Looking to make a generous donation? Scroll down to the donation form on this page.
About The Feed Their Imagination Grant
The Reading Public Museum is doing its part to help school groups come for a visit. Thanks to our generous donors, we are pleased to be able to offer funds to help students of all ages and backgrounds come to The Museum. Our Feed Their Imagination program has grown significantly over the past several years and we are looking forward to additional growth. With many schools having to eliminate field trips and other special programs due to budget cuts, this grant opportunity is more important than ever. Grants are available for all public, private, and parochial schools during designated times of the year. Opportunities for other groups are possible as well.
Dr. Mengel's Vision
Dr. Levi Mengel founded the Reading Public Museum because he understood that visiting cultural organizations helps transform young lives. In keeping with Dr. Mengel’s vision, The Museum established the Feed Their Imagination fund (FTI) in 2011 to provide financially challenged school districts with the assistance needed to continue field trips to The Museum, the Neag Planetarium, and Arboretum.
Thanks to your generous past support, FTI has become one of The Museum’s most important programs. Last spring, as schools were freed from COVID restrictions, thousands of Pennsylvania students enriched their minds by exploring our exhibits on field trips which build upon the science, history, humanities, and arts curricula taught in classrooms. This fall, scheduled school trips are already at the highest level that The Museum has ever experienced. It is obvious that administrators, teachers, and especially the children are all eager for the type of learning opportunities that the Reading Public Museum offers. Of these groups, however, more than 30% have required financial assistance through the FTI program to pay for their visit.
As funding challenges for local area school districts continue to deepen, many students will be able to benefit from our collections only if their schools are able to benefit from this much-needed financial assistance. We expect that the interest in school trips in 2023 will parallel the growth that we have seen this fall and The Museum wants to be able to satisfy every eligible request for funding support! Here is what your support can provide:
Please contribute today and help us continue Dr. Mengel’s mission to enlighten, educate, and engage area children. Every $20 contribution we receive will enable a local student to explore the worlds of science, history, humanities, and arts in a life changing way at the Reading Public Museum. How many students are you able to sponsor?
Here is what your support provides during the school year:
$1,000 – Transports and admits one bus full of students (two full classes) to The Museum, Neag Planetarium, and Arboretum
$500 – Transports and admits one full class to The Museum, Neag Planetarium, and Arboretum
$250 – Transports or admits one full class to The Museum, Neag Planetarium, and Arboretum
$20 – Funds transportation and admission for one student to The Museum, Neag Planetarium, and Arboretum
Are you an Educator looking for funding? Use the application below and contact Wendy for questions.
Eligibility
All public, private, and parochial schools in any state are eligible to apply for a Feed Their Imagination Grant. There will be no appeals.
Feed Their Imagination Application
Grant Contact
Wendy Koller, Manager of Humanities Education
610.371.5850 x223
wendy.koller@readingpublicmuseum.org
