Project Grant MA259393OMS26
- The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Rowan University $214,299 on September 1, 2026, under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) to expand the Ric & Jean Edelman Planetarium's capacity for engaging visitor experiences. The award funds repair and reinstallation of the planetarium's Viking Lander Model with new educational signage; a year-long Junior/Senior Engineering Design Clinic in which 5–20 undergraduate students from the College of Engineering will design and...
- The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Ocean County College $148,080 on September 1, 2026, under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) to install six space-related exhibits at the Ocean County College Planetarium in Toms River, New Jersey. The planetarium will acquire and install the exhibits, create a Launch Lab space, develop curriculum and interpretive displays, and conduct educator training. The project director will attend regional and national conferences to...
- The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the Michigan Science Center $1,159,816 on September 1, 2026, under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) to operate a two-year space science initiative for students in rural Michigan communities. The Michigan Science Center will transport its portable planetarium dome to schools and libraries across Michigan and purchase equipment to enable live-streaming of immersive space science experiences. A consulting astronomer will guide...
- Federal Grant Award Summary The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded Hands On Discovery Center (HODC) a $125,251 Project Grant under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. The primary deliverable is the acquisition and integration of a portable planetarium into HODC's existing educational programming to enhance science learning opportunities for school-aged children and the general public in Gray, Tennessee. The...
- The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill $1.319 million on September 1, 2026, under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) to promote public engagement with NASA's Artemis missions through Artemis-related learning experiences targeting 8-13-year-old youth with autism spectrum disorder and informal science learning educators. The recipient will conduct formative research, community...
- The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Carter County Geological Society (doing business as Carter County Museum) $1.307 million on September 1, 2026, under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) to implement the Ekalaktic Dome, an immersive learning and gathering space in Ekalaka, Montana. The museum will purchase and install a dome screen with planetarium projection, audio system with assistive listening technology, immersive lighting, and event presentation equipment....
- The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the Robert and Ellen Haan Museum of Indiana Art $593,455 on September 1, 2026, under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) to implement a collections care initiative that builds organizational capacity and provides essential training and support for staff and interns. The museum will hire a full-time Collections Manager to lead a structured internship program for college students in collections care, cataloging and database management,...
- Federal Grant Award Summary Indiana University, as the primary awardee, received a $300,202 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Astronomical Sciences under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) program. The award, effective September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2028, supports collaborative research conducted in partnership with Northern Arizona University to advance understanding of warm Jupiter exoplanets and their orbital mechanics. The primary...
- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Shared Services Center awarded Frostburg State University $2,808,000 on August 15, 2026, under the Congressionally Directed Programs (CFDA 43.014) to modernize, integrate, and deploy upgraded planetarium systems and educational exhibit components at the institution. The project involves design, fabrication, installation, calibration, and testing of audiovisual and exhibit infrastructure. Performance occurs in Frostburg, Maryland, with an ultimate...
- The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded The Pennsylvania State University $521,992 on September 1, 2026, under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) to improve stewardship of the Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum and Art Gallery's technology and geology collections. The museum will purchase new cabinets and drawers for its technology collections to provide stable, pest-resistant, secure storage. The project will also inventory and assess over 21,000 geology specimens,...
The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Ball State University $554,538 on September 1, 2026, under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) to upgrade the Charles W. Brown Planetarium's projection system and enhance visitor programming. Ball State will replace two outdated projectors with state-of-the-art projectors that deliver improved brightness, contrast, and picture quality to enhance the immersive dome theater experience. Staff will receive training on the new system. The project team will evaluate audience engagement through attendance tracking and post-visit surveys. The planetarium will continue offering free and low-cost programs serving students, educators, young professionals, and families. Performance takes place in Muncie, Indiana, with a period of performance ending August 31, 2027. The award is structured as a Project Grant under the Museums for America initiative, which supports project-based efforts in museums of all sizes to serve the public through exhibitions, educational programming, and collections stewardship aligned with institutional strategic goals and generating measurable results.
Mod # | Description | ReasonForModification | Federal Obligation | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $95.0k | 8/6/26 |