Janice:

I appreciate the efforts of the Roundtable on Small Museums.

Working for small museums, I also found that there is much bias and/or
prejudice against granting funding to smaller organitions.  Let me
explain.

1.  Often the money goes where the succesful skills, budgets, exhibits,
professionals are already at, i.e., to the larger museums.  For example,
a larger museum can show its sucessful exhibits, track record and
management, and that gives them points in getting future grants/funding,
while the smaller museum does not have the background of receiving
sucessful fundings, so in a no win situation to get to the bigger
grants.  I think the fund-givers need to take this into account, and some
sensitivity and compassion given to the small museums.

And no not "mini-grants"  -- that is very bias against small museums
whose programs may be or of more important than those of larger museums.
Solution:  Maybe have seperate categories for smaller museums or/and not
base receiving the funds on budgets, what has been done in the past and
what it will do to "help" the museum educate or complete its mission,
goal/project, etc.  And have the funding amounts the same.  NOT basing
any aspect of winning the grant on musuem size, budget, prior programs,
etc. but upon the quality of the program and the impact it will have on
the community and visitor.
2.  Larger museums, as mentioned, has the staff, the funds and
the "extra" to spend time in writing grants, and are often in larger
population areas where the money is available.  As mentioned, without the
staff, the time and the resources it puts a damper on smaller museums and
they cannot apply for the needed grants.
3.  Regional, state and federal agencies need to be trained on non-
discrimination because of size or location of a museum.  They need to
focus on the ENTIRE state, and not just on the larger population areas
(of course a "small" museum can be in a large population area) where the
votes are and funding.
4.  Small museums need to collaborate together to teach and spread the
world about themselves out into the community, networking, branding,
building teams and communicating their museum out into the world.  If
small museums within a region would bond together, maybe working together
on a grant, this would be a progressive way to obtain larger grants, and
spark the attention of the grant-givers.
5.  More "small museum" discussions at AAM, musuem meetings and
conferences.
6.  State/regional museum associations inviting small museums onto their
boards...there should be an equal share of smaller museums to serve on
committees, and having them on boards, etc.  Have "selected spots" that
only smaller museums can fill.  If a committee or board has 10 members,
the number of members from small/large museums should equal the ratio of
the total number of small/large museums and not simply based upon the
population, since most of the population would be in larger
population/urban areas.  Is that clear?
7.  State museums and historical organizations should have available
professional consultants to work with smaller museums through the
Internet, trips, phone, etc.  Yes, "on-line training"  Yes, give awards
for helping smaller museums...maybe have partners, i.e., a larger museum
taking on a smaller museum as a form of buddy program.
8.  Smaller museums should each be on the Internet....it makes the museum
on the same footing/ground as the larger museum.  Develop web sites that
brings the visitors to the homepages of the smaller museums, through
state/regional museum web sites.

More ideas...yup...but better go spend some holiday time with the family.
;o)

John
Looking for work in SLC




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