Regarding the definition of self-supporting: If the museum's position is viewed in a vacuum, then earned income (plus possibily that of investment income) would be the only real measure of "self-support." Since no organization exists without some degree of outside support, be it non-profit status that awards tax breaks, donated time, services or money, or grants, or other items listed under the "support" category in the operating budget, what are you trying to measure? the degree of support, the "corporate culture" of self-support? All of these could lead to very interesting discussions. For example, if an institution perceives itself as independently supported, i.e., not beholding to any authority except to the ambiguous interests of the public trust and to the IRS, does that influence the nature of board or staff decisions? Roxana Adams