Battelle Memorial Institute
OVERVIEW: The Battelle Memorial Institute supports STEM education near the company headquarters in Ohio. This funder also makes grants for climate change and science research, but on a more limited basis through employee giving.
IP TAKE: This funder is focused on STEM education, although it makes grants in other areas too. However, these are more difficult to access. The STEM Grants program accepts applications annually, but other types of funding are typically reached through the employee giving program. So those grantseekers outside of the STEM field may want to see who they know with connections to the nonprofit. This is a competitive grantmaker, so plan your materials accordingly. Another opportunity here is to reach out to BMI employees, since this BMI supports employee giving.
BMI emphasizes signature areas of energy, environment and material sciences, national security, and health and life sciences.
BMI invests in educational initiatives, particularly in Ohio and Tennessee, but also nationally, in projects that promote student achievement, assist with professional development for teachers, and promote inquiry-based learning, especially in STEM.
PROFILE: Established in the 1920s, the Battelle Memorial Institute is a research and development organization that works in the fields of science and technology. Gordon Battelle, a steel industrialist, created this organization in his last will and testament, which followed his successful science research career. Battelle aims to be a “major force in science and technology discovery and in the translation of knowledge into innovative applications that have significant societal and economic impacts.” The organization has a charitable giving program and an employee giving program to give back to the communities where company employees live and work. STEM education is the primary funding interest of the Battelle Memorial Institute, but it is also interested in civic and community needs, charitable event sponsorships, science research, the environment, public health, security and climate change. However, this non-education-related grantmaking is much more difficult to track. Much of the company’s annual giving is centered on organizations in Central Ohio because this is where the company headquarters are located.
Grants for STEM Education
Battelle’s STEM Education is its primary area of support. It works “with educators, policymakers, industries and communities to bring STEM learning to young, talented students everywhere.” One of the ways it does this is through the Battelle STEM Grant Program, which seeks to increase access to STEM learning by developing “high-quality STEM education programs.” It focuses on STEM education programming in Central Ohio, specifically Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Licking, Madison, Pickaway and Union Counties. Past STEM Grant recipients include Capital University’s Girls in Science Days, Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation, Columbus Museum of Art, Friends of the Conservatory/Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Gladden Community House, The Center for Architecture and Design, and Ohio Soybean Council Foundation for agriculture-related afterschool and summer programs.
Battelle Education is a non-profit created by Battelle to increase access to STEM education throughout the region and to improve its implementation. It uses Battelle’s “STEM networks as incubators for educators who seek to implement the best in STEM education practices in their curriculums.”
Battelle also supports STEM education through the Ohio STEM Learning Network and Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, both in partnership with the respective states’ Departments of Education.
Grants for Climate Change and Science Research, Other Grant Opportunities
Battelle’s Philanthropy is primarily focused on STEM education, but it does make grants to organizations operating in other areas, such as civic and community needs, charitable event sponsorships, science research, the environment, public health, security and climate change. However, these are typically supported via employee giving and employee volunteering programs. Battelle matches its employees’ philanthropy one-for-one when they give through the giving program.
Important Grant Details:
Batelle’s STEM Grant Program is geographically focused on Central Ohio, which is defined as Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Licking, Madison, Pickaway, and Union counties. Funding is available for the development of pilot programs and the expansion of existing, sustainable STEM education programs. Grants range in amount from $10,000 to $80,000. Though the institute does not offer multi-year funding, grantees have the opportunity to apply for continued funding after their initial grant cycle is complete. Continued funding grants also range in amount from $10,000 to $80,000. Batelle announces requests for proposals (RFPs) each year. Although submissions deadlines are subject to change, they generally fall toward the end of March.
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