Summer Camp Awards

The Science Museum of Minnesota is dedicated to welcoming a socio-economically diverse group of youth to our educational programs. Summer Camp Awards provide financial support to families to send their children to our camps. Awards cover the costs for one week of camp (per family) and are granted by lottery.

Details

  • Award recipients are selected starting on February 17th until all award funds are depleted

  • Applicants whose names are not drawn will be notified no later than June 1st unless more funds become available.

  • If a family’s application is drawn, all children within the family, ages 6-12, will receive:

    • Either:

      • Up to two-week-long, half-day in-person camps in the same week

      • One week-long full-day camp

      • One week-long virtual camp

  • Both morning and afternoon extended care at no charge if in-person option is chosen

  • A camp t-shirt

  • Families will be asked to pay a processing fee of $20 per camper (if this fee presents a barrier to accepting the award, please ask the registration staff about the possibility of waiving it)

  • Value of a typical award is $440 per camper

Eligibility

Awards are intended for Great Members and families that qualify for one of the following forms of public assistance:

  • TANF, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 

  • MFIP, Minnesota Family Investment Program

  • General Assistance

  • WIC, Women, Infants & Children

  • Medicaid or Medical Assistance

  • SSI, Supplemental Security Income

  • Food Stamps

  • Section 8 housing

  • MN Care

  • Free or Reduced Price School Meals

  • Unemployment

How to Apply

  • Fill out the award application

  • If your application is selected, you will be contacted by phone and email. If we haven’t reached you, you will receive a final follow-up call that you will need to respond to within two business days. If there is no response at that time, we will move forward with the next family application.

  • At that time, you can choose your camp(s), subject to availability, and pay the $20 processing fee.