Omro students work in teams to manufacture a toy front end loader in the school’s fab lab.

WEDC expects to award grants to 20 Wisconsin school districts; deadline is Jan. 13

MADISON, WI. OCT. 4, 2024 – The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is now accepting applications for the ninth year of its Fabrication Laboratories (Fab Labs) Grant Program, which provides funding to help public schools build or expand fab labs.

The grant program supports hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) education by assisting public school districts with equipment purchases for instructional and educational purposes in fab labs. These high-tech workshops are outfitted with the latest equipment, including computer-controlled manufacturing components such as 3D printers, laser engravers and computer numerical control routers. WEDC’s investment in the program puts fab labs within reach for schools that might otherwise not have the financial means to install such facilities.

“Fab labs provide students with an opportunity to create, invent, and innovate while also learning the skills that employers are looking for,” said Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC, the state’s leading economic development organization. “These labs are a training ground for the next generation of Wisconsin’s workforce.”

WEDC will provide grants of up to $25,000 to public school districts, or up to $50,000 to consortiums of two or more districts, for the creation and/or expansion of fab labs. The minimum grant amount is $10,000.

The non-competitive grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, with applicants evaluated on application completeness, evidence of readiness and long-range planning, curriculum, business and community partnerships, financial need, and previous awards.

Applications are due Jan. 13.

Applicants may only be awarded one grant per fiscal year.  Applicants can receive a maximum of three grants over a program’s lifetime. The three-award limit does not apply to the following: Milwaukee Public Schools; the expansion of a Fab Lab to allow use by K-8 students; the expansion of a Fab Lab to include artificial intelligence or related skills training.

For this year’s funding cycle, applicants are being asked to match 50% of the amount of grant funds requested. For example, if a district is requesting a grant of $25,000, the district must provide a match of at least $12,500. The funds may be used to purchase equipment used for instructional and educational purposes by elementary, middle, junior high, or high school students.

Since the program’s inception, WEDC has awarded over $5 million in grants to 125 districts. In May, $493,396 in grants were awarded to 18 districts.

For fiscal year 2025, WEDC is allocating $350,000 and anticipates awarding 20 grants. Recipients will be announced in the spring of 2025.

In addition to the grant program, WEDC also is supporting the state’s fab labs by working with UW-Stout on an online tool to increase collaboration and the sharing of resources among school districts with fab labs.

The web portal, which was developed by the UW-Stout Discovery Center with guidance from teachers statewide, allows teachers and others at fab lab schools to communicate with one another on topics such as curriculum development and implementation, equipment usage and troubleshooting, training, and professional development.

More information on the program, including guidelines, an FAQ, and application details, can be found on the program page.