Rocky Mountain Power Logo

Rocky Mountain Power announces grants to support education and STEM programs

RMP STEM

SALT LAKE CITY  — The Rocky Mountain Power Foundation is announcing more than $300,000 in new grant awards to nonprofits and community organizations that support education and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning opportunities in the communities Rocky Mountain Power serves.

Through this funding, the foundation seeks to open doors to opportunity now and in the future by investing in programs that support and lift up young people through education and skill development for a rapidly changing world.

"We’re honored to help our local organizations prepare kids and adults to thrive and succeed on their own terms through these education, STEM and workforce development opportunities,”  said Gary Hoogeveen, president and CEO, Rocky Mountain Power. “We are inspired by the many innovative ways our communities are helping our young people prepare for the future.”

These education and STEM grants are made through one of four grant cycles offered by Rocky Mountain Power’s nonprofit arm each year. The following 63 grants totaling $302,500 were given to these regional organizations:

Utah

Wasatch Front

American Indian Services for the AIS Pre-Freshmen Engineering Program, a six-week STEM summer school that challenges Native American students in grades 7-9.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County to help employ AmeriCorps members as STEM specialists to assist with implementing the Utah STEM Initiative.   

Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum for supplies and materials for a STEAM lab where children participate in hands-on activities that help develop academic and social skills.

Hunter Elementary School to add Lego kits, Dash robots and other tools to the school’s STEAM lab to provide engaging, interactive learning opportunities for students.

Granite Education Foundation for essentials, including clothing, shoes, backpacks, bus passes, school supplies, bedding and hygiene kits, to help children from homes experiencing low incomes.

Guadalupe School for the Out-of-School-Time program, which provides arts and STEM enrichment activities for children from homes experiencing low incomes.

HawkWatch International to help bring high-quality science education, including the Raptor Ambassadors program, to underserved communities.

Jordan Education Foundation for classroom grants that fund equipment and supplies for creative and innovative classroom projects.

Junior Achievement of Utah, Inc. to sponsor storefronts at the Salt Lake City and Orem JA City locations, where fifth- and eighth-grade students participate in an interactive, real-world experience to help them better understand the challenges and rewards of adult life.

National Inventors Hall of Fame for scholarships to allow underserved children in Tooele County to experience Camp Invention, which brings STEM to life for children in grades K-6 while providing professional development for local teachers who implement the program.

Natural History Museum of Utah for the Teen Explainers program, which hires local high school students to design and develop engaging educational content for the museum.

Rocky Peak Elementary for 3-D pens, coding supplies, a printer, STEM building tools and other supplies for a new makerspace.

Salt Lake Community College for Partnerships for Accessing a College Education scholarships, which help students from diverse backgrounds.

Tracy Aviary for Nature at Home Kits, which include hands-on, outdoor activities that help children learn about birds, sounds of nature, plants, soil ecosystems and more.

University of Utah to help with a variety of programs, including:

  • College of Science to help with tuition and research stipends, summer housing assistance and hands-on research and mentoring experiences for 40 students in the ACCESS Scholars program, a year-long scholarship and research program designed to increase diversity in STEM.
  • David Eccles School of Business for Opportunity Scholars Program scholarships, which support first-generation, underrepresented students from low-income backgrounds.
  • KUER Public Radio to help create local news and information programming on Utah’s only statewide public radio station.
  • PBS Utah for the PBS Kids 24/7 channel, which broadcasts proven educational content, such as Sesame Street and Wild Kratts, that support literacy and STEAM learning.
  • University Neighborhood Partners for the UNP Hartland Education Pathways program, which provides youth and adults with a path to post-secondary education and improved employment opportunities.

Utah Chinese Association to create Utah Asian Community Electrical Tech Education, an electrical technology educational program tailored to the needs of the Asian American community in Utah.

Utah Science Teachers Association to provide professional learning opportunities for underserved teachers to enhance STEM teaching methods.

Utah Valley University Foundation for prototype equipment to be used in the Semi-Autonomous Electrical Aircraft Tug Senior Capstone Design Project, which involves students in mechanical, electrical and computer engineering programs.

Youthlinc for Real Life, an after-school tutoring and life skills peer-mentoring program for refugee and immigrant youth.

Northern Utah

Boys & Girls Clubs of Weber-Davis for the Integrated Project Learn program that includes educational, youth development and social services to support the academic success, social-emotional skills development and college and career readiness for youth ages 5 to 12.

Davis Technical College Foundation to provide scholarships for students from low- and moderate-income homes, and to provide a welding technology course for students at Red Barn Farms, a therapeutic, residential vocational training school for men in recovery from substance abuse.

