OHDE is awarding funding for scholarships to grow Ohio's STEM talent pipeline. Eligible applicants are Ohio state universities/colleges and independent, nonprofit four-year colleges/universities. Proposals must include work-based learning opportunities. The funding cycle awards up to $26. 1 million over four years (May 1, 2028, through June 30, 2032). Proposals are due October 1, 2026. Minimum student award is $1,500 for degrees or $500 for certificates.
Proposals will be scored on a 100-point scale based on criteria including project rationale, work-based learning, and integration with economic needs. Proposals will be scored on a 100-point scale with the following values:
Students must be an Ohio resident seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree, or a for-credit certificate in an eligible STEM program. to be eligible for a choose ohiofirst scholarship, students must be: o an ohio resident seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree, or a forcredit certificate in a program of study that has a cip code on the fy27 choose ohio first eligible cip list and o be new to the program of study at the institution and o meet the institutions eligibility criteria.
OHDE may monitor projects, which may include site visits and desk audits, to ensure fiscal accountability. the ohio department of higher education odhe will monitor, which may include site visits and deskaudits, each project for which an award is granted to ensure fiscal accountability and progress toward orcompletion of intended outcomes.
Applicants can submit questions via email to ***@***. *. *, through September 23, 2026. applicants can submit questions via email to ***@***. *. *, through september 23, 2026 andwill be included in a faq document posted on the odhe rfp portal.
Proposals not containing all required elements will receive consideration but are not guaranteed funding. Proposals containing all the required elements willreceive consideration but are not guaranteed funding.
****
