Skip to content

Grant application draft — AAUW Community Action Grants

Opportunity ID: aauw-community-action-2026
Funder: American Association of University Women
Amount requested: $20,000 (if invited to full proposal)
Deadline: LOI 2026-09-17 (window opens 2026-08-17)
Status: drafting · org eligibility verified: yes · project narrative gate open
Version: 0.2 · 2026-08-12

Portal: https://www.aauw.org/resources/programs/fellowships-grants/community-action-grant/

Organization

Apex STEM Education Inc. is a New Jersey 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 42-3121570). Apex STEM Education develops New Jersey students through hands-on engineering, data-driven problem solving, and AI literacy — with competitive STEM Racing as our flagship program.

Mission: To provide youth STEM education for grades 6–12 through hands-on engineering, data-driven problem solving, AI literacy, and project leadership — including competitive STEM Racing teams, workshops, mentorship, and community outreach.

Website: https://apexstem.org · Flagship team site: https://ridgeracersnj.com · Contact: hello@apexstem.org / treasurer@apexstem.org

Project / request summary

With $20,000, Apex STEM Education will expand girls’ participation in technical STEM roles (CAD, manufacturing, testing, data analysis) through the 2026–27 STEM Racing season and open workshops for grades 6–12 in Somerset–Union County, NJ.

Need

Competition STEM programs often place girls into communication or enterprise tracks while technical roles skew male. Families and mentors lack funded recruitment, peer mentoring, and scholarship capacity to change that pattern. AAUW’s focus on girls’ STEM confidence matches Apex’s ability to put girls on the tools — design, build, test — with measurable role outcomes.

Program / approach

  1. Intentional role placement — mentors ensure girls hold engineering/data roles, not only soft-skill tracks
  2. Peer mentoring — pair newer girls with experienced technical members
  3. Workshops — short design–build sessions recruiting girls from local middle/high schools
  4. Access funds — need-based support so cost is not the barrier
  5. Evidence — track role distribution each season; report outcomes without student PII

Public program quality: Ridge Racers NJ — 3rd place Nationals 2026; Sustainability + Team Identity awards.

Goals & evaluation

Goal Measure
Girls in technical roles Count/% at season start vs end [BOARD: baseline]
Workshop reach # girls served in open workshops
Skill growth Mentor checklist (engineering, data, AI literacy, leadership)
Retention % of girls returning for next season / completing cycle

Budget narrative (illustrative — refine if invited)

Line item Amount Notes
Workshop materials & tools $6,000 Shared kits for girls-focused sessions
Competition / lab materials (technical track) $5,000 CAD/print/test consumables
Access scholarships $4,000 Need-based fees/travel aid
Outreach & recruitment $2,500 School partnerships, materials (no student PII in git)
Mentor training / facilitation materials $1,500 Inclusive mentoring guides, safety
Contingency $1,000
Total ask $20,000

Organizational capacity

NJ 501(c)(3) with board oversight and treasurer controls. Flagship team has multi-year competition results. Contact: treasurer@apexstem.org.

Sustainability

Grants + sponsorships + donations + modest family cost-sharing. Girls’ recruitment practices become standing program policy beyond the grant year.

Closing ask

We request invitation to submit a full proposal for approximately $20,000 to expand girls’ technical STEM participation in New Jersey during 2026–27.

BOARD GATE — required before LOI submit

  • [ ] Girls participation baseline (count or %) for most recent season
  • [ ] 2026–27 numeric targets
  • [ ] Confirm workshop capacity / partner schools if named
  • [ ] Packet: W-9, determination letter, bank path

Sources used