Fellowships and Financial Aid

The InterActivity 2024 Diversity in Action Fellowship, sponsored by Lord Cultural Resources, and InterActivity 2024 Small Museum Financial Aid Program, provide opportunities for individuals at ACM member museums to receive complimentary registration to InterActivity 2024: Flourish!, hosted by Madison Children’s Museum, May 15–17, in Madison, WI.

InterActivity 2024 Diversity in Action Fellowship
Sponsored by Lord Cultural Resources

The ACM Diversity in Action Fellowship provides museum staff from underrepresented groups with complimentary registration to InterActivity 2024, a complimentary ticket to the evening event at Madison Children’s Museum, networking opportunities at the conference, and access to a private community for awardees on the ACM Groupsite.

The fellowship is open to museum professionals who meet the following criteria:

· Self-identified with one or more minority groups (e.g., racial/ethnic, person with a disability, LGBTQIA+);
· Works for an open ACM-member museum in good standing (check MyACM to see if your museum’s dues are current);
· Has been employed at the museum full-time for six months prior to the date of application

Note: 2023 Fellowship recipients may apply for an InterActivity 2024 Fellowship.

Fellowship recipients are required to:

· Actively participate in the networking opportunities at the conference, Groupsite community, and any virtual gatherings before and after the conference;
· Serve on the panel to review applications and select fellows for InterActivity 2025;
· Have the support of their museum for travel, lodging, and meal expenses.

With the assistance of ACM staff, fellowship recipients will strongly be encouraged to:

· Suggest and moderate a topic for an InterActivity 2024 Peer-to-Peer Roundtable Discussion;
· Post an entry on the ACM Blog; or
· Submit a session proposal for InterActivity 2025

First, read the non-fillable application to compose your answers; then complete the online application.

Supplemental materials include:

· Signed Statement of Understanding, including CEO and supervisor signatures, stating the museum will cover the applicant’s travel, lodging, and meal expenses.

· Signed Letter of Commitment that if chosen, the applicant will attend the full InterActivity 2024 conference, beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15, through 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 17, and participate in the fellows community in Groupsite throughout the year.

· One letter of recommendation from the applicant’s supervisor or CEO summarizing the applicant’s dedication to the field and how the fellowship will benefit the individual and institution.

There is no limit to the number of applications that a single museum may submit, however, only one individual at a museum will be awarded the fellowship.

If an applicant does not receive a fellowship, he/she/they will be able to register for InterActivity 2024 at the Early Bird registration rate whether they register by the Early Bird deadline (January 29) or later.

InterActivity 2024 Diversity in Action Fellows will be recognized in the InterActivity 2024 Final Program and onsite at the conference during a Plenary Session.

Contact Victoria.Garvin@ChildrensMuseums.org, Senior Director, Professional Development

InterActivity 2024 Small Museum Financial Aid Program

The InterActivity Small Museum Financial Aid Program provides staff who work at smaller museums with complimentary registration to InterActivity 2024: Flourish!, hosted by Madison Children’s Museum, May 15–17, in Madison, WI and a complimentary ticket to the evening event at Madison Children’s Museum. The goal of the program is to offset the professional development expenses for those who would benefit from attending the conference.

The financial aid program is open to museum professionals who meet the following criteria:

· Works for an open ACM member museum in good standing (dues current, check MyACM), with annual income under USD $500,000;
· Has been employed at the museum full-time for six months prior to the date of application;
· Has not received a financial aid award for the two previous in-person InterActivity conferences (2022 and 2023).

Financial aid recipients are required to:

· Attend the full InterActivity 2024 conference, beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15, through 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 17;
· Serve on the panel to review applications and select awardees for InterActivity 2025;
· Have the support of their museum for travel, lodging, and meal expenses.

First, read the non-fillable application to compose your answers; then complete the online application.

Supplemental materials include:

· Signed Statement of Understanding , including CEO and supervisor signatures, stating the museum will cover the applicant’s travel, lodging, and meal expenses.

· Letter of recommendation summarizing the applicant’s dedication to the field and how attending InterActivity 2024 will benefit the individual and institution.

There is no limit to the number of applications that staff from a single museum may submit, however, only one individual at a museum will be awarded financial aid.

If an applicant does not receive a financial aid award, he/she/they will be able to register for InterActivity 2024 at the Early Bird Registration rate whether they register by the Early Bird deadline (January 29) or later.

InterActivity 2024 Small Museum Financial Aid Program recipients will be recognized in the InterActivity 2024 Final Program and onsite at the conference during a Plenary Session.

Contact Victoria.Garvin@ChildrensMuseums.org, Senior Director, Professional Development.