As part of the innovative PAsmart initiative, Advancing Grants support broad, cross-sector partnerships that use ecosystem and networked approaches to advance efforts to:
Expand access to computer science (CS) / science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and promote inclusion (especially for historically underserved students and communities) through learning experiences such as integrative CS/STEM experiences, standalone CS/STEM courses, out-of-school learning, dual enrollment, industry credentials, work-based learning, internships, and apprenticeships, and
Expand and diversify the number of CS/STEM educators at all education levels.
There are two competitive grant programs within the PAsmart Expanding Computer Science and STEM Education Initiative: Targeted Grants, and Advancing Grants.
Advancing Grants support partnerships that operate on a larger scale than Targeted Grants, and provide quality CS/STEM experiences to learners of any age—early childhood, preK-12, postsecondary, and adult learners—as part of a high-level strategic approach to CS/STEM workforce readiness. The purpose of these grants is to:
Give regions a chance to leverage or expand CS/STEM ecosystems;
Grow partnerships between LEAs, postsecondary institutions, businesses, libraries, afterschool organizations, and other CS/STEM-focused organizations;
Improve access to CS/STEM experiences for learners of all ages, including historically underserved populations and adult learners; and
Expand the pool of highly qualified CS/STEM educators at all levels of Pennsylvania's education system.
Eligible applicants may request up to $500,000.
This
PAsmart Advancing Grant eligibility chart provides information on who can
be a lead applicant, fiscal agent, partner, and more.
School district | Yes | Yes | Yes |
CTC | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Charter school | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Cyber charter school | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Non-public elementary or secondary school (private, faith-based, etc.) | Yes | No | Yes |
Intermediate Unit | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Early childhood learning center | Yes | No | Yes |
Postsecondary institution (public) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Postsecondary institution (private) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Postsecondary institution (other) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Public library | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Community-based organization or institution | Yes | No | Yes |
Local Workforce Development Board | Yes | No | Yes |
Business | Yes | No | Yes |
Chamber of Commerce | Yes | No | Yes |
Labor organization | Yes | No | Yes |
STEM Ecosystem | Yes | No | Yes |
Non-profit organization | Yes | No | Yes |
Economic development entity | Yes | No | Yes |
Other organization | Yes | No | Yes |
No. Eligible proposals must represent a partnership
and must have an eligible lead applicant and an eligible fiscal agent. Lead applicants
are encouraged to partner with multiple entities.
Take a look at some of the answers to our most frequently asked questions in regard to the budget section below. Reminder: all amounts entered in the Budget need to be in whole dollars.
Section 6 – Salaries: Only salaries for teacher stipends and substitute teacher costs should be entered in this section.
Section 7 – Benefits: Only benefits for teacher stipends and substitute teacher costs should be entered in this section.
Section 8 - Contracted Services: Expenses for contractors providing training and/or professional development should be entered in this section.
Section 9 – Purchased Property Services: Expenses for property rentals*, equipment rentals* and repairs/maintenance should be entered in this section. *Grant funding cannot be used for rentals beyond June of 2021.
Section 10 – Other Purchased Services: Expenses for student transportation (Function 2700 only), travel costs (meals, lodging, mileage), telephone, postage, and printing.
Section 11 – Supplies: All expenses for materials/resources with an individual unit cost of $1,500 and under should be entered in this section. Software, regardless of cost, should also be entered in this section.
Section 12 – Equipment: All expenses for materials/resources with an individual unit cost of more than $1,500 should be entered in this section.
Section 13 – Administrative Costs: Administrative costs should only be entered in this section. Administrative costs cannot exceed 5% of the total grant award. *Please note: indirect cost rates are not able to be applied to this grant.
To expedite the contracting process, proposal submission is limited to those entities that have access to eGrants:
LEAs (school districts, charter schools, cyber charter schools, career and technical centers (CTCs), and Intermediate Units (IUs);
Postsecondary institutions; and
Public libraries.
Organizations not listed above are welcomed and encouraged to initiate a proposal and serve as lead applicant. They will then need to collaborate with one of the organizations above in order to submit the application.
Yes; for all 2021-22 PAsmart Expanding Computer Science and STEM
Education Grants, applications must be submitted through eGrants in order to be
considered.