[From the Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education]

The U.S. Department of Education announced that STEM education is one of the new “absolute priorities” in the Investing in Innovation (i3) grants. The i3 competition was created under the Recovery and Reinvestment Act to encourage districts, along with community partners, to explore evidence-based, innovative approaches to improving student achievement. The first round in 2010 drew nearly 1,700 applications competing for a slice of $650 million.

The second round of i3 will be much smaller, providing a total of $150 million and awarding up to 22 winners. While the previous round required grant winners to secure 20% matching funds from the private sector, the matching requirements will be lower and scaled to the type of grant awarded.  According to the Department of Education, the smaller matching fund requirement, along with fewer selection criteria are part of “simplifications” made in response to feedback from prior applicants and other stakeholders. Click here for more information.