The hands on children's museum will partner with local low-income and rural schools, youth organizations, and tribes to expand its maker programs for young children by bringing tailored programming to…

The Hands On Children's Museum received a $379,404 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the Museums for America (CFDA 45.301) program. The grant will enable the museum to partner with local low-income and rural schools, youth organizations, and tribes to expand its maker programs for young children by bringing tailored programming to off-site community-based locations. Key activities include hiring a community engagement manager, developing curriculum and staff training materials, implementing the outreach programming, and evaluating the new program models. This effort aims to address COVID-19 related losses in learning and social-emotional development while increasing the museum's capacity to meet the growing demand for off-site STEM enrichment opportunities. The project will be carried out from September 1, 2023, to August 31, 2025.

The hands on children's museum will partner with local low-income and rural schools, youth organizations, and tribes to expand its maker programs for young children by bringing tailored programming to off-site community-based locations. Project activities include hiring a new community engagement manager who will oversee the program, developing curriculum and staff training materials for the new programs, implementing the outreach programming at off-site locations, and evaluating the new program models. The project addresses covid-19 pandemic-related losses in learning and social emotional development for program participants while increasing the museum's capacity to meet the growing demand for off-site stem enrichment opportunities.