Musuem Assessment Program Grants - Application - fillin

MUSEUM
ASSESSMENT
PROGRAM
Flexible
Participation

Postmark Deadline:
OPEN
Contact MAP
EMAIL [email protected]
PHONE 202.289.9118
WEB www.aam-us.org

Guidelines & Application

"Our institution participated in the MAP program in 1987 and the experience put
us on the road from a small historical society to the regional history museum we
are today. At that time we were an institution of 3 full time staff, and a very small
budget-less than $200,000. Today-23 years later-the institution has a staff of 35,
and is a major regional museum in Florida with a budget of over $3M.
MAP is the best thing AAM ever came up with, and I applaud and salute its
anniversary, with hopes to continue the program for many more years."
Sara Van Arsdel, Executive Director, Orange County Regional History Center
MAP Participant and Peer Reviewer

About The Museum Assessment Program (MAP)
The Museum Assessment Program is an assessment tool that can help your museum attain excellence in
operations and planning through a confidential process of self-study and peer review. MAP is one component of
the Department of Museum Standards & Excellence at the American Association of Museums. The department
also includes the Accreditation Program, and Museums and Community Collaborations Abroad (MCCA).
Confidentiality Statement: MAP is a confidential process—the resulting information is shared only with your
institution, the MAP staff, and your Peer Reviewer(s). A museum’s current executive director or head of the
governing authority can request copies of documents related to current or past assessments by contacting MAP
staff.
The American Association of Museums’ Museum Assessment Program is supported through a cooperative
agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

About the American Association of Museums
The American Association of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop
standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to
the entire museum community. With more than 15,000 individual, 3,000 institutional, and 300 corporate
members, AAM is dedicated to ensuring that museums remain a vital part of the American landscape, connecting
people with the greatest achievements of the human experience, past, present, and future. For more information,
visit www.aam-us.org

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000
libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect
people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local
organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support
professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit: http://www.imls.gov.

Copyright ©2011. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
media or stored by any means in any information storage retrieval system, without prior written permission of the
American Association of Museums, 1575 Eye Street N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005.

Dear Colleague:
In the pages that follow, you will find the Museum Assessment Program (MAP) Flexible Participation
Application. MAP partners with small and mid-sized museums of all types to help them reach their full
potential. MAP can help your museum attain excellence in operations and planning through a
confidential process of self-study and peer review. MAP offers four types of assessments to choose
from depending on your needs (see page i for a detailed description of each assessment type).
Museums consistently report that they benefit tremendously from the MAP process of self-study and
peer review. Everyone gains a fresh perspective, communication lines open up, and at the end of the
process you are able to demonstrate to potential funders and donors that you have done your
homework.
MAP staff is eager to assist your organization as you embark on a MAP assessment through the
flexible participation option. Please feel free to contact us at any time throughout your application
process should you have questions or concerns.
Within a few weeks of receiving your application, we will contact you to let you know of your status.
Once you have been accepted, you will begin your assessment immediately. You will be able to
complete the program in less than a year. You will have 4 months to complete the self-study and then
a few months to complete the site visit.
If you have any questions pertaining to eligibility or readiness, please contact a MAP staff member by
calling (202) 289-9118 or e-mailing [email protected]. We look forward to working with you as you
strive for excellence in your operations!

Sincerely,

Jill Connors-Joyner
Assistant Director, MAP

Table of Contents
Guidelines for Flexible Participation
i

Museum Assessment Program Overview
Benefits of MAP
Purpose and Process
Assessment Types
Phase One: Application and Goal Setting
Common Objectives
Phase Two: Self-Study
Phase Three: Peer Review
Phase Four: Implementation
Forming an Assessment Team
Involving the Governing Authority

iv
iv
v

Eligibility Information
Conducting another MAP Assessment
Funding and Cost Information
Participation Fees
Peer Reviewer Expenses
Out of Pocket Costs
Number of Peer Reviewers for your Assessment

vii

Program Evaluation
Evaluation of MAP
Outcome Based Evaluation

viii

AAM’s Accreditation Program
Program Differences
FAQ’s about Accreditation

x

About the Application
Accessing the Application
Application Formats

x

Next Steps
Application Review
Program Acceptance Notification
Drop Policy
Tips for Covering Costs

Application for Flexible Participation
2

Application Details
DUNS
TIN or EIN
Proof of Non-Profit Status
Parent Letter

3

Application Checklist
Assembling the Package
Readiness
Submitting your Application
Application Formats

4
22

Museum Assessment Program Application
Glossary

Flexible Participation
Guidelines

Museum Assessment Program Overview
Use this overview to brief your staff and governing authority about how MAP can be of assistance to your
museum, and about your goals for a MAP assessment. Make sure all stakeholders (i.e. governing authority, paid
and unpaid staff, community members) understand and engage in the program in order to derive the greatest
benefit from your assessment.
BENEFITS OF MAP MAP can help your museum reach its full potential. What you experience along
the way can lead to:
 an increased level of professionalism among museum staff;
 improved communications between staff, board, and other constituencies;
 a clearer focus on the museum’s mission;
 greater credibility with potential funders and donors;
 national recognition of the museum’s desire to achieve excellence through
self-improvement.
PURPOSE AND PROCESS MAP is a confidential, consultative process that helps museums attain excellence
in operations and planning. Four types of assessments are offered. Each MAP
assessment is a tool to be used in your organization’s ongoing cycle of strategic
planning and performance evaluation. The MAP process consists of three phases:
self-study, peer review, and implementation. The self-study and peer review will
occur in less than one year. Implementation begins after the first two phases are
complete and lasts for several years as your museum uses what you have learned
to make improvements to your operations.
ASSESSMENT TYPES 







Organizational Assessment, formerly known as the Institutional Assessment,
reviews all areas of a museum’s operations. Upon completion of this
st
assessment, a museum is better prepared to operate as a 21 century
museum with a strong understanding of core museum standards and good
practices that support sustainability. This assessment places significant
emphasis on strategic planning as well as ensuring operations and resources
align with the museum’s mission.
Collections Stewardship Assessment, formerly known as the Collections
Management Assessment, focuses on collections policies, planning, access
and documentation within the context of the museum’s total operations. The
scope of the assessment includes collections care and use, acquisitions and
deaccessioning, legal, ethical, and safety issues, documentation, inventory,
and emergency planning.
Community Engagement Assessment, formerly the Public Dimension
Assessment, assesses the museum’s understanding of and relationship with
its various communities and conversely examines their perception of and
experience with the museum. It helps museums gather better input from their
constituents, develop a more nuanced view about the community’s
demographics and needs, respond to the changing nature of its audiences
and incorporate these findings into planning and operational decisions. It
helps museums form new collaborations and strengthen old ones.
Leadership Assessment, formerly known as the Governance Assessment,
guides a museum’s governing authority and senior leadership in examining
their roles and responsibilities. It focuses on basic non-profit governance
practices and legal and ethical issues specific to museums. It enhances the
ability of the museum’s leadership to advance the museum’s mission, plan
more strategically, and meet the standards for public trust and accountability.

