STEM Expert Facilitation of Family Learning in Libraries and Museums (STEMeX) – A National Leadership Grants Special Initiative – FY16 Notice of Funding Opportunity | Apply Online

STEMeX Grant FAQs

What is the STEMeX grant opportunity?

The STEM Expert Facilitation of Family Learning in Libraries and Museums (STEMeX) is a discretionary, research-focused grant opportunity administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the National Leadership Grants umbrella. It spans both the library and museum programs and was intended to fund a small number of high-impact projects that could influence national practice in informal STEM learning.

Which agency runs STEMeX?

STEMeX is run by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Is STEMeX a research grant or a programming grant?

Based on the notice description, STEMeX is explicitly research-focused and centered on design-based research in informal STEM education. While projects would involve implementing and testing learning experiences, the core purpose is to study, develop, and document workable models and evidence that can shape practice.

When was this opportunity posted and what was the application deadline?

The opportunity was posted on February 1, 2016, and the application deadline was May 1, 2016.

How many awards did IMLS expect to make?

IMLS anticipated making about three awards.

What was the maximum award size?

Individual grants could be up to $1,000,000.

What funding category is this opportunity associated with?

The opportunity is positioned within cultural affairs-related funding categories (arts and humanities in CFDA framing) and is associated with CFDA number 45.312.

What is the main purpose of STEMeX?

STEMeX sought proposals to build and test replicable models for expert-facilitated, inquiry-based STEM learning experiences for children ages 6 to 10 together with their families. The emphasis is on creating practical, evidence-building foundations that can be applied broadly in libraries and museums.

What type of research approach did STEMeX emphasize?

The notice called for design-based research on informal STEM education. That implies developing learning experiences, implementing them in real-world settings, studying how they work, and iterating toward models that are both effective and usable by other institutions.

Who are the "STEM experts" in STEMeX?

STEMeX uses "STEM professionals" in a broad sense, including scientists, engineers, and other technical practitioners who can bring authentic expertise and real-world perspectives into learning experiences in community settings.

Are STEM experts expected to just present information?

No. The opportunity specifically emphasized that experts should actively facilitate inquiry-based STEM learning rather than simply deliver content. The intent is to study and develop models where experts meaningfully support hands-on, curiosity-driven exploration with families.

Who is the primary audience for the learning experiences developed under STEMeX?

The program focus is on children ages 6 to 10 and their families, with learning designed for family participation rather than child-only instruction.

What does "family-centered and community-oriented" mean in this grant context?

STEMeX aimed to help institutions reach and serve families across diverse economic, social, and cultural backgrounds, including families with different levels of prior exposure to STEM and varying confidence in engaging with STEM topics. The community role of libraries and museums is central to the program framing.

What is the distinctive research emphasis in the STEMeX notice?

A defining feature is the focus on how STEM experts communicate, particularly how expert oral narratives support learning during object-based science inquiry. Proposals were expected to treat expert storytelling and narrative practices as a central research topic, not a side detail.

What are "expert oral narratives" in the STEMeX context?

They refer to the ways experts use spoken storytelling to make STEM ideas accessible and meaningful, including personal histories, lived experience, and analogies. The notice frames these narrative tools as potentially powerful supports for informal learning, especially for family groups.

What is "object-based science inquiry" as described in the opportunity?

It involves families exploring physical objects and tangible materials such as specimens, tools, prototypes, or other hands-on items, using those objects as anchors for asking questions, investigating, and building understanding. The grant notice highlighted studying how expert narratives function within these object-centered explorations.

Do projects need to work in both libraries and museums?

The opportunity expected research findings and models to translate across both museums and libraries. Applicants were asked to explain how outcomes would apply in each setting, acknowledging differences in space, staffing, collections, and community roles while still supporting shared learning goals.

Why did IMLS emphasize applicability across both settings?

The notice frames the goal as building tested approaches and documented strategies that can be adapted by multiple types of public-serving organizations. Libraries and museums differ operationally, but the program sought models that can function in both, strengthening learning ecosystems across the community.

What kinds of outputs or results was STEMeX aiming to generate?

STEMeX was described as aiming for a practical and evidence-building foundation, including tested approaches, documented implementation strategies, and research insights that help institutions design inquiry-driven STEM experiences led by community experts and adaptable across institutions.

What makes STEMeX a "national leadership" initiative?

It was designed to fund a small set of high-impact projects with the potential to shape national practice, meaning the research and models were expected to be useful beyond a single institution and contribute to field-wide understanding of expert-facilitated family STEM learning.

Does the notice specify particular STEM fields or topics?

The description emphasizes informal STEM education generally and does not limit the opportunity to a specific STEM discipline within the provided information.

Does the opportunity mention equity or serving diverse communities?

Yes. The program is described as aiming to reach families across diverse economic, social, and cultural backgrounds, including families with varying familiarity and confidence with STEM.

What age range must the research and learning model focus on?

The focus is on children ages 6 to 10 and their families.

How central is storytelling and narrative to eligible proposals?

It is central. The notice encouraged applicants to examine expert oral narratives as part of object-based inquiry and to treat narrative and storytelling as a key research focus rather than incidental programming.