I'm sure that this has been covered many times in the past, but I am in 
dire need of advice on how to motive my museum board.  

We are a new museum (less than one year old) and the board was very active 
in the planning of the museum and the opening.  They did not hire me, the 
director until one month before the opening.  After the opening, the board 
has shown less interest in everything and I am having a very hard time 
regrouping them.  It's almost like they feel that since they've hired a 
director, they don't need to do anything more - including fund raising.  
(By the way I am the only full time employee.)

There's a long history of problems with the board in the past, due to 
"control" issues between the board and the small-town government that we 
have to deal with.  There's almost a divide between some members due to 
their "Loyalties."  The priorities are not "what's best for the museum" 
but "what's in it for me?"  Some members have changed.  However none of 
the members seem to have any experience being on boards, especially museum 
boards.  And most don't want to learn about what their roles as board 
members actually entail.  For instance I have presented them with a Board 
Committment Letter that outlines their duties at four different meetings, 
and they never signed it.  Recently,The museum has been awarded a grant 
through a state agency that will help with board training, under the 
condition that they approve a board resolution of acceptance.  I have 
tried for two weeks to gather the group together.  (I naively thought that 
they would care about the possibility of losing the $20,000 operational 
grant.  Silly me, I've been trying for four months to get have a regular 
board meeting to no avail.)  

I feel like I'm beating my head against a brick wall.  I feel like I don't 
have their support and there's nothing I can do to make things better.  
Some of the members I can't get them to return my calls.  There's only one 
or two that will actively help with fund raisers that I have to put 
together.  I've even had my job threatened by a member due to the fact 
that I didn't give in to their professionally unethical requests.  Thank 
goodness, I had the support of the board president on that case.  

As a museum professional who has been in the business for 10 years, I am 
so frustrated by the lack of interest and support.  My feeling right now 
is to find another job.  But before I do, I thought I would reach out to 
others in the field for advice as to what I can do to better this 
situation.  

Thanks for your help.

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