CWAM is asking for all the "point persons" in each of the 23 counties and organizations that would like to support his project to fill out an official Partnership Statement, required by IMLS.
PS can be found at: http://www.imls.gov/applicants/grantsgov/forms/Partner.doc
Under number 9, CWAM is asking "point persons", as a representative of your institution to facilitate a meeting with the museums, libraries and cultural institutions in your county around May 2009. We also ask that you assist CWAM with gathering data about collections in Wyoming by promoting awareness about the adapted Heritage Health Index survey (that CWAM will write and the grant will pay for). Also, to share contact information between CWAM and the cultural non-profits in your community (which you've already done but I've included in the "key roles" statement).
Under that section, feel free to use the following wording:
"Facilitate meetings with the museums, libraries and cultural institutions in my county. Assist CWAM with gathering data about collections in Wyoming by promoting awareness about the adapted Heritage Health Index survey. Share contact information between CWAM and the cultural non-profits in my community. Help CWAM with the survey by reviewing questions and develop training topics by suggesting material and resources.
If you are not a "point person" and would like to show your support, consider filling out the PS and creating your own "key roles". How do you feel your organization or institution can assist CWAM with this project? The more support the better!
I.e. Would you be willing to review the survey before it goes out? Tweak questions so they are more specific to Wyoming? Can you help arrange training by identifying expertse in the field? Would you review training material? Help recruit mentor's for CWAM's MAST (Museum Assistance & Services Team).
Can you send an email to your clients or others in your department reminding them to complete the survey? Or encourage them to attend a meeting to hear about CWAM's long term goals for the project. What about including a description of this project in your newsletter?
Do you have staff members with conservation or exceptional collections experience? Would they be willing to talk with the museums and libraries who through the survey show a need for professional assistance? The more involvement the better!
Please send electronic copies of the PS to me at: tsherw@state.wy.us and a hard copy with signature to 975 Snowy Range Road, Laramie, WY 82070.
Thanks everyone for your support!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Project Time Line
A tentative project timeline for the IMLS project:
March 1 2009 – CWAM hires part time employee to help administer the grant
CWAM uses HHI survey to create a survey specific to Wyoming
April 1 - CWAM provides survey company with questions
Survey company formats and prints the survey for mailing
CWAM employee works with the “point person” in each county to set a meeting date and location.
May 1 - CWAM holds meetings in Wyoming’s 23 counties to prepare participants for the survey. During the meetings, we will also discuss how the data will be used and long-term goals of the project.
Potential session on the project at CWAM’s annual meeting in Estes Park
mid May - Survey mailed to all of Wyoming’s non-profit museums, libraries & cultural institutions with collections.
June 1 - Survey company conducts phone follow-ups to make sure everyone received a survey.
July 1 - Surveys due, co. starts analyzing the data
Aug. 1 - Data report delivered to CWAM
Based on the data and report received, CWAM will pen another IMLS grant application, this time for ½ a million to implement training and care based on the needs of the museums and libraries. If we are successful, the BIG money should be in place by March 2010!!!
March 1 2009 – CWAM hires part time employee to help administer the grant
CWAM uses HHI survey to create a survey specific to Wyoming
April 1 - CWAM provides survey company with questions
Survey company formats and prints the survey for mailing
CWAM employee works with the “point person” in each county to set a meeting date and location.
May 1 - CWAM holds meetings in Wyoming’s 23 counties to prepare participants for the survey. During the meetings, we will also discuss how the data will be used and long-term goals of the project.
Potential session on the project at CWAM’s annual meeting in Estes Park
mid May - Survey mailed to all of Wyoming’s non-profit museums, libraries & cultural institutions with collections.
June 1 - Survey company conducts phone follow-ups to make sure everyone received a survey.
July 1 - Surveys due, co. starts analyzing the data
Aug. 1 - Data report delivered to CWAM
Based on the data and report received, CWAM will pen another IMLS grant application, this time for ½ a million to implement training and care based on the needs of the museums and libraries. If we are successful, the BIG money should be in place by March 2010!!!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Making Progress!
