Rocky Mountain Power Foundation grants to support education and STEM programs
SALT LAKE CITY — The Rocky Mountain Power Foundation is pleased to provide over $350,000 in grant awards to nonprofits and community organizations that promote education and enhance science, technology, engineering and math learning opportunities in the communities that Rocky Mountain Power serves.
Through this funding, the foundation aims to create opportunities both now and in the future by investing in programs that empower and support young people through education and skill development for an ever-changing world.
"We are privileged to support our local organizations in preparing both children and adults to thrive and succeed on their own terms through these educational, STEM and workforce development opportunities," said Dick Garlish, director of the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation and president of Rocky Mountain Power. "We are truly inspired by the innovative approaches our communities are taking to nurture young minds for the future."
These education and STEM grants are made through one of four grant cycles offered by the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation each year. The foundation supports a wide range of organizations within the communities served by Rocky Mountain Power.
The following 64 grants totaling $ 366,845 were given to these regional organizations:
Utah:
Summit County
PC Tots to provide tuition scholarships to low-income families to make high-quality and affordable childcare possible.
Summit Community Gardens & EATS to cover labor and direct expenses in support of their program that empowers children with nutritional knowledge and experiences through classes that teach how to create meals out of fresh, unprocessed, nutritious foods.
Salt Lake County
Diamond Ridge Elementary School Community Council to hire teachers’ aides to direct and teach students while certified classroom teachers work with students who are struggling with literacy skills.
The Sandy Club "A Safe Place for Boys & Girls” to pay part-time staff in support of the tutoring and reading program that provides homework and reading assistance to kids at no cost.
Utah Science Teaching Association to assist 50 underserved science educators to attend the Out-Of-This-World Science Teaching conference by funding their registration, mileage, substitute costs and lodging.
Autism Solutions Academy to obtain smart boards that provide engaging learning sessions in adapted learning classrooms for non-verbal students.
Granite Education Foundation to support programs designed to reduce barriers in education.
Jordan Education Foundation to facilitate funding for equipment and supplies for a minimum of 10 creative and innovative classroom grant projects.
University of Utah – College of Science to provide 35-45 ACCESS Scholars with tuition and research stipends, summer housing assistance and hands-on research and mentoring experiences. This scholarship and research initiative is designed to enhance gender diversity in STEM fields.
The University of Utah-Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital in support of the Student Engineering Design and Education Initiative to provide access to equipment, materials, professional and patient consultants and scholarship to develop novel tools for the disabled community.
University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business to provide scholarships for students in the Opportunity Scholars Program, with the goal of enhancing their educational experience and increasing graduation rates among first-generation, low-income and underrepresented students.
University of Utah - KUER Public Radio to produce local Utah news and information programming.
University of Utah – Natural History Museum of Utah to support wages for Teen Explainers, purchase program supplies and maintain staffing. These students create and develop engaging educational content for museum visitors.
University of Utah - PBS Utah to support PBS Kids 24/7 program acquisition and broadcast costs for families to have unrestricted access to proven educational content that meets evolving trends in children's media consumption habits, ensuring accessibility for all children.
University of Utah – John and Marcia Price College of Engineering to fund five scholarships for senior students in the B.S./M.S. degree programs in electrical engineering.
Tracy Aviary for Nature at Home kits for libraries that provide hands-on, outdoor activities to help families learn about STEM and arts subjects such as birds, nature sounds, plant and soil ecosystems and nature art.
Curly Me! to purchase supplies for free workshops designed for young girls in the Black community, connecting them with Black women and men who are driving positive change, and empowering them to envision and achieve their own potential.
Girl Scouts of Utah to purchase supplies for their STEM program that provides valuable educational experiences and equips kids with skills and knowledge applicable to many areas of life and future careers.
Guadalupe School to support their Out of School Time programs, which provide students with academic support, enrichment opportunities, social-emotional learning and family engagement events.
HawkWatch International to support high-quality science education to underserved communities. Funding will cover costs of program supplies and care for Raptor Ambassadors.
Junior Achievement of Utah, Inc. to support students attending the Junior Achievement City Storefront experiential learning spaces that bring students into the business world and help develop skills including critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, problem solving, financial literacy and communication.
People Helping People to support their employment program, which offers comprehensive training tailored to help women navigate the job market, develop professional skills and learn strategies for earning a sustainable income.
Salt Lake Community College to support Partnership for Accessing College Education Scholarships that facilitate college education and provide a guided path to seeking higher education.
The Leonardo Museum to support K-12 STEM education programs for middle school students.
Utah Community Builders to support programs that eliminate barriers for working parents entering or re-entering the workforce, and to advance economic mobility for all residents of Utah.
Westminster University to support workshops crafted to both strengthen students' interest in STEM fields and to provide them with a firsthand experience of higher education.
Salt Lake Astronomical Society to purchase items for the Library Loaner Telescope Program, a national program supported by astronomical societies throughout the U.S. and other countries.
Tooele County
National Inventors Hall of Fame of Utah to facilitate STEM programs to provide hands-on learning experiences for underserved children in grades K-6.
Cache County
Bridgerland Technical College to support student scholarships for the emergency medical technician, advanced emergency medical technician and paramedic programs.
Utah State University – College of Engineering to support the Engineering State (E-State) program designed to encourage high school juniors and seniors to pursue STEM careers.
