Chapter Grants

Chapter grants of up to $1,000 over the lifetime of the chapter are available to help chapters provide interesting mathematical experiences for their members, others at their school, and their local community that further the mission of Mu Alpha Theta. No chapter will be granted more than $1,000 over time, but a chapter may apply more than once if they have not reached their $1,000 limit. Grants are competitive and not all grant requests may be funded. There is no deadline for this application. Grant funds can be used to pay invoices or reimburse receipts after the event. Travel can only be paid after it has occurred. As a condition of this grant, grantees must submit a "grant reporting form" (form provided by Mu Alpha Theta to grantees) within 30 days of the conclusion of the event or the grantee will be responsible for reimbursing the grant funds back to Mu Alpha Theta.

Please apply before incurring expenses to determine if funds are available and if they will be granted. Once a grant is approved, receipts for expenses must be submitted no later than 30 days after the event’s conclusion. Funding will be adjusted to cover actual expenses, so estimate high since additional funds will not be available to cover expenses above the requested grant amount.

Grant money is not specifically intended to send students to state, regional, or national math competitions, but such expenses will be considered. Funding will not be granted for Mu Alpha Theta competitions or state Mu Alpha Theta-sponsored competitions.

Please review these common scenarios before applying to make sure your request will qualify for this grant application:

Example 1: Smith High School chapter buys an iPod to raffle as a fundraiser. The chapter pays $150 for the IPod and raises $200 selling tickets in the raffle. They apply to Mu Alpha Theta for $150 to cover the cost of the iPod. Their grant application would be denied.

Example 2: Edwards High School will travel to Oakridge National Laboratory for a tour of the facilities. One of the scientists there will give a talk about the math behind his research project. The cost of the bus, lunch, and a substitute for the Mu Alpha Theta sponsor will be $15.00 per person for 30 Mu Alpha Theta members and 20 other math team and science club members who are also attending. Since there is a math component to the trip, grant funds would be approved for the full $750 needed, so the cost is free to all participants. If only a few of the students attending are Mu Alpha Theta members, the grant would be approved for a lesser amount.

Example 3: Center High School decides to hold a Mini Mu Math Contest for students at its local Middle School. They incur $450 in expenses printing tests, buying trophies for the winners, buying t-shirts, and paying for snacks and drinks. The plan was to charge each middle school student $5 to attend the event. Sixty students sign up to participate. The school requested a $450 chapter grant. Mu Alpha Theta would refund the school $150 if the students pay $300 to the school. However, after the grant for $450 was approved, the school decided not to charge the students. Mu Alpha Theta would reimburse Center High School the full $450.

Click HERE to apply.

Grant determinations will be made every month and awardees will be notified via email. 

Chapter grants can be used to support:

Visiting Lecturer Program: Invite a mathematician or scientist to make a presentation to your chapter. Funds may be used to reimburse travel expenses or to provide an honorarium.

One-Day Road Trip: Plan a visit to a university, college, or an industrial organization that includes a research and development unit, or even a government laboratory. The trip agenda must have a “mathematics component": a presentation involving science or engineering research, development, or careers involving mathematics. Funds may be used for transportation, substitute costs, and meals.

Applied Mathematics Day: Organize an applied mathematics day for your Mu Alpha Theta chapter or for schools in your region or state. Invite industrial research and development personnel to talk about applied mathematics/computational science careers and to give a high school-level overview of a project having a mathematics component. Invite university researchers to talk about mathematical research projects. Funds may be used for travel reimbursements for participants, speakers, meals, and organizational expenses.

Teacher and Sponsor Workshop: Organize a local or regional workshop for Mu Alpha Theta sponsors and other teachers on mathematical modeling and how to incorporate activities into your classroom. Presenters could come from local high schools, two-year colleges, universities, or could be industry personnel. The presentations could focus on insight, best techniques, and success stories in building mathematical modeling activities for high school projects. Funding could be provided for travel expenses for workshop participants, meals, or organizational expenses.

Host a Math Competition: For your school, other high schools, middle schools, or elementary schools in your area. Funds could be used to purchase awards, pay for testing, meals, etc. 

Host a Math Fun Night or Pi Day Activities: For your school, other high schools, middle schools, or elementary schools in your area. Funds could be used to purchase materials, pay for custodial help, pay for meals, etc.