Funding
Paying for the course
These are federal and state programs of the kind schools have used to fund lab courses like this one: equipment and kits, lab build-out, curriculum development and faculty time. Each entry links to the program's official page, which is the place to check current rules, deadlines and award sizes.
Libre Computer does not run any of these programs. A listing here is not a statement about whether a particular school, or Libre Computer, is eligible.
Federal programs
| Program | Agency or sponsor | Who applies | Official page |
|---|---|---|---|
| IUSE: EDU, Improving Undergraduate STEM Education | National Science Foundation, Directorate for STEM Education | Colleges and universities, through faculty investigators, and associated organizations | nsf.gov |
| ATE, Advanced Technological Education | National Science Foundation | Two- and four-year colleges, nonprofits, companies, and state and local governments. A four-year school or a company may lead only with two-year-college faculty as co-investigators | nsf.gov |
| Advancing Microelectronics Education, Dear Colleague Letter (NSF 23-115) | National Science Foundation, Directorate for STEM Education | Applicants to the NSF programs the letter names, such as ATE and IUSE, under those programs' rules | nsf.gov |
| ExLENT, Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies | National Science Foundation, Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, with the Micron Foundation | Set by each solicitation. The last round was open to colleges and universities, nonprofits, companies, tribal nations, and state and local governments | nsf.gov |
| National Defense Education Program (NDEP) STEM funding opportunity | US Department of Defense, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering | Companies, nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local education agencies, and consortia; not open to foreign entities. Specific calls are issued as amendments | simpler.grants.gov |
| Department of the Navy STEM Education and Workforce Program | US Navy, Office of Naval Research | Applicant types are not formally listed; see the official page | onr.navy.mil |
| NEMC Hub POWER workforce program (Microelectronics Commons) | US Department of Defense Microelectronics Commons, Northeast Microelectronics Coalition Hub | Members of the hub: nonprofits, colleges, universities and companies of any size. Membership is by application | nemicroelectronics.org |
Deadlines and award sizes change from round to round, so they are not repeated here. Always work from the program's official page and your institution's sponsored-programs office.
State programs
Some states fund workforce and semiconductor education directly. State programs are usually limited to applicants in that state, so check the official page for who can apply.
Pennsylvania
| Program | Agency | Who applies | Official page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career Grant | Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development | Pennsylvania technical and trade schools, community colleges, school districts, post-secondary institutions and nonprofits | dced.pa.gov |
| PAsmart CTE Innovation and Planning grants | Pennsylvania Department of Education | Cross-sector partnerships serving K-12 schools, career and technical education centers and post-secondary institutions | pa.gov |
Texas
| Program | Agency | Who applies | Official page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund | Office of the Texas Governor, Texas CHIPS Office | State entities, including public universities, and businesses with an established presence in Texas | gov.texas.gov |
Planning a proposal?
Partners interested in collaborating on a proposal that includes the course are welcome to contact us. For the policy background, see why it matters.