APS Foundation

Advancing STEM Education in Arizona

The APS Foundation is committed to supporting programs that strengthen academic achievement in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in Arizona. Our funding focus is projects and programs that enhance STEM education and attainment, with a signature emphasis on professional development for STEM teachers. These projects are prioritized in our grantmaking process, though we welcome applications for any initiatives that support Arizona educators and students and enhance STEM learning.

Building a workforce proficient in STEM skills is essential to Arizona’s future. A strong STEM workforce helps attract and retain high-quality businesses and industries, fueling long-term economic growth and innovation across the state. This program is funded by APS shareholders and is not included in customer rates.

This program is funded by APS shareholders and not included in customer rates.

Grant Eligibility and Evaluation

To be eligible, organizations must:

Be a registered 501(c)(3) public charity in good financial and public standing for 3+ years.
Deliver programming that is facilitated within the state of Arizona.
Submit a program that demonstrates the ability to:
- Improve educational outcomes in STEM,
- Increase access to STEM learning, and/or
- Provide an innovative approach to education.

All grantees are required to submit a final evaluation report before being considered for future funding.

Grant Application Cycles

APPLICATION TIMELINE	SPRING	FALL
Application Opens	February 1	August 1
Application Deadline	11:59 p.m. February 28	11:59 p.m. August 31
Application Review	End of May	Mid-November
Recipient Notification	June 1	December 1
Grant Distribution	By July 1	By December 31

Please ensure you submit your Program Budget and Operating Budget using the templates provided. Click “Apply Now” to begin your application.

APS Foundation budget templates:

Program Budget Form
Operating Budget Form
Final Report Program Budget

Apply today

Please note, the APS Foundation will not support:

Individuals
Individual K-12 schools
Religious organizations, churches and programs that are purely denominational in purpose
Political, labor or fraternal organizations, associations or civic service clubs
Legislative, lobbying or advocacy efforts or organizations
Private or family foundations
Animal shelters or agencies
Foundations or organizations which are grant-making entities or that distribute funds to other nonprofit organizations (pass through)
Start-up organizations defined as nonprofits whose ruling year has been granted by the IRS for less than three years
Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, disability, gender, gender identity, age, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, protected veteran status or any other classification protected by law
Health organizations whose primary focus is funding programs or services for a specific disease or illness
Sports teams or sporting programs
Scouting troops
While not a part of our traditional grant program, the APS Foundation occasionally supports capital requests of our long-standing partners on an invite-only basis.