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Executive Summary
Spark Lab STEM Club is a nonprofit that gives children in the east side of our city hands-on experience in science, technology, engineering and math, especially children who have had few chances to try. We provide weekly after-school robotics and coding clubs, a summer camp and family STEM nights, with educators who make learning exciting.
Careers in science and technology are growing, and they pay well. But many children, especially girls and children from low-income families, never get the chance to build, program or experiment. By middle school, many have decided that STEM is not for them. Our program gives children hands-on projects, role models and the confidence to keep going.
In Year 1 we plan to serve about 120 children over the year. Our Year 1 budget is about $122,000, growing to about $243,000 by Year 5 as we grow from one STEM program educator to four. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small amount set aside in savings.
We are asking the Meridian Community Fund for $40,000, as part of the $102,000 in grants and contracts we need for Year 1. The other $20,000 in Year 1 comes from corporate partnerships and donations, which we plan to grow to about $68,000 a year by Year 5. Grant money pays for STEM educators, materials and equipment, and the record-keeping funders require.
We will measure how many children take part, how often they attend, how their interest and confidence in STEM change, and what skills they build, using short surveys and simple project checklists. We will report results to our funders every six months.
Company Description
Spark Lab STEM Club is a nonprofit organization in Oklahoma. A 501(c)(3) public charity.
Our mission. To help every child discover the fun of science, technology, engineering and math.
How we started and what we have done. We began in 2022 when an engineer and a science teacher started a Saturday robotics club at a library. Since then about 90 children have taken part, with 10 volunteers helping each month.
What we do:
- Run after-school clubs, camps and weekend programs in robotics, coding, engineering and science.
- Bring hands-on STEM activities into schools, libraries and community centers.
- Connect children with scientists, engineers and technicians who can talk about their careers.
- Offer family STEM nights, so parents can learn alongside their children.
- Provide free or low-cost spots, so cost is never a barrier.
Where we work. After school Monday to Thursday at two partner elementary schools, and Saturdays at the library.
Our partners. Two elementary schools, the library, a local engineering firm and a community college that donates computers.
Our approach. Children learn STEM by doing it. We make it fun, teach teamwork and treat every child as a future scientist or engineer.
How we are run. A volunteer Board of Directors (a small group of community members who oversee the organization) meets regularly, approves the budget, reviews the finances and oversees the Executive Director.
Problem & Opportunity
Why this program is needed.
Many children in the east side of our city attend schools with little STEM equipment and few teachers with STEM training. Private camps and clubs cost more than many families can afford. Girls, children of color and children from low-income families are less likely to be encouraged to pursue STEM, and many never see someone who looks like them in an STEM career.
Facts about our community. According to our state report card, many eighth graders at our partner school are not yet proficient in science.
Gaps in the help that exists now:
1. Equipment. Many schools lack computers, lab supplies or robotics kits.
2. Access. Programs are often in wealthier neighborhoods or cost too much.
3. Teachers. Many schools do not have enough teachers with STEM training.
4. Role models. Children need to see people like themselves working in STEM.
5. Confidence. Many children, especially girls, stop believing they are good at math and science.
What we have seen ourselves. Teachers told us they have almost no lab equipment, and many children had never used a computer for anything other than games.
Who we serve first. Children in grades 3 to 8, especially girls and children from families with limited income, in girls and boys in grades 3 to 8 at our partner schools, with priority for families with limited income.
Products & Services
How the program works.
1. Hands-on clubs and camps. Children meet regularly for projects like building and programming robots, coding games and doing science experiments, led by trained educators.
2. Challenges and showcases. Children work in teams on a project and show it at a family event, which builds pride and communication skills.
