2016 PARTNER GUIDE
www.PhilaScienceFestival.org | #GetNerdyPHL
Presenting Sponsor:
Created by Philadelphia’s science, cultural and educational
institutions and organized by The Franklin Institute
Taking place from April 22–April
30, 2016, the Philadelphia Science
Festival is an annual communitywide celebration of science.
The Festival features innovative
programs, engaging and accessible
talks, hands-on activities, special
exhibitions, and a variety of
other informal science education
experiences for Philadelphians of
all ages.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction to getting involved……......................................3
Provide an activity……..............................................................4
Suggest or serve as an expert……..........................................6
Host an event……......................................................................7
Volunteer with the Festival…..................................................9
Become a sponsor…................................................................10
What’s best for my organization?…......................................11
Glossary of terms……..............................................................13
HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED IN THE
2016 SCIENCE FESTIVAL?
There are 4 main ways to get involved with the Festival:
1. Add science content to a Festival program!
This is done in two ways:
a. Provide a hands-on STEM activity. Festival events
are renowned for their engaging and interactive
components. You can contribute to this spirit of inquiry
and discovery! Activity providers are needed for
themed programs, Neighborhood Science Afterschool,
Discovery Day, Science After Hours: PSF Edition,
Science at the Ballpark, Fishtown Bar Crawl, and the
Science Carnival. Not sure which event to participate in
or what sort of activity is right for your organization? We
are here to help!
b. Suggest or serve as an expert. We will be looking
for a limited number of speakers with specific areas
of expertise for Festival programs beginning in midSeptember. Please check the website on September 21
for more details!
With the support of 200+ organizations, the
Philadelphia Science Festival (PSF) depends
on collaboration and partnership to reach over
60,000 Philadelphians each year!
In fact, without the help and support of each
and every organization involved, this science
celebration wouldn’t occur. This Partner Guide
serves as a resource for anyone interested in
collaborating on the 2016 Festival and outlines
expectations and ways to get involved.
2. Host an event!
Festival organizers rely on partners to host Explorer Sunday events
and Astronomy Night star parties.
3. Volunteer with the Festival!
PSF needs people who are willing to donate their time and energy
to help support Festival programs.
4. Become a sponsor!
Festival sponsors play a crucial role in making PSF possible.
In addition to branding opportunities and other benefits, PSF
provides a unique opportunity for corporations and university
employees and students to interact directly with the public.
Read on for more information about how to get involved!
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PROVIDE AN ACTIVITY
FAMILY PROGRAMS
PSF offers a wide variety of programs and events for families. For most of
the programs, partner involvement includes providing a hands-on activity
for attendees. From non-Newtonian fluids to dancing robots to model
watersheds, there are countless ways to translate research, lab studies,
engineering, field work, or medicine to engaging hands-on activities for
the general public! For activity ideas, visit www.howtosmile.org or contact
our Program Developer, Al Bruno at abruno@fi.edu.
Discovery Day – Saturday, April 23
The Philadelphia Science Festival takes over local parks, playgrounds, and
nature centers for a day of outdoor hands-on science fun and exploration.
These 4 or 5 hour events feature approximately 20 hands-on activities for
all ages to enjoy. Attendance varies by location.
Neighborhood Science Afterschool - April 25 to April 28
Scientists, engineers, and other experts provide hands-on activities at
two hour programs in selected Free Library of Philadelphia locations.
Attendance varies by location, but activity providers can generally expect
anywhere from 35 to 160 school-aged children. Programs typically run
from 3:30 to 5:30 pm.
Science Day/Night at the Ballpark – TBD
This annual collaboration with the Philadelphia Phillies brings the “Science
of Sport” to Citizens Bank Park. Activity providers contribute activities
throughout the concourse. Please note that all activities must explore
sports science, physiology, nutrition, or other fields that relate to sports
and health and must be approved by the Phillies before participation can
be confirmed.
