Science & Technology Funding: Program Grants and Scholarships

To support San Diego's science and technology cluster, our funding priorities are centered on three key areas tied to our initiative work

Improving math and science in K-12 education, especially in middle school and high school

Program Information

Funding Criteria

To meet guidelines for education grants, applicants must be focused on:

• Leadership development of talented teams of science and math teachers and principals.
• School Administration / Education leadership outreach cultivating support of effective teacher leadership development.
• Capacity enhancement of community civic engagement including but not limited to: decision-making, research, convenings, and donor engagement in support of teacher leadership development.

Expected Results of Funding Priority

Our county-wide leadership development program focused on middle school math and science teachers will be measured by:

• Improved quality of teaching, retention rate of teachers, equity of teaching resources, and high-quality professional development programs that increase teachers' content knowledge and pedagogical skills.
• Systemic improved student learning, critical thinking skills and achievement in science and mathematics over many generations of students through leadership development of teachers, principals and schools as the most important units of change.
• Improved call to action, community knowledge about best practices, decision-making, and coordination of K-12 education funders (regional and national) influencing new programs that enhance the quality of teaching through information sharing and optimized philanthropic support of schools, informal education and student learning.

Expanding scholarship opportunities for college students in science and technological fields

Program Information

Funding Criteria

Seventy-five funds can be applied to using the common application. The remaining funds have a separate application. Each scholarship has its own specific eligibility requirements:

Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics – Common Scholarship Form

• AeA
• BIOCOM
• Community College Transfer Scholarship for Math & Science
• Helm Family
• Reuben H. Fleet Memorial
• Stuart L. Noderer Memorial
• Qualcomm San Diego Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
• UCSD Black Alumni

Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics – Separate Scholarship Form

• Kyoto Scholarship
• Marvin Arnold & Irene Jaquetta Heye Scholarship

Expected Results of Funding Priority

• Expanded scholarship opportunities for college students in science and technological fields.
• Greater numbers of first-generation college and low-income students attending two-year and four-year institutions of higher education and pursuing science and technological fields.
• Improved development of regional STEM talent.

Supporting innovative scientific research and scientific researchers early in their post-graduate careers

Program Information

Funding Criteria

To meet guidelines for Blasker Research Awards, proposed projects or programs should:

• Advance innovative, unique and creative scientific projects or research.
• Foster the development of individuals with high potential in the scientific, medical, and engineering fields to reach their potential in their chosen areas of study, work and analysis. Emphasis is placed on projects that stimulate and encourage early career scientists.
• Be conducted in and have practical application and benefit for the San Diego region.

Expected Results of Funding Priority

A research support program focused on early career scientists will be measured by:

• Increased world-class research originating from San Diego as seen through numbers of publications, awards to recipients, and new discoveries.
• Enhanced funding opportunities for scientists through greater success in securing subsequent large grants from organizations such as NIH and NSF.