• Must be an ASTC member institution in good standing. 

• Must be an Organizational Member of the IF/THEN® Champions Network.  

• Must apply jointly with a library partner. One application per partnership.  

• $12,000 total for each museum–library team.  
  • The division of funding between partners is determined by the partners applying.  
  • Please provide a brief justification for how the funds will be divided and used in the application. 

• Applicants agree to terms and conditions at time of application submission  

• 70% of funds will be disbursed at time of the award, and the remaining 30% will be disbursed upon acceptance of final submission of materials for the Project Library

• Audience: A commitment to engaging audiences who do not typically visit your museum or science center.  

• Partner collaboration: A clear plan for collaboration between museum and library partners, including an initial project idea. Project plans may evolve throughout the cohort experience. 

• Engagement with IF/THEN® resources: Project activities provide opportunities for meaningful, in-depth, and/or repeated engagement points with IF/THEN® assets and resources that introduce audiences to IF/THEN® Ambassadors. 

• Balance of public displays and programming: A plan to both display IF/THEN® assets in public-facing spaces reaching broad audiences, and integrate IF/THEN® assets into programs, activities, and/or events.  

When developing project plans, teams should consider:  

• Where and how will IF/THEN® assets be displayed in public-facing spaces?  

• How will IF/THEN® assets and resources be incorporated into programs, activities, or events?  

• How will your project engage both drop-in visitors and participants in planned programs and events?

• Implement a collaborative project that integrates IF/THEN® resources into library programming and public-facing content.

• Fully participate in a seven-month virtual cohort experience by attending three one-hour virtual meetings.
  • February 10, 2027: Cohort Kick-Off Meeting
  • May 5, 2027: Cohort Midpoint Check-In Meeting
  • August 25, 2027: Cohort Wrap-up Meeting

• Present and share your learnings at a final showcase webinar on October 13, 2027.

• Collaborate with the Champions Network team to adapt project materials for the IF/THEN® Project Library.

• Provide high-quality photos and other forms of shareable documentation about your experience to share with the field, such as quotes or content for blog posts.

• Be willing to present and share your project and cohort experience at the annual ASTC annual conference in Boston in November 2027 if requested.

Eligibility  
Awards are available for current IF/THEN Champions Network organizational members only. 

Requirements  
By completing this request form, you are agreeing to a binding contract and agree to undertake the following:    

• Agree to use funds by October 1, 2027. 

• Commit to responding to surveys from the IF/THEN Champions Network asking about the use of this funding.

Funds may not be used for: 

• Indirect charges/administrative overhead 

• Capital expenditures 

• Alcoholic beverages 

• Admission fees 

• Purchase of stock photos 

Timeline and Award Process 
Applications will be reviewed and recipients notified by January 29, 2027. The first payment for 70% of the award will processed within 3 – 4 weeks of notification; the final payment for 30% of the award will be processed within 3 – 4 weeks of submission of final project materials.

Project should include two components: (1) a public-facing display of IF/THEN® assets at the library, and (2) programs, activities, and/or events that engage audiences with IF/THEN® and introduce them to IF/THEN® Ambassadors. 

Examples of public-facing display ideas might include: 

• A monitor at the library displaying rotating videos of IF/THEN® Ambassadors talking about their STEM careers. 

• Posters or banners featuring IF/THEN® Ambassador profiles, printed from the IF/THEN® Project Library and displayed in a public area for all library visitors to view.

• A themed book display at the library featuring books about engineers alongside profiles of IF/THEN® Ambassadors who work in engineering. 

Examples of program, activity, and event ideas might include: 

• A family STEM night at the library featuring hands-on activities inspired by IF/THEN® Ambassadors. 

• A storytime or summer reading program paired with STEM activities and Ambassador stories. 

• A free workshop for library visitors where youth explore an Ambassador’s work and create a related project. 

• Pop-up STEM activities at library branches or community events to reach families who may not typically visit a museum. 

These are just a few possibilities. We encourage partners to build on their existing strengths, community relationships, and knowledge of their audiences.