Grants from The SPE Foundation/Thermoforming Division are available every year, funds permitting, to schools/educational institutions seeking funding for the purchase of thermoforming equipment (forming equipment, auxiliary equipment, retrofitted controls or ovens for existing machines, trimming equipment, and/or software).

To apply for a grant, the following steps must be taken.

1. The enclosed grant application cover sheet must be completed and returned with your application.

2. The application must indicate a specific amount for a specific piece of equipment and must be submitted prior to the purchase of that equipment. Grant requests over $10,000 will not be considered.

3. This is a matching grant program. Therefore, the application must state the source of matching funds for the equipment and indicate when those funds will be released to the educational facility.

4. A clear statement about the use of the equipment must be included with the grant application cover sheet. You should include items such as:
  • an overriding goal of the facility that the equipment will help accomplish
  • a timeline for the purchase of the equipment
  • sources of matching funds being used for the purchase of the equipment
  • the contribution the equipment will make to school’s plastics program
  • who will benefit or be served by the program (regular students/adults attending evening classes, etc.)
  • how the program will be conducted
  • who will provide leadership for the program
  • how the program will be evaluated
  • financial need of the organization
  • the future expectations of the program

5. Copies of records from the organization’s latest accounting cycle may be required as a final step in the grant process.

6. All grant applications must be typed or computer-generated, single-spaced, with appropriate headings.

7. Applications will be reviewed three times per year. Completed applications must be returned to The SPE Foundation by January 1st, April 1st or August 1st.

Funding programs and projects that support the education of plastics and polymers worldwide