Public schools serving Grades 6–12 and their community partners in selected LyondellBasell communities in the United States can apply for the 2026–2027 Greening STEM Grant, an environmental education programme that will award five projects $5,000 each in the fall 2026 cycle.
Key facts
- The grant is offered through Discovery Education’s Environmental Education Initiative in partnership with the National Environmental Education Foundation and LyondellBasell.
- Two cohorts of five Greening STEM projects will be selected during the 2026–2027 school year.
- Eligible applicants are public schools serving Grades 6–12 and their community partners in seven targeted communities.
- Applications close on October 8, 2026, at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.
- Projects are expected to conclude in spring 2027, with final reports also due then.
What this grant means for students and schools
The funding is aimed at student-centered STEM projects tied to local environmental issues. For schools and community partners, that means proposals should focus on citizen science, environmental monitoring, data collection, and presentations of findings, rather than general classroom enrichment alone. The grant is designed to connect learning with real-world questions about air, soil, water, public lands, and community environmental challenges.
Selected projects can use the money for materials, measurement equipment, transportation, travel, professional development, laboratory analysis, software, and project-specific costs. The programme says no more than 10% of the budget should go to training. Grantees also must participate in programme evaluation and submit signed release forms for participating students, faculty, and staff within 30 days of the first programme activity.
- Who can apply: Public schools serving Grades 6–12 and community partners in Houston; Corpus Christi–Victoria–Matagorda, Texas; Lake Charles, Louisiana; Edison, New Jersey; Morris, Illinois; Clinton, Iowa; and Cincinnati, Ohio.
- How to apply: Applications must be submitted through the NEEF online grants system.
- Deadline: October 8, 2026, at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.
What kinds of projects fit the Greening STEM model?
The grant asks applicants to build around place-based learning, three-dimensional learning, project-based learning, and community-based learning. In practice, that means students should investigate a local issue, work with a partner or educator, collect and analyse data, and share results with an audience beyond the classroom. The programme especially encourages middle school citizen science, environmental monitoring, educator capacity-building, and partnerships between schools and community organisations.
Applicants are expected to describe a citizen science or environmental monitoring project and explain the STEM skills students will develop. The project should include pre-field activities, at least one visit from a community partner representative, one or more field visits for data collection, at least two post-field activities, a data-analysis activity, and a presentation of findings.
How much funding is available?
Each selected project will receive $5,000. The fall 2026 grant cycle is expected to provide $25,000 in total funding across five awards. Grantees are expected to complete their projects by spring 2027, aligning the award period with the school-year timeline.
What should applicants do next?
Eligible schools and partners need to prepare proposals through the NEEF portal and align them with the programme’s environmental investigation and student leadership expectations. First-time applicants must create an account, while previous NEEF applicants can use an existing one. Questions about the funding opportunity can be directed to Megan Willig at MWillig@NEEFUsa.org, and technical questions can be sent to grants@neefusa.org with “EEI LYB Greening STEM Grant” in the subject line.
