People carry a wide range of assumptions about what science is and who science is for. National Initiatives seeks to challenge these assumptions on a large scale, leveraging nationwide moments of scientific wonder into opportunities for people to reimagine their relationship with science.
National Initiatives is also an opportunity for the Simons Foundation to expand its geographical reach. Through strategic partnerships, powerful storytelling and celebration of individual identity, this program works to increase access to science engagement opportunities for everyone, regardless of where they call home.
In the Path of Totality
In the Path of Totality, the division’s first national initiative, celebrated the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse that passed through 13 states and reached more than 30 million people across the United States. By providing financial and capacity-building support to museums, art and cultural centers, Main Streets and more, we helped ensure that everyone in the path had an unforgettable shared experience.
While the entire country witnessed a partial eclipse on April 8, we focused our efforts within the path of totality. We spotlighted towns from Texas to Maine that fell in this narrow path.