Funding Alert: CSR Projects on STEM Education / STEM Skilling OR Access to Technology

The call for applications is from a large tech company (organization / funder)  looking to support projects on STEM education for K-12 students and initiatives that enhance STEM skills for youth, particularly among underserved communities and encourages gender inclusivity in STEM careers. The goal is to improve learning outcomes and promote gainful employment in the formal sector. The organization is looking for scalable and replicable models for STEM education and/or STEM skilling that align with the larger National Education Policy (NEP) guidelines. 

Preference will be given to:

• Projects that promote access to technology among under represented and marginalized communities.

• Projects that promote sustainable and innovative technology-enabled education, learning, assessment and skilling/upskilling/reskilling opportunities that are inclusive, empowering and transformative.

• Projects that enhance the quality and delivery of STEM learning in underserved state schools through creation of opportunities for hands-on learning tied to real world experiences.

• Projects that create opportunities that enable experiential learning and creative problem solving skills in students and youth from underserved communities.

• Projects that utilize technology to assess student progress or provide capacity building for teachers.

• Projects that implement and integrate emerging technologies in STEM education, and/or tech enabled STEM skilling/upskilling/reskilling with pathways to industry placements.

• Projects being implemented in conjunction with the State or Central government, the organization is open to signing tripartite agreements with the implementing NGO and the government.

• Projects that support the organization’s employee engagement by proposing two to three volunteering activities that support the organization’s employee engagement.

Note:  Organizations applying under this call for proposals, need to fulfill the CSR compliance requirements as defined under Rule 4 of the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014 read together with relevant provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 as amended from time to time. Please refer to the FAQs for details regarding the eligibility criteria.

Geographical Locations : The projects should focus on STEM education and STEM skilling in aspirational districts across India, with preference in any/all of the following regions:

• North East states (Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh)

• Karnataka

• Haryana

• Maharashtra

Target Audience: NGOs, not for profit social enterprises, not-for-profit organizations eligible to execute CSR projects in STEM education and/or STEM skilling.

Target Sectors

1. STEM Education

Sub-Theme:

• A scalable and replicable program for K-12 students that focuses on introducing emerging technologies such as generative AI, AI, Machine Learning, Data Analysis etc.

• Tech-enabled STEM education for K-12 school students including but not limited to digitization of content, hands-on experiential learning, creative thinking and problem solving among others.

• Tech-enabled assessments supporting teacher capacity building. 

Beneficiaries: Capacity building for government school teachers  and hands-on learning for school students as well as for students from underserved communities with a larger focus on gender inclusion. 

2. STEM Skilling

Sub-Theme:

• Tech-enabled STEM skilling/reskilling/upskilling program for age 17 and above with job placements.

• Programs focusing on foundational skills in AI, Data Analysis, Large Language Models (LLM) for high school students with job placements. 

• Programs focusing on advanced IT Skills, AI Fluency, Machine Learning, Data Analysis for underprivileged and marginalized with scope for job placements.  

• A program which focuses on STEM career adoption and IT skills training largely for female students with job placements.

• Tech-enabled STEM skilling/reskilling/upskilling program for PwDs with industry placements or entrepreneurial roles.

Beneficiaries: Youth with a larger focus on gender inclusion and persons with disabilities.

3. Access to Technology

Sub-Theme:

• Tech-enabled digital accessibility for enhancing STEM skills and employability, with a primary focus on marginalized populations.

• Tech-enabled learning assessments to improve learning outcomes in schools, with a focus on government school teachers and students.

• Tech-enabled accessibility focusing on use of AI in agriculture, healthcare

• Innovations in low cost tech that provides access to technology for underserved communities.   

Beneficiaries: Youth with a larger focus on gender inclusion and persons with disabilities; Teachers and school students.

Additional Information

• Projects could be multi-donor projects i.e. in collaboration with other donors or implementation partners, provided the donor organizations’ reach and outcomes are clearly defined.

• Project should have a clear communications plan that supports the donor organization’s brand and reputation.

• Proposals being submitted could be for multi-year (2/3 years) however, agreement will be signed and renewed on an annual basis based on the following - 

  • Success of clear outcome based milestones

  • Delivering KPIs and impact/transformation of beneficiaries

  • Clear monitoring and evaluation metrics among others

Tentative Project Budget: The tentative budget for the project is up to 50 lakhs per project per year. Proposal can be for multi-year projects; however, to be renewed on an annual basis subject to milestone performance. 

Project timelines:

• 24th May to 13th June – Applications Open

• 10th to 19th June – Due Diligence and Shortlisting

• 19th to 25th June – Final Evaluations and Pitch from NGOs

• 26th June – Final Announcement/Onboarding

Please read the FAQs for eligibility criteria and additional information.

In case of any queries, please write to ipn@indiapartnernetwork.org or atishya.awasthi@sattva.co.in ; neha.kasturia@sattva.co.in