Note: The deadline to apply is September 20, 2023.

Mountain Empire Community College, through funding provided by the Slemp Foundation, is pleased to offer the MECC Slemp Foundation Mini-Grant Program for K-12 Teachers in Lee and Wise County as well as instructors at Mountain Empire Community College.

The goal of the program is to nurture career pathways in STEAM-H fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts/Agriculture, Mathematics, and Health) for K-12 and college students for a better understanding of post-secondary career options. Up to ten, $1,000 grants will be awarded to K-12 teachers in Wise and Lee County (10 grants available per county). Grants applications and funding will be available annually in August 2023, August 2024, and August 2025. These grants may be used to purchase equipment, educational materials, or support research that will benefit student learning.

In addition, ten $1,000 grants will be awarded to MECC faculty to support equipment and instructional supplies for existing programming. Teachers can be very creative and will be able to identify a wide array of activities and resources to meet the goals of the project. Examples may include gardening opportunities for lower elementary students, stream studies and water quality analysis for upper elementary and middle school and electrophorese studies for high school students.

Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis and will be judged on their potential to design and facilitate age-appropriate career awareness and engaging activities. The application process for mini-grants will require each teacher recipient to provide at least a one or two-page description of the project, which will address the following elements:

  • What is the project’s goal or research question
  • Project abstract summary
  • Goals and deliverables/relevant literature support
  • Implementation plan
  • What data collection and/or analytic techniques will be used and how will the outcomes of the project be assessed/evaluated
  • A detailed budget

Each teacher mini grant application should include a cover page consisting of the teacher(s) name, school name, school address, grade level/subject taught, email address, school phone, project title, and a two-hundred -word project abstract.

Grant Rubric Used to Evaluate Each Mini Grant Application

Section Points
10 0
Complete Mini-Grant Information Attached All required information is included Missing required information
40 30 20 0
Project Abstract/Summary Concise, clearly articulated plan includes all required information. Approach is clearly outlined and aligned to the goals of the mini-grant. Includes all required information. Description is lacking some detail that would clearly articulate the project. Missing one piece of required information. Or abstract/summary is at times unclear or missing descriptive information. Abstract is unclear or lacking key information. Project is not articulated.
Goals and Deliverables/Relevant Literature Support Deliverables are directly linked to goals. Clear that project is part of an overall plan for the project’s deliverables. It includes relevant literature support. Deliverables may be indirectly linked to goals but overarching goal of project is still clear. Strategy lacks detail. Relevant literature support. Weak abstract. Some goals or missing or deliverables unclear. Weak connection to overall strategy, weak literature support No Connection is made to overall project strategy. Missing goals or literature support.
40 30 20 0
Implementation Plan Plan is clear, understandable, and relevant to the application. Plan lacks key details or is incomplete. No clear implementation plans. No plan
10 5 0
Evaluation Plan Plan is clear, understandable, and relevant to the project. Plan lacks key details or is incomplete. No clear evaluation plans.
Budget Budget is realistic and appropriate. Budget supports goals and deliverables. Budget follows requirements but is unrealistic or goal support is unclear. Budget is missing.
TOTAL