Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Royal Tyrrell Museum Cooperating Society (RTMCS)

The Royal Tyrrell Museum Cooperating Society is a charitable, non-profit organization created to strengthen and expand the impact of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Drumheller, Alberta. Operating in close collaboration with the Museum, the Society generates revenue through management of the Museum Shop, memberships, donations, honourariums and external grants. These funds are then reinvested to support scientific research, educational programming, exhibit development and a variety of public initiatives connected to the Museum.

According to its annual report, the Society contributes significant financial support each year to core Museum activities. Recent funding has covered travel and conference costs for curators, research visits to other institutions, micro-CT scanning of fossil specimens, and publication fees for scientific papers. The Society also assists with exhibit-related improvements and infrastructure such as playground maintenance and enhancements to visitor facilities.

The Cooperating Society provides both internal and external funding. Internally, it backs Museum initiatives like the Badlands Science Camp, educational fossil casting programs, public lecture series and special events such as the “Dinosaurs After Dusk” Halloween program. These investments enhance public engagement with palaeontology and broaden access to high-quality science education.

Externally, the Society administers targeted financial support on behalf of donors and partner foundations. Through the Drumheller Fund, it presents grants to local community organizations; for example, a recent grant of more than $17,000 supported new gallery flooring at the Badlands Historical Centre. The Society also manages the Drumheller Family Scholarships, providing awards of $10,000 each to two local high school graduates annually to help cover post-secondary tuition and fees.

Another important stream is the Fee Assistance Program, which the Society funds to allow underprivileged adults, youth and seniors to visit the Museum free of charge. This program directly addresses financial barriers to participation and ensures that a wider public can benefit from the Museum’s collections and programs.

The Society’s stated mission is to support the success of the Royal Tyrrell Museum by collaborating and contributing funding that enhances the museum experience and its broader impact. Its vision emphasizes having a transformative effect as a valued advocate in a shared vision of the Museum as a centre of excellence in palaeontology.

Most of the net profit from retail operations in the Museum Shop is held in reserve for future Museum projects, with a small share allocated to the Society’s own technological and operational needs. Through these mechanisms, the Royal Tyrrell Museum Cooperating Society plays a sustained role in financing scientific discovery, public education, visitor experience improvements and regional community projects connected to the Museum.