NGCP believes STEM skills can be acquired by anyone and fostered in everyone. Our initiatives build confidence and create a community of “lifelong STEM activators.” Through the power of collaboration, we spark curiosity and develop a passion for STEM. We also strengthen the capacity of programs by producing and sharing exemplary practices, research, and program models to create STEM experiences as diverse as the world we live in.

Problems to Solve

Today's STEM experiences lack diversity and do not reflect lived experiences and individual differences. Entire groups of today’s youth do not identify with or have not had access (e.g., internet, tools, role models, culturally relevant curriculum) to STEM fields. To change this dynamic, we need to increase support and build capacity among providers. NGCP aims to solve the following:

Outcomes and Outputs

From 2022 to 2027, NGCP aims to increase collaborations by 25%, increasing our reach to over 25 million underserved youth across all U.S. states and territories. By connecting, creating, and collaborating to transform STEM for all youth, we will continue to achieve these outcomes and outputs:

• STEM identity and efficacy: Develop STEM confidence, knowledge, and sense of belonging in youth to foster continued participation in and identification with STEM.
• Equitable STEM experiences: Equip practitioners with exemplary practices to improve program diversity and scale equitable, effective STEM programming.
• Build trust and reputation: Establish National Girls Collaborative Project as a recognized thought leader driving equity in STEM through research-based programs and initiatives.
• Use of data and evaluation: Use data and evaluation findings to continuously improve our programming and practice, both as an organization and in our work with partners.

NGCP's Three Priority Goals

Working with NGCP's Board of Directors, Collaborative Leaderships teams, National Champions Board, and a wide range of stakeholders, we undertook a year-long process to examine key problems to solve and set three priority goals to meet the needs of our beneficiaries: