Jun 30, 2022
- For the past couple of years my summer calendar has been decorated with patterns of red circles. The red circles represent the dates that applications for funding are due to private foundations as well as federal and state agencies. They also represent hours of writing, conversations, calculations, and a lot of hope.
For me, it is hope that MANY will be able to keep our museum community connected with a sense of belonging and offer programs where peer-to-peer learning can support shared purpose. These hopes are embedded in our 2022-2026 Strategic Plan approved by MANY's board of directors at our June 22 meeting. I am pleased to share this important document and welcome your ideas to help us achieve our goals.
We also have hope for the future of New York's museums as our society grapples with tremendous change. Museums can use their resources to support and empower communities to face ideas, issues, and challenges. Grants that help museums emerge from the pandemic stronger than they were before 2020 and build their capacity for the future are available from an amazing array of sources.
We are pleased to announce a fifth round of funds available through application to the Pomeroy Fund for NYS History. This round of funding will distribute $100,000 in amounts up to and including $5,000 for salary support/hourly wages to bring back or hire museum educators who will plan and deliver interpretative educational programs. You can learn more about eligibility and the application process here. We will open the application portal on July 18.
The deadline for the New York State Council on the Arts' 2023 funding opportunities is July 12.
Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York is accepting applications for Planning and Assessment Grants through July 15.
The National Endowment for the Arts' Our Town creative placemaking grant deadline is August 4.
The National Endowment for the Humanities is accepting applications for Public Humanities Projects through August 10.
And if you thought you have missed it, you didn't! September 1 is the new deadline for the Greater Hudson Heritage/NYSCA Conservation Treatment Grant Program.
Humanities New York accepts applications on a rolling basis for their Quick Grants and Vision Grants and will soon announce a fall 2022 deadline for their next round of Action Grants.
The Preservation League of New York State will also soon announce a fall deadline for their Technical Assistance grants.
Whether it is assistance to secure buildings and collections or deliver programs and services for communities, these opportunities represent so much hope for our museums.
Some museum professionals struggle with writing narratives for grant applications or formulating budgets that express organizational priorities in financial terms. With so many deadlines on the horizon, I am pleased to share that we have figured out a way to offer our grant writing workshop virtually. The four-hour participatory workshop will take place over two mornings, from 10 AM – Noon on August 30 and 31. Space is limited; the registration fee covers the cost of mailing the grant workshop materials to you. You can learn more and register here.
With hope that you find time in the next month to take a break from your grant writing and celebrate summer,
Erika Sanger
Executive Director