GHD Foundation Announces Winners of 2026 STEAM Education Innovation Grants
The GHD Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 STEAM Education Innovation Grants, recognising nine organisations across Australia, Canada and the United States that are testing bold, practical approaches to increasing access to STEAM education and career pathways for young people.
The annual Innovation Grants Round seeks new ideas that respond to emerging challenges and opportunities in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM). Grants are awarded to organisations piloting innovative approaches, adopting new technologies, or adapting proven models to reach underserved communities.
The GHD Foundation's focus is on creating more equitable access to STEAM education and employment pathways, particularly for young people facing disadvantage or systemic barriers. Through its three independently governed charities, the Foundation invests in initiatives that help young people develop the skills, confidence and opportunities needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Australia Grant Recipients
Banksia Gardens Community Service
Project: Level Up literacy through science
Level Up is a targeted literacy-through-science intervention supporting culturally and linguistically diverse primary school students who are reading below year level. The program combines literacy development with engaging STEAM learning experiences to build reading confidence, comprehension and long-term educational outcomes.
Solar Buddy
Project: Solar-powered offline learning solution
This pilot project will provide a solar-powered offline learning solution for students in a remote First Nations community in the Northern Territory. Combining technology, educator capability building and hands-on STEM engagement, the initiative will test how low-infrastructure learning approaches can improve educational participation and outcomes.
Swinburne University of Technology
Project: FEMS for STEM mentoring program
FEMS for STEM supports marginalised girls and young women in regional Victoria through storytelling, practical learning experiences and structured mentoring. The program aims to build confidence, belonging and pathways into STEM education, careers and entrepreneurship.
Canada Grant Recipients
Jump Math
Project: Math Educator Program
The Math Educator Program will support teachers with practical, evidence-informed resources and professional learning to strengthen mathematics instruction and improve student confidence, participation and achievement.
University of Waterloo
Project: Waterloo Engineering Outreach
Waterloo Engineering Outreach will deliver accessible, hands-on engineering learning experiences that introduce young people to real-world problem solving, design thinking and future pathways in engineering and technology.
Simon Fraser University
Project: Science AL!VE Program
Science AL!VE delivers free, hands-on STEAM learning experiences to children in low-income communities across Greater Vancouver, providing curriculum-aligned workshops that build confidence, curiosity and foundational STEAM skills.
United States Grant Recipients
Black Girls Do Engineer
Project: STEMXUS Community Innovation Hub
The STEMXUS Community Innovation Hub will expand access to hands-on STEM education in Houston, Texas, combining STEM training, makerspaces, prototyping laboratories and AI-enabled learning experiences to support more than 250 young people.
The STEM Alliance of Larchmont-Mamaroneck
Project: STEM Quest Mobile Learning Lab
The STEM Quest Mobile Learning Lab will bring engaging, hands-on STEM programming directly to students and communities, reducing barriers to participation and sparking curiosity through mobile, place-based learning experiences.
Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF)
Project: Civic Science Structured Inquiry
Civic Science Structured Inquiry will equip students and educators to investigate local environmental challenges through structured science inquiry, building environmental literacy, civic engagement and practical STEAM skills.
Looking Ahead
The GHD Foundation would like to thank all finalist organisations, assessment panel members and GHD employees who participated in selecting this year's recipients. The quality of applications received demonstrates the passion, creativity and commitment of organisations working to improve educational outcomes for young people globally.
We look forward to partnering with these outstanding organisations over the coming year and sharing stories of the impact they create in communities around the world.