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FLEXIBLE PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES
CONTACT MAP: PHONE 202.289.9118 EMAIL [email protected]

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Please note that although it is possible to apply to participate in more than one assessment at the same time, we
strongly recommend that museums undertake one assessment at a time. AAM reserves the right to only allow
participation in one assessment at a time. If you need guidance in choosing the right assessment, please contact
MAP staff.
PHASE ONE By applying to MAP, you can help your institution attain excellence in operations
APPLICATION AND and planning through guided self-study and peer review. The MAP process aims to
GOAL-SETTING assess your institution’s situation and provide guidance on strategies which can
enhance the ability of your staff, governing authority and volunteers to improve and
strengthen operations. It is important that when you apply to MAP, you set
appropriate goals for your institution that you think are realistic within the scope of
the program.
Below is a list of common outcomes of the MAP process based on assessment
type. This information will help you fill out question 12 on page 6 about objectives.
Please use this list to help identify, shape or clarify the three objectives you would
like to accomplish through your participation in MAP. Remember that while MAP
provides guidance and resources, the actual work of reaching your objectives will
be accomplished by your staff, governing authority and volunteers. With this in
mind, we recommend you choose ambitious, but achievable goals.
It is also important to note that you should be working with your peer reviewer
throughout the MAP process to hone and adjust goals as necessary.
COMMON OBJECTIVES: Increase staff and/or governing authority’s knowledge about
 The respective roles and responsibilities of governing authority and staff
ORGANIZATIONAL
 museum standards and best practices
(Institutional)
 resources available to help the museum
Improve alignment of
 operations to mission
 resources to mission
 organizational structure to mission
Improve the museum’s ability to
 develop a mission statement or refine the existing mission statement
 develop an institutional plan
 develop/review/revise policies and procedures
 assess facilities management needs
 manage risk
 manage renovation, expansion or the construction of a new facility
 improve financial sustainability
 care for collections
 engage the community
 use technology to meet the museum’s needs
 Prepare for accreditation or reaccreditation

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM GUIDELINES
CONTACT MAP: PHONE 202.289.9118 EMAIL [email protected]

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COMMON OBJECTIVES: Increase staff and/or governing authority’s knowledge about
COLLECTIONS
 collections standards and best practices
STEWARDSHIP Improve alignment of
(Collections Management)
 collections with mission
 collections with the institutional plan
Improve the museum’s ability to:
 write a collections plan
 raise funds to support the collections
 improve collections stewardship
 prioritize long-term collections management issues
 develop/review/revise collections policies and procedures
 manage risk
Assess needs in the areas of
 collections management staffing
 facilities management
 Prepare for accreditation or reaccreditation
COMMON OBJECTIVES: Improve the alignment of
 mission with audience and community
COMMUNITY
 resource allocation with audience and community needs
ENGAGEMENT
(Public Dimension) Increase understanding of the
 museum’s community and stakeholders
 how the museum is perceived by its audiences and community
Improve the museum’s ability to
 communicate with the community
 serve its audiences
 identify and develop potential audiences
 create collaborations to address community needs
 incorporate community needs into long-range plans
 conduct an audience evaluation
 improve visitor services
 Meet audience needs through exhibitions and programming
 raise funds to support community needs
 write/review/revise policies and procedures
 write a long-range interpretive plan
 write an emergency management plan
 Prepare for accreditation or reaccreditation
COMMON OBJECTIVES: Increase governing authority’s awareness of
LEADERSHIP
 museum standards and best practices
(Governance)
 leadership roles and responsibilities
 legal and ethical issues specific to museums
Improve the governing authority’s ability to
 advance the museum’s mission
 engage in effective planning
 manage resources appropriately
 serve the museum’s community
 recruit and orient new governing body members
 ensure effective organizational planning
Assess
 governing authority’s structure and function
 the museum’s overall organizational structure
 the relationship between governing body and staff
 Prepare for accreditation or reaccreditation

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM GUIDELINES
CONTACT MAP: PHONE 202.289.9118 EMAIL [email protected]

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PHASE TWO AAM provides you with a MAP Self-Study Workbook containing instructions,
SELF STUDY questions, and activities that will guide you through the self-study phase, which will
take up to 4 months to complete. Self-Study is a method that:
 stimulates a review of your institution’s policies, procedures, and records;
 enhances institutional dialogue and openness;
 informs the peer review phase;
 encourages new ways of operating;
 serves as a baseline against which to measure your progress.
The Self-Study Workbook is designed to help your institution see itself systemically
and prepare the peer reviewer for their visit. It is important to remember to answer
the questions with total candor and in the manner most useful and relevant to your
museum. You should not try to impress anyone inside or outside the walls of your
museum.
The largest amount of time that you spend on the assessment will go towards
completing the questions and activities in the Self-Study Workbook.
PHASE THREE As you complete the self-study phase, preparation for peer review begins. MAP
PEER REVIEW Peer Reviewers are museum professionals who donate their time for the
betterment of the field, and receive a small honorarium. Based on the information
you provide in your application, MAP staff provide a list of potential Peer
Reviewers to review your institution during a 1–3 day Site Visit. You will eliminate
any potential Peer Reviewers from consideration that may have a conflict of
interest and rate the remaining number according to your preference. Staff will
contact the Peer Reviewers in order of your preference to determine their
availability. The Peer Reviewer reviews your completed Self-Study Workbook and
other documents, conducts a Site Visit, and writes an Assessment Report, which
summarizes the visit and makes recommendations for change. Peer review is a
method that provides:
 the opportunity to critically review your operations with the benefit of a
fresh perspective;
 validation and input from an experienced museum professional;
 consultative advice to help you improve.
Before the Visit, you supply the Peer Reviewer with any requested documents,
discuss and arrange the agenda for his or her visit, and confirm Peer Reviewerarranged travel and lodging. The majority of the work in this phase is done by the
Peer Reviewer(s), who average over 60 hours preparing for the Visit and writing
the Assessment Report.
It is important to keep in mind the role of your Peer Reviewer(s). S/he is there to
serve as a guide. By analyzing your self-study materials and conducting the Site
Visit, s/he will provide you with helpful information and suggested resources. As in
the self-study phase, you should not try to impress your Peer Reviewer(s). S/he
needs to see what is going well and what could be improved in order to give you
appropriate recommendations.

