VOLUNTEER MUSEUM (VM) GRANT PROGRAM

Provides museums managed by volunteers and Keeping Places in NSW with funding for collection focussed projects

Volunteer managed museums

Keeping Places

Volunteer museum networks

No more than the equivalent of 2 full time employees

Open to the public with regular opening hours (at least 1 set time per month)

Not for Profit

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

A project that:

Demonstrates best museum practice

Improves the skills of your museum volunteers

Is right for your museum (meets your mission and goals)

Benefits your community

Is innovative

Shows careful thought and planning

WE CANNOT FUND

Retrospective projects

Projects that already receive any funding from Arts NSW

Office equipment

Activities or projects that do not relate to museum work (ie research collections of copied material)Organisations that do not have a museum function (ie Historical Societies or Archives without museums)

VM Leg Up Grants matched funding from $50 to $500

VM Small Grants up to $2000

VM Skills Development Grants up to $5000

VM Project Development Grants from $2500 to $7500

VM GRANTS AVAILABLE IN 2016

LEG UP GRANTS

Amount available: $50 to $500 of matched funding (ie total expenses $100-$1000)

Available all year round (until funds expended)

Supports networking activities for volunteers in volunteer run museums

Makes training more affordable

At least three weeks notice before the event requiredWill cover travel, accommodation and registration

LEG UP GRANTS

Examples of projects previously funded

Museum guiding course

Oral History workshop

Significance workshop

Collection database training

Object handling workshop

TAFE certificate in museum practice

LEG UP GRANTS – WILL FUND

Hosting a skills development event like a workshop

Yamba Museum hosted a

Significance workshop and

requested a Leg Up to

cover speaker costs like

travel.

LEG UP GRANTS – WILL FUND

Networking with other museums

Sharing ideas with other

community museums can

be extremely helpful.

This can be as simple as

arranging a visit to

neighbouring museum for

your volunteers. A Leg

Up Grant can help you

cover the costs of hiring

a bus.

VM SMALL GRANTS

Amount available: Up to $2000

Round 2 closes: 2nd October 2016

Meet the mid term operational requirements of community museums and Keeping Places

VM SMALL GRANTS

Examples of projects previously funded

Purchase of showcases and hanging systems

Purchase of appropriate materials for constructing display furniture

Interpretation panels

Oral history recording equipment

Purchase of storage shelving

VM SMALL GRANTS – WILL FUND

Collection Management Projects

Riversdale House Museum

purchased acid free textile boxes,

Tyvec, acid free tissue, Fomecore,

2 way Minivac, microspatula,

Pigma and Sharpie pens to enable

the collection to be cleaned,

marked, packed and stored and

displayed in a manner consistent

with best practice

VM SMALL GRANTS – WILL FUND

Collection Management Software

Collection management software

(databases) are often requested in

the Small Grants program. To

apply for money for a database,

you must already be keeping

object records – whether on paper,

or in Excel.

VM SMALL GRANTS – WILL FUND

Exhibition Development Projects

Port Macquarie Museum

purchased a new upright display

case for use in temporary

exhibitions.

VM SMALL GRANTS – WILL FUND

Exhibition Development Projects

Lithgow Small Arms Museum

undertook a large project to

redevelop their museum entrance

with new displays including a large

feature watercolour painting. The

grant funded the aluminium

graphic panel for this.

VM SMALL GRANTS – WILL FUND

Exhibition Development Projects

The Tinonee Historical

Museum purchased spotlights

to illuminate their permanent

displays

VM SMALL GRANTS – WILL FUND

Conservation Work for significant objects (must have a Significance Statement)

Greens Gunyah Museum in

Lockhart received funding for

conservation work to be carried out

on a significant pastoral map

VM SMALL GRANTS – WILL FUND

Marketing and Promotion

VM Small Grants have

funded signs and brochures

VM SKILLS DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

Amount available: up to $4000

Available any time until 15th November 2016

Provides funding for the organisation of regional and state based skill development, training and networking events

VM SKILLS DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

Examples of projects previously funded

Significance workshops

Collections database training

Disaster preparedness training

Collection care training and workshops

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT GRANTS – WILL FUND

Attending skills development events like conferences and workshops

The Far North Coast

Chapter of Museums

Australia held a

workshop on paper

conservation

VM SKILLS DEVELOPMENT GRANTS– WILL FUND

Workshops and training with a regional focus

A number of museums from

the Broken Hill area held a

one-day workshop by

Preservation Australia and

conducted by

videoconferencing on the

agents of deterioration,

principles of preventative

conservation and collection

storage and display.

