In case you haven't seen this yet: MetLife Foundation Museum Connections Program InvitesApplications Deadline: July 31, 2002 In an effort to bring museums and communities closer together, the MetLife Foundation's Museum Connections Program awards a total of $500,000 a year to U.S.-based art museums in eligible states to support creative and innovative projects that increase dialogue between museums and the community; expose the collections and cultural resources found in museums to a broader segment of society; and build new and diverse audiences for the arts. Organizations in the following states are eligible to apply in 2002: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Grants will be made to support initiatives including but not limited to: Collaborations - Collaborations between 1) mainstream museums and cultural specific museums; 2) museums and nonprofit organizations whose primary mission does not focus on the arts (e.g., community centers, community colleges, social service organizations, and others); 3) museums and arts organizations of all types. Artist Residencies - Bringing artists from the local community or artists with diverse perspectives in to conduct programs for a museum. Exhibits - Displays of works featuring local artists or works that engage audiences in dialogue about ethnic or regional cultures. Off-site programming - Programs that extend the reach of a museum beyond its walls, such as off-site lectures, exhibits, and programs; mobile museums; and other projects. Acquisitions - Purchase of artwork that broadens the scope of an organization's collection to include local artists and artists of diverse backgrounds. The foundation encourages museums to submit funding requests for novel, interesting, and creative approaches to community outreach that may fall outside the scope of the listed funding opportunities. Grant amounts will vary depending on the nature and scope of each project, but no grant to a single organization will exceed $100,000. Art museums located in the United States and that have been in existence for over five years are eligible. Applicants must be tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organizations. Complete guidelines and application procedures are available on the program's Web site. Contact: MetLife Foundation Museum Connections Program One Madison Avenue New York, NY 10010 Tel: (212) 578-4587 E-mail: [log in to unmask] RFP Link: http://www.metlife.com/Applications/Corporate/WPS/CDA/PageGenerator/0,1674,P 2309,00.html ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).