Orlando Science Center Inc.

Orlando Science Center Inc., doing business as New Orlando Science Center, is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization headquartered in Orlando, Florida, that specializes in science literacy and STEM education initiatives. The organization has established itself as a significant federal partner in advancing science education and engagement, with a robust portfolio of cooperative agreements and grants spanning multiple federal agencies including NASA, the Office of Naval Research, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Orlando Science Center delivers authentic learning experiences and hands-on science engagement programs designed to attract students to STEM disciplines and foster critical thinking skills within both school and community settings.

Through federal cooperative agreements, Orlando Science Center has undertaken substantial STEM education projects with NASA and its Shared Services Center. The organization received a $795,000 cooperative agreement awarded in March 2022 for the National Engineering Design Challenge, with performance extending through May 2025, which leveraged the organization's expertise in engineering-focused education to deliver design challenges and STEM outreach initiatives. More recently, NASA's Office of STEM Engagement awarded a $250,000 cooperative agreement in September 2025, with completion scheduled for September 2027, to support the agency's mission of attracting students to STEM through unique learning opportunities that connect educational experiences to NASA's work and strategic objectives. These contracts carried no set-aside designations and reflected the organization's demonstrated track record in federal partnership and STEM education delivery.

Orlando Science Center's federal grant portfolio demonstrates extensive engagement with multiple funding agencies and diverse educational initiatives. The organization received a $240,832 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) in September 2024 to expand its "Science Matters" public information and science literacy campaign, focusing on critical thinking skills and evidence evaluation through webpage updates, pop-up exhibit activities, and live demonstration shows, with partnerships including Orange County Library Services and community media outlets through March 2026. The Office of Naval Research has funded multiple initiatives, including the "Neighborhood Science: Naval STEM Adventures" project (May 2024 through April 2027), the "Mobile Flight Lab: National Afterschool Expansion" program (June 2023 through November 2025), and the "Engage: Next Generation of Navy Grassroots STEM Education" project (August 2022 through March 2025, terminated). Additionally, Orlando Science Center received a National Endowment for the Arts Project Grant in June 2024 for the "Science of Sound," a collaborative performance project with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra through May 2025, an Institute of Museum and Library Services grant in November 2021 supporting K-5 STEM and engineering design field trips in partnership with Orange County Public Schools targeting underserved populations, and a Child Nutrition Division grant for "CN Farm to School Supplemental" (July 2022 through June 2024). These grants collectively demonstrate the organization's capacity to develop innovative STEM programming, build community partnerships, and serve underrepresented student populations across multiple educational contexts.