Deb,

In your first post asking for grant writing help, you wrote:

>>>>. . . "I should note for the museum studies students out
there that this would be great experience that will be very beneficial
once you
start looking for jobs."

Later you replied to Ross:

>>>> "We've got people who are willing to write proposals and even some grants that we think might fit our projects. But my concern is that people will go to all the trouble and effort of writing a proposal only to have it rejected for some obvious reason that experienced proposal writers would know about. It's also reassuring to have someone you can come to with questions."



It sounds like you have a wonderful site, and I do hope you find someone
to help you with grants. As evidenced by the two 'snips' above, however,
it sounds like what you are really asking for is two different kinds of
help, one to write and learn as they write, and one to review and
advise.

Until I figured that out, though, my buttons were pushed by the
assumption in the first post (which I have found prevalent in all
volunteer museums) that students can do as much as experienced
professionals. (Do you really think they could write a grant proposal
more skillfully than others in your organization could? And, how many
museum studies programs actually teach grant writing? Some, perhaps, but
I bet most do not.)  So I just have to tack on my 2 cents worth about
that.

Speaking as a former Museum Studies prof.:  Students can do wonderful
work, no question about that. But they need help, guidance and someone
to review their work. Otherwise you simply have a situation of the blind
leading the blind. Any small museum that thinks they can only afford
entry level pay for their first or only employee, or that uses students
as unpaid interns thinking they will get professional work, should also
find a more experienced mentor in their area for that person. Otherwise
the situation is just getting set up for failure, which is tough on both
parties.

(Of course a student who has gone back to school for a graduate degree
after having some experience in the field, would be a different matter.)

Lucy Sperlin
Heritage Management
Chico, CA

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