World Space Week Grants: October 4 - 10, 2013
Small Grants for Science and Discovery Centres and Museums
Application deadline: 11pm Wednesday May 22 2013 (by email)
Introduction
World Space Week is a global celebration of space science and technology, running each year from 4th-10th October. The week was set by the United Nations General Assembly and is celebrated with events, activities and exhibitions in countries across the world (www.worldspaceweek.org). This year's theme is 'Exploring Mars, Discovering Earth'.
Building on the success of last year's World Space Week Grants we are again making 10 small grants available, supported by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), to help centres and museums celebrate World Space Week. Space is a fantastic context to engage school students and the public with all the sciences, so we are encouraging centres to think broadly and creatively about how they can celebrate space and space-related activities in their centres.
Science and Discovery Centres, Science Museums and other organisations within the ASDC membership may apply.
Information and Application Form (Word .docx)
The deadline for applications is 11pm on Wednesday 22 May 2013 and successful organisations will be notified by Monday June 3 2013. Selection of applications will be made by a panel of public engagement and space experts. We encourage applicants to ring us with any questions.
What is on offer?
- Up to 10 £1,500 grants available to ASDC members*
- A 'Space Showcase' booklet to provide inspiration and information on the broad range of space-related activities that the UK are involved in (available in August)
- Opportunities for all involved to share learning and best practice from past and present awardees, plus others involved in Space engagement activities.
*to be considered an ASDC member, your 2013 membership fee will need to have been paid in advance of the application deadline, May 22 2013.
What can you use the grants for?
The Grants are for centres to use to celebrate world space week in their regions with schools families and other audiences.
- Grants can be used for staff time to support development of new workshops, exhibits and shows and for staff time to deliver events and activities during, and around, World Space Week.
- Grants can be used to cover costs of running workshops, shows, and other activities and events, such as covering travel expenses for space experts and/or consumables to run hands-on activities.
- Applications that support engagement with disadvantaged groups would be viewed favourably, for example bursary schemes to support access to centres by disadvantaged schools.
- All activities must contain some links to UK/European activities. Applications for activities based solely on NASA activities will be given lower priority. Note that these grants are for space-related activity in its broadest sense, and not just for space science or astronomy.
- Grants will be awarded to the 10 best applications. Please note that we actively encourage applications from centres who have not run world space week activities before and want to begin celebrating the UK's role in Space (using World Space Week as a hook for press and PR) and as an opportunity to work with others, e.g., local universities or satellite companies.
- For centres who are part of the ASDC 'Explore Your Universe' project, or have received World Space Week Grants or Stargazing Grants from ASDC in the past, we would want to see some new approaches and events, or evaluation data that demonstrates why your chosen format is so successful.
- Applicants must agree to share learning about the activities that have been developed and their experiences of carrying out space engagement activities with other applicants and the Explore Your Universe network on top of reporting metrics, etc. This will be done through final reports submitted, and by a conference call in December.
- Applications will be welcomed from 2013 ASDC members only. Specifically your 2013 membership fee must be paid by the application deadline, 11pm on May 22 2013.
What types of Events, activities and displays?
Your proposal must be for events, activities or displays delivered during World Space Week. You are welcome to also run these before and after World Space Week.
You are free to propose what you feel would work well, and what you feel confident you can deliver to a high quality for your chosen audiences in the short timeframe available.
Examples of eligible ways you might choose to use the grant:
- A new show with particular reference to latest space research
- Re-develop an existing show to include contemporary research
- A meet-the-expert fair
- Re-develop a pre-existing workshop or show for a new audience, e.g., for people with a hearing impairment
- A community engagement project
- A citizen science activity, supported by academics
- A temporary display, exhibition or exhibit, or adding the latest UK / EU space research to your existing exhibition
- An art-science event or installation
- A competition for school students
Please note: Images and Logos
- The use of ESA images to create pop-up banners or other visual display material is highly encouraged, as is the use of the downloadable ESA posters. All centres will need to use the words 'World Space Week' in their event title, and marketing. You may use The World Space Week logo if you choose (ASDC will provide this).
- Centres will need to mention the activities are supported by The Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC) and The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), or use the STFC and ASDC logos online and ideally in print (see STFC logo usage guidelines). Please phone us if you are in any doubt.
