Grant Guidelines

Grant Guidelines

PURPOSE OF MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

**To provide financial support for middle and high school students and/or their mentors to pursue science-oriented scholastic activities and projects that enhance the basic school curriculum.

Examples of such activities and projects include:

    • Participation in the Engineering and Science Fair (regional, national, international)
    • Participation in school-sponsored science fairs or similar programs
    • Participation in scholastic competitions organized by established academic societies
    • Participation in State Science Olympiad or Junior Science & Humanities competition
    • Independent or collaborative research project leading to potential publication in a scholarly journal, or a poster presentation or oral presentation at a suitable event sponsored by an established academic society
    • Encourage science field trip activities and related science exploratory activities

ADMINISTRATION OF MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

    • All student activities and projects must be supervised by a qualified adult mentor
    • Parental involvement should be required or strongly encouraged
    • Written permission provided by parent or legal guardian for all student activities outside of home or school environment
    • Lump sum allocations of up to $200 could be made to each student for miscellaneous approved expenses
    • Allocations of more than $200 will be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis.
    • The Memorial Foundation should remain politically neutral and not be an extension of any cause or organization that could be considered as having a political agenda. The Foundation should be limited to objective pursuits of scientific learning and knowledge by students.
    • The geographic scope of the Foundation’s operation will be limited to “Region II, North Central Montana”. However, the BOD may approve other regional applications if funds are available.

EXAMPLES OF APPROVED EXPENSES

    • Travel expenses for student and mentor to attend a science fair, scholastic competition, or academic society event
    • Travel expenses for one (1) parent or legal guardian to attend the same (all travel by minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian)
    • Special computer software needed to complete a student project (e.g., CAD or mapping software, special calculation programs, interface programs to instrumentation, etc).
    • Laboratory fees (e.g., student sample is sent for micrographs by scanning electron microscope, spectroscopy analysis, chemical analysis, etc.)
    • Purchase or rental of specialized scientific instruments and materials needed for student research
    • Purchase or rental of special safety equipment needed to carry out student project (e.g., hardhats, safety glasses, earplugs, latex/rubber gloves, protective clothing, etc.)
    • Purchase or rental of materials and supplies needed to construct or put together the final presentation of the project (e.g., display booth, poster presentation, Powerpoint slide show, printouts, handouts, etc.)
    • Incentive activities and awards approved by the Board
    • Any expense that is reviewed and approved by the Board as having met the following criterion: the expense is necessary for the student to complete or participate in the approved activity and funds for the expense are not available to the student from their school, scholastic and/or professional organization, or parents.
    • Grants which include the purchase of capital equipment; that equipment will remain the property of the DWBF for future student use. Instructions for returns to DWBF will be transmitted to applicant.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR MENTORS

    • Mentor based on academic qualification - Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree, or Ph.D. commensurate with the subject matter being pursued by the student
    • Mentor based on professional qualification - Licensed medical doctor, registered engineer, registered geologist, registered land surveyor, licensed teacher, etc., with discipline related to subject matter being pursued by the student
    • Mentor based on professional experience — occupation with level of experience commensurate with the subject matter being pursued by the student

* We will be expanding the program as funds becomes available.