I’ve now heard from 17 of the 23 counties and have information from them in regards to all the museums and libraries with collections. We promised this would be an inclusive progress and want to have information from all of you for the application. CWAM wants everyone to benefit from this process!If you have friends in the following counties you think might be interested in helping out by gathering information and hosting a one time meeting this summer, please send them my way: tsherw@state.wy.us
I’m still looking for Crook Co., Lincoln Co., Platte and Washakie.
Later in the month I’ll be meeting with two different survey companies to get bids for our project. The survey will take place summer 2009 and gather information from the museums and libraries concerning the Heritage Health Index as defined by IMLS.
Sept. 26th and 27th CWAM will be meeting in Casper. We’ll have some time to discuss this grant and work on a job description for the person who will be hired to help administer it.
If you’ll be in the area and want to be part of the discussion, contact me and I’ll send you a copy of the agenda.
Thanks for all those who’ve stepped up and helped with this amazing project!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Notes from the Last Meeting
IMLS CONNECTING TO COLLECTIONS MEETING
June 17, 2008
The CWAM planning group for the IMLS Connecting to Collections grant application met on Tuesday, June 17, at Hynds Lodge. Present were: Teresa Sherwood, Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site, and chair for this group; Cristina Bird, Old West Museum, Michelle Bahe, Fort Caspar Museum; Deb Person, University of Wyoming Law Library; Jennifer Alexander, Wyoming State Museum; Judy Knight, Laramie Plains Museum; Tina Hill, Wyoming Frontier Prison; and Cecily Goldie, Nici Self Museum.
After introductions, Teresa reviewed the project. She said that the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences (IMLS) undertook a Heritage Health Index (survey) in 2004 to determine the state of collections in American museums. The results indicated widespread neglect in collection care. As a result, the IMLS developed grants for each state to help plan and implement care of collections. The grants will be $40,000 for planning and $500,000 for implementation.
Planning Grant, $40,000:
The Colorado Wyoming Association of Museums (CWAM) has decided to apply for the grants both in Wyoming and in Colorado, and will hope to include all museums, libraries, institutions with collections in both states (although there will be 2 separate applications). CWAM will write the grant, hire a part time employee to organize, and find a point person from each county in the state. Both the University of Wyoming’s survey company and a private survey company have been contacted, and one will prepare a survey for this project; the part time employee will be the liaison between the survey company and CWAM. The grant will be prepared after referring to an application submitted and denied last September as well as successful applications from other states. When the survey is completed, institutions with similar needs will be linked.
Implementation Grant, $500,000:
After the Planning Grant is received, the Implementation Grant will provide training sessions in several categories, and each museum will select which it needs. The process will probably take 2 to 3 years. Teresa will find out whether the grant is for training only or may be used for other activities. IMLS is interested in assuring that each cultural institution has safe conditions, emergency plans, responsible collections persons, and public awareness resulting in public and private support.
General discussion followed.
Museum Assessments: Judy mentioned that Heritage Preservation does museum assessments on site, which would be helpful. She will give Teresa the information about this. She also said that Terri Schindel is now incorporated as Wyoming Museum Training Network, with Judy, Patty Kessler, and Sarah Gadd as officers; it could serve as a funnel-through entity. The Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund might be a source to help with emergency planning.
Participants: The Buffalo Bill Historic Center is considering hiring a conservator, who would be a useful participant to include. Successful grant recipients included in their groups a broad spectrum of participants, such as philanthropic and state entities, and this is why CWAM is spearheading this application. Having a blog site helps make the project inclusive as well. The blog is www.wyimls.blogspot.com. Teresa will also send all the narrative when it is completed.
