NEH logo without NEH tag

Our top priority in 2022 is the NEH grant project, "Strengthening State Museum Associations to Serve America's Museums."  We want to know how you serve your members and how you wish you could serve your members more effectively.

Why?

The goal of this project is to create a common service model to help all SMAs operate more fully and inclusively in their state. The common service model is based on the Nine Characteristics of Successful SMAs. As early as 2014, SMA leaders identified these essential functions that remain at the heart of our work today. Acknowledging that the capacities of SMAs vary widely from state to state, this project will also look at bridging broad gaps in resources.

Over the course of the one-year grant period, COSMA will bring together virtually a team comprised of SMA representatives to:

  • Provide information on their current level of service
  • Identify common operational and programmatic activities to ensure effective service to member museums
  • Recommend potential sources of assistance

Where are we with this project?

As of August 2022, we are excited to announce that we have an engaged contact from EVERY state museum organization in the country--and every one of those has completed the survey to help us create this service model!

Want to see what the survey says? Our NEH Survey Report 9.6.22  will give you a snapshot of where states are now.

On September 13th, our first virtual gathering of all the state representatives will review the survey results, and work in small groups to further the work toward our service model.  We have decided to narrow the 9 characteristics to 5 focus areas for the model:

Advocacy
Communication
Financial Stability
Governance
Member Services