- STFC and ASDC logos are available in high resolution on the ASDC website: http://sciencecentres.org.uk/projects/world_space/logosandbranding.html
Inspiration, support and sharing best practice
To help showcase the broad variety of space-related activities that the UK and Europe are involved in we are producing a 'Space Showcase' booklet that will be distributed in August. This will highlight contemporary activities that are taking place, provide ideas of hands-on activities to try, and pool best practice from previous awardees, the Explore Your Universe network, and other space engagement experts. It will cover the themes:
In addition, we will be providing the opportunity for all involved to share ideas and share best practice directly with one another before and after world space week, through conference calls (see schedule).
The first opportunity will be through the World Space Week conference that will take place in June, after notification of success. This will be an opportunity to share ideas and discuss the use of space as a context for engaging audiences across all of the sciences.
Images and latest content freely available
The European Space Agency offers free downloads of videos, images, posters and exhibition material which you are welcome to use. See www.esa.int/exhibitions for posters and downloads and here for images and multimedia. You could use these in exhibitions, displays, projections, family shows, schools workshops and on web-based interactives.
The UK Space Agency's websites has lots of information on line (www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency) and has lots on the UK angle including stories of the UK astronaut, Tim Peake, and images of missions in progress.
We have received advice that the best images are on ESA's website, and that the wider use of 'Google' is not recommended since the provenance or copyright on images may not be known, and high-resolution is rare. Images on the ESA website are free for you to use (crediting ESA).
The National Space Centre at Leicester is once again kindly offering to help and advise on activities, and you are welcome to refer to their website www.spacecentre.co.uk or telephone the Education Manager there. Please ask ASDC for contact details. You are also free to call Dr Michaela Livingstone at ASDC for suggestions.
Additionally, UKSEDS represent University student societies comprising space, engineering and physics students from all around the country. If you would like volunteers to help with your event, please get in touch with their outreach team to be connected with your nearest society, outreach@ukseds.org.
The international perspective
Last November, the Ecsite thematic group for space was launched. This group is intended to allow closer contact between science centres and museums and Space professionals, and provide information on Space news, programmes and discoveries. The Space Group will also offer opportunities for sharing experience, expertise, knowledge and tools. Dr Michaela Livingstone is currently the communications liaison for this European group.
The Space group is hosting a two day pre-conference workshop at this year's Ecsite conference in Gothenburg. If you are attending the conference then we would encourage you to consider attending this workshop, or become a member of the group to keep informed on relevant activities and information. The programme and full details of the Space group can be found on Ecsite's website: http://www.ecsite.eu/activities_and_resources/thematic_groups/space-group
Eligibility
All 2013 ASDC members are eligible to apply. For your application to be considered, your organisation's 2013 membership fee must have been paid by the application deadline (please call us if in doubt). If submitting an application in partnership, the lead applicant must be an ASDC member and activities need to take place at the member science centre or museum.
Grant Deadlines:
| 1 May 2013 | Announcement of Grants |
| 22 May: Wed, 11pm | Closing date for applications |
| 3 June | Notification of success |
| June (to be announced) | World Space Week Conference Call |
| 4-10 October | World Space Week, delivery of events |
| 6 December | Final Reports due from grant-holders |
| 6 December | Invoice ASDC for the Full payment of £1,500 |
| 13 December | Post-delivery conference call |
Selection Criteria
- Quality of proposal, with a clear plan showing how the grant would be used.
- Clearly addressing the aims of the scheme mentioned above.
- Added value to your current offer: That these grants feature an aspect of space in your centre which you do not ordinarily show, or celebrates the week in a way your marketing team have not previously done.
- Inclusion of UK or European people, stories or angles.
- We have awarded 28 grants as part of the ASDC-STFC partnership (World Space Week, Stargazing and Explore Your Universe). Applications are welcomed from centres that have previously been awarded these and preference will be given to those applications clearly showing new or effective approaches, or building new partnerships.
- We strongly welcome grants from centres that have not previously been awarded grants. If all else is equal, preference will be given to centres that have not previously been in receipt of an ASDC-STFC grant .
- A good contribution of resource by the centre to add to the grant is an advantage.
- Pure Stargazing-type activities not related to space activity are not favoured.
Payment
ASDC will pay centres the grants of £1,500 on completion of final reports. Please send invoices to ASDC to arrive by December 6.
VAT: Please note, these are grants and VAT will not be paid. If you must charge VAT, you will need to include it as part of the £1,500.
