Funding Now Available for High School Robotic Competitions

Applications for $250,000 in state grant funding to support student teams’ participation in robotics competitions are now available on the Department of Public Instruction website (dpi.wi.gov). Robotics competitions require teams to design, construct, program and operate robots in an effort to encourage students to develop an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The grants require a one-to-one match for up to $5,000 in funding. The grants cover fees, required kits and required supplies to participate in a robotics competition, travel expenses for eligible team members, and a stipend for the mentor of an eligible team. Teams are to be made of high school students from public, private, and charter schools as well as home-based private educational programs and have at least one mentor. Grants are for the 2016-17 school year.

Additional information about robotics grants and application materials can be found at dpi.wi.gov/stem/grants/robotic-league and are due Oct. 14. If requests from approved applicants exceed the amount of funding available, the department will prorate grant awards to each successful applicant.