Accomplished link
The Illinois Math and Science Academy's FUSION afterschool student enrichment programs are making a difference for 200 teachers and almost 3,000 students in Illinois. The program has been shown to boost students' skills in math and science, and it encourages more students to take advanced math and science classes in high school.
For $25,000, a donor can sponsor a program for three years, giving 90 students 200 hours of hands-on STEM activities and teachers at least 120 hours of professional development. For $50,000, a donor can sponsor a curriculum that could reach roughly 250 teachers and 1,000 students over 6 years. General donations help programs sponsor field trips, create STEM night events, or buy materials.
Funders and PartnersThe Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy would like to acknowledge FUSION partner schools, the Illinois General Assemby, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, ComEd, William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, Inc., The Harris Family Foundation, The Pritzker Foundation, Chicago Community Trust, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Underwriters Laboratories, and other donors to the IMSA Fund for Advancement of Education.
Dr. Norman Robinson III, Executive Director of PFS
nrobinson@imsa.edu
630-907-5858
The programs in this database clear a high bar. STEMworks reviewed each program against the Design Principles for Effective STEM Philanthropy.
Identify and target a compelling and well-defined need.
Use rigorous evaluation to continuously measure and inform progress towards the compelling need identified.
Ensure work is sustainable.
Demonstrate replicability and scalability.
Create high impact partnerships
Ensure organizational capacity to achieve goals.
Offer challenging and relevant STEM content for the target audience
Incorporate and encourage STEM practices.
Inspire interest and engagement in STEM.
Identify and address the needs of under-represented groups.