| Federal formula funds | |||
| Title I, Part AFederal funds routed through your district to schools with high numbers of low-income students. | Set by your district | Districts receive the funds; teachers request through the district | Yearly district planning cycle |
| Title IV, Part AFederal funds routed through your district for well-rounded education and effective use of technology. | Set by your district | Districts receive the funds; teachers request through the district | Yearly district planning cycle |
| Perkins VFederal funds routed through your district for career and technical education (CTE) programs. | Set by your district | Districts and CTE schools receive the funds; CTE teachers request through them | Yearly district planning cycle |
| Federal competitive | |||
| NSF ITESTNational Science Foundation funding for projects that build students' technology and STEM skills. | Varies by project | Institutions and organizations, including school districts | No open call as of October 2026; check NSF for the next one |
| Corporate and foundation STEM grants | |||
| Toshiba America FoundationGrants for project-based STEM learning in K-12 classrooms. | K-5: up to $1,000 6-12: up to $5,000, or over $5,000 |
K-12 teachers (one active grant per school) | K-5: October 1 6-12 up to $5,000: March 1, June 1, September 1, December 1 6-12 over $5,000: May 1, November 1 |
| Society for Science STEM Action GrantsGrants for community STEM outreach programs. | Up to $5,000 | Community-based nonprofits | 2027 applications open December 2026 |
| NEA FoundationStudent Success Grants for projects that improve student learning. | Up to $5,000 | NEA members working in public schools | Yearly window, June 15 to September 15 |
| American Honda FoundationLarger grants for education programs in communities where Honda operates. | $25,000 to $100,000 | Nonprofits and schools or districts in eligible states | Yearly; the current cycle closes October 31, 2026 |
| Motorola Solutions FoundationGrants for technology and engineering education programs. | Up to $50,000 | Organizations running technology and engineering education programs | Yearly; the next cycle opens late November 2026 |
| Voya Unsung HeroesAwards for innovative teaching ideas that improve student learning. | $2,000 for each of 50 finalists; top awards of $25,000, $10,000 and $5,000 | Full-time K-12 educators at accredited US public or private schools | Yearly, in spring |
Grant-research tools
Use these to find more grants by state and category:
- Grants.gov: the official search portal for federal grants
- GrantWatch: a searchable database of grant listings
- GetEdFunding: a database of education grants
State and local funding
Check your state Department of Education and local education foundations, which are often the least competitive sources of funding.
How to write a winning STEM grant proposal
To write a winning STEM grant proposal, follow these tried-and-true steps other educators and applicants have used to earn approval:
Step 1: Study the grant guidelines & requirements
Requirements and approval criteria will vary from one STEM grant to another. Read through the guidelines and instructions, flagging anything that is confusing or that requires clarification before completing the application.
Step 2: Develop your need into a powerful narrative
Define the need for the grant in narrative form, addressing your unique needs in a detailed and moving way. You'll want to ground the narrative with local, school-district-centric data compared to state or nationwide benchmarks, showing the committee the clear impact if your funding needs go unmet (e.g., achievement and/or equity gaps, etc.). The key here is to quantify yet humanize the problem compellingly.
Step 3: Connect goals to student outcomes and curriculum standards
Articulate clear and realistic curriculum-backed goals and measurable outcomes that the grant will help you achieve.
Step 4: Create a realistic budget
First, break down your budget into several main categories (e.g., Equipment, Software, Materials, Maintenance, etc.). Next, create a realistic budget, showing the grantmakers what you plan to spend the money on, the cost of each line item, and how these items align with your goals.
Step 5: Map out a specific timeline
Give the grantmakers a clear timeline, complete with realistic milestones along with implementation and completion dates.
Step 6: Include measurable outcomes
Articulate concrete, measurable outcomes on the application. For instance, instead of stating that you want to improve end-of-grade test scores, you could state, "To improve eighth-grade math EOG test scores by 19% in line with statewide benchmarks."
Step 7: Demonstrate the STEM project's continuity
Showing the grantmaker your STEM project's future sustainability long after the grant has been used is a vital part of your application. You can do this in several ways, including:
- Demonstrate that the STEM equipment, materials, etc. will be embedded into the curriculum, long-term.
- Mention ongoing equipment maintenance for long-term usage.
- Indicate financial partners, fundraising endeavors (e.g., Donors Choose), and other sources of external funding on the horizon.
Step 8: Complete the application and revise (and revise again)
Ensure your grant application is complete and immaculate, style-wise. Solicit a few extra sets of eyes on your grant application/package to ensure accuracy and increase your chances of approval. For example, ask a colleague with experience in securing educational grants to comment on completeness, clarity, and other potential areas for improvement.
