Opportunity Overview
The TVA STEM Award Program 2026/2027 is sponsored by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in partnership with Bicentennial Volunteers, Inc. and operated with the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network. It funds classroom- and school-level STEM projects that advance hands-on learning and help build a regional STEM talent pipeline.
Funding and Deadline
Applicants may request one of five fixed award amounts: $1,000, $1,500, $2,500, $3,500, or $5,000. TVA states that awards are competitive. The 2026/2027 application is due September 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. The controlling Tennessee STEM Innovation Network page does not state a time zone, so Atlas does not infer one. Current public materials do not publish a total 2026/2027 funding pool or a separate solicitation number.
Eligibility and Geography
Eligible applicants are public or private schools serving one or more grades K-12. The school must be located in the TVA service area and receive electricity from a TVA local power company, or be located in the TVA Watershed Area. Nonprofit organizations, homeschools, homeschool pods, and pre-K organizations are not eligible. Religiously affiliated schools must satisfy the program’s separate independence and nondiscrimination requirements, including operating independently from the church as a separate 501(c)(3) with a separate EIN/IRS number.
Project Priorities and Scoring Factors
Projects should support at least one TVA priority area: Environment, Energy, Economic and Career Development, or Community Problem Solving. Strong applications are described as unique, innovative, or creative; use design thinking; promote 21st-century skills; enhance college and career readiness; cross subjects or grades; involve community partners; reach a high percentage of students; and expose traditionally underserved students to STEM learning.
Application and Submission Controls
Applicants must have the educator and school contact information, the district or private-school EIN/TIN, the district financial officer’s name and email, and the school’s electric provider. A budget outline for the full requested amount is required. The proposal must be written and submitted by the educator who will perform the project. The educator may collaborate with others, but the proposal may not be written on the educator’s behalf. One application per teacher is permitted. AI may inform responses, but the submission must remain the applicant’s own unique work and may not be copied verbatim from AI-generated text. Applications must be submitted through the online form and cannot be submitted by email.
Payment and Ineligible Costs
Award payments are made only to organizations by ACH. A current W-9 and ACH form are required, organizations unable to accept ACH are ineligible, and district awards are combined into a single district payment rather than paid to individual schools. Funds may not be used for furniture, cash, gift cards, travel, salary, food, professional development, construction, renovation, general office supplies unrelated to STEM, or sports. Projects and spending must be completed by June 1, with final reports due June 30.
Strategic Fit
Atlas Opportunity Score: 75/100. The program is open, competitive, clearly defined, and directly relevant to Tennessee K-12 STEM education, with straightforward fixed award tiers. The relatively small maximum award and short remaining application window limit project scale and outreach flexibility.
N9+ Fit Score: 0/100. The verified program is for school STEM learning projects, not healthcare delivery, telehealth, diagnostics, or remote physical examinations. Atlas should not force the Nonagon N9+ or QC Healthcare into this opportunity. Dr. Miltie is not advanced as a direct vendor or applicant.
Tennessee Applicant Profile
Realistic Tennessee applicants include TVA-served or TVA-watershed public and private K-12 schools whose teachers can define an applicant-owned STEM project aligned with the published priority areas. Before applying, each school should verify its electric provider or watershed eligibility and coordinate its EIN/TIN, district financial officer, budget, W-9, and ACH requirements.
Next Action
Eligible Tennessee educators should verify TVA service or watershed eligibility, download and review the complete application package and budget template, prepare their own original project narrative and full budget, and submit through the online application by September 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Because the public controlling page does not state a time zone, applicants should confirm the applicable deadline time zone directly with the program before relying on the cutoff. Atlas should not write the applicant’s proposal on the educator’s behalf.
Controlling sources: Tennessee STEM Innovation Network STEM Classroom Awards and TVA STEM Awards.