Box Elder County
Boys & Girls Club of Northern Utah to support the Club's STEM project for interactive and hands-on projects to make learning enjoyable and engaging, sparking curiosity and a passion for STEM subjects.
Utah County
Lifting Hands International for the purchase of two electric swamp coolers to ensure the safety and comfort of volunteers working in their warehouse.
Weber County
United Way of Northern Utah to support community literacy efforts by maintaining literacy programs, including little libraries and family literacy classes in low-income areas.
Utah Neighborhood Connection to purchase STEM curricula and supplies for the Highland Junior High program, which offers free weekly STEM enrichment opportunities and daily homework help for students.
Weber State University to support scholarships for students majoring in electrical engineering or electronics engineering technology.
Youth Impact that integrates an age-appropriate pipeline of STEM career interest activities in their afterschool and summer youth development program.
Davis County
The Davis Education Foundation to support the Tech Hers Jr. program, designed to inspire girls in grades 5-8 to pursue STEM learning. Funds will be used to purchase drone building kits for a hands-on engineering activity, where students will learn to construct and operate basic drones.
Davis Technical College Foundation to provide general scholarships for students to achieve their education goals.
San Juan County
Bears Ears Partnership to support the expansion of the Growing Bears Ears National Monument Youth Science Educational Program, which deepens the cultural and scientific understanding of Bears Ears National Monument among students in San Juan County and Indigenous youth throughout the region.
Grand County
Grand County School District to cover the costs of afterschool programs that support students in both academic and enrichment areas. These programs, which are open to all, include science clubs, tutoring, student council, physical education and more.
Science Moab to support the School to Science program, which provides students in grades 9-12 with valuable exposure to science learning and STEM career opportunities.
Duchesne County
Uintah Basin Applied Technology College Foundation to provide scholarships to underserved students to help them achieve their career dreams.
Iron County
Southern Utah University to support funding for scholarships to students from low-income families in rural areas, many of whom are first-generation college students facing financial and geographic challenges.
Southern Utah University to purchase a printer for use by chemistry students and the university’s STEM Center.
Southwest Tech Foundation to support student scholarships to remove financial barriers to education.
Sanpete County
Snow College Foundation for scholarships to four underserved, first-generation students with a priority for interest in STEM programs.
Sevier County
Utah FFA Foundation to support leadership training for the benefit of individual student’s leadership experiences.
Idaho:
Bear Lake County Extension to provide essential instruments to enrich students' musical education and support the growth of the community’s cultural and artistic development.
College of Eastern Idaho Foundation for the CEI STEAM Summer Camp to support their summer program for STEM and the arts.
Idaho STEM Action Center Foundation to provide K-5 educators with computer science classroom kits at professional development workshops.
Junior Achievement of Idaho to ensure students at South Fork Elementary in the Jefferson School District can participate in Junior Achievement in-class programs for the 2024-2025 school year.
Marsh Valley High School to secure a new scoreboard that is functional and easier to read.
United Way of Idaho Falls and Bonneville County to support their after-school art enrichment program.
Wyoming:
Casper Mountain Lion Club to fund the replacement of the Lee McCune Braille Trail Bridge.
Junior Achievement - Rocky Mountain to support their K-12 financial literacy, entrepreneurship and career readiness impact programs to help students make the connection between academics and professional success.
University of Wyoming Foundation to support important and practical learning projects including:
Nuclear Energy Research Center to support the Center’s capacity building efforts.
Wind Energy Research Center to support the Center’s efforts to improve wind energy technology and its applications in Wyoming.
School of Politics, Public Affairs and International Studies Malcolm Wallop Civic Engagement Program to support efforts to expand partnerships with K–12 teachers to gather youth perspectives on barriers and opportunities to success in education, employment and community resilience.
Marna M. Kuenhe Foundation Veterans Services Center at UW Veterans Student Center to support the Veterans Energized Instruction and Tutoring Program that is vital to enhancing student success.
Science Initiation Roadshow to support the mission of the roadshow to make STEM fun, relevant and accessible to students and communities in Wyoming.
College of Business to support the UW Rocky Mountain Power Graduate Scholarship in Regulatory Economics for graduate students engaging in STEM-related research.
Native American Education, Research and Cultural Center to support initiatives aimed at providing a place of community, support, engagement and learning while assisting students in maintaining their cultural identity.
Wyoming Latina Youth Center to support and empower young Latinas to excel in education.
Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom for the Wyo Wonders program, ready-to-teach curriculum for Wyoming educators and students grades 2-5.
Children's Discovery Center to support their summer program designed to provide hands-on learning experiences for students and to help create engaging and educational opportunities that nurture their growth and learning throughout the summer.
Disability: IN Uinta County to support their Employment Diversity and Youth Empowerment programs.
South Lincoln Medical District to purchase eight shower chairs for their long-term care facility.
Uinta BOCES #1 Foundation to provide support and assistance for participants in literacy instruction, high school equivalency preparation and employment training.
Western Wyoming Community College Foundation to support their Powerline Technology program scholarships.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Carbon County to support their community-based after school program, which provides educational opportunities for youth in underserved areas of Carbon County.
Park County Animal Shelter to enhance their Book Buddy program that encourages children and adults with disabilities to come and read books to sheltered animals.