Themed Events – TBD
Each year, the Festival experiments with programs for family audiences
themed around selected topics. From robotics workshops to kitchen
science, Festival organizers will need activity providers for these events.
Topic selections will be announced on September 21—check the website
for more details.
Science Carnival – Saturday, April 30
The nine-day Festival culminates with this super-charged celebration of
science! Your organization can provide engaging science experiments and
demonstrations for all ages. This event is tentatively scheduled to run from
10:00 am to 4:00 pm and will feature more than 175 booths. The Carnival
draws more than 50,000 visitors annually so activity booths must be
appropriately staffed at all times.
PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS
The positive impacts associated with interacting with scientific concepts
through hands-on engagement are not limited to children. In fact, adults
report increased scientific understanding and overall event enjoyment when
they have the opportunity to interact directly with experts utilizing hands-on
activities to convey scientific concepts. Activities provided for families can
easily be repurposed for adult audiences. The two mainstay events below are
fantastic opportunities to showcase your organization’s expertise for adult
audiences.
Fishtown Science Crawl – Sunday, April 24
The Philadelphia Science Festival takes pub-hopping to a whole new
level as attendees explore their favorite spots in Fishtown and experience
hands-on science activities. The theme of the crawl is determined by the
Steering Committee, but partners are needed to provide interactive science
engagement opportunities at partnering bars, restaurants and businesses.
Science After Hours: PSF Edition – Friday, April 29
The wildly successful celebration for the 21+ crowd is back! Activity providers
are needed to share engaging science experiences and demonstrations for
3000+ attendees.
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PROVIDE AN ACTIVITY (continued)
ACTIVITY GUIDELINES:
• All activities must feature a hands-on component
• Activities must provide ample opportunity for event attendees to
interact directly with the activity facilitator
• All participants are asked to participate in any planning calls or
walk-throughs
• All participants must return a signed Indemnification Form,
Acknowledgement of Expectations, and submit a Certificate of
Insurance.
WHAT DOES PSF PROVIDE
TO ACTIVITY PROVIDERS?
• Support and guidance throughout the activity planning process
• Training video, which is available at
http://tinyurl.com/CarnivalVideo
• Event planning checklist(s)
THE DETAILS:
• Marketing support and promotional materials
• Registration for Neighborhood Science, Discovery Day, Science
Carnival After Hours, the Fishtown Crawl and Science at the
Ballpark opens on October 16
• Table(s), chair(s), tablecloth(s), and signage for each organization
• Registration for the Carnival opens on January 11 and closes in
early April
• Providers are welcome (and encouraged!) to use the same
activity at multiple events
• Activities at the Ballpark event are required to explore the
science of sport
• There is an exhibitor fee associated with the Carnival; No other
events require a fee for participation
• Non-profit organizations who provide an activity at a
Neighborhood Science or Discovery Day event MAY
be eligible to have their Carnival exhibit fee waived.
Please contact Philadelphia Science Festival staff at
philadelphiasciencefestival@fi.edu for more information
• Minimal financial support may be available to help non-profit
activity providers cover the cost of activity materials for events
taking place out in the community. Please contact Philadelphia
Science Festival staff at philadelphiasciencefestival@fi.edu for
more information.
• For events requiring tickets/registration, email addresses for
attendees will be provided to participating organizations
“I have more fun than the kids. I love it, to see
the smiles on their faces simply by tossing
a paper helicopter into the air. Several want
to become pilots or work in some branch of
aviation. My work here is done!!!”
– Dr. Daisy Century, activity provider for Neighborhood Science Afterschool
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SUGGEST OR SERVE AS AN EXPERT
The Philadelphia Science Festival works very hard to develop a lineup of
creative and original programs that attract a diverse and engaged audience.
Every year, the Festival Steering Committee creates a lineup of creative
and original events. Once the program topics have been selected, experts
are needed to provide program support and brief talks. For a full list of
program focus areas or to submit an expert for consideration, check www.
philasciencefestival.org beginning September 21.