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM GUIDELINES
CONTACT MAP: PHONE 202.289.9118 EMAIL [email protected]

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PHASE FOUR The third phase consists of incorporating information from the self-study phase, the
IMPLEMENTATION Site Visit, and the Assessment Report into your institution’s planning process. Using
what you learn from the assessment, you formulate goals and strategies for the
improvement of your museum. The overall implementation process can carry your
institution through several years of development beyond the end of your assessment
period.
FORMING AN To achieve the greatest success, MAP Assessments must be an institutional priority.
ASSESSMENT TEAM Ideally, key paid and unpaid staff, members of your governing authority, and other
important constituencies should be involved in the process. As part of the MAP
process you will form an Assessment Team that is responsible for conducting the
assessment and integrating it into the museum’s planning and implementation
process. Who from your organization should be on this team? People with the:
 knowledge about how things really work or don’t work at your organization,
about what resources are available, about how to get things done;
 authority to make decisions about policies or procedures;
 responsibility for implementing decisions arising from the assessment and
subsequent planning.
Staff who work directly with the public have valuable information to contribute, and
may be the ones actually implementing changes you make in your operations.
Consider who should be the team leader—it may be a member of your governing
authority, the director, or another staff member with appropriate skills to lead a team.
Please note: Generally we do not recommend having the development director or
grant writer lead the team.
INVOLVING THE In the course of applying, you will brief your governing authority on the assessment
GOVERNING process and your goals for the assessment, and the head of your governing
AUTHORITY authority will sign the application. If you are applying for a Leadership Assessment,
your governing authority will vote on a resolution supporting this application.

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM GUIDELINES
CONTACT MAP: PHONE 202.289.9118 EMAIL [email protected]

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Eligibility and Readiness
Eligible institutions include aquariums, arboreta, art museums, botanical gardens, children/youth museums,
1
general museums (having two or more significant disciplines), historic houses/sites, history museums, natural
history/anthropology museums, nature centers, planetariums, science/technology museums, specialized
museums (museums with collections limited to one narrowly defined discipline—e.g., textiles, stamps, maritime,
ethnic group), and zoos.
An applicant must be a museum that:
 is organized on a permanent basis for essentially educational or aesthetic purposes;
 cares for and owns or uses tangible objects, whether animate or inanimate, and exhibits these objects
on a regular basis through facilities it owns or operates;
 is a unit of federal, state or local government or a private nonprofit organization [501(c)3];
 has at least one professional staff member or the full-time equivalent, whether paid or unpaid, whose
responsibilities relate solely to the museum’s services and operations; and
 is open and providing museum services to the general public on a regular basis (a museum that exhibits
objects to the general public for at least 90 days a year fulfills this requirement). If a museum is not
scheduled to be open to the public 90 days a year, it is still eligible to participate in MAP if it can
demonstrate that it was open at least 90 days in the preceding year through a combination of scheduled
days open and days open by appointment.
A museum operated within a multipurpose public or private nonprofit organization such as a municipality,
university, historical society, foundation, or cultural center may apply on its own behalf if:
 the museum is able to independently fulfill all the requirements for eligibility listed above;
 functions as a discrete unit within the parent organization;
 has its own fully segregated and itemized operating budget;
 has the authority to apply on its own.
When any of the last three conditions cannot be met, a museum may apply through its parent organization, and
the parent organization may submit an application(s) for one or more of its museums.

Conducting Another MAP Assessment
If you have participated in a MAP assessment previously, please answer the brief questions on page 11 of the
application explaining any accomplishments since the last assessment and why you want another assessment.
This is useful to help MAP staff understand how you’ve used MAP in the past and why you are applying for
another assessment.

1

Words in bold appear in the glossary.

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM GUIDELINES
CONTACT MAP: PHONE 202.289.9118 EMAIL [email protected]

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Funding and Cost Information
Museums participating in MAP on a flexible participation basis are responsible for covering all costs associated
with the assessment. The estimated costs range from $4,000-$6,000 depending on the number of peer reviewers
and costs for travel. This covers the participation fee, peer reviewer travel costs, and peer reviewer honorarium.
PARTICIPATION FEE $3,000 for AAM Institutional Members
$3,500 for non-members
PEER REVIEWER You are responsible for all peer reviewer travel expenses. Your Peer Reviewer(s)
EXPENSES will work with you to make their travel arrangements once the Site Visit date has
been negotiated. Peer Reviewers are conducting a professional business trip when
they visit your museum.
 Travel--Travel can be by plane, train, personal car, or rental car, and can
include any fees associated with airport parking, etc. We encourage
museums and Peer Reviewers to make travel arrangements in advance in
order to reduce expenses.
 Food--Meals and snacks during the Visit and during travel to and from the
museum.
 Lodging--Generally one to three nights, depending on the Site Visit
Agenda and the complexity of the assessment. Often times museums work
with local hotels to receive complimentary/reduced rate rooms for their
Peer Reviewer(s). This is an excellent opportunity to build and reinforce
local relationships.
OUT OF POCKET COSTS Other potential costs:





costs for a second Peer Reviewer for travel
costs associated with food or beverage for meetings/events when the
Peer Reviewer(s) is on-site.
staff time
postage and long-distance telephone charges

NUMBER OF PEER Each participant receives one Peer Reviewer to conduct their Site Visit and write
REVIEWERS FOR YOUR their Assessment Report. If your museum would like to have more than one Peer
ASSESSMENT Reviewer, AAM will arrange for a second Peer Reviewer. You will be obligated to
pay the travel expenses and honorarium for each peer reviewer.
Complex museums or museums with multiple sites may want to think about having
an additional Peer Reviewer. Benefits of having more than one Peer Reviewer
include:
 Multiple perspectives on complex situations
 Ability to meet with more staff and governing authority members face-toface because Peer Reviewers can split up the duties
 Peer Reviewers with different areas of expertise can concentrate their
focus on those areas, matching their expertise to the needs of the
participating museum
 Museums preparing for Accreditation or subsequent Accreditation may
benefit from multiple perspectives
If you would like to have two Peer Reviewers instead of one, all you will have to do
is check the box on the application indicating you would like to have two peer
reviewers. Your invoice will include the participation fee as well as the honoraria for
the second reviewer. When the time approaches for your Site Visit, your Peer
Reviewers will work together to conduct the site visit.

