Congresswoman Scholten Announces $271,000 for Grand Rapids Children’s Museum

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Today, Congresswoman Hillary Scholten (D-MI-03) announced Grand Rapids Children's Museum (GRCM) will receive a $271,000 matching grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), an independent federal agency that provides funding to libraries, archives, and museums across the country. This grant will support GRCM's Play-Based Professional Development program, which provides hands-on training for early childhood educators in play-based learning methods and techniques.

"Grand Rapids Children's Museum has always understood that play is powerful - it's how kids learn, process the world, and build resilience," said Congresswoman Scholten. "As families across West Michigan navigate rising rates of mental and behavioral health challenges in young people, this investment will help GRCM's staff deepen their expertise and expand access to play-based learning for even more kids in our community. I'm proud to see federal dollars going towards work that's already making a real difference in our community."

"GRCM is our community's leader and primary advocate for the purpose and power of play. We are so excited for our team to develop and implement a new museum education initiative that will advance our mission and directly impact our community," said Maggie Lancaster, CEO of Grand Rapids Children's Museum.

This funding is through the IMLS' Museums Empowered grant program, an initiative that supports professional development and training to drive change and growth within museums. The initiative funds staff learning in three areas: integrating digital technology into museum operations, using evaluation to shape programs and improve outcomes, and strengthening organizational culture and staff capacity.

This funding reflects Congresswoman Scholten's ongoing efforts to bring federal investment to Michigan's Third Congressional District and support the institutions that strengthen education in West Michigan.

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