“I am honored to have shared the stage with
such inspiring researchers and role models.”
–Denise Wong, speaker at 2015’s “Big Ideas for Busy People”
THE DETAILS:
• Program topics are selected by the Festival Steering Committee
• A call for STEM experts for programs will go out on September 21
• Experts’ home organizations must submit an Indemnification Form,
Acknowledgement of Expectations, and Certificate of Insurance
• Experts must participate in planning calls and event walk-throughs if
needed. If expert is not available then a representative from the expert’s
organizations (such as a PR liaison or assistant) should attend instead
• Any PowerPoint presentations to be used in the program must be
formatted per event guidelines and submitted to PSF for approval two
weeks prior to the scheduled event
WHAT DOES PSF PROVIDE TO PARTICIPATING EXPERTS
& THE ORGANIZATION THE EXPERTS REPRESENT?
• All event logistics will be managed by PSF (securing the venue, overseeing
the development of media/video for the program, show flow, production,
ticket sales, etc.)*
• Marketing support and promotional materials
• Speaker preparation for all experts
• Dinner for speakers on the night of the program. Due to budget
constraints, PSF can NOT offer honoraria
• For events requiring tickets/registration, email addresses collected from
attendees will be provided to participating organizations
*Some exceptions may apply
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HOST AN EVENT
One of the goals of the Philadelphia Science Festival is to
make sure that quality science engagement opportunities take
place throughout the greater Philadelphia region. Because of
this, organizations are needed to host events that fall into the
categories below as part of the Festival.
EXPLORER PROGRAMS
SUNDAY, APRIL 24
Explorer Programs feature hands-on interactive workshops or
tours that provide participants with behind-the scenes access to
the region’s laboratories, nature centers, hiking trails, factories, and
other creative locations. Programs can consist of anything STEMrelated, but successful past programs have included lab tours,
guided and self-guided walks, innovative workshops, fieldwork,
excavation and Citizen Science trips. Explorer Programs largely
attract family audiences, which is important to keep in mind while
planning your program.
Things to consider:
• Events must occur Sunday, April 24
ASTRONOMY NIGHT
FRIDAY, APRIL 22 (RAIN DATE FRIDAY, APRIL 29)
Organizations are needed to host simultaneous, region-wide
stargazing events that feature astronomers (professional and
amateur) with telescopes and binoculars at 25 sites across the
greater Philadelphia area. Demand to host star parties generally
exceeds the number of sites that we are able to accommodate, so
register early!
• Event must be free or free with admission
• Hosts must be willing to do an event walk-through at least one
month prior to the Festival
• Events with pre-registration should not have a participant cap
• Event details and descriptions must be finalized and approved by
host partner by December 18
Things to consider:
• Event must occur on Friday, April 22 but all organizations are
also required to be available on the rain date (April 29)
• Star parties must be free and open to the public
• Restroom facilities must be available and each site should have
an area suitable for stargazing (relativity free from large trees
and tall buildings)
• Star parties will occur from 7:30 to 10:30 pm
• PSF Staff will provide each site with at least one astronomer
with a telescope and/or other stargazing equipment such as
binoculars and star charts
• Sites are encouraged to be creative with additional activities the
night of the event. For assistance with activities, contact the PSF
Program Developer, Al Bruno at abruno@fi.edu
“This was a blast. So happy to be a part of
PSF this year [and] looking forward to more
adventures next year!” – Liz Fitzgerald, partner & event
host from the Free Library of Philadelphia
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HOST AN EVENT (continued)
HOSTING AN EVENT THE DETAILS:
• Registration for event hosts opens on September 21 and closes
on November 2
• All participating organizations must return a signed
Indemnification Form, Acknowledgement of Expectations, and
Certificate of Insurance
• Event hosts must participate in planning calls, event check-ins
and/or workshop walk-throughs
WHAT DOES PSF PROVIDE TO HOST
ORGANIZATIONS?