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM GUIDELINES
CONTACT MAP: PHONE 202.289.9118 EMAIL [email protected]

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Program Evaluation
EVALUTION OF MAP Over 6,000 MAP assessments over the past thirty years have shaped the way the
program works today. Your comments on the assessment process will help us to
improve it for future users. Your feedback is also required as a part of MAP’s
obligation to the Institute of Museum and Library Services. You will be asked to
complete and return evaluations at all stages of the MAP process: application,
Self-Study, and during implementation one year after completing the program. We
welcome your comments and observations at any point during the assessment.
OUTCOME-BASED The Museum Assessment Program is committed to the process of outcome-based
EVALUATION evaluation. Outcome-based evaluation is a systematic way to assess the extent to
which a program has achieved its intended results. MAP staff will work with each
participating museum to determine whether MAP is having its intended results in
the field. This effort includes the following:
 Baseline Questions
The application includes a few questions that will further identify the
museum’s current state of affairs and its goals and objectives for the
program in order for us to create a baseline to judge future change.
 Implementation Goals Form
After you have completed the self-study and peer review phases of the
program, we will ask you to review your original goals for participating in
the program. You will then list your goals and answer a few brief questions.
 One-Year Progress Update
After a year has passed from the completion of your assessment, we will
return the Implementation Goals Form to you along with an Implementation
Goals Accomplished Form. This form provides us with an idea of how
successful you have been at implementing your goals as well as the
impact of the program.

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM GUIDELINES
CONTACT MAP: PHONE 202.289.9118 EMAIL [email protected]

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AAM’s Accreditation Program
Many museums that undertake MAP are preparing for Accreditation or subsequent Accreditation. AAM
Accreditation is a widely recognized seal of approval that brings national recognition to a museum for its
commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards, and continued institutional improvement.
The Museum Assessment and Accreditation Programs are tools that museums can use to:
 assess their operations in light of their mission and resources
 compare themselves to other similar institutions on a national level
 evaluate themselves against standards and best practices in the museum field
Both use a process of self-assessment and peer review to achieve these ends. However, there are significant
differences in the purposes and outcomes of the two programs. For all those participating in the MAP or
Accreditation programs, the program differences are available below.
MAP

Accreditation
The purpose of the program is to:
Provide collegial, consultative feedback that the
Recognize museums for excellence and high
museum can use to set priorities and identify needs for
professional standards, public service, leadership and
change.
educational role; promote quality and public
accountability; certify that a museum operates
according to the current best practices.
The purpose of self-assessment is to:
Help museum staff and members of the governing
Provide a framework for an overall evaluation, catalyze
authority share information, test assumptions and try
strategic planning, and engage staff and board to focus
new ways of operating, as well as providing the MAP
on mission/goals; provide the Visiting Committee and
Peer Reviewer with information.
Accreditation Commission in-depth information about
the museum’s operations.
The purpose of peer review is to:
Provide the museum with information on how their
Verify for the Accreditation Commission that the
operations measure up to standards and best practices
museum operates as reported in its self-study and
in the field, suggest ideas on how they might address
meets the program requirements; and, for the museum,
their current challenges, and identify resources that
provide an outside perspective on strengths and
might be of help to them.
weaknesses. Visiting Committee members’ role is not to
provide specific recommendations to the museum on
how to improve operations or rectify problems.
The outcome of the program is that:
Museums completing MAP have two new resources:
Museums that apply for Accreditation are: (1) granted
their completed Self-Study Workbook and the
accreditation, (2) tabled for the purpose of clarifying
Assessment Report from their Peer Reviewer(s). These information or correcting deficiencies, or (3) denied
documents help them engage in planning and identify
accreditation.
opportunities for improvement.

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM GUIDELINES
CONTACT MAP: PHONE 202.289.9118 EMAIL [email protected]

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FAQs ABOUT Q: Do museums have to engage in MAP before applying for accreditation or
ACCREDITATION subsequent accreditation?
A: No, there is no requirement that museums complete any of the MAP
assessments before applying for accreditation. However, many museums do use
MAP as a means of preparing for accreditation, and find it a useful tool for
identifying and correcting deficiencies prior to applying for accreditation.
Q: We want to use MAP as a means of preparing for accreditation. How can
we best make use of MAP for this purpose?
A: Tell the MAP staff in your application and in your self-study that you want to use
MAP as preparation for applying for accreditation. Staff will match you with a Peer
Reviewer who is familiar with accreditation requirements. Also, request and read
the Criteria and Characteristics of an Accreditable Museum and Accreditation
Commission Expectations before completing your MAP Self-Study Workbook, and
incorporate this information into your own assessment of your operations.
Q: Our museum received a glowing Assessment Report from our MAP Peer
Reviewer. Does this mean we will definitely be accredited?
A: No, being commended by your MAP Peer Reviewer does not guarantee that
your museum is accreditable. However, it is highly likely that a MAP Peer Reviewer
will notice and comment upon a museum practice that could become an issue
during the accreditation process.
Q: Once our museum has completed its MAP, does it automatically move on
to Accreditation?
A: No, MAP and Accreditation are two separate programs. You will need to apply
for Accreditation when you are ready.
Q: Our museum has submitted an application for accreditation, and now we
want to do MAP at the same time. Is this permitted?
A: Yes, museums may engage in MAP and Accreditation separately or at the same
time as it best serves their needs. However, since a considerable amount of staff
time is needed to complete the self-study portion of either program, take this into
account when scheduling your participation. It may help to evaluate your goals in
pursuing one or the other, and assess whether completing both at once serves
your needs.
For more information on AAM’s Accreditation Program, visit www.aamus.org/accred.

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM GUIDELINES
CONTACT MAP: PHONE 202.289.9118 EMAIL [email protected]

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About the Application
MAP Flexible Participation Applications will be accepted within a few weeks of applying. The application may
take an average of 5-7 hours to complete.
ACCESSING THE The application form is available on the AAM Web site as a Word document for
APPLICATION download. With the Word document, simply download the form and save it onto
your hard drive. You can then close your Web browser, open your word processing
program, and open the document. You will be able to fill out the questions at your
leisure, saving the completed document to your computer hard drive, network, or
compact disc.
APPLICATION FORMATS In the Word-fill-in format, you have the convenience of box-checking, which may
expedite your completion of the application. However, Word fill-in has limited
functions, lacking freedom to format the document as you please, as well as
excluding your ability to spell-check.
If you do not want to use a Word fill-in form, please contact the MAP staff at
[email protected] to get a version in Word that does not have the convenience of
box checking but has more formatting capabilities.
Make sure to choose the application format that will work best for you.