Point Persons: Cristina asked what the duties of the “point person” would include. She felt there should be standards. Teresa said: The point person for each county needs to compile the following data: name and cost of a meeting facility in your area, cost of advertising for meeting (the meetings will only be held if the grant is funded. Invites can be through email at no cost), reimbursement for GAS and travel costs for those in your area who will have to drive to the meeting location, etc. Essentially, I want to know how much you think it will cost to get all the museums, archives, libraries, etc. in your community to one central location for planning, education on the HHI results and training to take the survey once we get the grant. I'll need these figures for the budget.I'll also need an idea of your hourly salary, whether or not you will be donating your time in-kind or wish to be reimbursed. Also, for ease of the survey, I'll need a list of all the institutions in your county that have collections. I'll need their name, address, phone, primary contact (ideally the individual who cares for the collections) and a secondary contact, i.e. the director.
ALL cultural institutions open to the public that hold or have collections (2 or 3D alike) should be considered part of this project.
Collections: Teresa asked Tina whether IMLS had defined what constitutes a collection, but Tina said this had not been specifically addressed. She suggested that being open to the public might be a requirement; the collection of the Episcopal Church was discussed.
Survey: Since not all museums received a Heritage Health Index survey in 2004, Teresa wants to be sure to include everyone in the planning. This involves finding all museums, alerting them to the coming CWAM survey, and having point people help them prepare for and complete the surveys. After the planning grant is received, we will reorganize. She passed around a list for point person name suggestions, and Judy mentioned asking UW Extension for help with suggestions as well. It is desirable to involve the Sate Museum and the libraries. Teresa will contact Lesley Boughton. Jennifer will talk with Renee Bouvee about possible SHPO/WCTF participation.
Deadlines: Since the grant application is due in October, the point people for each county should be in place by the end of June, and information from each county completed by July 14. Also Teresa needs the list of those involved so she can prepare a real budget estimate. Records of in kind hours spent should be kept by participants.
The group thanked Teresa for her leadership in the project.
Submitted by Cecily Goldie
June 17, 2008
The CWAM planning group for the IMLS Connecting to Collections grant application met on Tuesday, June 17, at Hynds Lodge. Present were: Teresa Sherwood, Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site, and chair for this group; Cristina Bird, Old West Museum, Michelle Bahe, Fort Caspar Museum; Deb Person, University of Wyoming Law Library; Jennifer Alexander, Wyoming State Museum; Judy Knight, Laramie Plains Museum; Tina Hill, Wyoming Frontier Prison; and Cecily Goldie, Nici Self Museum.
After introductions, Teresa reviewed the project. She said that the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences (IMLS) undertook a Heritage Health Index (survey) in 2004 to determine the state of collections in American museums. The results indicated widespread neglect in collection care. As a result, the IMLS developed grants for each state to help plan and implement care of collections. The grants will be $40,000 for planning and $500,000 for implementation.
Planning Grant, $40,000:
The Colorado Wyoming Association of Museums (CWAM) has decided to apply for the grants both in Wyoming and in Colorado, and will hope to include all museums, libraries, institutions with collections in both states (although there will be 2 separate applications). CWAM will write the grant, hire a part time employee to organize, and find a point person from each county in the state. Both the University of Wyoming’s survey company and a private survey company have been contacted, and one will prepare a survey for this project; the part time employee will be the liaison between the survey company and CWAM. The grant will be prepared after referring to an application submitted and denied last September as well as successful applications from other states. When the survey is completed, institutions with similar needs will be linked.
Implementation Grant, $500,000:
After the Planning Grant is received, the Implementation Grant will provide training sessions in several categories, and each museum will select which it needs. The process will probably take 2 to 3 years. Teresa will find out whether the grant is for training only or may be used for other activities. IMLS is interested in assuring that each cultural institution has safe conditions, emergency plans, responsible collections persons, and public awareness resulting in public and private support.
General discussion followed.
