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Idaho Museum of Natural History seeks ongoing state support to sustain mobile museum after $180,000 grant
Summary
The Idaho Museum of Natural History told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee it received a three‑year, $180,000 foundation grant to buy a van and fund part‑time educator staff but is requesting ongoing state operating support so the mobile outreach can continue after the grant ends.
The Idaho Museum of Natural History in Pocatello presented its FY2026 budget request to the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee and described a new mobile museum outreach program that received foundation funding but requires ongoing operational support.
Kevin Campbell, the Legislative Services Office analyst, said the museum has 8.2 authorized FTEs and manages more than 1.5 million artifacts. The museum requested general fund support to offset operating costs associated with a mobile museum that will travel primarily to rural Idaho schools and libraries.
Museum director Leif Tapanilla told the committee the museum was awarded a three‑year grant totaling $180,000 from the David B. Jones Foundation to buy a van this year and to provide two years of part‑time educator funding. Tapanilla said the mobile museum is expected to travel about 6,000 miles annually to reach schools and libraries in rural counties and that the foundation grant covers initial vehicle purchase and part‑time staffing for the grant term.
Why it matters: The museum argued the mobile program fills gaps in museum access for rural Idaho communities where distance and travel costs limit in‑person visits. Tapanilla said the committee’s requested operating support would help sustain programming once the three‑year grant ends.
Budget context: The museum typically spends nearly all of its appropriations; in FY2024 personnel costs were about 88.8% of total expenditures. The FY2026 request covers operating items not fully funded by the foundation grant, including consumable materials, travel and outreach supplies. Tapanilla told the committee the museum also measures impact through education programming and partnerships, though measuring deeper learning outcomes is challenging and often described anecdotally.
Next steps: Committee members asked for clearer performance metrics tied to learning outcomes and for details about grant accounting; museum officials said they will provide follow‑up documentation and cost detail to help lawmakers evaluate continuing funding.