Next Steps
APPLICATION REVIEW Museum Assessment Program staff will notify you when your application has been
received and may need to contact you with questions about your application.
Delayed responses to staff inquires may jeopardize your eligibility for the program.
PROGRAM ACCEPTANCE Within several weeks of receiving your completed application, Museum
NOTIFICATION Assessment Program staff will process your application and notify you of your
acceptance status in the program. If accepted, Museum Assessment Program staff
will mail a letter of accepted participation, which you will be required to sign and
return back by the stated deadline. Participation fees and honoraria expenses will
also be included at the time of acceptance and payment will be requires within 30
days of the invoice.
DROP POLICY Sometimes it is necessary for museums to withdraw from the Museum Assessment
Program because the museum decides it is necessary or preferable, or because
AAM determines that the museum is not successfully moving forward in the
program. Information is available on the AAM Web site, www.aam-us.org/map,
about this policy and process.

TIPS FOR COVERING There are a number of creative ways to fund your museum assessment, many that
COSTS help you build stronger relationships in your community. Information is available
on the AAM website at www.aam-us.org/museumresources/map/resources.cfm
about “Alternative Ways to Pay MAP Cost Share.” Although your museum will be
looking for ways to cover the costs of the entire program rather than the cost share
portion, the tips remain the same. A template letter for attracting funders to
underwrite the costs of applying for MAP through Flexible Participation is also
available n the AAM website through the above link.

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM GUIDELINES
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xi

Application

Flexible Participation Application Details
The application may take an average of 5-7 hours to complete.
DUNS Organizations should verify that they have a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data
Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number or take steps needed to obtain one.
Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the toll-free
request line at 1-866-705-5711 or by visiting http://www.dnb.com/us/duns_update.
TIN or EIN

A TIN or EIN, is a nine-digit number that the IRS assigns to business entities. The
IRS uses this number to identify taxpayers who are required to file various
business tax returns.

PROOF OF NON-PROFIT If your organization is incorporated as a non-profit, you must submit a copy of the
STATUS Federal IRS letter indicating your organization’s eligibility for nonprofit status under
the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended. A
letter of state sales tax exemption is not accepted as proof of nonprofit status.
PARENT LETTER If your organization operates as part of a unit of state or local government or other
tax-exempt multipurpose organization such as a university, you must submit an
official document identifying the museum as such. The certification must be on the
parent organization’s letterhead, and must refer to the relationship between the
parent organization and the applicant, and it must be signed by an official of the
parent organization.
ELIGIBILITY SAMPLE To show your eligibility for MAP, you must provide information for your museum’s
ANSWERS hours of operation and staffing on page 10-11. Describe your museum’s open hours
and the number of hours for your staff, as in the following examples below:
MUSEUM SCHEDULE
Date to Date

Sun

Mon

Tues

January 15 to
March 15
March 16 to September 15

15pm

15pm

15pm

September 16 to January
14

Wed

Thurs

Fri

Sat

1- 5pm

1- 5pm

1- 5pm

12 - 5pm

1 - 5pm

1 - 5pm

1 - 5pm

12 - 5pm

1 - 5pm

1 - 5pm

1 - 5pm

12 - 5pm

STAFFING
Name:

Martin Free

Hours per week:

Title:
Mon

Tue
s

Site Manager
Wed

Thur
s

X volunteer
Fri

Sat

paid
Sun

Total

(fill in work hours for
each day and total for
week)
0
4
6
6
8
8
4
36
Responsibilities: Responsible for daily oversight of the museum, collections management, educational
programming, and fund raising

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FLEXIBLE PARTICIPATON APPLICATION
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1

Application Checklist
ASSEMBLING THE Before mailing your application, be certain all information is complete:
Copy of this checklist followed by:
PACKAGE
Application with original signatures
One (1) additional copy of the MAP Application. Please provide two (2)
additional copies of the MAP application if you would like to have two Peer
Reviewers.
Proof of Nonprofit Status (see page 1 for instructions)
Signed Parent Letter—if applicable (see page 1 for instructions)
Job descriptions for staff (see page 1 for instructions)
Promotional piece—could include a brochure or rack card
READINESS For Collections Stewardship, Community Engagement, and Leadership
Assessment applications, be sure to complete the Readiness section, on
page 11.
For Leadership Assessment applications, please include:
Resolution of your governing authority in support of this application
(see model resolution on page 14 of application)
For MAP applications for museums that have previously conducted a MAP:
Answer questions in the Readiness section on page 11 describing what
changes have occurred since participating in the Museum Assessment Program in
the past (see instructions on page iv of application). Please contact MAP staff if
you need further clarification.
APPLICATION FORMATS In the Word-fill-in format, you have the convenience of box-checking, which may
expedite your completion of the application. However, Word fill-in has limited
functions, lacking freedom to format the document as you please, as well as
excluding your ability to spell-check.
If you do not want to use a Word fill-in form, contact MAP staff at [email protected] to get another version.
Make sure to choose the application format that will work best for you.
SUBMITTING YOUR Send the complete application package to:
APPLICATION Museum Assessment Program
American Association of Museums
1575 Eye Street N.W., Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005-1105
Hand-delivered applications will be accepted between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
(Eastern) daily, except Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays.

For questions about the application process or about readiness
issues, contact the Museum Assessment Program staff at (202) 2899118, or by e-mail at [email protected].
You are now accessing the Word Fill-in Format.