3. Role models. Scientists, engineers and technicians visit programs to share what they do and how they got there.
4. Materials children can use. About $14,000 in Year 1 pays for kits, computers, supplies and field trips.
5. Families included. Family STEM nights and take-home activities give parents a way to join in.
How we will measure results. We track attendance and use short surveys to ask children how interested and confident they are in STEM at the start and end. Educators note skills each child builds, like coding a simple program or completing a design project. We do not promise changes in test scores in Year 1. Our goals for Year 1: serve 120 children; have 70% attend at least 15 sessions; have 75% say they like STEM more at the end; and have every child complete at least one team project.
Market Analysis
Where we work and who we serve.
We serve children in the east side of our city, especially girls and boys in grades 3 to 8 at our partner schools, with priority for families with limited income.
How we know people need this. Our first club had 15 spots and 45 children signed up, and two schools have asked us to start clubs there.
How many we will reach. In Year 1, about 120 children over the year. The number of schools without STEM programs, the share of students from low-income families and the number of STEM jobs in our area are common ways to size the need, and the guide for this plan shows where to find them. As we grow from one STEM program educator to four, we expect to reach more children each year.
How families reach us. Teachers, school counselors, the library and local churches.
Competitive Landscape
Other help, and how we work with it.
- Schools teach science and math but often have limited equipment and time. We partner with schools and bring hands-on activities. Two schools host our clubs under written agreements.
- Museums and science centers offer exhibits and programs. We partner with them and bring programs to neighborhoods.
- Private camps and clubs charge fees. We offer low-cost and free options.
- National robotics and coding programs provide curricula and competitions. We use their materials and bring them to children they do not reach.
- Libraries and community centers host STEM events. We provide programs and educators.
What makes us different: hands-on projects every week, role models from local companies and no cost to families
Marketing & Sales Strategy
How we reach people and build support.
Reaching people:
- Referrals from teachers, school counselors, librarians and community centers.
- Flyers and sign-up sheets at school events, libraries and apartment complexes.
- Demonstrations and showcases, where children's work sells the program.
- Word of mouth from children and parents.
Corporate partners. Local engineering firms, technology companies and utilities often support STEM education. They offer funding, equipment and volunteers, and many send employees to speak and mentor.
Volunteers. Engineers, technicians, teachers, college STEM students and employer volunteer programs.
Raising money beyond grants. Corporate partnerships and donations are planned at about $20,000 in Year 1, growing to about $68,000 by Year 5, through a yearly giving campaign, business and community partners, a community event and online giving. Raising more of our own money means we depend less on any one grant or contract.
Operations Plan
How the program runs.
How a child moves through the program:
1. A sign-up, with a short form and family permission.
2. A regular club or camp, with a simple project to build or solve.
3. A team challenge and a showcase for families.
4. A short survey and a chance to move up to a more advanced group.
5. Connections to summer programs, school clubs and mentors.
A first session. Children get into small teams, hear a short challenge, and start building a simple robot or program with help from the educator and volunteers.
Safety. Staff and volunteers pass background checks and training before working with children. We follow safety rules for tools and materials, supervise children closely and report suspected child abuse as the law requires.
Privacy. Information about children and families is kept private. We share it only with parent permission or when the law requires it, and funders get totals, never names.
Equipment. In Year 1 we buy about $7,000 in equipment (laptops and tablets, robotics kits, a printer, storage and workshop supplies), then about $2,000 to $3,000 a year to replace worn items.
Staff. One STEM program educator in Year 1, then two in Year 2, three in Year 3, three in Year 4 and four in Year 5. Educators are trained in the curriculum and in working with children, and they support volunteers.
Office work. Bookkeeping, insurance and reporting cost about $11,000 in Year 1.
Management & Organization
Who leads the organization.
James Williams, Executive Director.
The Executive Director leads the organization, raises money and manages grants and contracts, builds partnerships, oversees the finances and reports to the Board. Planned salary: $56,000 a year.
STEM program educators. Teach clubs and camps, plan activities, train volunteers, work with schools and keep records. One position in Year 1, growing to four by Year 5, at a planned salary of $38,000 each. Qualifications we look for: a background in science, engineering or technology, experience working with children and a lively, welcoming manner.
