Registration deadline: February 22, 2011
Application deadline: April 1, 2011

Organizations applying for or receiving Museum General Operating Support or General Program Support are not eligible for funding in this category.

Applicants to this category may submit only one Museum request.

This category offers an opportunity for museums or related service organizations to seek support for projects or programs which are essential to maintain and/or increase service to their audience/communities. Such arts and cultural projects may include, but are not limited to: exhibitions, education programs, public programs, salary support for a curator or educator, interpretation, collections research, catalogs, audience development, and services to the field.

Salary Support prioritizes museums which are poised to move forward in their development by adding an additional staff member for a professional collections-based or education position. Support may cover partial salary and benefits only. This opportunity allows museums a chance to establish an important position at a critical point in the museum's development. Support is available for no more than three years.

Exceptions

Organizations seeking support for projects involving archival or library collections should look to either New York State's Documentary Heritage Program or Program for the Conservation & Preservation of Library Research Materials.

Organizations seeking collections shelving and storage systems are advised to review the guidelines for Capital Fixtures and Equipment Purchase.

Organizations seeking conservation treatment support are advised to apply to the Conservation Treatment Grant Program administered on behalf of NYSCA by the Greater Hudson Heritage Network.

Registration Instruction:

During registration, please enter as the "Project Title" the type of project you are submitting, followed by your project's name. For example: Exhibition: Winslow Homer Upstate or Salary Support: Museum Educator.

Application Instructions

Application Narrative Questions

Artistic/Programmatic

1. Program Summary
Describe your project.

2. Project Staff
List the key staff and/or consultants, specifically highlighting their qualifications related to this project.

3. Interpretation
Detail the programs, printed materials, or special staffing that will be used to better engage your audience with the topic or theme.

Managerial/Fiscal

4. Project Context
Discuss why this project is a current priority for your organization. What planning and/or research have you completed to ensure the project's success?

5. Mission
Describe how this project connects to your mission and stated organizational goals.

6. Work Plan
Outline what the project team will be doing and when. You may bullet point the key tasks, identifying who will be responsible for each.

7. Finances
Since NYSCA can only support up to 50% of any project's cost, detail how you will raise the other funds necessary to complete this project. Please note which are pending and which are secured. Please also use this section and/or the budget notes to itemize your project budget.

Service to the Public

8. Audience
Describe the primary audience for this project and why this project is important and/or appropriate to that audience. Discuss any efforts to involve your audience in the project's development.

9. Evaluation
Discuss your primary expectation for this project and how will it move your organization forward. Identify what method(s) you will use to measure this.

Support Materials

10. Support Materials

Please list all of the support materials you are submitting. These materials are critical to your application's assessment.

Support Material

Support materials must be postmarked, hand-delivered, or made available online by the application deadline. Please direct them to your appropriate contact at: NYSCA, 175 Varick Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10014 or kherron@nysca.org or fchiu@nysca.org.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Refer to the Instructions for Work Samples and Support Materials prior to submission.

NYSCA encourages the submission of Web-based Work Samples and Support Material whenever possible.

1. Résumés or biographical statements of project staff/consultants. Maximum of 2 pages each.

2. Up to 15 images or website reference, that best illustrates your project. Be sure to identify the images. PowerPoint is preferred.

3. Sample of relevant marketing materials.

Please review additional instructions below with suggestions of any other materials relevant to specific project types.

Additional Instructions for Project Support

Please see below for key information you should include in your project narrative and/or within your supplemental material. If you do not see a category that reflects your project, please discuss with your Museum contact or email mum@nysca.org.

Exhibitions

What are the dates and New York venue(s) for your exhibition? What is the subject and significance of your exhibition? What are the relationships between the art/artifacts and your stated theme? How is your proposed exhibition different from others on a similar topic/artist? How is this project related to your long-range or strategic plan? Are you including images of the art/artifacts in your exhibition and images of your exhibition designer's work as support material? Are you including any exhibition design layouts or exhibition script, if they are available?

Catalog/Publication

What is the content of this publication? Who are the authors? What are their credentials for this topic? Be sure to detail your publication schedule (planning, soliciting articles, clearing rights for writing and images, editing, design, layout, printing, etc.) within the grant period. What will this publication look like? How many pages will it be? What will the print run be? Who will be your publisher? How are you marketing it? What will it sell for? How is this project related to your long-range or strategic plan? Be sure to include an outline of your proposed publication as support material and a sample of other publications you have produced.

Cataloguing/Research

How recent is your collections management policy? What do your collections include and why are they important? How much of your collection is accessioned and catalogued? What cataloguing system do you use? How many objects are in your collection and how many will be a part of this project? How is this project related to your long-range or strategic plan?

Audience Development

How do you intend to reach out to this new audience? Who will you be collaborating with? How is this project related to your long-range or strategic plan?

Public Programs

What is the grade or age-range of your intended audience? Approximately how many people are expected to participate? How will you market the program to this audience? What will each participant pay for the program? How is this project related to your long-range or strategic plan?

Salary Support

Why is this staff position critical to your organization now? How is this position related to your long-range or strategic plan? How and where will you recruit for this position? Will the position be full-time or part-time? What is the job description? What tasks do you anticipate the incumbent accomplishing during the grant period? Who will supervise this position? Have you asked for only this individual's salary and fringe in your project budget? How will you sustain this position into the future? Be sure to provide evidence of board and financial support for this position. Please include a copy of your personnel policy.

Services to the Field

Who is your intended audience? How do you know they need this service? Are there other, comparable programs available? How does this program differ? Why is your organization most suited to manage this project? Who will manage it? How are you promoting this project? How is this project related to your long-range or strategic plan?

Does your project not clearly fit any of the above? Please call or email Museum staff!