Childrens Museum Of Indianapolis Inc.

Children's Museum of Indianapolis Inc. is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization located in Indianapolis, Indiana that has been registered to receive federal awards since January 2006. The museum serves as an educational institution that develops and delivers experiential learning programs, exhibitions, and community engagement initiatives focused on STEM education, humanities programming, collections stewardship, and institutional sustainability. Through its federal partnerships, the museum creates innovative educational content and experiences that reach underserved student populations and advance national priorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis has received federal contract awards exclusively through cooperative agreements with NASA's Office of STEM Engagement. The primary contract, valued at $249,998 and awarded on July 25, 2025, focuses on attracting students to STEM through unique learning opportunities that connect to NASA's mission and work, with a completion date of July 24, 2028. This cooperative agreement builds upon an earlier NASA grant for the "Our Earth From Above: Climate Science Programs for K-8" project, valued at $39,996.70 and awarded on May 15, 2023, which involved creating a comprehensive K-8 curriculum exploring NASA's role in monitoring Earth's natural systems. These contracts were issued without set-aside designations and represent the museum's specialized expertise in developing curriculum and educational programs aligned with NASA priorities and Next Generation Science Standards. The museum coordinated these efforts with the Indiana STEM Ecosystem and leveraged existing relationships with NASA's Science Mission Directorate and ISS National Lab to develop programming that would reach thousands of underserved Indianapolis Public School students and students across Central Indiana.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis has received substantial federal grant funding from multiple agencies supporting diverse programmatic and operational initiatives. The Institute of Museum and Library Services has been a significant partner, providing Project Grants totaling over $2 million for initiatives including the "Carousel Wishes and Dreams" permanent exhibition update ($500,000), the centennial exhibition celebrating diverse community contributions ($568,657), professional development and learning management system implementation ($403,337), and IT infrastructure and cybersecurity enhancements ($639,025). The National Endowment for the Humanities has funded three separate projects: a sustainability strategy development grant ($201,000), the "Crispus Attucks: Representing Revolution" exhibition project ($award amount not specified, awarded November 1, 2025), virtual humanities programs for underserved schools ($500,000), and the "Emmett Till's Journey Home" traveling exhibition ($400,000) exploring racism and civil rights history. NASA's Office of STEM Engagement awarded a $249,998 cooperative agreement for STEM education programs extending through July 2028. The Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy provided funding for the "Developing a Community-Driven Model for Mid-North Electric Vehicle Charging" cooperative agreement ($award amount not specified, July 1, 2024). Additionally, the museum received sub-grant awards from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security for emergency protective measures and security training initiatives. All prime grant awards were issued without set-aside designations, reflecting the museum's demonstrated capacity to deliver complex educational and operational projects serving diverse constituencies including students, teachers, families, and community stakeholders.