The bald head island conservancy (bhic) will create and implement a structured workforce development pipeline to prepare participants for careers in museums, conservation organizations, and informal…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the Bald Head Island Conservancy, Inc. $1,243,391 on September 1, 2026, under the 21st Century Museum Professional Program (CFDA 45.032) to design and operate a vertically integrated workforce development pipeline preparing participants for careers in museums, conservation organizations, and informal STEM education.

The Conservancy will combine high school volunteer engagement, undergraduate internships, and post-baccalaureate residencies and fellowships with professional development, mentorship, and applied research opportunities. The program delivers immersive fieldwork, structured mentorship, and hands-on training designed to equip participants with STEM, research, communication, and leadership skills required for science-based careers at museums and informal education centers. The project also establishes a living laboratory for experiential STEM learning for high school students and early-career professionals.

Performance occurs in Southport, North Carolina from September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2029. The assistance type is a Project Grant.

The bald head island conservancy (bhic) will create and implement a structured workforce development pipeline to prepare participants for careers in museums, conservation organizations, and informal stem (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. Bhic will create a vertically integrated program that combines high school volunteer engagement, undergraduate internships, and post-baccalaureate residencies and fellowships with professional development, mentorship, and applied research opportunities at a hub for coastal conservation research and informal education. The project bridges early exposure, hands-on experience, and long-term career preparation to provide hands-on training and mentorship for participants, ensuring participants develop the stem, research, communication, and leadership skills required for science-based careers at museums and informal education centers. Through structured mentorship, immersive fieldwork, and applied research opportunities, the project will equip the future museum workforce with technical, leadership, and communication skills and provide a living laboratory for experiential stem learning for high-school students and early-career professionals in stem and museum workforce pipelines.