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FLEXIBLE PARTICIPATON APPLICATION
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2

Museum Assessment Program Application
ASSESSMENT TYPE (see page i for descriptions) (Check only one)
Organizational Assessment
Community Engagement Assessment

Collections Stewardship Assessment
Leadership Assessment

NUMBER OF PEER REVIEWERS (see page v for more details):
One

Two (Invoiced for additional honoraria)

INSTITUTIONAL FACE SHEET
Institution Name:
Alternate Name (if any):
Previous Name (if any):
Name of parent organization or friends group applying for this organization, if applicable:

Mailing Address:
City:

State:

Zip:

Physical Address (if different):
City:

State:

Zip:

Telephone:

Fax:

Web Address:

DUNS Number:
TIN (EIN) Number:
(see page 1 for descriptions)
Congressional district:
(If you do not know your district, go to www.house.gov and enter your zip code)
OPERATING EXPENSES
Fiscal Year
Most recently
completed
FY 20
Second
most recently
completed

Operating
Income
$

Operating
Expenses
$

Operating Deficit
(if applicable)
$

Operating Surplus
(if applicable)
$

$

$

$

$

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FLEXIBLE PARTICIPATION APPLICATION
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FY 20
ASSESSMENT TEAM
List the name, title, and contact information for your director and all members of your anticipated
Assessment Team (see page iii). Please indicate which person is your primary point of contact
regarding your MAP assessment by placing a “1” in the brackets and indicate which person is
your secondary contact by placing a “2” in the brackets. (Attach separate sheet, if needed, to list
additional Team members.)
Name
[
[
[
[
[
[
[

Title

e-mail

Phone

]
]
]
]
]
]
]

INSTITUTIONAL INFORMATION
Note: These questions do not relate to eligibility. Answers to these questions help us learn more about
your organization and match your organization with an appropriate Peer Reviewer.
1.

Please check which of the following best describes your institution. If your museum is a general
museum representing more than one discipline, please check all the categories that best
describe your museum:
Aquarium
Art museum/center
Children’s/youth museum
General museum (a museum representing two or more disciplines equally).
Historic house/site
History museum
Natural history/anthropology museum
Nature center
Planetarium
Public garden (arboretum/botanic garden)
Science/technology museum
Specialized museum (a museum with collections limited to one narrowly defined discipline—
e.g., textiles, stamps, maritime, ethnic group)
Please list the specialty:
Zoological society

2.

Does your institution have a parent organization?

Yes

No

If yes, which one of the following best describes your institution’s parent organization?
a. College/university
b. Museum or museum system (e.g., state, local, private nonprofit, etc.)
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3.

c. Other:
Which one of the following best describes your institution’s governing authority? (please select
only one): Note: if your institution has a parent organization, please indicate the nature of your
parent’s governing authority.)
a. Municipal
b. County
c. State
d. Federal
e. Tribal
f. Private nonprofit
g. For-profit
h. Dual Governance (please indicate governing entities: letter
i. Other:

and letter )

4.

Year the museum was first open and exhibiting to the general public

5.

Museum’s attendance for the 12-month period prior to application:
Onsite
Offsite
Virtual/Web

6.

Briefly describe your major programs.

7.

Briefly describe your facilities (including buildings and grounds).

8.

What is your museum’s mission? (Attach on a separate sheet if you prefer.)

9.

(year)

Does your institution currently utilize any web-based resources? If yes, check all that apply
and include corresponding addresses where available:
Website:
Blog:
Facebook:
Twitter:
YouTube:
Other:

10.

Has your museum participated in:
a) Conservation Assessment Program?
If yes, what year(s):

Yes

No

b) AASLH’s StEPs Program?
If yes, what year did you begin?
Which sections have you worked on?

Yes

No

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Have you completed any sections?
Yes
No
If yes, which certificates have you earned?
How has StEPs helped you prepare for MAP?
c) Have you participated in other programs that helped prepared you for MAP?
If yes, what programs:
11.

Yes

No

Within the past three years, has your organization experienced (check all that apply):
Change of executive director
Layoff of 10% or more of staff
Turnover of 30% or more of staff
Hiring of first professional staff
Opening a new building or new museum
Major construction
Disaster (flood/fire/earthquake)
Theft of collections objects
Cancellation of capital improvements or expansion plans
Budget deficits
Increase in budget of over 25%
Loss of significant funding that adversely affected the organization’s ability to fulfill its
mission
Public pressure to cancel or alter exhibit content
Merger with another institution
Organizational restructuring
Significant change of mission/purpose
Other:
If you checked any of the above, describe the circumstances related to the situation(s):

12.

List the three objectives you would most like this MAP assessment process to accomplish, and
explain. Please review the common objectives on page ii to iii to help shape your goals.
a)

b)

c)

13.

Museums are complex organizations and yours may be facing many challenges and priorities
that may be outside the scope of this assessment. To help us better understand your institution,
please identify below the top three concerns regarding the operations of your museum (Check
three):

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COLLECTIONS
Collections Management (Acquisitions; Accessioning; Appraisals;
STEWARDSHIP Cataloging; Deaccessioning; Inventories; Loans; Packing, Moving &
Shipping; Writing a Collections Management Policy)
Collections Planning
Conservation & Historic Preservation (Collections Care, Condition
Reporting, Conservation Treatment, Historic Preservation, Planning,
Preventive Care, Storage & Handling)
Ethical & Legal Collections Issues (Access to Collections Records,
Rights & Reproductions, Tax Issues)
HUMAN
Contracted Services (Choosing/Finding a Consultant, Contracts,
RESOURCES Request for Proposal)
Directors (Contracts, Transitions)
Employment Law
Interns
Personnel Policy Issues (Benefits, Compensation, Diversity,
Grievance, Harassment, Performance Management, Personnel Records &
Privacy, Separation)
Position Description Development
Professional Development & Training (Leadership, Management
Skills, Mentoring)
Recruitment, Selection & Orientation (Background Checks,
Interviews, Job Offers, Orientation, Recruitment, Resumes)
Staff Structure (Organization Chart Development)
Volunteers (Docents; Orientation & Training; Performance
Management; Position Descriptions; Recruitment; Screening, Interviewing
& Placement; Policy Development, Program Management)
GOVERNANCE &
Accountability & Ethics (Codes of Ethics, Conflict of Interest,
SUPPORT Disclosure, Record Retention)
Governing Documents (Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Delegation of
ORGANIZATIONS
Authority, Management Agreements, Resolution of Permanence)
Parent Organizations
Promoting Effectiveness (Meetings, Retreats, Self-Assessment)
Recruitment & Orientation (Board Development, Diversity,
Orientation)
Relationship with Staff (Board-Director Relationship)
Responsibilities
Structure (Advisory Groups, Board Position Descriptions, Committees,
Size, Term Limits)
Support Organizations
FINANCIAL STABILITY

Development (Case Statement, Donor Relations, Evaluation,
Fundraising, In-Kind Goods & Services, Tax Issues)
Earned Income (Admissions Income, Corporate Sponsorship, Facility
Use, Food Service,
Licensing, Membership, Museum Stores, Travel Programs)
Financial Management (Accounting, Asset Management, Audit,
Budget, Financial Reports, Internal Controls, Policy Development,
Retrenchment)

