Grant News & Opportunities
The IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf Opportunity
Over 700 FREE Sets of Preservation Publications
& Resources!
Application Is Now Open!
Don't miss the second application period of the
IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, which
is now open and will run until April 30. These
free sets include preservation publications and
resources, which are considered the basic building
blocks of reference material for every collecting
institution. During the last application period,
90% of those who applied were awarded this resource
with a retail value of over $800.
Who Should Apply?
The IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf is
intended for small to mid-size museums, libraries with
special collections, botanical gardens, nature centers,
aquariums, and zoos.
Apply Today!
More information, instructions, qualifications, and
contents of the Bookshelf, along with the online application,
can be found at http://www.aaslh.org/Bookshelf
More Information
For more information about the Connecting to Collections
Initiative, please visit www.imls.gov/collections. As the
cooperating partner with IMLS, AASLH is proud to bring you this
opportunity.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Preservation Assistance Grant
Description
Preservation Assistance Grants help small and mid-sized institutions, such as libraries, museums, historical societies, archival repositories, arts and cultural organizations, town and county records offices, and colleges and universities, improve their ability to preserve and care for their humanities collections. These may include special collections of books and journals, archives and manuscripts, prints and photographs, moving images, sound recordings, architectural and cartographic records, decorative and fine arts, textiles, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, furniture, and historical objects. Applicants must draw on the knowledge of consultants whose preservation skills and experience are related to the types of collections and the nature of the activities that are the focus of their projects. Within the conservation field, for example, conservators usually specialize in the care of specific types of collections, such as objects, paper, or paintings. Applicants should therefore choose a conservator whose specialty is appropriate for the nature of their collections. Similarly, when assessing the preservation needs of archival holdings, applicants must seek a consultant specifically knowledgeable about archives and preservation. Because the organization and the preservation of archival collections must be approached in tandem, an archival consultant should also provide advice about the management and processing needs of such holdings as part of a preservation assessment that includes long-term plans for the arrangement and description of archival collections. Small and mid-sized institutions that have never received an NEH grant are especially encouraged to apply.
>>Link to Full Announcement
The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation Announces Its New Barn Grant!
The Connecticut Trust has surveyed almost 900 barns across the state. This survey yielded a wealth of information about Connecticut’s agricultural history and buildings, and highlighted the threats that face many historic barns and related structures. The Trust is offering a new grant program to help owners evaluate barns and outbuildings for structural integrity, historic significance, and feasible re-uses other than agriculture. The deadline for the grant is May 1. Non-profit and municipal barn owners, as well as private owners, may apply for the grants. For more information contact Todd Levine, Preservation Services Officer, at barns@cttrust.org. Visit their Web site www.cttrust.org for more information on these and other preservation programs.
NEW SURVEY ON STATE MUSEUM ASSOCIATIONS AND ADVOCACY
(March 20, 2008) A survey of state museum associations, conducted by the State Readiness Committee of the Federal Formula Grant Coalition, reveals new data on the advocacy role of state museum associations and existing state agencies that provide funding specifically for museums. The purpose of this survey was to obtain a clearer picture of the role state museum associations play in representing the interests of museums in state legislative affairs, the kind of funding programs that currently exist through state governments, and the training needed to enhance and improve these activities. The results of this survey will assist the State Readiness Committee in organizing and preparing a training program for state museum associations in Fall 2008.
The following are key findings of the survey:
A majority of state museum associations are active in state affairs and
serve as advocates for museums.
A. More than half of state museum associations perform legislative or advocacy tasks, including
A. monitoring bills and taking positions on museum-related legislation (67.7%);
B. writing letters of support for state agencies (61.7%); and
C. attending public/government hearings that pertain to museums (61.3%);
B. Three-fourths of state museums associations (74.2%) characterize
themselves as active in state affairs. Approximately half (51.6%) claim to be "somewhat active", 12.9% are active, and one in ten (9.7%) are "very active" in state governmental affairs pertaining to museums.
C. Almost half of state museums associations (46.7%) are sought out by state officials, agencies, and/or reporters for feedback on legislation concerning museums.
D. Only two museum associations indicated they do not perform any tasks pertaining to state advocacy for museums. More than a dozen state museum associations are proactive in their advocacy efforts and have a position on the board responsible for legislative affairs.
A. Two-fifths of state museum associations host a legislative day or
month, meet with elected officials on museum-related topics, and have a
position on the board responsible for legislative affairs.
B. One-fifth (19.4%) of state museum associations have a staff member and/or lobbyist assigned to state legislative affairs.
Almost two-fifths of the states in the country have competitive grant
programs specifically for museums.
· Almost two-fifths (38.7%) of the museum associations indicated
that their state currently has a state agency or commission that administers grants specifically for museums.
· All of the grant programs specifically for museums (100%) are
competitive with a formal application process and two-thirds (75%) are
peer-reviewed.
Competitive grant programs through the states for museums fund a variety of programs or services.
