---
title: "UltiMaker launches $500,000 MakerBot Gives Back Initiative"
url: https://www.voxelmatters.com/ultimaker-launches-500000-makerbot-gives-back-initiative/
date: 2025-02-27
modified: 2025-02-27
lang: en
author: "Edward Wakefield"
description: "UltiMaker, a desktop 3D printing company, has launched the MakerBot Gives Back Initiative - a pledge to provide $500,000 worth of 3D printing resources to educators, students, schools, and STEM..."
categories:
  - "AM Training"
  - "Desktop 3D printers"
  - "Research & Education"
tags:
  - "future"
image: https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/LP-MakerBotFundingInitiative-640x431.jpg
word_count: 582
---

# UltiMaker launches $500,000 MakerBot Gives Back Initiative

[UltiMaker, a desktop 3D printing company](https://www.voxelmatters.directory/company/ultimaker/), has launched the MakerBot Gives Back Initiative - a pledge to provide $500,000 worth of 3D printing resources to educators, students, schools, and STEM organizations across North and South America.

The $500,000 MakerBot Gives Back Initiative is part of [UltiMaker’s broader effort](https://www.voxelmatters.com/ultimaker-launches-makerbot-sketch-sprint/) to expand access to STEM education and learning opportunities for all students, particularly those in underserved communities, low-income schools, and students who have historically lacked access to advanced educational technology. The MakerBot Gives Back Initiative will offer 3D printers and materials, educator training and certification programs, and classroom resources to help educators integrate 3D printing into their curricula. Beyond in-kind donations, MakerBot will also provide support through a host of new programs, including new MakerBot grants, key partnerships, student scholarships, and more.

“As we continue to see new technologies emerge, future generations will have to develop skills that will allow them to adapt to changing environments. We believe that all students should have equitable access to technologies that will enable their success [in and out of the classroom](https://www.voxelmatters.com/makerbot-sketch-classroom-3d-printing-schools/),” said Andrea Zermeño, Manager of MakerBot Education at UltiMaker. “For nearly 15 years, we have worked closely with educators to shape and refine our 3D printers and resources so that they fit the needs of the teacher and the classroom. Through our new initiative, we are expanding access to 3D printing resources to more educators and students to help them take classroom learning to the next level.”

Throughout 2025, UltiMaker will introduce a range of grants, teacher training programs, and strategic partnerships to drive STEM education forward. Educators, schools, and organizations will have continuous access to funding and resources, ensuring 3D printing remains a key tool for fostering the expansion of design thinking and meaningful classroom innovation.

![UltiMaker launches $500,000 MakerBot Gives Back Initiative to expand access to STEM education and learning opportunities for all students.](https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/LP-MakerBotFundingInitiativeImage.jpg)

Through the MakerBot Grants program, recipients will have access to apply for a comprehensive suite of resources to successfully implement 3D printing in education. This includes MakerBot Sketch Sprint 3D printers, certification and training, professional development opportunities, filament, and replacement parts that can be accessed by schools, afterschool programs, robotics clubs, and STEM organizations.

The latest MakerBot Grant Guide, which is updated annually, is also available to educators - offering access to over 40 additional classroom funding opportunities to further STEM programs.

Integrating 3D printing and design thinking into classrooms can help prepare students for careers in engineering, manufacturing, and additive manufacturing. This will not only enhance STEM learning, but also foster critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration skills that are essential for the workforce of tomorrow. Many communities and schools lack the funding and resources to introduce advanced technologies like 3D printing to students. The MakerBot Gives Back Initiative was designed to bridge this gap and ensure that more students from diverse backgrounds have access to the tools needed to unlock new opportunities.

“At UltiMaker, we are deeply committed to ensuring that students are not just passive users of technology but active creators of the future,” said Dottie Stewart, VP of Sales for the Americas at UltiMaker. “[As a newly unified company](https://www.voxelmatters.com/breaking-makerbot-and-ultimaker-to-merge-developing-story/), our mission is to not only provide access to technology but to ensure it is used effectively in the classroom. By investing in design thinking and empowering educators, we are laying the foundation for students to become the problem solvers, engineers, and innovators for the companies of tomorrow.”

Applications for the grant program will open in early Spring 2025. Schools, organizations, and educators interested in receiving 3D printing resources can submit a request [through the application page](https://learn.makerbot.com/MakerBotGivesBackInitiative.html).