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FLEXIBLE PARTICIPATION APPLICATION
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INTERPRETATION &
EDUCATION

Accessibility
Evaluation & Visitor Studies
Interpretive Planning, Policies & Research
Learning in Museums
Methods of Delivery (Demonstrations & Discovery Rooms, Exhibits,
Interpretive Markers, Museum Theatre, Non-Print Media, Online
Interpretation & Education, Publications, Programs, Tours)

Business Plan Development
MISSION &
Change Management (Closing Permanently, Governance Transition,
INSTITUTIONAL
PLANNING Life Cycles, Mergers)
Engaging the Community (Collaborations, Museum Partnerships,
Community Revitalization)
Information Technology (Communications Equipment, Hardware,
Internet Access, Museum Websites, Networks, Software, Technology Plan
Development)
Institutional Performance Measures & Indicators
Institutional Planning
Mission & Vision
Project Management
Construction (Feasibility Studies, New Construction, Expansion,
FACILITIES & RISK
MANAGEMENT Renovation)
Facilities & Site Management (Accessibility, Leases, Office
Procedures, Space Allocation, Relocation)
Risk Management (Emergency/Disaster Planning, Preparedness &
Recovery; Insurance; Safety; Security/Theft/Vandalism)
Legal Issues (CAN-SPAM Act, Do Not Call, Do Not Fax, Truth in
MARKETING & PUBLIC
RELATIONS Advertising)
Market Research (Attendance, Market Segments)
Marketing Plan Development
Positioning & Branding
Promotion (Advertising, Internet Promotion, Printed Materials, Signage,
Telemarketing, Tourism)
Public Relations (Community Relations, Crisis Communication, Media
Relations, Visitor Services)

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FLEXIBLE PARTICIPATION APPLICATION
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Eligibility
The following questions are designed to determine your museum’s eligibility to participate in the
Museum Assessment Program. If you are uncertain or have questions, please contact MAP staff to
discuss. Note: If your organization is governed by a parent institution, all answers should refer to your
museum only.
14.

Is the museum organized as a public or private nonprofit institution
that exists on a permanent basis for essentially educational or
aesthetic purposes?

Yes

No

15.

Does the museum own, use, or care for tangible objects, whether
animate or inanimate?

Yes

No

Briefly describe your museum’s collections (living and/or nonliving). Include type and
approximate number. If your museum does not own, use, or care for collections, describe the
types of objects used in exhibits.
16.

Are these objects exhibited to the public on a regular basis through facilities
the museum owns or operates?

Yes

No

If you are physically located within a larger facility (for example a university art gallery within a
classroom building), indicate how you exercise control over your exhibition or program space:

17.

Briefly describe your major exhibits:

18.

Is the museum open and exhibiting to the public at least 90 days a year?

Yes

Total number of days the museum was open to the public for the 12-month
period prior to application. If you are not regularly open 90 days a year,
please list additional dates that the museum was open outside the normal
operating schedule and the reason the museum was open. (Example:
April 1—Girl Scout troop visit)

No

days

List below the museum’s schedule each day of the week. Include only those hours that the
museum is open to the public (e.g.,9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.). If the schedule is seasonal, fill in the
months that apply (add additional lines if needed). See page TK for sample.
Date to
Date

19.

2

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thurs

Fri

Sat

Does the museum have at least one full-time2 paid or unpaid staff member or the equivalent3,
whose primary duty includes the governance, administration, programming, and collections

Full-time is defined as 35 hours per week.

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management of the museum?
Total number of full-time paid staff
Total number of part-time4 paid staff
Total number of full-time unpaid staff
Total number of part-time unpaid staff
20.

Does your organization have a director?

Yes

No

21.

If yes, is the director of the museum full-time?

Yes

No

Director’s Name
Mon

22.

volunteer
Hours per week (fill in work hours and total for week)
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun

paid
Total

List up to five positions, other than any director listed above, responsible for the professional
activities of your museum (according to job description) and the number of hours per week they
each work. (Your answer should establish how you achieve the full-time equivalency necessary
to be eligible.)
Name:
Responsibilities:
Mon

Title:

Hours per week (fill in work hours and total for week)
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun

Name:
Responsibilities:
Mon

Tues

Title:

volunteer

Hours per week (fill in work hours and total for week)
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun

Name:
Responsibilities:
Mon

volunteer

Title:

volunteer

Hours per week (fill in work hours and total for week)
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun

Name:
Responsibilities:

Title:

volunteer

paid

Total

paid

Total

paid

Total

paid

Hours per week (fill in work hours and total for week)
3

An equivalent full-time staff member consists of 2-3 part-time paid or unpaid staff members with responsibilities that relate solely to the
museum’s services or operations.
4
Part-time is defined as less than 35 hours per week.
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Mon

Tues

Wed

Name:
Responsibilities:
Mon

Thurs

Title:

Fri

Sat

Sun

volunteer

Hours per week (fill in work hours and total for week)
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun

Total

paid

Total

Please include copies of job descriptions for all positions listed above as part of your application. Only
one copy of each job description is necessary.

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Readiness
The following questions are designed to help you and MAP staff determine your readiness to participate
in the Museum Assessment Program. If you have questions regarding these readiness issues, please
contact MAP staff.
PRIOR PARTICIPATION MAP APPLICATIONS ONLY
Answer questions only if you have conducted a previous MAP
If you have conducted a MAP in the past, please explain
23.

Prior Participation: Has the museum participated in a:
Yes

Year (if yes)

No

Don’t Know

Collections Stewardship Assessment
(Collections Management Assessment)
Leadership Assessment
(Governance Assessment)
Organizational Assessment
(Institutional Assessment)
Community Engagement Assessment
(Public Dimension Assessment)

Describe what accomplishments your museum has achieved since your previous MAP assessment.
Describe your museum’s need for a new assessment (attach additional pages if needed).
COLLECTIONS STEWARDSHIP ASSESSMENT APPLICATIONS ONLY
Answer question 22 only if you are applying for the Collections Stewardship Assessment.
If you are applying for the Collections Stewardship Assessment, MAP staff strongly recommends that
you have a collections policy in place, or that a draft of a policy will be ready before your site visit. This
is based on feedback from MAP Peer Reviewers, who find that they can be of greatest help to the
museum if there is a policy or draft policy on which they can comment.
24.

Do you currently have a collections management policy?
No, and none in preparation
No, but we can guarantee a draft will be in place before the MAP Peer Reviewer’s visit
Yes, in preparation
Yes, approved by our governing authority
Explain the status of your draft if the policy is not yet approved by your governing authority.

