I completely agree with Erica. We are located in a city of 8,000 in central
Michigan. Last year was the first year we received funding from our city
government. Because we are a nonprofit we had always been told that a
municipality could not contribute funds to a 501(c)3. That idea changed
recently for various reasons and it has been determined that it can be done
if the organization is providing a service to the community that the city is
not providing. We certainly do that here.

Our city gave us $20,000 in 2000-2001 to support exhibits and collections.
They then tried to not give us funding for 2001-2002. We gathered our board
members, our museum members and as many supporters as we could find
(including a rep of the Chamber of Commerce, Futuring committee, business
owners, etc.) to attend a city council meeting for which we had ourselves
put on the agenda. My board pres and I then took ten minutes to explain our
value to the community including numbers of visitors and where those
visitors were coming from. We also showed a recent Smithsonian Institution
Traveling Exhibit Service publication in which we had been featured. Our
council right then and there renewed their commitment of $20,000 for
2001-2002. We also explained to them that their $20,000 was essential to our
leverage of $20,000 from our county government. (Ask them, how can you ask
for county, state, or foundation support if your own city won't support you?
That's kind of a risky angle, but is an option.)

I think it is critical that you 1. approach them with a packed audience and,
when you go to the podium, ask that everyone in the audience who is there to
support your organization, please raise their hand. It's powerful. 2. be
prepared with visitor numbers and play up the economic/community development
issue, and 3. overwhelm them with your services and your accomplishments.

Good luck to you. I know how stressful this is and unfortunately it never
goes away. You just have to keep going back and keep going back. I hope this
lengthy response is helpful.

Sincerely,


Teresa M. Goforth
Executive Director
Courthouse Square Association

> From: Issaquah Historical Society Info <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 13:10:52 -0700
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: city funding
>
> First, Congrats on the award! Second - I hope you can keep it!
>
> We receive about 50% (or $57,500) of our budget from the City, most of which
> supports staff.
>
> In your presentation, I would point out to the City all the things that you
> do that benefit the community - offering school tours, bringing in tourists
> (be able to tell them how many visitors come every year, how much that
> number may have increased, and what you do to bring more people into the
> community), etc. What other groups do you collaborate with? How are you
> seeking out your own funding to supplement what they give you? How many
> dedicated volunteers help make all these things possible?
>
> $3,000 is truly a pittance. Obviously I'm pro-museum, but I just have a hard
> time figuring out why any City would not want a GREAT museum in their
> community, and why they would not want to support one, if able. It may be
> that they just need educating.
>
> Good luck!
> Erica
>
> Erica S. Maniez
> Museum Director, Issaquah Historical Society
> [log in to unmask]
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
>> Behalf Of Stacy Otte
>> Sent: Friday, May 11, 2001 10:42 AM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: city funding
>>
>>
>> Hi, all!
>>
>> We are a small local history museum that has been receiving a small
>> "grant" from our city government for dozens of years.  This "grant" of
>> $3,000 is in danger of being cut by the city manager who apparently does
>> not understand the value of supporting of us.  I'm putting together a
>> proposal to present at an upcoming city council meeting and would love
>> to include some numbers from other museums that receive funding from
>> local governments even though they are private nonprofit organizations.
>> Information will be greatly appreciated and will help strengthen our
>> proposal!
>>
>> Many thanks in advance!
>>
>> Stacey Otte
>> Director
>> Catalina Island Museum
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
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