Florida · Private / Regional Grant

Raymond James Charitable: FL STEM Grants

Raymond James Charitable and the Raymond James Financial Foundation fund education initiatives in the Tampa Bay area and Florida, with a focus on STEM programs, youth development, and financial literacy.

Funding

$5,000–$50,000

Eligibility

Florida nonprofits, priority for Tampa Bay area

Grade Focus

K-12

Subject

STEM / Youth education

Deadline

Rolling / annual cycles

Type

Private / Regional Grant

About This Grant

Raymond James Financial is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, and its charitable giving reflects deep roots in the Tampa Bay community. The Raymond James Charitable Foundation funds education programs that help Florida youth — particularly those from underserved backgrounds — access quality STEM learning and career development opportunities.

STEM programs at Tampa Bay-area schools and nonprofits have benefited from Raymond James funding over the years. The company's employee volunteer network also supports STEM programming through mentorship and career exploration activities. Applications that leverage both financial and human capital from the Raymond James community tend to resonate with the foundation.

Raymond James's business is finance, and there's a natural connection between CS literacy, data skills, and financial services careers. Programs that help students develop analytical thinking, coding, or data skills — especially in underserved Tampa Bay communities — align well with the foundation's vision of expanding opportunity for Florida youth.

View Raymond James Charitable: FL STEM Grants →

Eligibility

Florida 501(c)(3) nonprofits, with priority for Tampa Bay area organizations
Programs serving K-12 students with documented STEM learning outcomes
Organizations with good financial management practices and accountability systems
Programs demonstrating community need and evidence of impact

Allowable Uses

Physical computing hardware (coding kits, micro:bits, robotics)
CS and AI literacy curriculum
Teacher professional development
Career exploration activities and financial literacy components

Forward Education Products for This Grant

Forward Education offers classroom-ready kits that align with Florida CS standards and fit cleanly into grant budgets. All kits include teacher guides and curriculum.

micro:bit Starter Kit — Entry-level physical computing, perfect for introducing coding and computational thinking.
MicroChat AI Literacy Kit — Hands-on AI literacy curriculum covering machine learning concepts for K-12 classrooms.
Coding for Good Kit — Project-based learning kit connecting coding skills to real-world community challenges.
micro:bit Robotics Kit — Advanced robotics and engineering challenges for deeper CS exploration.

Keep in Mind

Highlight Tampa Bay community impact — Raymond James has strong local ties and prioritizes its home community.
Employee engagement opportunities (mentors, guest speakers, career days) make proposals more attractive to corporate funders like Raymond James.
Include a line about digital skills and career readiness — the connection to financial services careers is relevant for a company like Raymond James.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Raymond James only fund Tampa Bay organizations?

Tampa Bay is the priority, but Florida-wide programs may be considered. Organizations in St. Petersburg and Tampa are most competitive.

Can a school apply directly?

Schools can apply, though nonprofits often have stronger applications. A partnership between a school and a community nonprofit strengthens the proposal.

What types of STEM programs get funded?

After-school coding clubs, robotics teams, CS curriculum pilots, and teacher PD programs have all received Raymond James funding in the past.

Is there a formal application portal?

Check raymondjamescharitable.org for current funding opportunities. Raymond James also has local employee giving programs with separate processes.

How can Forward Education help?

We provide curriculum alignment documents mapped to Florida CS standards, pricing letters for grant budgets, and letters of support for qualifying applications. Reach out before you apply.