• Support and guidance throughout the planning process
• Event planning checklist
• Planning calls for hosts
• Connections to other PSF Partners with whom you may
collaborate on your event
• Connections to area STEM experts for added event content
• Marketing support and promotional materials
• Event support: PSF Volunteer (if more are needed, please let PSF
staff know ASAP)
• Event and way finding signage (if requested)
Are you a bar or restaurant that’s interested in serving as a host
venue? Contact Josette Hammerstone, Festival Production
Manager, at jhammerstone@fi.edu!
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BECOME AN EVENT VOLUNTEER
Without the help of individual volunteers, it would be impossible
to pull off a nine-day, 100+ event Festival. From event evaluations
to set-up and clean-up, volunteers play a crucial role in Festival
operations. Each year we look for people who are willing to donate
their time, energy, enthusiasm, and expertise to our science
celebration!
THE DETAILS:
• Volunteer registration will begin on Monday, February 8.
Please check www.philasciencefestival.org for updates
• Amateur and professional astronomers are needed to serve as
guides to the cosmos for our Astronomy Night Star Parties
• Volunteers are considered representatives of the Festival, and as
such will hand out festival brochures and event evaluations, as
well as provide event support
• All volunteers should be comfortable interacting with event
attendees and willing to evaluate the participants
• Anyone volunteering for PSF events (with the exception of the
Carnival) must be willing to pick up their volunteer bag prior to
their scheduled volunteer shift
WHAT DOES PSF PROVIDE?
• Volunteer T-Shirt
• Bag filled with stickers, buttons, and other giveaways
• Detailed instructions based on each event
“I had a blast volunteering and meeting the
community. The Philly Science Fest is truly
one of a kind.” – Michael O’Shea, volunteer astronomer
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BECOME A SPONSOR
Festival Sponsors are crucial to the success of the Philadelphia
Science Festival. Thanks to our generous sponsors we are
able to offer quality classroom science kits for area educators,
provide STEM engagement opportunities for underserved
communities throughout the city, and provide some of the
most engaging and informative informal science events in the
country. Sponsorship packages range in size and scope.
Our sponsors often report that supporting the Philadelphia
Science Festival is important to their companies because it:
· Provides an opportunity for employee engagement
· Promotes corporate social responsibility
· Allows for the opportunity to interact with the community
· Encourages spreading the importance of STEM learning and
how it impacts our daily lives
· Provides a venue for sharing what the company does and the
science behind it
We are happy to work with you to maximize your involvement
as a sponsor, with opportunities beginning at the $2,500 level.
Please contact Casey Anne Drummond at cdrummond@fi.edu
for more information.
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WHAT’S BEST FOR MY ORGANIZATION?
If you’ve participated in the Festival in the past (and even if
you haven’t!) you might be wondering how to become even
MORE involved. How can an organization do that? In addition to
sponsorship, there are two levels of programmatic participation in
the Science Festival—Core Collaborators and Festival Partners.
CORE COLLABORATOR:
An institution that guides PSF programming and practice, as well
as participates in Festival events and programs. Core Collaborators
receive significant benefits related to recognition, promotion, and
access. As a result, Core Collaborators are required to contribute
to the production and promotion of PSF programs and activities
as well as to send at least one representative to the PSF Steering
Committee’s monthly meetings.
FESTIVAL PARTNER:
Organizations that work closely with core collaborating institutions
in providing hands-on science learning opportunities and in
creating and delivering Festival programs. Festival Partners may
also serve as venues for Festival events. A complete list of Festival
Partners can be found on the PSF website.
Festival organizers suggest that all organizations participate
first as a Partner before signing on as a Core Collaborator. For
more information about expectations of being a Partner or Core
Collaborator, please see the following chart.
Please note that all organizations involved in the Philadelphia
Science Festival are also required to submit an Indemnification
Agreement, an Acknowledgment of Expectations and a Certificate
of Insurance. The Indemnification Form need only be submitted
once in the lifetime of the partnership. For more information, visit
the Partner Portal at www.philasciencefestival.org/my-account.
