STEM BEST®
Businesses Engaging Students & Teachers
The STEM BEST® (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) Program focuses on teachers and industry professionals working side-by-side to craft curriculum and projects that prepare students for exciting STEM careers local to their community in manufacturing, information technology, bioscience (agriculture and medicine), finance and more. Since the program's launch in 2014, 262 STEM BEST® Program (642.77 KB) .pdf awards have helped create or expand over 150 models across Iowa, growing a series of community collaborations involving school+business partnerships.
The STEM Council is working to dramatically expand STEM BEST® (Business Engaging Students and Teachers) via a Request for Proposals. The STEM BEST funding opportunity offers:
- Award amounts up to $50,000
- Award period is 17 months
- Cost-share requirement is 2:1 match required, or $50,000 state to $25,000 awardee
The goal of the STEM BEST® Program is to support the launch of new or expanded STEM BEST® K-12 Program models specifically focused on creating work-based and career connected learning opportunities that allow students to develop future-focused, high-demand skills through real-world experiences. These future-focused skills align with the Iowa Academic Standards and Universal Constructs and create opportunities for students to become leaders and innovators of a future-focused Iowa.
Application & Program Timeline:
- September 1, 2026 - application opened
- November 3, 2026 (4:59pm central time) - Application DEADLINE
- January 2027 - Awards Announced
PLEASE NOTE: It is important that you correctly identify if your school district and/or school system has been previously awarded STEM BEST®, whether or not that program is still active. Please check the list here of schools that have received a STEM BEST® opportunity. If your school district and/or school system is on this list you must complete the "Returning Schools" application to be eligible for STEM BEST® funding.
STEM BEST® Program Application for New Schools
Apply Now!
STEM BEST® Program Application for Returning Schools
Apply Now!
Congratulations to the 2025-26 STEM BEST grant recipients in Northeast Iowa:
- Cascade Jr./Sr. High School
- Midland High School
STEM BEST Awards in Northeast Iowa
| District | School | Name of Program | Award Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allamakee Community School District | Waukon High School | 2018-2019 | |
| Allamakee Community School District | Waukon Middle School | 2023-2024 | |
| Bosco Catholic School System | Don Bosco High School | 2021-2022 | |
| Cedar Falls Community School District | Cedar Falls High School | CF CAPS | 2017-2018 |
| Cedar Falls Community School District | Cedar Falls High School | CF CAPS | 2018-2019 |
| Cedar Falls Community School District | Cedar Falls High School | CF CAPS | 2020-2021 |
| Cedar Falls Community School District | North Cedar Elementary School | 2016-2017 | |
| Cedar Valley Catholic Schools | Columbus High School | 2020-2021 | |
| Central Community School District | Central Elementary School | 2021-2022 | |
| Central Community School District | Central Middle School/High School | 2021-2023 | |
| Central Community School District | Central Middle School/High School | Clayton Co. BEST | 2018-2019 |
| Dike-New Hartford Community School District | Dike-New Hartford High School | 2021-2023 | |
| Dubuque Community School District | Dubuque Senior High School | 2021-2023 | |
| Dubuque Community School District | Hempstead High School | 2023-2024 | |
| Eastern Allamakee Community School District | Kee High School | 2021-2022 | |
| Easton Valley Community School District | Easton Valley High School | 2024-2025 | |
| Edgewood Colesburg Community School District | Edgewood Colesburg High School | 2024-2025 | |
| Holy Family Catholic Schools | Wahlert Catholic High School | 2023-2024 | |
| Howard-Winneshiek Community Schools | Crestwood High School | 2021-2022 | |
| Jesup Community School District | Jesup High School | Jesup CAPS | 2019-2020 |
| MFL MarMac Community School District | MFL MarMac High School | 2021-2022 | |
| MFL MarMac Community School District | MFL MarMac High School | 2021-2023 | |
| New Hampton Community Schools | New Hampton High School | Iowa BIG North | 2015-2016 |
| New Hampton Community Schools | New Hampton High School | 2019-2020 | |
| North Fayette Valley Community School District | North Fayette Valley High School | 2020-2021 | |
| North Tama County Community School District | North Tama Elementary School | 2021-2022 | |
| Oelwein Community School District | Oelwein High School | Huskies Project One | 2017-2018 |
| Riceville Community School District | Riceville High School | Iowa BIG North | 2017-2018 |
| Starmont Community School District | Starmont Elementary & Middle School | 2022-2023 | |
| Turkey Valley Community School District | Turkey Valley Jr-Sr High School | Iowa BIG North | 2017-2018 |
| Turkey Valley Community School District | Turkey Valley Jr-Sr High School | 2022-2023 | |
| Wapsie Valley Community School District | Wapsie Valley High School | 2021-2022 | |
| Waterloo Community Schools | Waterloo Career Center | 2019-2020 | |
| Waterloo Community Schools | Waterloo Career Center | 2021-2023 | |
| Waterloo Community Schools | Waterloo Career Center | 2023-2024 | |
| Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District | Waverly-Shell Rock High School | 2024-2025 | |
| West Delaware County Community School District | West Delaware High School | DelCo BEST | 2016-2017 |
To learn more about Iowa STEM BEST, please visit https://educate.iowa.gov/iowa-stem/stem-best.
