Downtown Events Grant Program

The Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics is currently accepting applications for its AERO Education Grant Program. This grant initiative is designed to support educational programs focused on aviation and aerospace, spanning from primary to post-secondary levels. The program aligns directly with the department's mission to encourage young people to pursue careers in aerospace or aviation upon completing their post-secondary education, recognizing the critical importance of workforce development in these sectors. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are students across Oklahoma, from elementary school to college, who will participate in aviation and aerospace-minded educational programs. The overarching impact goal is to expose more young Oklahomans to STEM fields—science, technology, engineering, and math—and to career opportunities within the aviation and aerospace industry. This focus directly addresses the state's need to build a robust aerospace and aviation workforce. A key priority of the AERO Education Grant Program is to fund initiatives that bridge the skills gap in Oklahoma's workforce. The program supports the Oklahoma Works initiative, which aims to connect students with programs that will help them develop the necessary skills for aerospace and aviation careers. The department's strategic priority is to foster a strong talent pipeline, and its theory of change posits that by investing in early and ongoing aerospace education, more students will choose these fields, thereby strengthening the state's industry. The expected outcomes of the grant program include an increase in the number of young people pursuing STEM education and ultimately entering the aviation and aerospace workforce. While specific measurable results like the number of students impacted or subsequent career choices are not detailed in the provided text, the agency annually allocates over $500,000 to programs statewide, indicating a significant, ongoing commitment to achieving these outcomes. This consistent investment underscores the department's dedication to its long-term strategic goals for aerospace and aviation workforce development.