Museum Assessments: Judy mentioned that Heritage Preservation does museum assessments on site, which would be helpful. She will give Teresa the information about this. She also said that Terri Schindel is now incorporated as Wyoming Museum Training Network, with Judy, Patty Kessler, and Sarah Gadd as officers; it could serve as a funnel-through entity. The Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund might be a source to help with emergency planning.
Participants: The Buffalo Bill Historic Center is considering hiring a conservator, who would be a useful participant to include. Successful grant recipients included in their groups a broad spectrum of participants, such as philanthropic and state entities, and this is why CWAM is spearheading this application. Having a blog site helps make the project inclusive as well. The blog is www.wyimls.blogspot.com. Teresa will also send all the narrative when it is completed.
Point Persons: Cristina asked what the duties of the “point person” would include. She felt there should be standards. Teresa said: The point person for each county needs to compile the following data: name and cost of a meeting facility in your area, cost of advertising for meeting (the meetings will only be held if the grant is funded. Invites can be through email at no cost), reimbursement for GAS and travel costs for those in your area who will have to drive to the meeting location, etc. Essentially, I want to know how much you think it will cost to get all the museums, archives, libraries, etc. in your community to one central location for planning, education on the HHI results and training to take the survey once we get the grant. I'll need these figures for the budget.I'll also need an idea of your hourly salary, whether or not you will be donating your time in-kind or wish to be reimbursed. Also, for ease of the survey, I'll need a list of all the institutions in your county that have collections. I'll need their name, address, phone, primary contact (ideally the individual who cares for the collections) and a secondary contact, i.e. the director.
ALL cultural institutions open to the public that hold or have collections (2 or 3D alike) should be considered part of this project.
Collections: Teresa asked Tina whether IMLS had defined what constitutes a collection, but Tina said this had not been specifically addressed. She suggested that being open to the public might be a requirement; the collection of the Episcopal Church was discussed.
Survey: Since not all museums received a Heritage Health Index survey in 2004, Teresa wants to be sure to include everyone in the planning. This involves finding all museums, alerting them to the coming CWAM survey, and having point people help them prepare for and complete the surveys. After the planning grant is received, we will reorganize. She passed around a list for point person name suggestions, and Judy mentioned asking UW Extension for help with suggestions as well. It is desirable to involve the Sate Museum and the libraries. Teresa will contact Lesley Boughton. Jennifer will talk with Renee Bouvee about possible SHPO/WCTF participation.
Deadlines: Since the grant application is due in October, the point people for each county should be in place by the end of June, and information from each county completed by July 14. Also Teresa needs the list of those involved so she can prepare a real budget estimate. Records of in kind hours spent should be kept by participants.
The group thanked Teresa for her leadership in the project.
Submitted by Cecily Goldie
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Next Meeting
The next planning/still getting everyone on board meeting for the IMLS grant will be June 17th at 1:00, Hynds Lodge at Curt Gowdy State Park. The meeting facility is free but please bring your own snacks. We will be meeting immediately after the first joint meeting of the Cheyenne and Laramie museums.
We'll review where we are in the grant planning process and identify counties/communities that still need representatives (Cheyenne is one of them).
If you've offered to be a contact in your county, please bring or send me an idea of what meeting facilities are in your area, rental costs, cost of advertising/invites, GAS, travel, etc. Essentially, I want to know how much you think it will cost to get all the museums, archives, libraries, etc. in your community to one central location for planning, education on the HHI results and training to take the survey once we get the grant. I'll need these figures for the budget.
I'll also need an idea of your hourly salary, whether or not you will be donating your time in-kind or wish to be reimbursed. Also, for ease of the survey, I'll need a list of all the institutions in your county that have collections. I'll need their name, address, phone, primary contact (ideally the individual who cares for the collections) and a secondary contact, i.e. the director.
This list should include all the museums, libraries, archives, etc. Even if the institution is only open part time or volunteer run.
Thanks for your interest, help, support, and positive mental attitude! I can't wait to improve the state of Wyoming's collections and set the bar higher for the next generation of museum professionals!
