About National Science Teaching Association
Transform science education to benefit all through professional learning, partnerships and advocacy.
Focus Areas
science educationteacher professional developmentK-12 education
Who They Fund
middle-school and high-school studentsgirls and young women in STEM (GEMS)high-school student researchers
Funding Style
direct service / program deliveryevent support / symposium fundingshort-term / summer program grantsprogram-specific funding (skill-building/competitions)
Topics
About National Science Teaching Association
National Science Teaching Association’s largest recent grants go to the GEMS Summer Program, with awards of $582,000 in 2023, $486,000 in 2024, and $498,616 in 2025. That pattern points to a funder that uses sizable, repeated support to move science education through direct programming for girls and young women in STEM. The association’s recent grants also show a strong second lane: regional JSHS symposium support to universities, science fairs, and research foundations that host student research competitions and presentation events. Those awards connect the association’s grantmaking to K-12 STEM enrichment, student research, and pipeline development rather than broad general operating support. Across its active programs, the National Science Teaching Association also recognizes science teachers and supports professional learning through awards, scholarships, and conference participation. Several programs are explicitly open to unsolicited applications, including the Angela Award, Robert E. Yager Exemplary Teaching Award, NSTA Conference Scholarships, Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award for New Teachers, Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge, Shell Urban Science Educators Development Award, and the Northrop Grumman Foundation Scaling Up for STEM Initiative. The overall picture is of a science-education funder that combines student awards, teacher development, and competition-based support.
What National Science Teaching Association Funds
Girls’ STEM programming is one of the clearest themes in the recent grants. National Science Teaching Association gave $582,000 in 2023 to National Inventors Hall of Fame Inc for GEMS Summer Program, followed by $486,000 in 2024 and $498,616 in 2025 for the same program. The association also supports student research and competition infrastructure through JSHS Regional Symposium grants to organizations such as Montana Tech of the University of Montana, Washington State Science & Engineering Fair, and The Research Foundation City University NY. Teacher development is another visible priority. Active programs include the Robert E. Yager Exemplary Teaching Award for full-time K–12 science teachers, the Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award for New Teachers, and the Shell Urban Science Educators Development Award. The Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge also shows a focus on classroom resources and lab experiences in U.S. communities with limited school and laboratory resources.
How National Science Teaching Association Gives
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$3.3M
Total Assets
$25.5M
Total Revenue
$18.6M
Total Expenses
$19.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $23K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$23K
Geographic Reach
National39 states funded
About 2% of grants go to recipients in AR.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
ROBERT LAY
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