Upper Midwest Conservation Association is now seeking applications for its Mentorship and Subsidized Survey programs.

Application numbers for the current programs have been low so take advantage!

The purpose of the Mentorship program is to provide concentrated, continuing assistance and support to a selected number of participating non-profit organizations/institutions to improve collections care practices and management through specific identified projects.

Selected institutions must identify a specific preservation/conservation related project for consideration. Projects involving a permanent collection for which the institution has an interest in long-term preservation will only be considered

Consulting services for this program are free of charge, however a nominal fee of $200 will be charged toward travel and related expenses

Applications for this program are due on April 1, 2004. To obtain an application form, please contact Melinda Markell, Field Services Coordinator at 612-870-3128.

The purpose of the Subsidized Survey program is to provide an opportunity for cultural institutions with limited funding to obtain assistance in identifying their preservation needs.

Emphasis will be on providing general needs assessment surveys for permanent collections, although requests for collection-specific surveys also will be considered. Five surveys are available to five individual institutions.

Needs Assessment surveys are essential to preservation planning and must be carried out before a preservation plan is drafted. A preservation plan is based on the needs of an institution and the actions required to meet those needs. This information is provided in the reports of the surveys. For some institutions with numerous diverse collections and complex planning needs, individual surveys that address particular problems or the needs of specific collections or types of materials may be required.

Surveys of this type often cost at least $3,000 plus travel costs. In this program, participating institutions will only have to pay a $450 fee plus travel and subsistence costs (food and accommodations).

To apply for a subsidized survey, please send a letter stating your organization’s desire to have a survey including a general description of your institution and collections, its preservation needs, the person(s) responsible for preservation issues, and the type of survey you want. Please indicate the month as listed above when you would like the survey conducted, keeping in mind future grant deadlines. The letter must include documentation that your organization is a 501(c)(3), 509(a)(1), or 509(a)(2) non-profit organization. Applications for this program are due on April 15, 2004. Contact Melinda Markell, Field Services Coordinator at 612-870-3128 with any questions.

Applications can be sent to: Upper Midwest Conservation Association, 2400 Third Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55404