We'll review where we are in the grant planning process and identify counties/communities that still need representatives (Cheyenne is one of them).
If you've offered to be a contact in your county, please bring or send me an idea of what meeting facilities are in your area, rental costs, cost of advertising/invites, GAS, travel, etc. Essentially, I want to know how much you think it will cost to get all the museums, archives, libraries, etc. in your community to one central location for planning, education on the HHI results and training to take the survey once we get the grant. I'll need these figures for the budget.
I'll also need an idea of your hourly salary, whether or not you will be donating your time in-kind or wish to be reimbursed. Also, for ease of the survey, I'll need a list of all the institutions in your county that have collections. I'll need their name, address, phone, primary contact (ideally the individual who cares for the collections) and a secondary contact, i.e. the director.
This list should include all the museums, libraries, archives, etc. Even if the institution is only open part time or volunteer run.
Thanks for your interest, help, support, and positive mental attitude! I can't wait to improve the state of Wyoming's collections and set the bar higher for the next generation of museum professionals!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
A More Polished Plan
CWAM is closing in on its IMLS grant application! At the last meeting in Sheridan we decided that we would ask for funds to do the following with the initial planning grant ($40,000).
1. Identify and work with community leaders in each 23 counties that have the ability to rally and dialogue with all the museums, archives, historical societies, Federal entities, and libraries in their area.
2. Ask this leader to host an inclusive meeting (using funds from the grant) with all interested parties in their county to discuss the four points of the Heritage Health index and prepare any collection holding cultural institution for the upcoming survey.
3. CWAM will develop a Wyoming specific survey using the key questions from IMLS’s Heritage Health index to gather data about the following:
a. Conditions of collections
b. Emergency plans; disaster/risk management
c. Assigned responsibility for collections care
d. Public and private support for, and public awareness about, collections care
4. A survey company out of the University of Wyoming will distribute the questions among any institution with collections, approx. 200 museums, 23 libraries, and ?.
5. A part time employee (hired with grant funds, administered through CWAM) will work with the survey agency to gather and interpret the data.
The data from the survey will be used to write the second part of the IMLS grant, implementation and action. 1/2 a million is on the line! Museums and libraries with similar needs, as identified through the survey, will be grouped together for training and action steps.
If you are interested in being a leader in your county, please contact me at: tbeyer@state.wy.us.
1. Identify and work with community leaders in each 23 counties that have the ability to rally and dialogue with all the museums, archives, historical societies, Federal entities, and libraries in their area.
2. Ask this leader to host an inclusive meeting (using funds from the grant) with all interested parties in their county to discuss the four points of the Heritage Health index and prepare any collection holding cultural institution for the upcoming survey.
3. CWAM will develop a Wyoming specific survey using the key questions from IMLS’s Heritage Health index to gather data about the following:
a. Conditions of collections
b. Emergency plans; disaster/risk management
c. Assigned responsibility for collections care
d. Public and private support for, and public awareness about, collections care
4. A survey company out of the University of Wyoming will distribute the questions among any institution with collections, approx. 200 museums, 23 libraries, and ?.
5. A part time employee (hired with grant funds, administered through CWAM) will work with the survey agency to gather and interpret the data.
The data from the survey will be used to write the second part of the IMLS grant, implementation and action. 1/2 a million is on the line! Museums and libraries with similar needs, as identified through the survey, will be grouped together for training and action steps.
If you are interested in being a leader in your county, please contact me at: tbeyer@state.wy.us.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Next Meeting
The next “Connecting to Collections Grant for Wyoming” meeting will be held during the Colorado Wyoming Association of Museum’s annual meeting in Sheridan, WY. We will meet on May 9, 2008 at the Best Western bar in Sheridan at 4:45 p.m.
For information on the annual conference, please visit: http://www.cwamit.org/
For information on the annual conference, please visit: http://www.cwamit.org/
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