NSF Launches New Funding Opportunities for AI STEM Education

Following President Trump’s April Executive Order on “Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth,” the National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced two new Dear Colleague Letters (DCL) and one program solicitation to expand funding for K-12 and technical workforce AI-education tool development. 

"With these new funding mechanisms, NSF will fast-track its efforts to provide early exposure to AI, scale AI curricula, expand services that support the use of AI in education, advance teacher professional development and improve knowledge sharing in AI education to help sustain the nation's leadership in technological innovation," said NSF Assistant Director for STEM Education James L. Moore III. 

Following the April Executive Order, supporting NSF actions include: 

• The “Expanding K-12 Resources for AI Education Dear Colleague Letter” offers supplemental funding for current NSF awardees to scale or refine existing AI education activities for K-12 learners. 

• The “Expanding AI Career & Skilled Technical Workforce Opportunities Dear Colleague Letter” will support high school AI courses, certifications, and workforce development programs. 

• STEM K-12 Program Solicitation: This new program solicitation will fund research on how AI and emerging technologies can transform STEM teaching, learning, and discovery, with a focus on classroom translation. 

NSF will also integrate AI as a priority area within existing fellowship and scholarship-for-service programs. Read the full announcement at: https://www.nsf.gov/news/nsf-announces-new-funding-opportunities-advance-ai-education