Ogden-Weber Technical College Foundation to help provide scholarships for academically talented students from low-income backgrounds who are enrolled in technical education programs.

Town of Mantua for construction of an outdoor classroom pavilion at Danes Park, a heritage park that helps students learn about local history.

Utah Neighborhood Connection to provide a safe, fun and educational after-school program that provides homework help, career-learning paths, art, music and sports.

Weber State University for:

  • 2021 WSU PREP, a seven-week STEM summer camp for students entering seventh grade from populations underrepresented in STEM professions, including minorities, women and first-generation college students.
  • Scholarships for students majoring in electrical engineering or electronics engineering technology.

Woods Cross City for a summer literacy program that includes a reading presenter, new books and crafts for elementary students.

Park City

EATS Park City for the EATS Edible Education program, which provides children with hands-on cooking and gardening lessons to promote healthy eating.

Wasatch Mountain Institute to provide day trip and overnight educational opportunities for students and teachers to learn about ecology, environmental science and Utah’s outdoors.

Cache Valley

Cache Makers 4-H for equipment and classes to help more K-12 students learn how to solder, a fundamental skill for makers. 

Richmond City for air-conditioning units and an entrance awning at The Park Bench senior center to make it safe and comfortable for daily visitors.

Utah State University – College of Engineering for Engineering State, an intensive, four-day program designed to encourage high school students to pursue STEM careers.

Central Utah

Snow College to support scholarships for four first-generation students from underserved communities.

Eastern Utah

Bears Ears Partnership for a youth science education program to help students gain a cultural and scientific understanding of Bears Ears National Monument.

Grand County School District for the BEACON after-school academic and enrichment programs, including science clubs, tutoring, physical education and other activities, and a mentoring program to help the school district’s most vulnerable students. 

Science Moab for the School to Science program, which provides high school students with exposure to science careers through job shadows, internships and field trips.

Southern Utah

Southern Utah University for:

  • Rocky Mountain Power Foundation First Generation Scholarships to help first-generation students from low-income homes.
  • STEM equipment and FIRST Tech Robotics build kits to support STEM activities for students in grades K-12.

Southwest Tech Foundation for scholarships to support Southwest Technical College students studying welding, robotics, industrial maintenance and wildfire management.

Wyoming

Eastern Wyoming

Hispanic Organization for Progress and Education (HOPE) to establish a scholarship endowment at Laramie County Community College for graduating students moving to a four-year college.

Junior Achievement for K-12 financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work-readiness programs that help students make the connection between academics and real-world professional success.

University of Wyoming Foundation to support University of Wyoming initiatives that have a robust impact on the people of Wyoming, including:

  • Wyoming Latina Youth Center
  • Nuclear Energy Research Center
  • Veterans Service Center
  • Science Initiative Roadshow
  • Wallop Civic Engagement Program
  • College of Business Summer Undergraduate Research in Economics
  • Native American Education Research & Cultural Center

Wee Folks Place to provide tuition assistance that will allow children from families with low incomes to learn and develop in a pre-kindergarten afternoon program. 

Western Wyoming

Boy Scouts of America, Adventure West Council to add equipment to the Wyoming STEM program at Camp Buffalo Bill and annual day camps, which will help campers learn about space exploration, aviation, robotics, astronomy, geology, environmental science and model design and building.

Children’s Discovery Center to ensure the continuation of a summer program, including hands-on learning experiences, field trips, guest speakers and physical activities, at the only nonprofit preschool in the area that is open year-round.

Northwest College Foundation for the Rocky Mountain Power Scholarship for students majoring in STEM fields.

Uinta BOCES #1 Foundation to help provide support services to students in literacy instruction, High School Equivalency preparation and employment training.

Western Wyoming Community College Foundation for scholarships to assist students in a powerline technology program.

Idaho

Bear Lake Education Foundation for a game-design course to help Bear Lake Middle School students learn 3D modeling, animation, programming and other STEM concepts.

College of Eastern Idaho Foundation to help hire elementary teachers for the CEI Summer Science Camp and provide scholarships to students from low-income homes.

Idaho STEM Action Center Foundation to provide 30 teachers from grades K-5 with computer science classroom kits at professional development workshops.

Junior Achievement of Idaho to ensure all South Fork Elementary students can participate in the Junior Achievement in-class programs for the 2023-2024 school year and to support the JA High School Heroes program, which trains high school students as volunteers to deliver JA lessons in elementary classrooms.

Marsh Valley High School for STEM supplies and activities that high school students will use for STEM education outreach activities with students at four local elementary schools.