VM PROJECT DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

Amount available: $2500 up to $7500

Closing Date: 2ND October 2016

Provide funding for strategic projects with mid to long term outcomes

Can provide the opportunity for museums/Keeping Places to work with a consultant

All applications must relate to and be accompanied by a strategic plan (unless the funds are being requested to develop a strategic plan)

VM PROJECT DEVELOPMENT GRANTS– WILL FUND

Working with consultants on:

Significance Assessments of collections

Strategic planning

Collection management

Marketing plans

Exhibition plans

VM PROJECT DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

Examples of projects previously funded

Development of business and strategic plansDevelopment of a combined museums website

Hosting touring exhibitions

Preservation Needs Assessment

Developing a temporary exhibition

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

Priority is given to projects that:

Involve other groups and organisations (collaborations and partnerships)

Encourage engagement with the wider community

Involve diverse (and new) audiences

VM PROJECT DEVELOPMENT GRANTS– WILL FUND

Exhibition development projects

Berrima Museum received a

grant which contributed to

the development of

Prisoners in Arcady:

German Mariners in Berrima

1915-1919. The grant

funded professionally

printed interpretive panels

as well as audio visual

equipment for the exhibition

VM PROJECT DEVELOPMENT GRANTS– WILL FUND

Larger conservation projects (must be accompanied by a Significance Assessment)

McCrossin’s Mill Museum

received a grant for

extensive conservation work

to be carried out on a

significant silk banner – this

included the construction of

a showcase to keep the

banner secure

BUILDING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

Funded by the Office of Environment and Heritage

Fund assessments and/or feasibility studies for museum and gallery buildingsIf an assessment has been done, will fund building conservation works

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Established galleries or museums (not archives or historical societies without a museum function), regularly open to the public

Small to medium organisations, i.e. no more than 20 paid staff

BUILDING ASSESSMENT REPORTS

A consultant to assess the energy efficiency of the building

A consultant to assess the appropriateness of the building for use as a museum or gallery, with respect to access, sustainability and collection care

A heritage architect to develop a schedule of works for building repairs

BUILDING WORKS GRANTS

Required outcomes include:

Improved collection care

Improved visitor access to the building and the exhibits

Improved economic and environmental sustainability

Submissions must be linked to a building assessment, whether from the program or another suitable source

WE CANNOT FUND

Retrospective projects or projects that have already begun

Air conditioning systems

In-house salaries and volunteer labour costs

New or additional building structures or extensions of any kind

HINTS FOR A SUCCESSFUL GRANT APPLICATION

Speak to us first! We can let you know if your project fits with the program you are interested in

Talk to other people about your project, share your ideas

Frame your project within the guidelines

Get your pitch right – will it stand out from the crowd?

Be clear and precise

Ask someone from outside the museum to read the application and let you know their impressions

HINTS FOR A SUCCESSFUL GRANT APPLICATION

Be explicit about who is going to manage the project

If the project involves a consultant, explain what you expect from them

Make sure to include evidence of your credibility (letters of support from Councils or Museum Advisors, existing plans or policies)

Ensure your budget is accurate

REMEMBER – the Assessment Panel may know nothing about your museum!

YOUR BUDGET SHOULD

Be GST exclusive!!

Be clear, detailed and add up correctly

Be competitive

Be for the project only

Show all forms of financial support and contributions to the project

Include quotes for every good or service being applied for

If a consultant is involved, they must supply a detailed quote outlining services and fees

MAKE SURE YOUR APPLICATION INCLUDES

Examples of any text and design

Details of any object/s involved

A current Strategic Plan and Collection Policy

Consultant’s CV

Brochures and programs

Supporting documentation like layouts, fabric samples, maps or photos

IF YOUR APPLICATION IS NOT SUCCESSFUL

Talk to us! We can give you detailed feedback from the Assessment Panel

Talk to other museums about their successful applications

Try again!

WHERE YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION

http://mgnsw.org.au/sector/funding/

grants-we-administer/

http://mgnsw.org.au/sector/funding

/other-grants/

WHO TO CONTACT

Conni Lord,

Museum Programs and Collections Coordinator (Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri)

T: 02 9339 9913

Freecall: 1800 114 311

E: connil@mgnsw.org.au