Blog and Newsletter

The National Park Service (NPS) is pleased to announce that applications for $16 million in Save America's Treasures funding are now open on Grants.gov. Deadline for applications is January 26, 2021. 

The SAT program is administered by the NPS in cooperation with its partners, Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).The NPS manages the preservation grants and the IMLS the collections grants, once awarded. 

Apply to SAT Preservation Grants via Grants.gov. Eligible Preservation projects must be listed currently ​as: 

1. Individually listed as a National Historic Landmark or be a contributing property within a National Historic Landmark district.
2. Individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places for national significance (properties listed at the state or local significance are not eligible) or be a contributing property within a nationally significant National Register Historic District. Properties include buildings, sites, structures and objects.

Apply to SAT Collection Grants via Grants.gov. Eligible Collections projects must be determined to be of national significance based on the supportive description of its significance within the application. Collections include artifacts, documents, sculptures, and other works of art.

SAT Factsheet

Learn more about the SAT Grant Program

The Save America’s Treasures (SAT) program is funded through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) using revenue from Outer Continental Shelf oil lease revenue, not tax dollars.

The Save America’s Treasures (SAT) grant program was established in 1998 and first awarded grants in 1999 to help preserve nationally significant historic properties and collections that convey our nation’s rich heritage to future generations. Since 1999, there have been more than 4,000 requests for funding totaling more than $1.54 billion. More than $315,700,000 has been awarded to 1,300+ projects. 

Awarded Projects for FY2020 

Save America's Treasures (SAT) Application Webinar

Apply to SAT Preservation Grants via Grants.gov SAT- Preservation - P21AS00202

Apply to SAT Collection Grants via Grants.gov SAT-Collection - P21AS00203

Congress has appropriated $16 million for the SAT Grant Program.

Applications are due January 26, 2021.

Farmington Underground and Washburn-Norlands Living History Center recently completed their collaboration on a guided mystery tour through the month of October. The private tours featured historical stories and information about the Norlands property as well as interactive puzzle elements designed by Farmington Underground. 

Over 200 people came to the site and completed a mystery tour, entitled “Tale of the Forgotten Son”, over the 4-week period. The goal of the collaboration was to increase engagement with local history in a safe and fun way. Over the past few months, Farmington Underground has worked with other organizations to design new ways of engaging the public with historical and artistic collections, and they are looking for other organizations that may be interested in a collaborative project.

More information about the mystery tour can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/FarmingtonUnderground/posts/945098425977828

The Society of Southwest Archivists, in partnership with Louisiana State University, will host a virtual annual meeting May 17-21, 2021. The theme this year is Going with the Flow. As we have all faced numerous challenges over the past year, SSA would like to learn about barriers faced, creative solutions, and what the “new normal” looks like for your archive.

Session proposals are welcome on any subject or skill relevant to the archives or records management professions. Proposals will be evaluated on the completeness of the description, the originality of the topic, and the diversity of speakers. In addition, the Program Committee will prioritize submissions with a strong equity, diversity, & inclusion component. 

SSA hopes that the virtual format for 2021 will make the conference more accessible for various groups, including those located outside the Southwest region. SSA encourages proposal submissions from non-SSA members and those located outside of the Southwest.

Find guidelines, a spreadsheet to facilitate collaborations, and the submission form on the SSA Call For Proposals page.

The deadline for submission is Friday, December 18th, 2020.

MAM member STQRY (formerly OnCell) is hosting a free webinar this Wednesday, October, 28 at 2pm EST. The topic will be Digital Media & Holocaust Museums in a Post-Survivor Era.

The webinar will discuss navigating difficult history and review some case studies of how organizations are implementing digital technology to educate and share stories effectively. I thought this webinar may interest some of your members so feel free to share if you would like! 

Join using this link: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/9616037279948/WN_kys318I4R6G88C0DPakXiQ

Are you interested in learning more about Museums for All, an initiative dedicated to expanding community access? Mark your calendar to join staff from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Association of Children’s Museums on November 19 at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn more about how and why almost 600 museums participate in the program. 

Click here to register for the webinar.

Maine Preservation is pleased to announce that the 1772 Foundation has announced a round of grant funding in 2021 to support historic preservation efforts in the State of Maine.