· More than four-fifths (83.3%) of the grant programs through the states fund exhibits and 66.7% support education programs and
collections/conservation.
· More than half (58.3%) fund capital projects.
· Half of the programs (50%) support general museum operations.
· Two-thirds (41.7%) fund planning projects.
The vast majority of state museum associations are very interested in
training programs to improve the way they advocate for museums.
· Four-fifths indicated they are "very interested" in grassroots
advocacy training and 16.7% say they are "somewhat interested".
· More than half are "very interested" in learning more about
legislative topics affecting nonprofits (60%), meeting with elected
officials (56.7%), the difference between lobbying and advocacy (55.2%), and the most important state offices/agencies to develop a relationship with (51.7%).
The preferred format for advocacy training for state museum associations is a multi-session "webinar" series with a variety of speakers.
· Given many different formats, from face-to-face meetings to
conference calls, the majority of state museum associations indicated they are interested in webinars, with more than half (58.6%) saying they are "very interested" and 37.9% indicating they are "somewhat interested". Only one respondent indicated they were not interested in participating in a webinar series on advocacy training.
· A lack of funds for travel and time were the most common barriers
for preventing participation in advocacy trainings.
· A significant majority (80%) of the respondents indicated they
would like the training to include a variety of speakers, including staff and board members from state museum associations, staff members from national associations, and key people from outside the museum field.
ABOUT THE SURVEY
All known state museum associations, 48 in total, were invited to
participate by completing an online survey. The survey was conducted in
January and February 2008, with 31 respondents, and administered through an online surveying software provider (www.surveymonkey.com).
ABOUT THE STATE READINESS COMMITTEE
The State Readiness Committee is a committee of the Federal Formula Grant Coalition and co-chaired by Malinda Horton, Executive Director of the Florida Association of Museums, and Celeste DeWald, Executive Director of the California Association of Museums. The purpose of the State Readiness Committee is to provide training and mentoring opportunities for state museum associations in the areas of advocacy and legislative affairs. The Federal Formula Grant Coalition is a group of fifteen national associations, four regional museum associations, and 38 statewide organizations that are advocating for the creation of a federal formula grant program for museums. For additional information, see http://www.aaslh.org/htopics.htm.
League Members Receive Grants
The following League members received National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) award grants: Bridgeport Public Library for a conservation assessment of the library’s 150 World War I posters and a Civil War sketch book; Connecticut Landmarks for an archive re-housing plan; and Litchfield Historical Society for an assessment of local history manuscripts and records.
The Connecticut Humanities Council (CHC) awarded Cultural Heritage Development grants to: American Clock & Watch Museum for museum cell phone tours; Association for the Study of Connecticut History (ASCH) for its fall meeting, The Constitution of 1818 and Beyond; Connecticut Historical Society for strategic planning and a grant to participate in the American Association for State and Local History’s (AASLH) Performance Management Program; Connecticut League of History Organizations for its 2007-2008 Out & About program series; Guilford Keeping Society for a furnishing plan for the main floor of the Medad Stone Tavern; Historical Society of the Town of Greenwich for a series of lectures titled Front Porch Forum; and Litchfield Historical Society for an exhibition, the publication of a catalog, a symposium, and other programs on the furniture of Litchfield County from 1770-1830. The Litchfield Historical Society also received funding for the Connecticut Farm Landscape: Open Space and Historic Buildings symposium focusing on the region’s agricultural heritage; Madison Historical Society for an interpretive planning and institutional assessment; Middlesex County Historical Society for an organizational assessment; Mystic Seaport Museum for a major exhibition, Frozen In: The Inuit of Hudson Bay and Captain George Comer; New London County Historical Society for Thames River Heritage 2008, a unified marketing and promotional campaign for historic sites and heritage events in the New London/Groton area; Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society for the West Hartford Haunting program; Noank Historical Society for cataloging their archives and artifacts; Ridgefield Library and Historical Association for local history materials and programs at the Ridgefield Library as part of the town’s Tercentennial Year; Seabury Society for the Preservation of the Glebe House for a Colonial Fair & Muster Day; Stamford Historical Society for a temporary exhibit on Stamford's urban redevelopment; and Wethersfield Historical Society for planning, research, and community engagement activities for “My Town - Our Town" Wethersfield 375th Anniversary Cultural Heritage project.
The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation awarded Historic Preservation Technical Assistance Grants to: Burlington Historical Society for an architectural sympathetic design for an addition to the Brown-Elton Tavern; Canton Historical Society for preservation and renovation plan for their museum; Hamden Historical Society for State Register and Archaeological Preserve nominations for Jepp’s Brook Mill site; Historical Society for the Town of Greenwich for a local historic district study; Milford Historical Society for historic structures report and restoration report; New London County Historical Society for preservation plan for the Shaw Mansion; and Wethersfield Historical Society for historic structure report and preservation plan for the Captain James Francis House.
|
