STEM Salem Receives $4,500 City of Salem Mini-Grant to Expand Youth STEM Opportunities

STEM Salem is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $4,500 grant from the City of Salem through its Salem Youth Development & Family Engagement Mini-Grant Program. The award will support STEM Salem’s efforts to provide meaningful, engaging STEM experiences for young people and families in the Salem community.

The City of Salem’s mini-grant program is designed to support youth-centered programming that expands positive opportunities for young people, strengthens family engagement, activates neighborhoods, and promotes community wellness. STEM education and career-exposure activities are specifically identified among the program’s eligible activities.

“This investment from the City of Salem is especially meaningful because it directly supports our commitment to bringing STEM opportunities closer to home for Salem’s children and families,” said Antoinette Stanley, STEM Salem Program Manager and Elder at Harvest-Time Worship Center. “We are grateful to the City for recognizing the importance of giving young people opportunities to explore, create, and discover through STEM.”

The funding will help STEM Salem continue developing programming that makes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics accessible through hands-on, engaging, and community-connected experiences. Programs such as STEM Sunday and STEM Club give students opportunities to investigate STEM concepts, work through challenges, and connect what they are learning to the world around them.

The City’s mini-grant initiative is part of a broader collective-impact strategy focused on youth development, violence prevention, community healing, and neighborhood revitalization. The program also emphasizes collaboration among local organizations and the documentation of outcomes and lessons learned to strengthen future youth-development efforts.

“STEM Salem is committed to being a collaborative partner in building a stronger future for Salem,” Antoinette said. “We believe that when children have access to positive experiences, supportive relationships, and opportunities to discover their potential, the entire community benefits.”

STEM Salem extends its appreciation to the City of Salem, Mayor and Council, and the team responsible for the Salem Youth Development & Family Engagement Mini-Grant Program for investing in opportunities that support Salem’s young people and families.

About STEM Salem

STEM Salem is a community-based, out-of-school-time STEM initiative dedicated to increasing access to high-quality STEM learning experiences for children and families in the City of Salem. Through hands-on programming, partnerships with local STEM organizations and professionals, and access to STEM-rich institutions, STEM Salem seeks to make STEM learning engaging, relevant, and accessible to the community.

About the Salem Youth Development & Family Engagement Mini-Grant Program

The City of Salem’s Salem Youth Development & Family Engagement Mini-Grant Program provides funding to community organizations and partners supporting youth-centered activities throughout Salem City and Salem County. The initiative seeks to increase safe and positive youth activities, expand enrichment opportunities, strengthen neighborhood engagement, reduce barriers to participation, and encourage collaboration among local organizations.