Deadline: 1-Dec-22

The FREE STEM Fund is now open to empower girls, women, transgender, and non-binary people as changemakers in the STEM sector.

The FREE STEM Fund aims to provide direct grants to Registered and unregistered initiatives, groups, collectives, and organisations focused on the rights on girls, women, transgender and non-binary people.

Thematic Parameters

FREE STEM will fund proposals to ensure girls, women, transgender and non-binary people are widely represented in, and empowered to thrive in and advance the STEM sector. In particular, it is envisioned that FREE STEM will support proposals that take into account the following:

• Advocacy & Awareness: Advocate for equal opportunity in STEM fields while raising awareness about the diverse opportunities and benefits for girls, women, transgender and non-binary people in STEM fields at both an individual and community level.
• Safety: Improve girls’, women’s, transgender and non-binary people’s access to safety by addressing gender-based violence*, freedom of movement and digital security in STEM fields and in the community.​
• Confidence & Leadership: Expand girls’, women’s, transgender and non-binary people’s soft skills, representation, voice, and decision-making within STEM.
• Health & Wellbeing: Increase access to mental and physical wellbeing services such as sexual and reproductive health and rights, proper nutrition, family planning, mental health, social wellbeing and providing access to key (health-related) services for girls, women, transgender and non-binary people within the STEM field.
• Role Models & Networks: Create STEM role models and provide girls, women, transgender and non-binary people with a support network, including through mentorship programmes.
• Stem Careers: Develop STEM skills that will allow girls, women, and non-binary people to become an integral part in the STEM career market in academia, industry and entrepreneurship.
• Education & Training: Increase girls’, women’s, transgender and non-binary people’s access to and support in STEM subjects and training, such as digital literacy and STEM subject tutoring.
• Financial Inclusion: Ensure girls, women, transgender and non-binary people can access financial information, products and services that enable them to create a future in STEM.
• Time & Accessibility: Ensuring girls, women, transgender and non-binary people have the logistical and infrastructural means to pursue opportunities in STEM.

Funding Information

Registered and unregistered initiatives, groups, collectives, and organisations with a focus on the rights of girls, women, transgender and non-binary people can apply for the following amounts:

• Up to €5,000
• Up to €10,000
• Up to €20,000
• Up to €35,000
• Up to €50,000

Please note that if you are applying for funds larger than €10,000 and you are unregistered, you would need to name a registered organisation who can act as your fiscal sponsor.

What will be funded?

FREE stem will invest in organisations and groups that are directly supporting and targeting the following participants:

• All girls and women, particularly those from underrepresented groups & minority communities, and transgender and non-binary people including but not limited to; black, indigenous, people of colour, LGBTIQ+, people with disabilities, sex workers, refugees, rural and marginalised urban communities, migrants or those who are stateless
• They anticipate a high number of applications to FREE, therefore they may decide to prioritise applications for funding. Therefore, priority will be given to underrepresented and traditionally excluded groups.

Eligibility Criteria

• They will be opening up to applications from groups situated in the Global South.
• If applicants meet all of the following criteria, they can apply for FREE STEM:
  • Your organisation, collective, or group must consist of a minimum of 3 people.
  • Your organisation or group must align with the mission and vision of FREE STEM.
  • Your project proposal must focus on the target group, and include and align with at least one of the Thematic Parameters of FREE STEM.
  • Your organisation or group must have at least 60% of women, transgender and/or non-binary people in leadership positions. Priority will be given to women-led, transgender-led and non-binary-led organisations.
  • Your annual organisational income for 2021 must be a maximum of €150,000. Priority will be given to grassroots organisations.

For more information, visit https://www.thefreefund.org/stem-applications