The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE), Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) is accepting applications for the FY 2027 Robotics Competitive Grant. The program supports Alabama public school LEAs seeking to develop or enhance school-based robotics education for elementary, middle, and high school students.
Funding is up to $3,500 per school, with only one grant available per school. Alabama public school LEAs may submit separate applications on behalf of eligible K-12 schools. The FY 2027 Education Trust Fund appropriation provides $1.25 million for the Robotics Grant Program, and current AMSTI guidance confirms the $3,500 maximum school award. No mandatory match is stated. If a proposed budget exceeds the grant maximum, the applicant must verify that local funds are available for the excess and note that the local LEA will cover the amount above the award.
Applications must be submitted electronically through DocuSign and all required LEA signatures must be completed by September 30, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.. The controlling ALSDE memorandum, AMSTI grant page, and FY 2027 guidelines do not state a deadline time zone. Atlas therefore treats the exact deadline as unverified for new cold applicant outreach and will not initiate new outreach unless AMSTI or ALSDE authoritatively confirms the time zone.
Allowable costs include robotics kits, robotics programming software, robotics competition equipment used for practice, non-traditional computing devices used to program or run robots, and specialized tools needed to design, create, build, or repair student-designed robots. Professional development may not exceed 10% of the grant total. Traditional computers and tablets, smartphones, 3D printers, competition entrance fees, competition-hosting costs, travel, clothing, food and drinks, and general-use storage or tools are not allowable.
Each application must state the number of teachers and students directly impacted, provide a line-item budget with required accounting codes, and obtain electronic signatures from the Project Manager, Superintendent or Authorized Official, LEA Technology Coordinator, and Chief Financial Officer. Applications are reviewed and scored by a panel using a rubric. Published selection criteria include the extent to which funds will develop or enhance robotics education, the number of students and teachers directly affected, and alignment with the 2025 Alabama Course of Study for Digital Literacy and Computer Science. Proposals are ranked by score and only proposals recommended by at least two reviewers are considered for award.
Atlas analysis: Atlas Opportunity Score 82/100. N9+ Fit Score 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit 0/100. This is a legitimate Alabama K-12 STEM funding opportunity, but the allowable-use rules are specifically tied to robotics education and do not establish a defensible healthcare, telehealth, diagnostics, or clinical-technology use case. Do not force N9+ or QC Healthcare into the opportunity. New applicant outreach remains blocked until the deadline time zone is authoritatively verified.
Official sources: ALSDE — FY26-2051 Robotics Competitive Grant and AMSTI — FY27 Robotics Grant Application Process and Guidelines.