Sample proposal and budget language for a makerspace
Ready to put all of these elements and tips to work? Let's say you want to create three makerspaces for your sixth through eighth graders and plan to purchase multiple ChompSaws and Chompin' Stations with the funds. Here is a sample grant template and a completed STEM grant proposal from Chompshop's Educator Hub.
In addition to the budget table below, the grantmakers will also want to know that the ChompSaw is:
- Independently certified as safe for children ages 3 and older.
- Includes K-8 lesson plans aligned to NGSS and CCSS curriculum standards, with each lesson citing all applicable NGSS codes (e.g., K-LS1-1, etc.). TIP: Including the actual standards codes will strengthen your grant proposal!
- Bulk discount pricing and tax-exempt purchasing are available (indicated on the table below).
Sample Project Summary
Our school is requesting funding to create three makerspaces to support STEM education for 375 students in grades 6-8. Each makerspace will require five ChompSaws, five Chompin' Stations, and five Table Accessories Sets. Students will apply scientific concepts via engineering challenges, use mathematical principles to design and measure, and document their work throughout the process. The requested funding will provide equitable access to authentic STEM experiences to our middle schoolers and expand hands-on engineering and design learning across all three grade levels and subject areas. To evaluate the effectiveness of these makerspaces, a designated group of educators will use several summative and formative assessments, including the students' Creator Portfolios, ongoing design challenges, and EOG test score evaluations in two subjects: science and math.
| Item | Qty | Unit | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChompSaw (w/ Hole Punch & Scoring Tool) | 5 | $249 | $1,245 |
| Chompin' Station | 5 | $24 | $120 |
| Table Accessories Set | 5 | $30 | $150 |
| Subtotal | $1,515 | ||
| Bulk discount (5+ ChompSaws, −10%) | −$124.50 | ||
| Estimated total | ≈ $1,390.50 |
Note: You can tailor the sample starter paragraph and budget table above with your own school's details and specific requirements of the STEM grant you're applying for.
How to fund a Chompshop makerspace
To begin the process of funding a Chompshop maker space, calculate the number of supplies you'll need for the total number of student participants. We recommend one ChompSaw (or Maker Bundle), one Chompin' Station, and one Table Accessories set for every five students. You can also choose additional learning supplies from our Educator Add-Ons collection.
Coming soon, Chompshop will be offering Educator Bundles in the Educator Hub that include a Small Group Kit, Classroom Essentials, and Deluxe STEM kits tailored for class sizes of 25/50/75 students to use year after year.
ChompSaw Basics also supports long-term, hands-on learning. These built-in 8-lesson onboarding series with printable milestone badges provide every new student with a structured, self-paced path toward STEM proficiency. That way, your STEM program or makerspace remains sustainable as classes and cohorts change from one year to the next. No repeat training budget required!
STEM educators have already made their makerspaces work at scale for years, from a six-ChompSaw K-6 classroom to a 750-student elementary program:
"So Engaging!"
"I am a K-6 STEAM Educator and have 6 Chomp Saws in my classroom. My students get so excited when they see me get them out to use."
Liz O., K-6 STEAM Educator
"Awesome!"
I've ordered eight for my 750 elementary school students, and they're holding up great.
Rebecca S.
Contact our team for a quote at hello@chompshop.com or via the Educator Hub.
How schools and districts buy the ChompSaw
Frequently Asked Questions
K-12 schools can apply for countless STEM grants, including those offered by local and state governments, and at the federal level (e.g., via the National Science Foundation), and more. K-12 schools can also apply for private and corporate foundation STEM grants, such as the Shell STEM grant, AIAA grants, etc.
If you're submitting a PO and need tax exemption, please reach out to sales@chompshop.com.
You can fund a makerspace with no available budget by applying for makerspace grants, STEM grants for schools, and other public and private sources of external funding.
Absolutely, you can use grant money to purchase classroom maker tools and supplies for your students.
You can find current grant deadlines by consulting reputable grant directories, including:
Yes, Chompshop accepts purchase orders from schools via our educational resellers across the US, Canada, and the UK. Email our team at sales@chompshop.com, so that we can pair you with the right reseller.
Yes, schools can purchase the ChompSaw for their makerspace via a tax-exempt form. Once you create a Chompshop account, email the tax-exemption form (from the account's email) to sales@chompshop.com, and we’ll take it from there.
Yes, Chompshop offers bulk discount rates starting at 10% off when you purchase five or more ChompSaws, and 15% off when you purchase 10 or more.
For classrooms in need, we try to donate as many ChompSaws as we can. To apply, fill out the application for Chompshop’s Nonprofit Donation program.
