Apply Here: Orange County, CA Community Grants

1/31/2024 - Requests are now submitted via email and reviewed on a rolling basis. Please see below for updated guidelines.

The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation’s Local Community Support Grants support organizations with innovative STEM/STEAM activities within the Orange County, California area.

Local Community Support Grants are awarded for community-based projects, activities or events that align with the Foundation’s aim of “supporting young scientists today for tomorrow’s breakthrough discoveries.” Examples of past and current local community support by the Foundation include:

• Kids at Science – STEM teacher training initiative
• Irvine Public Schools Foundation – CubeSat high school program launching satellites into space
• Orange County Science & Engineering Fair – Special awards and support to the fair
• MIND Research Institute – Development of ST Math Core curriculum
• Segerstrom Center for the Arts – Festival-style science entertainment for all ages
• Chapman University – Keck Center for Science and Technology
• Crystal Cove Conservancy – Development of K-2 field trip curriculum
• Discovery Cube, Orange County – Seed grant, special annual award
• Sycamore Magnet Academy PTA – Outdoor science education for fifth grade students
• Los Alamitos Youth Center – Girls in STEM workshops for second through sixth grade students
• Science Olympiad (SciOly) at Beckman High School – Collaborative hands-on science competition for high school students

All proposals must be submitted by a U.S. nonprofit 501(c)3, or equivalent, organization serving Orange County, California either exclusively or as a large part of the proposed effort. As a matter of policy, the Foundation does not provide grants to non-U.S. organizations or institutions. Proposals for collaborative projects are acceptable, but a lead organization that meets the criteria must be specified.

Proposed projects should be aligned with the Foundation’s aim of “supporting young scientists today for tomorrow’s breakthrough discoveries” and oriented toward achieving positive outcomes in at least one of the Foundation’s current funding priorities:

• Engaging youth in hands-on science and math activities to encourage curiosity and student-driven exploration and learning
• Increasing diversity in science
• Using technology to engage youth in STEAM
• Discovering Orange County – looking closer at the science behind seismology, robotics, space, sustainability, or agriculture
• Promoting the Beckmans’ legacy of technology innovation and leadership in Orange County

The following considerations should be addressed in a proposal for funding:

• Who the team members are that will be involved with the project, including any special training or qualifications
• How the funding will be used to support the project
• The area(s) in Orange County, California which will be served by the project
• The target audience which will be served by the project
• What makes the STEM/STEAM project innovative
• How the project aligns with the Foundation’s aim of “supporting young scientists today for tomorrow’s breakthrough discoveries”
• How the project will be implemented and evaluated, including how it will lead to positive outcomes related to the selected funding priority
• Preference will be given to projects that build capacity within your organization or provide seed funding to develop new programs, rather than ongoing support to existing programs

Projects are typically completed within a year of funding. The amount of the funding requested should be justified by the scope of the project. Projects must be located within Orange County, California. Mid- and post-project reporting will be required.

Grant funds are directly issued to the organization by the Foundation. Requests (project proposals) must be submitted by a U.S. nonprofit 501(c)3, or equivalent, organization serving youth in Orange County, California community. As a matter of policy, the Foundation does not provide grants to non-U.S. organizations or institutions. This program defines the terms “youth” and “youths” as individual(s) 17 years of age or younger.

Requests are accepted by email on a rolling basis but must be submitted at least 3 months prior to the planned start date of the project. Applicants must include a Project Proposal that addresses the considerations listed above in the Funding Priorities section and a budget justification, along with a contact name, email and phone number, as well as the organization name, Federal Tax ID Number, IRS designation, and website. After receiving a Project Proposal, the Foundation will review the submission and will reach out to the submitter if additional clarification or information is needed, and will communicate a final funding decision after the Foundation completes a final review of the request.

NOTE:

The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation logo should be included on all publicity related to the project. Press releases, announcements, and social media related to the project must include the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation as Project Sponsor. The benefiting organization should make reasonable efforts to recognize the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation and provide participatory opportunities for Foundation staff.

Generative artificial intelligence tools, such as ChatGPT or AI, are evolving into essential software in the researcher’s toolkit. Just as graphing and statistical software aid in data analysis and presentation, AI tools can assist authors in their work. The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation supports the use of these tools as supplementary resources when used in an ethical and responsible manner. Accountability lies with the human authors, who remain responsible for the proper application of AI and the critical review and reporting of its output. All awardees and applicants are expected to comply with best practice in research and publishing ethics, take full responsibility for any errors made by an AI tool, and are expected to cooperate with questions relating to the accuracy or integrity of any part of their work, including data analyses and representation.