Volunteers. Volunteer scientists, engineers, students and teachers help with clubs, mentoring and showcases. They are screened and trained before working with children.
Board of Directors. A five-member board including Luis Rodriguez, who brings nonprofit finance experience.
Money management. Grant and contract money is tracked separately so we can show each funder exactly how their money was spent. An outside accountant reviews our books every year.
Milestones Narrative
Our goals and how we will measure them.
Year 1:
- Sign agreements with our first partner schools and venues.
- Hire our first STEM program educator and recruit volunteers.
- Serve about 120 children over the year.
- Reach our Year 1 goals for participation, skills and interest in STEM.
- Stay within a balanced budget of about $122,000.
Year 2: two STEM program educators; budget of about $162,000.
Year 3: three STEM program educators; budget of about $202,000.
Year 4: three STEM program educators; budget of about $203,000.
Year 5: four STEM program educators; budget of about $243,000.
Over the five years: grow to four STEM program educators, add schools and a summer camp and build a mentor network. Materials and equipment costs grow about 5% a year.
How we will check our results. We track attendance, projects completed and short survey results about interest and confidence. Twice a year we ask parents and teachers for feedback. Staff and the Board review results and share them with funders.
Funding Request
What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $40,000 from the Meridian Community Fund for our first STEM educator's salary, robotics kits and supplies and the costs of reporting results, for January through December 2027. Year 1 budget: about $122,000, planned to balance. Year 1 money coming in: - Grants and government contracts: $102,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for). - Corporate partnerships and donations: $20,000. Year 1 costs: - Executive Director: $56,000. - STEM program educators: $38,000. - STEM materials and equipment (kits, robotics, computers, supplies, field trips): $14,000. - Office costs (bookkeeping, insurance, reporting): $11,000. - That is about $119,000 in costs. The remaining $3,000 or so goes into savings. Equipment we buy once at the start (about $7,000) is paid from startup money, not from the yearly budget. The next five years. Our budget grows from about $122,000 in Year 1 to about $243,000 in Year 5 as we grow to four STEM program educators. Grants and contracts are planned at $102,000 in Year 1, $132,000 in Year 2, $160,000 in Year 3, $148,000 in Year 4 and $175,000 in Year 5. Corporate partnerships and donations grow from $20,000 to $68,000, so grants become a smaller part of our budget over time. Savings. We start with about $15,000 of our own plus $50,000 in startup support, and we add to savings each year. Important for grants. Many STEM grants pay in installments or after a report, and some are tied to results. We plan for that, keep careful records and promise only what we can deliver. Help we receive that is not cash. Donated space, volunteer hours, donated equipment and supplies, and partner schools are a real part of what we do and are not counted in the budget above. Free use of library rooms and a school lab (about $5,000 a year in rent value), about 800 volunteer hours a year and donated laptops If we are just starting. A new organization can begin before it has its own 501(c)(3) status. One way is a fiscal sponsor: an established nonprofit that agrees to receive grants for you and pass them to your program, usually for a fee (commonly around 5% to 10% of the grant, sometimes more; ask before you agree). Many funders accept this. Another way is to start smaller: partner with a school or library, start with one club and a few volunteers, and track results carefully. Strong results from a small start make larger grants and contracts easier to win.
Appendix Notes
Documents to attach with this proposal:
- Your IRS 501(c)(3) letter, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your most recent financial statements and your current budget.
- A list of your Board members and what they do.
- Letters of support from schools, libraries, companies or other partners.
- Your curriculum or sample activity plans.
- Your child safety and volunteer screening policies.
- Your participation numbers from the past year, if you have them.
- Resumes for your Executive Director and key staff. If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.
The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Staff pay: Executive Director $56,000; each STEM program educator $38,000, growing from 1 to 4.
- STEM materials and equipment about $14,000 in Year 1, rising about 5% a year
- Office costs about $11,000 in Year 1, rising about 4% a year.
- Grants and contracts set so each year's budget balances with a small amount saved.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your organization's real budget.