ASTC’s Community Science Team is excited to launch our Partnership Planning Seed Grant Program. Successful community science begins with establishing trust among collaborative partners and ensuring that all partners are working toward shared goals. To that end, our newest grant program is designed to support new and emerging collaborations between ASTC member institutions and community-based organizations looking to deepen their relationship to advance local priorities. Each grantee team is receiving funding to support their participation in the five-month program, as well as strategic training workshops and resources to support them in developing an actionable community science project plan.
We received many excellent proposals and are excited to share the teams participating in our inaugural cohort:
- Da Vinci Science Center and Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley are partnering to address the issue of gun violence in Allentown, PA from a community-based public health perspective.
- Flint Hills Discovery Center and Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education are partnering to explore pathways for community-centered environmental education and stewardship.
- Memphis Museum of Science and History and Jackson-Madison County Library are partnering to increase science agency and strengthen partnerships within their community.
- Museum of Life and Science and Working Landscapes are partnering to use community science to address rural environmental justice issues, likely focused on local food systems.
- Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and Anahuacalmecac International University Preparatory of North America are partnering to explore how NHMLA’s institutional resources can contribute to hyperlocal, community-led conservation and restoration efforts through community science projects.
- Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and Self Enhancement Inc. are partnering to explore issues related to public health and racial equity, including extreme weather, blood banking, and COVID-19.
- The Wild Center and Cornell Cooperative Extension are partnering to address the issue of avian influenza within their community.
Laura Bartock (Community Science Fellow) and Eve Klein (Senior Advisor for Public Engagement with Science) are co-leading facilitation of the program for ASTC. Melissa Ballard (Director of Programs), Amanda Fisher (Senior Manager of Programs), and Naomi Wallace (Manager of Impact Initiatives) are contributing to the design and implementation of the curriculum. J. Sickler Consulting is providing evaluation services to help us learn from and reflect on this new program.
We look forward to seeing the grantee teams grow and learn together in order to make a positive difference in their communities. For more information on our program and information on future awards, visit the Community Science Initiative website. To learn more about future funding opportunities, join our interest list.
We extend a special thanks to our partners at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation for providing funding for this program.
