ELLSWORTH — The Perloff Family Foundation, in partnership with the Maine Community Foundation and the Maine Space Grant Consortium, is offering grants focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and the integration of STEM with the arts and humanities, or STEAM. STEM4ME aims to increase the opportunities for student-driven STEM and STEAM projects at publicly-funded Maine middle schools, high schools, and academies.

Grants of up to $5,000 will be made available to small teams of students, mentored by an experienced educator, that create real-world solutions to problems in areas such as renewable energy, ecology, automation, space science and engineering, and sustainable food production, integrating wherever possible the arts and humanities. Preference will be given to two-year projects that involve substantial innovation and collaboration with existing programs at Maine’s colleges and universities, and nonprofit research and educational organizations.

Educators interested in applying for a STEM4ME grant must submit a one-page letter of interest describing project objectives and key completion milestones by Sept. 15. Successful candidates will be asked to submit a formal application. For information on where and how to submit letters of interest, visit www.stem4me.org/grants/.

Over the past 13 years, David and Sandy Perloff have provided more than $200,000 in STEM-related grants for K-12 programs throughout Maine.

Through a competitive grant process, these programs are intended to develop and reinforce student interest in science and mathematics, especially at Maine’s smaller rural schools, which are often lacking in such opportunities.