Maker Projects - Community STEM Engagement grants 2024

The Maker Projects - Community STEM Engagement grants 2024 provides grants for fostering inquiry-based learning and the development of STEM skills in students and youth under 18 years of age in design, engineering and programming, through hands-on learning.

The objectives of the grant opportunity are to:

• deliver maker projects where students and youth under 18 years of age, at the time of application, can develop and apply their STEM knowledge through experimentation, tinkering and hands-on learning by engaging with a range of technologies
• encourage practical skills, creativity and entrepreneurial thinking through the delivery of hands on STEM-related events and activities
• inspire students to pursue STEM disciplines in their study and work
• ensure that maker projects are accessible to as many young people as possible, including those in regional, rural and disadvantaged areas
• make a positive and ongoing impact on youth under 18 years of age, particularly diverse cohorts and communities historically underrepresented in STEM including:
• First Nations peoples
• culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) people
• women and girls
• people living in regional and remote areas
• people with disability
• people from low socio-economic backgrounds
• neurodivergent people
• LGBTQIA+ people
• people who face age-based discrimination.

The intended outcomes of the grant opportunity are:

• students and youth under 18 years of age will gain practical knowledge and skills in scientific experimentation, design, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship
• an increase in the accessibility of STEM-related events and activities and increased participation of youth under 18 years of age, particularly diverse cohorts and communities historically underrepresented in STEM as defined in the glossary
• positive and ongoing development of STEM skills for participating youth through inquiry-based learning.

You can apply if you:

• have an Australian Business Number (ABN)

and are one of the following entities:

• an entity, incorporated in Australia
• an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
• an incorporated association
• an incorporated not for profit organisation
• a publicly funded research organisation (PFRO)
• a government or non-government vocational education and training (VET) provider as defined in section 14 of the grant guidelines.

You must also deliver the project through a collaborative partnership

• the partnership must be established prior to the submission of your application
• the partnership must include at least one partner organisation during the life of the project
• you can partner with organisations such as libraries, private companies, schools, and not-for-profit bodies to deliver collaborative projects (internal organisation partnerships are not eligible)
• the partnering organisation/s must be active participants in the delivery of the project and not just beneficiaries of the proposed activities.

You can’t apply if you are:

• an organisation, or your project partner is an organisation, included on the National Redress Scheme’s website on the list of ‘Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme’
• an employer of 100 or more employees that has not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act (2012).
• an individual/sole trader or partnership entity type
• a school, including early childhood, primary and/or secondary school as defined by the glossary
• a Commonwealth, state, territory or local government body (including business enterprises)
• any organisation not included in section 4.1 of the grant guidelines
• a trust (however, an incorporated trustee may apply on behalf of a trust)
• a non-corporate Commonwealth entity
• an unincorporated association.

To apply, go to: www.business.gov.au/makers2024

Visit: Current Grant Opportunity View - GO6875: GrantConnect (grants.gov.au)