Each year, Iowa STEM seeks prospective program providers to offer STEM Scale-Up programs. Through an application and selection process, program providers offer evidence-based STEM programs for Iowa STEM Scale-Up educators to use in their classrooms and out of school learning spaces.
STEM Scale-Up programs align with Iowa STEM’s strategic priorities on workforce needs in agricultural science, computational thinking, early learning, ecology and energy education, mathematics, STEM and arts integration, STEM careers, integration into existing curriculum and transdisciplinary learning.
STEM Scale-Up uses a combination of state and private funds to invest in evidence-based STEM programs for Iowa learning environments. The intent of the program is to develop or expand exemplary STEM programs that have future sustainability and the power to inspire and educate PK-12 students.
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STEM Scale-Up Program Provider Application
The program provider application window is closed. Check back for the opportunity to apply to be part of the STEM Scale-Up program.
Steps for Completing a STEM Scale-Up Program Provider Application
Ensure you have an account in IowaGrants.gov.
First-time users will need to set up an account in IowaGrants. Please note, this is not an instantaneous process and requesting an account multiple times will slow down processing time. If you do not receive a confirmation email within three business days for a new account to be activated, contact info@IowaSTEM.org or 515-271-2403. See Iowagrants.gov Login Instructions.
STEM programs that serve PK-12 students in or out of school with the capacity to deliver professional development/training and materials in Iowa are eligible to apply to provide programs for STEM Scale-Up. Professional development/training is appropriate for Iowa STEM Scale-Up programs when preparing an educator to implement a student kit, curriculum, activity, lesson or new course of study in STEM.
Programs selected for STEM Scale-Up are offered to Iowa educators. Iowa educators apply to bring the program(s) to their students during the 2026-2027 academic year. Implementation training occurs during the summer 2026. Rare exceptions may be made for training.
Advisory boards in each of the six STEM Regions in Iowa determine which of the STEM Scale-Up educator applications they will award in their regions. Not all eligible programs are equally implemented in all six STEM Regions of Iowa.
Programs previously selected as an Iowa STEM Scale-Up program, must submit a new program provider application each cycle to be considered for STEM Scale-Up program eligibility.
Eligible educators may be associated with organizations in Iowa such as: public and private PK-12 schools, childcare centers, county conservation, libraries, county extension offices, home school associations and other formal and informal youth organizations that deliver STEM education programming for PK-12 youth.
Program Provider
A program provider is an organization providing a high-quality STEM education program, and the program is selected to be offered to Iowa educators through the Iowa STEM Scale-Up Program.
Indirect costs, also known as Facilities and Administration costs (F&A) or overhead costs: we allow providers to factor in the expense of facilities operation, maintenance costs and administrative expenses, commonly categorized as indirect costs. We require that such costs be built in as a portion of the per unit cost of the program deliverable, up to 5% of the per unit cost.*
In the budget template, enter these F&A in the associated administrative costs line.
*Indirect costs are an ideal space for cost share, and many providers use F&A as their cost share component. We acknowledge F&A beyond 5% as cost share.
It is anticipated the Iowa legislature will support the Iowa STEM Scale-Up Program at just over $3 million total for FY2027. That amount may vary year to year. The funds are distributed across selected programs through a cost reimbursable model. Single program provider funding through the STEM Council can reach seven figures, depending upon how many educators select the program from the menu and how many educators who select the program are awarded the program by the regional STEM advisory boards. Numerous factors influence total funds to providers, including marketing effectiveness, alignment with educators' goals and standards and/or number of educator applications across programs at the regional level. There is no assurance by the STEM Council that any program will be scaled. It is market driven.
Program categories for PK, Elementary, Middle or High School levels include, but are not limited to:
Agricultural science
Applied engineering
Artificial Intelligence
Computational thinking
Data Science
Ecology and energy education
Mathematics, especially applied and contextual to students' lives
Science, especially applied to human health
STEM and arts integration
STEM careers (especially with local context) - ideally an element of any STEM Scale-Up Program application
STEM programming that integrates into existing curriculum
Transdisciplinary (integrated) S-T-E-M
Applications for other fields will also be considered.
Yes. In fact, individual applications of deliverable education programs are required, as opposed to a “blanket” application that covers multiple distinct, deliverable programs.
If multiple programs are being proposed, programs that require a separate training must be submitted in a separate application.
The ideal time frame to begin professional development/training is between July 15 – August 15. The initial session may not be scheduled earlier than July 1 and must occur by October 31.
No, stipends are not required. If an educator support payment is offered, the program provider is responsible for:
administration and verification of the payment(s).
verification the educator is not being compensated by their host organization to attended professional development/training.
Any provider considering proposing to offer licensure incentives should contact the Iowa STEM Scale-Up Program provider applications manager Sarah Derry at Sarah.Derry@drake.edu for guidance.
The webinar will include information regarding evaluation. Essentially, the STEM Scale-Up Program provider application scoring rubric contains information about what is considered for each section of the proposal. Reviewers will be looking for strong evidence that programs meet the criteria listed in the application. Show evidence, rather than telling about it, and be as clear and concise as possible.
We ask that selected programs wait to announce their selection to the STEM Scale-Up Program menu until the menu is released in January. After that, we welcome your promotion to educators! The Iowa STEM team will be promoting the entire menu during the educator application period (January – February) and every voice helps!
We use the period between November and January to make sure providers and Iowa STEM team have a strong understanding of the programs and what will be offered to educators through Scale-Up Program awards. That way, we’re aligned in what we communicate.
Since the STEM Scale-Up Program is meant to lower the barrier to try something new, Iowa’s STEM Regions will not prioritize awarding educator applications that sustain the same program with the same educator for a second year. Therefore, it’s important for returning programs to show:
Additional demand for the program. What evidence do you have that there are Iowa educators who want the program that were not awarded this year?
And/or new and or additional learning resources. Some providers offer new units/equipment/features to the previously scaled program, others propose a different program all together.
For more information on the Iowa STEM Scale-Up Program, contact info@IowaSTEM.org
