Desired effect
The funding line “Bring STEM to the countryside – museum partnerships” aims to enable partner institutions to bring existing STEM topics to rural areas and present them in a new/unusual context. They offer rural target groups local access and thereby generate new/further interest in STEM topics. The partnerships are intended to be a space for experimentation for employees, promoting their experience, networking, and professionalization. As part of the funding line, the conditions for successful partnerships and the effectiveness of the offerings are to be tested, implemented, and then prepared and published for the sector.
The funded projects should achieve the following three goals (focusing on only one goal is possible in exceptional cases):
More STEM exhibitions/events are offered in rural areas, giving existing visitors new insights into STEM topics and making first-time visitors aware of local institutions.
Existing concepts/exhibits from large institutions are used sustainably for exhibitions in smaller partner institutions.
Employees of the partner institutions learn from each other by participating in meetings, workshops, and training courses at the partner institutions as well as external networking events.
Background
The general public has a high level of trust in museums — even among those who do not visit them. Museums can help to strengthen social cohesion.
Large STEM museums and science centers are primarily located in metropolitan areas and cities, whereas many of the small rural museums are dedicated to local or regional history. In addition, there are other small cultural institutions and associations in rural areas that do not necessarily deal with STEM topics.
A partnership between small rural institutions (with or without a STEM focus) and larger STEM museums/science centers and STEM exhibition venues makes it possible to entertain and engage local audiences with new STEM topics. Furthermore, these partnerships promote mutual learning, professionalization, and networking among cultural professionals, regardless of subject area and institution size.
Through these partnerships, we want to help bring more STEM topics to rural areas and reach existing and new target groups in a local and sometimes unusual context. Furthermore, we want to test, examine, define, and publish the conditions for success for such partnerships, thereby encouraging others to follow suit.
Your path to project funding – a two-stage process:
1. Submission of short application and pre-selection
The short application is used by the foundation’s internal committees for classification and pre-selection. This process is completed approximately three months after the deadline.
You can submit your complete short application from March 2, 2026, to April 13, 2026, via our new application portal (online from March 2026). The review of short applications received, including any virtual pitches by invitation, takes up to six months from the deadline.
2. Invitation to an online pitch
If the initial review is positive, you will be invited to a one-hour virtual pitch: You will receive information about the date, schedule, and exact content by email approximately three months after the deadline.
Representatives of the KTS and external reviewers will participate in the pitch. We reserve the right to use a distributed peer review process.
Overview of the contents of the short application, which must be submitted via the new application portal from March 2, 2026
Project partners
- Contact details of the main applicant and institution profile (max. 1000 characters)
- Contact details of co-applicants and institution profiles (max. 1000 characters)
The institution profile should explain why you chose this particular partner institution(s). - Please also include the location (city or country), thematic focus, size of the institution, and degree of professionalization in your explanation. Has there been any previous collaboration?
Project overview
- Project title, short title, planned start and end dates
- Project objective (max. 1000 characters): What are the impact objectives of your joint project?
- Description of the STEM topic (max. 500 characters): Which STEM topic is being offered and how has the topic been presented to the main applicant so far?
- STEM topic in the context of the rural institution (max. 1000 characters): How do you present the selected STEM topics in a new context? What local references are there for the selected STEM topics?
Target group description (max. 1000 characters): Which local target groups are addressed by the exhibitions and/or events held at the partner institution(s)? - Multipliers (max. 1000 characters): Are local multipliers involved in order to reach further local target groups? If so, describe the multipliers and the target groups and effects to be achieved.
- Training, networking, and professionalization of employees (max. 3000 characters): What specific benefits do you see for your employees and the employees of the partner institution(s)? What training and networking measures are planned (in addition to the three workshops organized by KTS)?
Timeline and milestones
- Work packages (max. 5000 characters): For each work package (WP), describe in one paragraph what is to be achieved, how this will be implemented, who is responsible for the WP (persons/institutions), and when the WP begins and ends.
- Planned measures and methodological implementation
- Measures (max. 3000 characters): For each of the impact goals mentioned, describe the measures you intend to take to achieve them. Measures include exhibitions, events, workshops, etc.
Participation (max. 500 characters): List which employees are involved in the measures and in what role.
Dissemination
- Dissemination in the peer community (max. 1000 characters): How do you intend to publicize the project in the peer community?
- Promotion of measures among the target group (max. 1000 characters): How will you promote the individual measures (exhibitions, events, workshops, etc.) among the respective target group?
Press relations (max. 1000 characters): How will you promote the project in the media? Do you have your own channels that you use for reports and articles?
Evaluation & success indicators
- Success indicators (max. 2000 characters): Which success indicators would you like to use to measure impact, how would you collect them, and how would you like to organize monitoring and reflection throughout the project period?
Financing
- Personnel costs, own funds, material costs, third-party funds, travel expenses, overhead costs (max. 10% of the requested funding amount)
- Contract work (max. 2000 characters): Describe the type of contract work and the estimated amount. Do you need to put this out to tender, or have you already made a preliminary selection of contractors?
Required documents:
- Proof of non-profit status: Proof of non-profit status of all partner institutions (§58a AO or §60a AO) or recognition of non-profit status by the tax office (exemption notice)
Information sessions on the “Komm MINT aufs Land – Museum Partnerships” funding program
The Klaus Tschira Foundation offers regular information sessions as part of the “Komm MINT aufs Land – Museum Partnerships” funding program.
These are aimed at all interested parties and potential applicants who have specific questions about the content requirements of the call for proposals.
When?
The consultation hours will take place on the following dates between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.:
Fri, Jan. 23, 2026
Fri, Feb. 27, 2026
Fri, Mar. 13, 2026
Fri, Mar. 27, 2026
How?
The consultations will take place by telephone. In order to accommodate all callers, a maximum of 15 minutes will be allocated per request. The responsible program manager can be reached during consultation hours at 06221 533 111.
Important note:
We kindly ask you to refrain from written or telephone inquiries outside of consultation hours.
For formal or administrative matters—such as deadlines, application forms, or submission methods—please refer to the FAQs. If you still have questions, our funding management team will be happy to assist you: antrag@klaus-tschira-stiftung.de.
We look forward to speaking with you personally!
