Total Eclipse 2024 Funding Opportunity

Yes! You do not need to pitch a separate project to apply for this funding; instead, you may choose to apply the $10,000 toward a larger endeavor like an eclipse-related science festival or the purchase of a new telescope. Funds may not be used for indirect or capital expenses.

If you are a subgrantee of the Eclipse Community Ambassadors program (receiving $1,000 plus supporting materials from another museum), you are still eligible to apply for this opportunity.

If you are a primary recipient of eclipse-related funding directly from the Simons Foundation, you are not eligible for additional funding from ASTC, though we invite you to join our free Community of Practice to share your ideas and plans. View the Community of Practice. To create a free account, click here.

Although proposals may include activities to be delivered in the days/weeks leading up to the eclipse, we ask that you also incorporate or contribute to programming on April 8, 2024 during the eclipse itself.

You do not have to be the primary host on April 8; you may be an active partner in broader community engagement efforts instead.

For example, if your museum will be closed on April 8, 2024 during the eclipse, you may instead dedicate staff and resources to facilitating workshops, programming, or other engagement activities offsite as part of a community event.

No.

While we do require that you participate in programming on April 8, 2024 during the solar eclipse, events and programs can be offsite at a partner facility, part of a larger community gathering, or even virtual. Please be sure to clarify your plans and rationale in your proposal narrative. (e.g. your institution is typically closed on Mondays, your community is discouraging in-person gatherings on the day of the eclipse due to traffic or weather concerns, etc.)

Note that if programmatic components are included in your project plan, they should be provided at no cost to participants no matter where they occur. Programs that are free with paid admission to your museum or a larger event are acceptable.

Science-focused, public-facing, informal learning organizations are eligible for funding through ASTC’s Total Eclipse 2024. Building on the definition of a museum supplied by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), we will consider proposals from aquariums, arboretums, botanical gardens, children’s/youth museums, general museums (those having two or more significant disciplines), natural history museums, nature centers, planetariums, science/technology centers, specialized museums (limited to a single distinct subject), and zoological parks.

For the purposes of this opportunity, art or history museums are excluded from our definition of “science-focused.”

If you think you might qualify as a science-focused organization and do not fit into one of the categories listed above, please reach out to us to discuss your eligibility.

If scientific programming is new to your organization, we’re thrilled you’re interested in getting involved! Check out our list of resources and join ASTC’s Total Eclipse Community of Practice (it’s free to create an account!) to connect with funding recipients, as well as other science centers and museums across North America. Click here.

Yes! Science-focused public engagement institutions are eligible for this funding regardless of ASTC membership status, as long as you are located directly within the path of totality.

To see a map showing the path of totality, click here.

Sorry! Only institutions located directly within the path of totality are eligible for this funding. See a map here.

However, we encourage you to join ASTC’s 2024 Eclipse Community of Practice to share program ideas with funding recipients and other science centers and across the United States. ASTC membership is not required. Join the conversation.

Only institutions whose main operating headquarters are located directly within the path of totality are eligible for this funding.

If your official address does not fall within the path of totality, you are not considered eligible—even if you propose to run an event off-site within the path.

We hope you still choose to run an event on your own, and encourage you to check out our resource list to aid in your planning! For more ideas, and to connect with informal educators around the globe, join our online Community of Practice. Access both here.

Please reach out to us if you think you might be eligible for this opportunity! Eligible ASTC members have been notified directly—but if you’re not part of ASTC, we may have missed you in our effort to reach a wide range of other eligible institutions. Contact us at totaleclipse@astc.org.

In order to streamline the application and funding process all awards will be for $10,000.

We encourage you to get creative with your project proposals! If $10,000 feels like more than you can manage for a single event, consider also running workshops or demonstrations in the days or weeks leading up to the eclipse. Research what events are occurring in your community and imagine how your programming could be complementary. Materials for programmatic activities are allowable expenses!

No. These funds are intended to support you in delivering your own programming for and within your community, connecting with them directly. We ask that you do not plan to pass funds through to an external group, subgrantee, or consultant for this particular project.

Please keep your proposal focused on what YOU will be delivering for your community.

Although we encourage and celebrate partnerships with local organizations, many public libraries and schools will be receiving resources from NASA and other funders. Please don’t include these types of organizations as subgrantees in your proposal, particularly since they may already be receiving support from elsewhere.

Please check with potential partners and email totaleclipse@astc.org if you have specific questions.

These funds are intended to support the creation and delivery of eclipse-focused science engagement activities and the purchase of related materials for your local communities.

Although some marketing and a web presence may be needed to help raise awareness of planned programming, we ask that you keep web and communications costs to a minimum.

Furthermore, please note that this funding is intended to support your local communities. While we realize that activities will be open to the public and not just nearby residents, please do not plan to advertise specifically to tourists.

Funding recipients will receive customized, branded materials from ASTC and the Simons Foundation. The majority of funds should therefore remain dedicated to programming.

Yes, you can use funds to cover staff time for your own employees. Clearly describe how requested funding for staff time is directly related to your programming for the eclipse.

No, these funds are gifts and do not need to be repaid.

No, you are not expected to build any type of evaluation into your proposal; nor will doing so strengthen your application.

We encourage evaluation as an important part of educational offerings and programming. However, in order to broaden the reach of this opportunity to institutions that may not have the capacity to incorporate evaluation on a tight timeline and with limited funds, we will not be taking it into consideration on this occasion.

Funds should remain dedicated to developing and delivering quality events/programming for your audiences.

Yes, but ASTC will provide a straightforward template for the report, which will include:

• A short description of the eclipse-related events/activities you ran (200– 300 words suggested; 500-word maximum).
• A general estimate of how many people were reached by your event/activities (e.g. number of attendees at a funded event; number of downloads of a printable resource, etc.).
• Documentation of events and activities with photos and videos.

We’re glad you asked! Funding recipients will receive the following:

• a communications toolkit with customized, branded materials from ASTC and the Simons Foundation for use on websites, in emails and newsletters, and social media
• storytelling training materials (e.g. guidance around how to take high-quality photos and videos with a smartphone)
• guidance on sharing post-project updates with the ASTC and Simons Foundation eclipse community
• access to branded posters and postcards from the Simons Foundation