The National STEM Community Fund 2025 Introduction and Applications – Call to open shortly

Introduction and Applications – The Call opens on 3^rd April 2025 and closes on 23^rd May 2025

National STEM Community Fund

The National STEM Community Fund is an initiative of the National STEM Engagement Working Group chaired by Esplora Interactive Science Centre on behalf of Xjenza Malta. In 2025, it has a total budget of 100,000 euros (including fund management costs).

What is the aim of the Fund?

1. To inspire and enable the implementation of participatory projects that are grounded in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
2. To encourage engagement with science within the community through support for research, education, communication, citizen engagement and citizen science.

How is this carried out?

Esplora provides monetary support (max. €10,000 per project) to winning applicants from a diverse number of organisations within the community, such as schools, local councils, museums, community groups, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Members of a community thus get to collaborate with an identified STEM professional to develop a community-based project. The projects are expected to address the needs of the targeted community, be oriented within a STEM field, and produce results that the community can enjoy.

Where to start? 

1. Learn more by downloading the National STEM Community Fund Guidelines 2025 . All the necessary information on eligibility criteria and related procedures can be found there.
2. Watch a recording of one of our Information Sessions held on the 10^th (English) and the 12^th March (Maltese)

3. Interested applicants need to submit their online application by 23^rd May 2025.
4. Applicants also need to fill in the Budget Plan and upload it with the online application.

The application form and related forms will be accessible on 3^rd April.

The winning projects will receive 70% of the funds once Awardees are announced (project Beneficiaries). The project can be up to 12 months long.  The Final Report in the designated template needs to be submitted within 1 month following completion of the project. This report and the completed budget sheet will be approved by Esplora before the final 30% of funds are disbursed to the Beneficiary.

Questions?

If after reading the Guidelines and attending the information sessions you still have questions, please address them to our team: stemengagement.esplora@gov.mt 
We will gladly attend to your questions!

FAQs

1. For the purpose of this Fund, how would you define a STEM professional?

For the purpose of the National STEM Community Fund, the STEM professional collaborating with the community-based organisation does not need to be an academic but they need to be qualified to undertake the project. This means that they need to have the qualifications and/or experience to carry out STEM project with the community. The applicant will need to submit a CV or cover letter from the STEM professional that demonstrates what makes them qualified to carry out the STEM project.

2. Can the STEM professional be an in-house employee of the Applicant?

Yes, this is possible if the STEM professional chosen is qualified to undertake the research. This will need to be explained in the application form. If personnel costs are claimed in this regard, a timesheet will need to be filled in by the STEM professional.

3. Can the STEM professional be remunerated via project funds?

Yes, the STEM professional can be remunerated. The STEM professional is not a consultant, however,  and should not be involved in the project as the representative of a consultancy firm. The STEM professional needs to be involved from inception and throughout the implementation of the project. The Applicant and STEM Professional will need to work hand in hand with the members of the targeted Community. A Letter of Commitment will be required at Application stage in this regard. Definitions of both terms may be referred to in the Guidelines.

4. Should the STEM professional be in possession of a VAT number? Should the payment for the STEM professional be declared as VAT exempt?

If the STEM professional is an employee with the applicant, timesheets will need to be presented with the final report. If the STEM professional is not employed with the applicant, they must have a VAT number and can be VAT exempt. If VAT exempt, a fiscal receipt must be submitted with the final report. For more information on VAT, you can visit the official website for the Office of the Commissioner for Revenue by clicking here.

5. How many quotes should be presented in the Budget template at Application stage?

For the purpose of this Fund, one quotation is enough for the major services/purchases foreseen, as long as the beneficiary follows their in-house procurement regulations.

6. Would the project still be eligible if the plan is to complete it before the timeframe stipulated in the National STEM Community Fund Guidelines?

Yes, the project can be finalised before the one-year timeframe suggested in the National STEM Community Fund Guidelines. Kindly inform Esplora about this on stemengagement.esplora@gov.mt. You will still need to submit a Final Report up to one month after completion of the project.

7. Are projects that have already been implemented eligible for this Fund?

As stated in the Guidelines, the projects presented should be constructed collaboratively between the community-based organisation, the STEM professional, and the local community.
Hence, the project should not be a replica of a project that has already been implemented in the past. However, the project funded by the National STEM Community Fund may be a part of a larger project. It is required that such projects stand on their own merits and have their own deliverables that are separate from the deliverables of the larger project. Double funding of expenses is in no case allowed.