Iowa · State Grant

STEM BEST Program

Funding

Up to $50,000 (2:1 employer match required)

Grade Focus

K-12

Application Due

Annual — check iowastem.gov

Level of Gov't

State — Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council

Eligibility

Iowa public schools and districts partnering with Iowa businesses to create STEM career learning experiences. Requires a 2:1 employer match (employers contribute $2 for every $1 of grant funds).

Program Goals

STEM BEST connects Iowa students with Iowa employers through integrated STEM career experiences. Business partners provide mentors, job shadows, and real-world projects. Schools use grant funds to build sustainable industry-school partnerships.

Read the Grant

Application and Distribution

Apply through iowastem.gov with a school-business partnership application. Monitor site for current cycle.

Cycle Notes

Annual competitive cycle. Monitor iowastem.gov for next RFP announcement.

Grant Award Amount

Up to $50,000 per award. Employers must provide a 2:1 match ($2 employer for every $1 in grant funds).

Allowable Purchases

Forward Education Products for This Grant

These kits align to the learning outcomes this program funds.

Coding for Good Kit — an all-in-one coding, robotics, and AI literacy toolkit using micro:bit for real-world challenges
CodeCTRL controller with display for micro:bit — a handheld game-style controller for interactive games and physical computing
Forward Education Learning Platform — curriculum-aligned STEM lessons, coding tutorials, career profiles, and PD courses

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for STEM BEST?

Iowa public schools with employer partners providing a 2:1 match.

How much does STEM BEST provide?

Up to $50,000 per award with 2:1 employer match.

What activities can STEM BEST fund?

STEM career experiences, job shadows, mentoring, and school-business partnership programs.

How do Iowa schools apply?

Apply at iowastem.gov/stembest. Monitor for the next annual RFP.

How can Forward Education help?

We provide curriculum alignment documents for Iowa STEM career pathway applications.

Grant Support

Need Help Writing Your Grant Application?

Forward Education works with schools and districts to build strong funding proposals. We can help you connect our tools to your grant requirements.

Curriculum alignment documents — Iowa standards mapped to our kits
Program quotes and pricing — classroom sets, bundles, and multi-site pricing
Letters of support — documentation for grant applications
Project ideas and scope-and-sequence — ready-to-use program outlines

Talk to Our Team

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