State Funding for STEM Internships Now Available

Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) is offering grant funding through the FY 2026 STEM Internship Program to help Iowa businesses connect with college talent. Companies can earn up to $50,000 per fiscal year with a maximum of $5,000 per intern through a 1 to 2 matching model where IWD matches every $2 you pay with $1, up to the cap. The STEM Internship Program supports semester-long, year-long, and summer internships for undergraduate or graduate students who are within 1 to 2 years of graduation. Internships must provide substantive work that aligns closely with the student’s field of study. Minimum commitments are 14 weeks at 10 hours per week for semester internships and 8 weeks at 30 hours per week for summer internships. Program details and the application portal are available online.

Internships are a proven pathway for building talent and encouraging college students to stay in Iowa after graduation, providing employers with access to emerging professionals while giving students valuable paid experience to launch their careers in the state. Greater Dubuque Development encourages employers in the Greater Dubuque region to apply to support existing STEM related internship programs or to look to this funding opportunity to help you create one.

Contact Nic Hockenberry, Director of Workforce Programming at 563-557-9049 or nicolash@greaterdubuque.org to request a letter of support for your application. Nic is also available to review your application to IWD if you need assistance in strengthening your application to help position your STEM internship program for success.