The application period for 2026 grants will run from Oct. 20 to Feb. 23, 2026 at 5 p.m. EST.
The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) seeks to further advance and expand life sciences education at Massachusetts public schools through implementation of project and inquiry-based curriculum. Through this program, the MLSC awards grant funding to schools and curriculum providers for the purpose of teacher professional development and the purchase of equipment, materials, supplies, and technology needed to support new or expanded curriculum. Funding will enable schools to educate students in real-world scenarios that will prepare them for career opportunities in the life sciences. Professional development funding will ensure that educators receive the technical training needed to effectively use newly acquired equipment and technology.
Equipment & Supplies | Professional Development | |
|---|---|---|
High school (new program or reconfiguring lab space) | $85,000 | $15,000 |
High school (upgrades to existing program) | $65,000 | $12,000 |
Middle school | $30,000 | $6,000 |
Elementary school (grades 3-5) | $15,000 | $3,000 |
Investments made through this program seek to:
For schools belonging to a district, the district must be the applicant and only one application can be submitted per school district. Districts must submit applications that reflect district-wide resource needs and promote curriculum alignment.
Applications will be evaluated based on the ability of the proposed curriculum to support a trained workforce suitable for employment in the life sciences. Successful proposals will explain how the requested equipment and supplies will create learning opportunities that are aligned with the needs of the life sciences industry. Proposals should explain how the requested equipment and professional development will enable schools to provide curriculum, instruction and student learning experiences that align with Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Learning Standards relevant to the life sciences. The “life sciences” are defined in the MLSC’s enabling legislation as “advanced and applied sciences that expand the understanding of human physiology and have the potential to lead to medical advances or therapeutic applications.” The MLSC will consider the qualifications of the team, the ability to meet an educational need, and the budget.
Please refer to the Solicitation posted in the “Resources” section below for more information.
The application for 2026 grants will be available starting Oct. 20, 2025. The deadline to apply is Feb. 23, 2026 at 5 p.m. EST.
Annual Reports
Grant recipients are required to submit an annual report by June 30th of each year for three (3) consecutive years, with the first report due on June 30th of the first academic/school year during which the equipment purchased through the grant was fully utilized. The reports are to be completed using an online form to be provided by the MLSC. Each individual school receiving funds will need to complete an individual survey. Here is a sample of the Annual Report.
Student Surveys
Grant recipients must submit results from a pre- and post-survey to be completed by students using MLSC-funded equipment. Survey examples can be viewed here.
The MLSC has invested more than $30 million in equipment and professional development funding in 369 schools throughout Massachusetts. Funding has served schools in all 14 Massachusetts counties and all 26 Gateway Cities, as well as all vocational-technical high schools with a life sciences program. Moreover, nearly 80 percent of students attending eligible middle/high schools have gained access to new equipment.
at eligible middle & high schools now have access to new life sciences equipment.
Boston Public Schools: Biotechnology an Opportunity for All Students
“This support from MLSC goes beyond equipment, it’s about investing in the curiosity and professional development of our students who otherwise may have never thought a career in life sciences was a possibility. This grant will open doors for these students, our next generation of innovators in the field.”
– Representative Christina Minicucci
Olaris is a precision diagnostics company that is on a mission to revolutionize how diseases are diagnosed and treated. By leveraging their CEREBRO platform (Comprehensive Early Responsive Evaluation of Biomarkers Related to Outcomes), which combines metabolomics and machine learning, they are able to harness the power of the body’s own communication system to discover and develop their pipeline of myOLARIS precision diagnostics.