REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (S.T.E.M.) Education Initiative:

Background:
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are essential academic studies for California's children and youth, and improvement to S.T.E.M. education is critical to 21st century national and local workforce, economy, and national security.

Yet California's report card shows failing grades in all aspects of S.T.E.M. education, from capacity to use technology in schools to student proficiency in math and science and everything in between. Despite some increases in student proficiencies, California continues to rank well below the national averages in most measures. Education Week, 'Technology Counts 2008.' (pdf)

Additionally troubling is that women, ethnic minorities, children of immigrants and children who grew up in households with low income and/or low parental educational attainment, are significantly underrepresented in S.T.E.M.-based higher education programs and careers. Yet, many of these groups represent the growing percentage of our population and reflect the diversity that is a cornerstone of our future.

Experts agree on most of the major objectives, even if they disagree on methodologies, which include the need to:

1. Bring high quality S.T.E.M. students into the teaching field, with the goal of providing highly qualified teachers in all S.T.E.M. areas to all children;
2. Improve the content knowledge and professional development of current K-12 S.T.E.M. teachers already in classrooms;
3. Collaborate, and coordinate S.T.E.M. education efforts, with all stakeholders working together, deliberatively and strategically;
4. Target all age groups, starting in elementary school with student awareness, interest and motivation to explore and learn about S.T.E.M. learning and career opportunities, and sustain those efforts through middle and high school, so colleges may attract S.T.E.M. competent students and produce graduates who can compete in job markets of the future;
5. Improve use of technology, access to technology and capacity to use technology in the classroom to improve motivation, learning and relevancy;
6. Improve students' proficiency in science and mathematics.

The Foundation's Rationale for this RFP:
We are a small, family-run foundation which funds only a limited number of programs in the two most populous counties of California. We look for ways to fund successful practices and models, which are innovative, highly leveraged, and proven as a concept with at least one year of implementation. We cannot entertain applications from the tens of thousands of individual public schools and public school syS.T.E.M.s, with budgets in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

In our experience, Non-profit/public school partnerships have acted as effective hubs in both Los Angeles and the Bay Area, providing leveraged, cost effective, high quality in-school and out-of-school-time (OST) supplemental education programs to multiple target populations. They have a unique ability to draw in talent from local industry and community, including those in higher education and civic leaders. They are also adept at providing our schools with the types of advanced technical support and specialized teacher development services which supplement, rather than supplant, public education and which in turn invests in our teachers and benefits future students the teachers will serve.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:
Therefore, the Foundation offers this General Call for Proposals to Non-profit 501(c)(3)/Public school partnerships or Charter Schools with 501(c)(3) status, that provide effective in-school, OST, or other enrichment programming that advances and supplements S.T.E.M. education and is aligned with California Department of Education Content Standards. Grants will be awarded through competitive process, for program support in the $10,000 - $20,000 range.

Programs must be inclusive of the general population of these two counties, and create opportunities for historically underserved youth. This constituent group comprises different age levels, cultural perspectives, prior knowledge of and awareness and interest in this subject, and have varying degrees of access to on-line information resources. Therefore, proposals must offer a theory of change (activities designed to produce an intended result) that is focused, and anticipates, understands, and overcomes obstacles to motivation and academic success for the population it serves.

Priority is given to applicants that:

• Offer an established program, with at least a track record for one academic year, with evaluation methods to measure effectiveness;
• Address a combination of any of the following: parent education/issue awareness, teacher education/support; community collaboration and leverage;
• Utilize a comprehensive approach (multiple-touch/long term) rather than limited touch activities (one assembly, one training);
• Work with an involved Board of Directors, and highly qualified staff, with special consideration given to organizations whose strategic planning has been increased and updated for the current economic environment.
• Have organizational budgets of less than $10 million, or in larger organizations where the program budget is largely independent of other programs and is under $3 million, and all other eligibility requirements are met.

Application Closed:
The application period for the S.T.E.M. Education Initiative is closed as of April 30, 2009. More information on future funding initiatives, as well as grants information will be posted soon. If you are new to the foundation, and wish to introduce us to your organization, you may wish to fill out a Letter of Introduction.