Discovery Museum Grant Proposal

I.

Executive Summary/Letter of Intent:

A. Problem: The Mount Pleasant Discovery Museum does not have enough funding to provide
an adequate amount of art supplies needed for a full year. Even though the museum has
received other grants, they have not been awarded a grant to fund their art supplies. The art
supplies needed include: washable markers, colored paper, construction paper, masking tape,
scotch tape, permanent markers, tempera paint, and paint brushes.
B. Solution: Art supplies would not only benefit the kids by engaging them in multiple activities,
but it will also help develop the fine motor and cognitive skills needed to grow. Another important
reason these supplies are needed is to aid in building imagination. The art supplies will be
provided year round for the children to use at the museum. Staff and volunteers will be able to
stock the supplies whenever needed.
C. Funding Requirements: The amount of funding needed to fulfill the needs of art supplies
continuously would be approximately $6,000 every year.
D. Organization: The Mount Pleasant Discovery Museum is a childrens museum in the Central
Michigan area that provides a fun learning environment for families to engage in interactive,
hands-on activities. They began construction in 2011 and opened their doors on December
28, 2012. The property was donated to the museum and it is in a good location for exposure
to families because it sits near the ICE Arena and Morey Courts are located across the
road. Activities and exhibits available for children to engage in include: the Beemazium, One
World, The Greenhouse, Water Works, Exploratorium, Racing Airways, Baby Carrots, Music
Fusion, Farmers Market, and Imagination Playground. With an increased number of art supplies
the children will be able to flourish in this environment even more!
II. Needs assessment:
A member of the group met with Heather Frisch, the director of the Discovery Museum, and
found out what was needed to enhance the childrens creativity skills while visiting the museum.
A list of supplies needed was received along with the number of children coming into the
museum every year.
A. Examples of documents to support funding
a. Annual Report for 2014
b. Demographic statistics-32,508 people in 2014 entered the museum
III. Project Description
A. Methods: After the group receives the grant money for the Discovery Museum, the
community liaison will meet with the director of the museum to finalize a list of the necessary
supplies. The financial officer will review the list of the needed items to compose a budget report
for the needed the supplies
B. Staffing/Administration:
Project Leader-Shelby Gutkowski

Community Liaison-Jessie Myler

Financial Officer-Molly Jorden
Community Outreach-Hannah Reagan
Secretary-Smita Bhattarai
Researcher/Photographer-Carlene Marable

C. Evaluations: After the supplies have been distributed for three months, the grant team will
set up a focus group with the youth board. During this focus group, the youths will fill out a
survey about the art supplies and will engage in a discussion of how the supplies have
benefitted the museum.
D. Sustainability: There will be a annual grant donation to keep the supplies continuously in
stock.
IV. Budget
A. Expenses
(115) -washable markers 10 pack for $3.79=$435.85
(114) -permanent markers 10 pack for $5.59=$637.26
(121) -colored paper 50 count 8.5X11 $3.99=$482.79
(120) -construction paper 75lbs 18X24 $3.59=$430.80
(113) -masking tape 3M Scotch General 1.88X60 Yds $6.29=$710.77
(121) -scotch tape in X 850in $1.37=$165.77
(117) -tempera paint 6 count 2oz $6.99=$817.83
(116) -paint brushes 24 count brush pack $19.99=$2318.84
Total:$5999.91
V.

Organizational Information

A. Mission: The Mount Pleasant Discovery Museum is a childrens museum in the Central
Michigan area that provides a fun learning environment for families to engage in interactive,
hands-on activities. The museum began construction in 2011 and were able to open their doors
on December 28, 2012. The mission of this organization is to spark creativity, nourish learning,
and inspire curiosity of children through self-directed discovery in an engaging, hands-on
environment. If the Mount Pleasant Discovery Museum receives this grant, they would be able
to spark creativity and inspire curiosity with the help of the art supplies that this grant would
provide. The art supplies would be benefitting exhibits such as the Beemazium, One World, The
Greenhouse, Water Works, Exploratorium, Racing Airways, Baby Carrots, Music Fusion,
Farmers Market, and Imagination Playground.
B. Staff: The project leader, Shelby Gutkowski, took on the role of managing what everyone in
the group participated in. She was an available leader and always there to help the group
members if they were unsure of which direction to go next. The community liaison, Jessie Myler,
took on the role of being the communicator between the museum director and the group. She
went on behalf of the group to check out the museum and talk face-to-face with the director to
get her input on the needed supplies for the museum. The financial director, Molly Jorden,
managed the expenses. She was the one who looked up the prices and helped the group form
the budget and how the money should be spent. The community outreach position was held by
Hannah Reagan. She was the group representative who reached out to the Mount Pleasant
Community Foundation to address the need for the supplies requested by the Discovery
Museum. The secretary, Smita Bhattarai, was available to answer the phone for the project

leader if she was unavailable. She also was there for the group to assist in editing the grant.
The last position on the grant team was researcher/photographer, which was held by Carlene
Marable. She was the group member who would look up the facts when the group needed to
find statistics or specific information on the museum.
VI.

Conclusion

A. Ask for the funding: This grant is being written to help the children in the Central Michigan
area express their creativity by using the art supplies that the Discovery Museum provides. In
order to get these art supplies for the museum, the Mount Pleasant Community Foundation is
being asked for $6,000. If received, this money will be spent on various arts and crafts supplies
from Target that will provide the museum enough to last one whole year. The Mount Pleasant
Discovery Museum would benefit greatly from these art supplies because they have a vast
amount of people come through their doors daily that require many art tools to increase their
cognitive development. The group would like to take the time to thank you for your consideration
in funding this grant to maintain the sustainability and smooth operation of the museum.