Indiana Community Grants

Indiana Native Plant Society
The Indiana Native Plant Society is starting a community science rare plant monitoring program for Indiana in partnership with the Indiana Plant Conservation Alliance (INPCA) and the Indiana Natural Heritage Data Center (INHDC) at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources – Division of Nature Preserves (DNP). Through this program, Indiana residents will be trained to become rare plant monitors, and the data collected will lead to a more complete understanding and better management of the state’s rare plant populations.

Indiana Plant Atlas
The Indiana Plant Atlas (IPA) is a botany resource for plant enthusiasts, professionals, students, and teachers. The IPA provides a source of information for each species, including the distribution within the state using historical and recent data. Available on mobile devices, tablets, and desktop computers, the IPA’s mission is to compile and present data on county-level occurrence of Indiana’s spontaneous flora – plants that grow outside of cultivation. Live photos of the plants are available as well as herbarium specimen photos and data. Data and images can be downloaded and saved by any user. The Indiana Plant Atlas can be found at: https://indiana.plantatlas.usf.edu/. We are grateful for the continued support of the Indiana Academy of Science to help provide technical services so that we may continue to bring the user up-to-date information about the plants growing in Indiana.

Diversity & Innovation Institute (DNOVA)
The goal of the YiQ Summer Program is to provide academic enrichment and career exploration in areas of STEM, innovation, and medicine. At the heart of the program is the desire to prepare high school students to pursue a college degree and a career in the STEM field. Activities and mentorship instill a foundational skillset students will use to develop innovative research projects that aim to solve a real-world problem and present their findings to an audience during the YiQ Ceremony. Participants who complete the summer program will be offered continuous mentoring beyond the summer and through the rest of their academic career. The Diversity & Innovation Institute aspires to fuel the desire of our youth to continue their studies in STEM by giving them the resources and confidence to become the innovators and leaders of tomorrow.

Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites
The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites and Indiana Academy of Science Scholarship Fund allows Hoosier students to participate in STEM programming while on field trips at no cost. While the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites has offered field trips at no cost to all K–12 Hoosier students and their educators since 2016, transportation costs and costs associated with add-on STEM programming can be barriers for schools. The Scholarship Fund helps ensure that all students have access to high-quality science experiences aligned with Indiana Academic Standards and classroom curriculum. Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites is proud to partner with Indiana Academy of Science to remove barriers to STEM learning experiences and help ensure that the dynamic learning experiences provided by field trips and STEM programming are available to all Indiana students.

Celebrate Science Indiana (SEFI)
Celebrate Science Indiana will be held on Oct. 11th at the Indiana State Fairgrounds (Exhibition Hall) from 9:30 am – 5:00 pm and will deliver dynamic, hands-on STEM programming for more than 4,000 students, families, and educators. This year’s event will showcase nearly 50 exhibitors demonstrating real-world applications of STEM research and innovation — inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers to pursue their passions right here in Indiana. Educators will also gain fresh classroom ideas and can earn Professional Growth Points (PGPs). Please plan to attend, exhibit, sponsor, or volunteer!