Creating More Opportunities to Experience STEM
Great STEM learning begins with an opportunity: the right tools, an engaging experience, a challenging question, or the freedom to build and experiment.
901STEM expands those opportunities by supporting schools and educational organizations, providing hands-on learning experiences, developing practical STEM resources, and building community partnerships.
Sometimes that means creating something new. Other times it means strengthening a successful program or connecting students and educators with resources already available in our community.
901STEM’s approach: Amplify what works. Fill the gaps. Expand access.
901STEM Spark Grants
Helping Schools and Organizations Spark New STEM Opportunities
901STEM Spark Grants provide $1,000 to schools, school districts, and educational organizations in Memphis and Shelby County to introduce new STEM tools, materials, and learning experiences to their students.
Teachers and other educators are encouraged to submit applications on behalf of their schools or organizations. Grant funds are awarded directly to the recipient institution and cannot be issued to an individual.
Grants may support:
- STEM tools, kits, equipment, and technology
- Classroom materials and consumable supplies
- Robotics, electronics, coding, and engineering projects
- Science experiments and student STEM projects
- Field trips, workshops, visiting presenters, and other STEM experiences
- Other expenses directly related to STEM learning
One $1,000 grant is awarded each month during the school year. Applications open on the first day of each month and close on the final day. The selected recipient is notified and announced by the end of the following month.
Grant amount: $1,000
Service area: Memphis and Shelby County
Eligible recipients: Schools, school districts, and educational organizations
STEM Workshops
Hands-On Learning That Makes STEM Come Alive
901STEM Workshops give students opportunities to explore, experiment, build, and solve problems. Each workshop transforms STEM concepts into an engaging experience that encourages participants to ask questions, test their ideas, and learn through discovery.
Workshops may include engineering design challenges, scientific investigations, coding, electronics, robotics, model building, and collaborative problem-solving.
Best for: Elementary through Middle School
Workshop length: 1-4 hours
Group size: 5-15 students
Location: On-site
Cost: Free to participating educators and organizations thanks to the generosity of our supporters.
STEM Resources
Helping Educators Put STEM Into Students’ Hands
901STEM develops practical, classroom-ready resources that make hands-on STEM learning easier to deliver.
From activity guides and materials lists to STEM kits and educator resources, our goal is to reduce the time, cost, and other barriers involved in creating meaningful STEM experiences.
As our resource library grows, we will continue adding materials that educators and organizations can use and adapt for their students.
Community Partnerships
Amplifying Great STEM Work Across Our Community
We don’t believe every good idea requires a new program.
901STEM works with schools, nonprofit organizations, universities, businesses, and community groups to strengthen successful STEM initiatives, connect resources with needs, and identify opportunities where additional support can make a difference.
Partnerships may include:
- Supporting or expanding an existing STEM program
- Hosting a workshop or student experience
- Providing equipment, materials, or expertise
- Connecting volunteers with schools and organizations
- Developing new opportunities to address unmet needs
- Helping more students discover programs already available in our community
Sometimes we lead. Sometimes we support. In every case, the goal is the same: expand access to meaningful STEM opportunities.
Help Us Spark What’s Next
A single STEM experience can introduce a student to an entirely new possibility.
Together, we can equip schools and educational organizations, support educators, strengthen successful programs, create hands-on experiences, and open more doors to STEM throughout Memphis and Shelby County.