The Museum is pleased to be able to provide a limited number of IHMEC Opportunity Scholarships to support field trip expenses for qualified Illinois schools during the 2012-2013 academic year. The program enables us to offer subsidies for transportation and/or admission to the Museum for students and chaperones.
Scholarship Information
Opportunity Scholarships are available on a limited basis for schools in financial need who would otherwise not have the ability to visit the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center.
Qualification Requirements:
- School located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin
- Field trip date confirmed with paid deposit
- Financial need (at least 50% of students considered low-income by ISBE or the United States Department of Agriculture)
- Scholarship application submitted at least 30 days before scheduled trip
- Maximum two scholarships per school per school year
Actual admission fees and/or transportation costs will be subsidized at the discretion of the Museum, based on need and availability of funds. While most scholarships are partial, the maximum amount granted will be $1,000, including admission and transportation costs. Please indicate on your scholarship application what costs you would like covered.
Subsidies cover the cost for students, chaperones that fall within the 10:1 ratio, and medical/behavioral aides. The subsidy does not cover extra chaperones ($15 each) or students not registered with the Museum in advance. The subsidy will be paid in the form of a waiver at the time of field trip check-in.
Opportunity Scholarships are available for field trips scheduled between September 1, 2012 and March 2, 2013. A limited number of scholarships may be available between March 3 and June 17.
How to Apply
To apply for an Opportunity Scholarship, please complete and submit an application, which requires the following information:
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School information
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Teacher information
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Field trip information
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Financial need (% of students of free/reduced lunch)
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Expected field trip costs (admission)
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Short answer questions about objectives and benefits of trip
The application must be signed by both the applicant (teacher) and school principal/administrator.
Applications can be submitted via email (scanned with signatures), fax (847.967.4804), or hard copy no later than 30 days before the scheduled field trip:
Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
Attn: Opportunity Grants Program – Education
9603 Woods Drive
Skokie, IL 60077
Applications will be reviewed and rewarded on a rolling basis. Notification of award status will be announced after September 1, 2012.
Field Trip Deposit
The $50 non-refundable deposit toward your trip will not be waived. The Museum believes each school should maintain a minimum amount of financial "buy-in" toward the trip. This deposit covers the cost of processing your original field trip request, as well as your Opportunity Scholarship, and is needed to continue the program in the future.
Transportation Scheduling & Reimbursement
For schools in Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin:
The Museum is not responsible for arranging transportation. Please indicate on your application the expected cost, if any. IHMEC will issue a reimbursement after receiving a signed, paid invoice and thank you letters.
Grant Requirements
In order to continue to provide our Opportunity Grants Program, it is essential that the sponsors understand the true impact of their support.
- Schools who are awarded an opportunity grant must complete one mandatory "Letter of Thanks" to IHMEC written by the teacher(s), incorporating student feedback and the benefits gained from the field trip. This letter must be received within 30 days after your field trip date.
- Transportation is exclusively provided by Alltown Bus Services, Inc.
- Schools will be invoiced for the total cost of admission if a "Letter of Thanks" is not received.
- Schools who do not send a "Letter of Thanks" may not be considered for future scholarship opportunities.
Skokie, IL