Maine Preservation is partnering with the 1772 Foundation to provide matching grants to nonprofit organizations with eligible preservation projects. Funding in the form of 1:1 matching grants of up to $10,000 will be made available for the following project types: exterior painting; finishes and surface restoration; fire detection/lightning protection/security systems; repairs to/restoration of porches, roofs and windows; repairs to foundations and sills; and chimney and masonry repointing.

Letters of inquiry will be accepted until November 6, 2020. 

Learn more and apply

The National Endowment for the Humanities has recently opened applications for its Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions. The program is intended to help small and mid-sized institutions improve their ability to preserve and care for their significant humanities collections. NEH is encouraging applications from small and mid-sized institutions that have never received an NEH grant.

More info can be found here: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=329203.

Robert Perret, Special Collections Librarian and Archivist for the University of Idaho, is doing research and conducting a survey regarding the work experience of people with dual roles as archivists and librarians.  If you fit this description and would like to take the survey, please click the link below! 

https://uidaho.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8uo3HsmEwmyQgRv

To apply: https://www.maine.gov/decd/economic-recovery-grants

In addition to the threat to public health, the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the global business environment, causing severe supply-chain disruptions, reduced consumer spending, and unprecedented losses that are felt across all sectors.  U.S. industries are no exception, with hospitality, tourism, retail, restaurants and bars, entertainment, manufacturing and countless others facing a host of new challenges and barriers that disrupt operations and impede growth. Here in Maine, the closure of the Canadian border, the stoppage of cruise ships, and reluctance of people to travel have impacted our economy, from agriculture to fisheries, to retail, recreation and hospitality sectors.

The State of Maine plans to use CARES Act relief funding to help our economy recover from the impacts of the global pandemic by supporting Maine-based businesses and non-profit organizations through an Economic Recovery Grant Program. The funding originates from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund and will be awarded in the form of grants to directly alleviate the disruption of operations suffered by Maine’s small businesses and non-profits as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Maine Department of Economic & Community Development has been working closely with affected Maine organizations since the beginning of this crisis and has gathered feedback from all sectors on the current challenges.

Many Maine businesses and non-profits have not been able to access existing sources of relief funding and so have “fallen through the cracks” and need help in order to remain viable. Some of these businesses are from sectors hardest hit from the global pandemic, including those who remained closed for longer periods of time, businesses that have not yet re-opened, businesses that rely on seasonal cash flows, and businesses with decreased revenues due to declines in consumer spending or declining global markets. This program is not meant to be exclusive and acknowledges that nearly every industry sector in Maine has experienced a decrease in revenue.

The money available for these grants cannot wholly replace or repair the economic damage this pandemic has caused. Our narrow mission is to ensure that each dollar has at least a small, direct impact on supporting Maine businesses, Maine non-profit organizations, and Maine’s economy.

Program Goals

This program provides grants for businesses and non-profit organizations that demonstrate a need for financial relief based on lost revenues or expenses related to the disruption of business operations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Grants will be distributed based on a business’s/organization’s demonstrated losses as a pro-rated percentage of the total losses reported by qualified applicants.

The program is not intended to replace lost profits but only to help businesses remain viable. This program is intended to assist in the stabilization of Maine’s economy and accelerate the transition from short-term relief to regaining our state’s focus on Maine’s 10-year Economic Development Strategy, anchored in talent and innovation.

Online Professional Development - Fall 2020

MuseumDev offers 4-week, online courses for museum professionals taught by subject experts with specialized skills and practical experience. Asynchronous courses allow you to finish readings, participate in discussion forums, and complete class assignments on your own schedule. 
Receive certificates of completion.

MEMBER DISCOUNT: Members of MAM can receive 10% off the course price of $199. See the discount code here.

Upcoming courses include:
Collection Management Policies (Oct 2020) - Instructor: Matthew Clouse
Intro to Museum Evaluation (Oct 2020) - Instructor: Emily Kalnicky
Inquiry-Based Learning and Museum Education (Nov 2020) - Instructor: David Bowles
Using Data in Museum Planning (Nov 2020) - Instructor: Emily Kalnicky
Writing for Exhibits (Dec 2020) - Instructor: Kathryn Lasdow
Management of Loans and Exhibits (Jan 2021) - Instructor: Matthew Clouse

For full details, please see https://museumdev.com/

For a full list of discounts provided to MAM members by partner institutions, see www.MaineMuseums.com/MemberDiscounts