Proposals now being accepted from educators in several East Tennessee counties
ORAU is now accepting applications for its annual Education Grants program for 2026, offering grant funding for teachers in Anderson, Campbell, Morgan, Roane and Scott counties.
This initiative aligns with ORAU’s commitment to fostering STEM education and comes alongside its other annual program, Extreme Classroom Makeover, which awards $25,000 to one grand prize winner, another $5,000 to a runner-up and $2,500 to a viewers’ choice winner. Both programs aim to inspire and engage students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) instruction across East Tennessee schools.
“Since ORAU’s founding in 1946, our mission has been to strengthen our nation in science education,” said Meghan Millwood, ORAU President and CEO. “We are passionate about supporting local K-12 schools because we believe that igniting STEM curiosity in students during primary and secondary education leads to a stronger pipeline of future doctors, scientists, engineers and skilled trade workers. Through our education grants program, we invite teachers to submit proposals for STEM projects, and ORAU will fund the projects with the greatest potential for impact.”
In 2025, eight teachers were awarded funding through the ORAU Education Grants program for their STEM project proposals. Since the program’s inception in 2002, ORAU has awarded more than $580,000 to local schools in an ongoing effort to enrich STEM programs in the region.
Selected projects will be implemented during the 2026-2027 school year. Educators interested in applying for ORAU funding can complete and submit an online proposal. All proposals are due Friday, April 24, 2026.
Projects will be funded based on quality, educational enrichment, creativity, and available funds. Awards will be announced by May 8, 2026. Questions should be directed to Amber Davis, who can be reached at 865-340-2239 or amber.davis@orau.org.
For information about ORAU’s Extreme Classroom Makeover, visit the Extreme Classroom Makeover page on our website.