Nebraska State Funding
Catalyst Funding 2025–26
Eligibility
- Afterschool, before-school, or summer programs serving K–12 students in Nebraska
- Must be school-based or community organization-based
- Located outside the Lincoln and Omaha metro areas
- Established programs offering high-quality, locally sustainable learning experiences
Goals
- Quality – Improve the use of continuous quality improvement for high-quality Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELOs)
- Sustainability – Promote long-term local sustainability through partnerships and funding
- Local Advocacy & Policy – Increase awareness of ELO impact and support favorable policy structures
- Innovative Programming – Deliver youth-driven, hands-on learning that builds future-ready skills
Application Due Date
- Friday, August 15, 2025
Grant Cycle
- October 1, 2025 - August 31, 2026 (11 months)
Grant Award Total Amount
- Up to $30,00 for established K-12 afterschool and summer programs.
Allowable Purchases
- LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential or SPIKE™ Prime kits for afterschool or summer hands-on STEM programming are eligible purchases:
- Sustainable supplies that support robotics, coding, and engineering exploration
- Professional development (PD) for staff focused on implementing LEGO® Education solutions in alignment with Expanded Learning Opportunity (ELO) goal
- Materials and training that promote youth-driven innovation, collaboration, and real-world skill development
Program Implementation Requirements
- Attend quarterly network meetings (virtual)
- Host a Lights On Afterschool event
- Attend Advocacy Day in Lincoln (Spring 2026)
- Submit 5-month and 11-month progress and expenditure reports
- Possibly engage in coaching, youth brainstorming, or development of sustainability/PD/advocacy plans (depending on goal area)
Alignment with Nebraska’s 21st CCLC Quality Framework (NAQCIS)
- Standards & Curriculum Quality: Supports continuous quality improvement by integrating standards-aligned STEM curriculum, directly meeting the framework’s emphasis on high-quality content.
- Staff Expertise & PD: Professional development ensures educators can effectively implement kits—addressing the framework's focus on program quality through skilled personnel.
- Youth-Driven Innovation: Hands‑on, student-centered robotics and coding reflect the framework’s innovation and engagement standards.
Alignment with Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Framework
- Engaged Learning & Challenge: SPIKE kits foster active, hands-on learning—aligning with the WSCC tenets of students being engaged, challenged, and experiencing relevant, meaningful instruction.
- Supported & Community‑Connected: PD equips educators to better support student social-emotional needs and foster collaboration—addressing the supported and community involvement components.
- Healthy Environments: Interactive STEM builds cognitive health and positive school climate (e.g., SEL through teamwork and troubleshooting), aligning with WSCC's holistic health goals.
Keep in Mind
- LEGO Education has state standards-aligned curriculum that supports Nebraska STEM and computer science goals.
- Strong applications will show alignment with state priorities (e.g., workforce development, attendance, literacy)
- Demonstrating readiness to innovate and participate in a learning network is key
- Request a custom quote for LEGO Education kits and PD to strengthen your application by showing clear planning and alignment with funding goals.
- Programs should highlight impact, partnerships, and plans for sustainability
- Active communication with BSB is required throughout the grant period