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WHAT’S BEST FOR MY ORGANIZATION? (continued)
FESTIVAL PARTNER
CORE COLLABORATOR
.
Recognition
Recognition
• Logo on PSF Partner Page
• Rotating logo recognition on the front of the PSF website
Benefits
• Prominent logo placement on PSF Partner Page
• Promotional materials and marketing collateral
• Additional recognition based on level of participation
FOR NON-PROFITS ONLY:
• Involvement featured in at least 1 PSF eblast
• Exhibitor fee for 1 space at Science Carnival will be
waived when a non-profit organization provides
activities for Neighborhood Science/Discovery Day
programs. Please note that certain exceptions may
apply
• Core Collaborator listing in PSF Program Guide
Benefits
• Recognition as outlined above
• Help build PSF policies and best practices
• 2 free spaces at Science Carnival on the Parkway
Requirements
• Potential for increased event advertising and social media support based
on involvement
• Submit completed Partner Acknowledgment,
Indemnification Form and Certificate of Insurance
• Promotional materials and marketing collateral
• Registration on Partner Portal
Requirements
• Send logo in EPS format
• Assist with marketing efforts
• Submit completed Partner Acknowledgment, Indemnification Form and
Certificate of Insurance
• Assist with social media efforts
• Registration on Partner Portal
• Contribute trade and/or experiential tickets
(if possible)
• Send logo in EPS format
• Participation in monthly All Partner Virtual
Check-In meetings
• Assist with marketing efforts
• Assist with social media efforts
• Provide trade and/or experiential tickets (when possible)
• PR support; assist in pitching local media outlets for coverage
• Send delegate to monthly Steering Committee Meetings
• Send delegate to Communication Task Force meetings (typically take place remotely)
• Participate in Neighborhood Science Afterschool and/or Discovery Day Programs
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GLOSSARY OF PSF TERMS
Attendee – Anyone who attends a Philadelphia Science Festival event, as a
guest, not as a content provider.
Carnival - Culminating event of the Philadelphia Science Festival. In 2016,
this event will take place on Saturday, April 30.
Core Collaborators – An institution that guides PSF programming and
practice, as well as participates in Festival events and programs. Core
Collaborators send representatives to our Steering Committee, which
meets monthly. In order to remain in good-standing, all Core Collaborators
must participate in at least one Neighborhood Science Afterschool event
each year.
Exhibitor – Hands-on activity provider at the Science Carnival on Saturday,
April 30.
Neighborhood Science – Small events that take place afterschool (3:30—
5:30 pm) at area libraries. For some non-profit partners, the fee to exhibit
at the Carnival can be waived in exchange for participation in NSAS.
Partner – Organizations or individuals who provide science content or
hands-on activities at one or more Philadelphia Science Festival events.
Partner Portal – Repository for all things Science Festival related. The
portal is accessible through the top right-hand corner of the website (and
also at http://philasciencefestival.org/my-account). PSF partners can find
meeting notes, marketing materials order forms, answers to frequently
asked questions, and more.
Produced Events – Programs that are planned and curated by the Steering
Committee and Philadelphia Science Festival staff.
PSF – Acronym for the Philadelphia Science Festival.
PSF Closing Party: Science After Hours - The annual science extravaganza
for the 21+ crowd. Taking place at The Franklin Institute, this event will
occur on Friday, April 29, 2016.
STEM – Acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math;
sometimes referred to as STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art
and Math).
Steering Committee – Representatives from the Core Collaborating
organizations that meet monthly to provide input and guide the planning
of the Festival. Steering Committee members help to determine the focus
of PSF programs each year.
Sponsor – Group, business, organization, or individual that donates money
or products to the Philadelphia Science Festival.
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www.PhilaScienceFestival.org
GET IN TOUCH!
philadelphiasciencefestival@fi.edu
(215) 448-1346 #GetNerdyPHL
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