2024 VA STEM Legislation

SB5 STEM+C Competition Team Grant Program

We are excited to announce that our STEM+C Competition Team Grant Program bill has been officially signed by the Governor. This ensures that the VDOE grant program created in 2016 through our original bill will become a permanent part of Virginia statue and that the grants can now be used to also sustain existing teams as opposed to just starting new teams.

SB 5: STEM+C Competition Team Grant Program and Fund; created and established.

The VDOE generally opens the grant application form in June, notifying schools through a Superintendent’s memo. The application process remains open for a few weeks and the recipients have been notified in July.

If your team is based in a qualifying Virginia public school with 60% or more students receiving F/R lunch you can apply for a grant.

If you are working at or with a qualifying school that would like to start a team, you can apply for a grant.

Existing teams that are not actually eligible for a grant can work with schools that are to start teams. Some teams that have been doing this already are FRC 401, Copperhead Robotics and FRC 5547 Titan Robotics.

While the application for the current year is not yet open, here are links to last year’s documentation so you can prepare for the process.

2023 Superintendent’s Memo: https://www.doe.virginia.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/45259/638336670427330000

2023 Guideline Document: https://www.doe.virginia.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/45261/638336670565470000

2023 Application Packet: https://www.doe.virginia.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/45263/638336670786970000

Questions? We are available to help you with the process of applying for a grant as well as starting new teams

Email us at advocacy@bluecheese1086.org