Fellowships and Financial Aid

 

The ACM Outstanding Practice in Museums Award recognizes an exceptional accomplishment by a children’s museum in work across all departments that is also recognized as an outstanding practice for the field. This award may recognize contributions to the field through innovative exhibits, strategic initiatives, fundraising efforts, or transformative leadership.

Recognizing that children’s museums will implement these practices differently, this award will recognize outstanding practices in a Small, Medium, and Large museum; one award per category.

The practices awarded may recognize programming addressing social issues, exhibits exploring environmental sustainability, engagement efforts at the forefront of critical dialogues around children and families in their communities, or community partnerships focused on changing policy and practice.

Small Museum
Application
Medium Museum Application
Large Museum
Application
Museum SizeTotal Operating ExpensesBuilding Size (Square Feet)Annual AttendanceStaff
SmallLess than $487,326Less than 12,000Less than 50,000Less than 14
Medium$487,326 – $2.3 million12,000 – 44,04050,000 – 148,66714 – 41
LargeMore than $2.3 millionMore than 44,040More than 148,667More than 41

The ACM Outstanding Practice Award is open to museums that are an open ACM-member museum in good standing (check myACM to see if your museum’s dues are current).

Award 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 awardees for InterActivity 2026;
· Have the support of their museum for travel, lodging, and meal expenses.

In addition, each awarded museum will be asked to contribute an article to ACM’s signature publication Hand to Hand.

Each application requires a completed application form: Small Museum Form, Medium Museum Form, Large Museum Form.

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 outside the awarded coverage.

· A Letter of Recommendation from the Museum CEO/Executive Director. In the event that the Member Representative is the Museum CEO/Executive Director, the letter should come from a board member or community leader that can endorse the project.

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

If an applicant does not receive an award, the museum will be still able to register one individual for InterActivity 2025 at the Early Bird registration rate whether they register by the Early Bird deadline (January 27) or later.

The ACM Outstanding Practice Award recipients will receive:

One free registration to InterActivity for the year awarded.       
Recognition at the Awards Ceremony during InterActivity.
A seal to display on their website and other publicity materials.
Recognition on ACM’s website.

Contact Kristin DeNovellis, Associate Director, Museum Member Services at kristin.denovellis@childrensmuseums.org.