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The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis will be receiving federal funding through The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) competitive grant program.
Federal dollars will have a significant impact soon on the education of Mid-North neighborhood children.The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) recently announced more than $25,000,000 in grants to museums across the nation. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is among the 186 museums receiving federal funding through the agency’s competitive grant programs. The Children’s Museum is receiving $211,612 through the IMLS National Leadership Grant program to develop an array of informal educational opportunities targeting museum neighborhood residents.
This grant will help the museum continue to work with its neighbors to create extraordinary learning opportunities and improve the quality of life in the process. Among its programs, ranging from early childhood learning to after school programming, the museum will be able to propel a cradle-to-college initiative that will serve as a model that can help transform museum communities nationwide.
“IMLS recognizes three valuable roles museums have in their communities: putting the learner at the center, serving as community anchors, and serving as stewards of cultural and scientific collections,” said Susan Hildreth, director, IMLS. “It is exciting to see the many ways our newly announced grants further these important museum roles. I congratulate the slate of 2013 museum grant recipients for planning projects that advance innovation in museum practice, lifelong learning, and community engagement.”
“We are honored to be selected from such a prestigious group of institutions to receive this grant,” said Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. “This grant will allow The Children’s Museum to build upon its longstanding community efforts and create new out-of-school learning opportunities for neighborhood residents.”
“It is exciting to see the vision of the Mid-North Quality of Life Plan becoming a reality through a lot of hard work and growing partnerships. We look forward to this grant helping to create a neighborhood known for its rich educational opportunities,” commented Bill Taft, executive director, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).
"This grant is a wonderful opportunity to enhance and support education and enrichment. It allows museums, not only around the country but in our community, to reach students and families, fostering a love for lifelong learning, civic engagement and cultural awareness," added Carmen Sharp, principal, Louis B. Russell, Jr. Elementary School #48.
“I applaud the museum's effort to foster partnerships, which will engage Mid-North residents in their pursuit of quality educational options,” said Leigh Evans, CEO, Mapleton Fall Creek Development Corporation. “We value the out-of-school and after-school options available at The Children's Museum and appreciate the efforts to extend the museum’s platform with this funding. The museum’s ability to engage neighbors in a civic and cultural manner and leverage awareness for Indianapolis will bolster our neighborhood stabilization efforts and is consistent with our comprehensive community development vision. As an anchor institution, The Children's Museum is a community asset; the support of IMLS will help it further embrace this role.”
IMLS Director Susan Hildreth will present a workshop and ceremony on Capitol Hill, on September 18, to recognize the 2013 museum winners and to highlight successful applicants and awards. The event will showcase the many ways museums support learning experiences, serve as community anchors, and are stewards of cultural and scientific heritage through the preservation of their collections.
“The museum has always had a strong vision for reaching out to the local neighborhood. This grant will help The Children’s Museum/Ivy Tech team increase opportunities for access to workforce certificates and degrees. Ivy Tech and The Children’s Museum share the vision of creating an education-focused community,” said Ivy Tech Community College‒Central Indiana Chancellor Kathleen Lee, “We look forward to partnering together to make this vision a reality.”
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Its mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. The IMLS grant making, policy development, and research helps libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.govand follow IMLS on Facebookand Twitter.
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is a nonprofit institution committed to creating extraordinary learning experiences across the arts, sciences, and humanities that have the power to transform the lives of children and families. For more information about The Children's Museum, visit www.childrensmuseum.org, follow us on Twitter @TCMIndy, Facebook.com/childrensmuseum and YouTube.
