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The FREE STEM Fund aims to narrow the gender gap in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

The FREE STEM Fund has received foundational support from Optiver Foundation.

Vision

Girls, women, transgender and non-binary people are widely represented in, and empowered to thrive in and advance the STEM sector.

MISSION

The FREE STEM Fund will invest in initiatives that use intersectional approaches to empower girls, women, transgender and non-binary people as changemakers in the STEM sector.

Optiver Foundation is committed to bringing greater diversity to the technology and finance industries around the world. We helped to launch the FREE STEM Fund to create equal opportunity through greater access to STEM education. Read more here.


FREE STEM leverages shared governance and participatory mechanisms to design a fund that is tailored to the needs and gaps within the STEM sector. We also leverage grassroots STEM expertise and voices by investing in projects that prioritise girls, women and other underrepresented groups' access to STEM opportunities.

 

The Fund will use holistic approaches that take into account their enabling environment, with the objective of narrowing the gender STEM-gap and increasing the number of women, transgender and non-binary role models and STEM changemakers.

Free stem Fund
recipients

The FREE STEM Fund received over 1000 applications in Phase 1 and 229 of those applicants were invited for Phase 2. We funded 27 of those organisations. Click below to meet them all.

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Brazil

2024

STEM Education & Training

Instituto Minas Programam

"Instituto Minas Programam, established in 2015, is a feminist organization in São Paulo. It offers educational opportunities in

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Brazil

2024

STEM Education & Training

Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia Inc

The "TechRise Empowerment Initiative" aims to empower gender-based violence survivors through technology education, enhancing

I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.

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Brazil

2024

STEM Education & Training

Center for Women in STEM (formerly Oro Site High School's Girl Coders)

The Center for Women in STEM's "CodeHers: Empowering Girls in Tech" is a project that aims to provide programming skills to 50 young

I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.

hero_image_1.png

Brazil

2024

STEM Education & Training

Instituto Minas Programam

"Instituto Minas Programam, established in 2015, is a feminist organization in São Paulo. It offers educational opportunities in

Read More

hero_image_1.png

Saint Lucia

2024

STEM Education & Training

Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia Inc

The "TechRise Empowerment Initiative" aims to empower gender-based violence survivors through technology education, enhancing

Read More

hero_image_1.png

Philippines

2024

STEM Education & Training

Center for Women in STEM (formerly Oro Site High School's Girl Coders)

The Center for Women in STEM's "CodeHers: Empowering Girls in Tech" is a project that aims to provide programming skills to 50 young

Read More

hero_image_1.png

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Location

Heading 4

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Add a Title

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I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.

hero_image_1.png

Brazil

STEM Education & Training

Instituto Minas Programam

"Instituto Minas Programam, established in 2015, is a feminist organization in São Paulo. It offers educational opportunities in

I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.

hero_image_1.png

Brazil

STEM Education & Training

Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia Inc

The "TechRise Empowerment Initiative" aims to empower gender-based violence survivors through technology education, enhancing

I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.

hero_image_1.png

Brazil

STEM Education & Training

Center for Women in STEM (formerly Oro Site High School's Girl Coders)

The Center for Women in STEM's "CodeHers: Empowering Girls in Tech" is a project that aims to provide programming skills to 50 young

I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.

WHO CAN APPLY?

FREE STEM FUND aims to provide direct grants to registered and unregistered initiatives, groups, collectives, and organisations with a focus on the rights of girls, women, transgender and non-binary people.

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