College Park, MD — [September 23, 2026] — Engineering for US All (e4usa™) has received a $100,000 planning grant from the Cisco Foundation to support Engineering for US All: Developing Digital Tools for International Expansion, a program designed to strengthen the systems, tools, and strategies needed to bring high-quality engineering education to more high school students.
Through this planning grant, e4usa will focus on building the digital and organizational foundation for future growth. The work will include developing data-informed recruitment strategies, exploring international scaling strategies, strengthening evaluation tools, planning for a future e4usa+AI course, and piloting AI-assisted features within MyDesign®, e4usa’s platform for student engineering design portfolios and assessment.
“At e4usa, we believe engineering education should help students see themselves as problem solvers who can improve the world around them,” said Dr. Stacy Klein-Gardner, Executive Director of Engineering for US All. “Support from the Cisco Foundation allows us to strengthen the digital tools and teacher support systems that make this work possible. This planning grant gives us the opportunity to prepare thoughtfully for future growth while keeping students, teachers, and meaningful engineering learning at the center.”
During the planning period, e4usa expects to train teachers, develop a data-gathering tool, prepare for additional U.S. and international, advance planning for an e4usa+AI course, and pilot AI-assisted MyDesign features.
The grant comes at an important moment for engineering education. As schools seek stronger pathways into technical careers, e4usa provides yearlong high school engineering courses, teacher professional learning, design-based curriculum, and digital tools that help students connect engineering with real-world problem-solving. Students engage in hands-on design challenges, build confidence using engineering practices, and learn how engineering can address needs in their schools, communities, and beyond.
The planning grant will also help e4usa strengthen its capacity to better understand student outcomes. By developing improved data tools and evaluation systems, e4usa will be better positioned to continue to study student curiosity, engineering intent, outcome expectations, and engagement in engineering coursework.
A central part of the work will focus on digital innovation. e4usa will explore how AI can support teachers and students through curriculum planning, assessment support, and feedback systems while preserving the central role of educators in guiding student learning. The grant will also support proposal development for future funding opportunities related to e4usa+AI.
This work will help e4usa prepare for a broader long-term vision: expanding the reach of high school engineering education through strong teacher support, practical digital infrastructure, and scalable systems that can serve students across the United States and internationally.
Schools, universities, companies, and community organizations interested in supporting high school engineering education can learn more at e4usa.org.
About Engineering for US All
Engineering for US All is a nonprofit organization advancing high school engineering education through yearlong courses, teacher professional learning, digital tools, and a national community of practice. e4usa helps students experience engineering as a human-centered, creative, and practical way to solve real problems.