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ASSESSMENT APPLICATIONS ONLY
Answer questions 25-26 only if you are applying for the Community Engagement Assessment.
If you are applying for the Community Engagement Assessment, MAP staff strongly recommends that
you have a formal mission statement approved by your governing authority, have participated in some
form of organizational self-study, and have some process in place for institutional/strategic planning.
We base these recommendations on staff and Peer Reviewer experience with Community Engagement
Assessment participants.
 An approved mission statement indicates a clear institutional self-image that can be tested
against the community’s perception of the museum.
 Previous experience with self-study helps you to manage the logistics of this assessment, which
are complicated by the need to involve members of your community and audiences.
 An established process for institutional/strategic planning ensures that you have a way of using
the large amount of information that will result from your self-study and Assessment Report.
Is your mission statement formalized in a document adopted by
your governing body?

Yes

No

If yes, what is the date it was originally adopted?
When was it last reviewed?
25.

Have you participated in any form of self-study?
(If yes, check all that apply)
Accreditation
MAP Collections Stewardship (Collections Management) Assessment
MAP Leadership (Governance) Assessment
MAP Organizational (Institutional) Assessment
MAP Community Engagement (Public Dimension) Assessment
Conservation Assessment Program (through Heritage Preservation)
StEPS (through American Association of State and Local History)
IMLS Grant Application (specify):
In-house work with a consultant
Other (specify):

Yes

No

26.

Do you have some type of institutional planning process in place?
If yes, is it
formal or
informal
If informal, please describe:
If formal, is it formalized into a written plan?

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

No
No
No
No

Is the plan:
Current?
Written to cover more than one year?
Approved by your governing authority?
Systematically monitored and reviewed?

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LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT APPLICATIONS ONLY
Answer questions 27-34 only if you are applying for the Leadership Assessment.
The success of the Leadership Assessment will depend on the quality of involvement of the museum’s
governing authority. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you brief your full governing authority
on the Museum Assessment Program and their role in the assessment process. (Pages i to iii of this
Application can be used as briefing material.) It would be productive for your answer to question 12 on
page 6 (your objectives for the Leadership Assessment) to be based on a discussion of this issue by
the governing authority as a whole prior to passing the resolution as described below.
27.

How long has the director of the museum held this position?

28.

When and how often does the governing authority meet?

29.

If you have a Board of Trustees or comparable group of people who constitute the governing
authority, how many members does it have?

30.

Is the executive director of the museum hired by, and does he or
she report to, this governing group?

Yes

No

If no (for example, a university museum where the director reports to a departmental
chairperson or a municipal museum where the director reports to the city manager), please
explain the reporting structure that encompasses the museum director, his or her supervisor,
and the governing authority. Specify who holds the power to hire and evaluate the director,
make policy, and approve the museum budget.

31.

Do you have one or more non-governing boards (e.g., advisory or
auxiliary boards, governing boards of associated friends organizations)?

Yes

No

If yes, please list:

32.

Which of the following are true of your organization and governing authority? Check all that
apply:
The founder of the museum currently serves on the governing authority.
The governing authority contains two or more members of the original, founding board of
the institution (specify number of such members:
).
Members of the governing authority play a day-to-day role in the administration or
operations of the museum (e.g., serving as unpaid staff in key positions).
The museum’s by-laws establish term limits for members of the governing authority.

33.

Can your governing authority commit sufficient time to participating
in the Leadership Assessment self-study and peer review visit? For
example, for a board of trustees this might include devoting time to the
self-study at several board meetings; work by committees or subgroups
as needed; and a board meeting scheduled to coincide with the Peer Reviewer’s

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Yes

No

13

site visit. At a university, this might include similar meetings with
representatives from the central administration and, if applicable, with
members of key advisory, non-governing boards.
Because the involvement of the governing authority is crucial to the success of your Leadership
Assessment, we require that the governing authority pass a resolution in support of this application.
34.

Has your governing authority approved a resolution supporting
participation in a MAP Leadership Assessment?

Yes

No

For your convenience, model language for such a resolution is provided below. This might be
presented for a vote of the governing authority at a regularly scheduled meeting or circulated via mail or
e-mail for approval.
Please append the resolution that you do use to this application, and indicate the date it was passed.
Sample Resolution of the Governing Authority Supporting Participation in a MAP Leadership
Assessment:
“The governing authority of the (insert organization’s name) has been briefed on the Museum
Assessment Program (MAP) Leadership Assessment, and on what will be expected of our organization
if our application is accepted. The governing authority fully supports participation of (insert
organization’s name) in the Leadership Assessment and each member pledges his or her support to
completing the program in a timely and thoughtful manner. We endorse the “three primary objectives”
of the (insert organization’s name) in undertaking the Leadership Assessment as stated in this
application.”
Approved by vote of the governing authority on: _______________________________
Signature, head of governing authority: _________________________date: __________

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Application Evaluation
OUTCOME BASED EVALUATION
The following questions are meant to assist us in setting the foundation for outcome based evaluation.
Please answer them honestly. Outcome based evaluation will help us determine whether or not the
Museum Assessment Program is having its intended results.
Which of the following plans do you have in writing? Check all that apply.
Collections plan
Facilities maintenance plan
Housekeeping plan
Conservation plan
Furnishing plan (historic sites)
Interpretive plan
Accident, emergency, and/or disaster plan
Institutional plan (strategic or long-range)
Marketing plan
Landscaping/grounds maintenance plan
Other (please specify):
Which of the following written policies or procedures do you have? Check all that apply.
Collections management
Institutional code of ethics
Personnel
Accounting & internal control
Individual donor support
Business support
Facility use
Investment (e.g. endowment investment)
Other (please specify):
Rate the frequency of communication between paid staff, non-paid staff, and governing authority
members at your museum. Check the most accurate number.
Infrequent
1

Somewhat frequent
2

3

Routine
4

Which option best reflects the level of knowledge of your staff (paid and non-paid) about standards and
best practices in each of the following areas? For museums with a large staff where individuals have
specialized knowledge, rate the level of knowledge of the appropriate staff members.

Collections Stewardship
Facilities & Risk Management
Financial Management
Governance
Human Resources
Institutional Planning
Interpretation & Education

No Knowledge---Knowledgeable---Highly Knowledgeable
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FLEXIBLE PARTICIPATION APPLICATION
CONTACT MAP: PHONE 202.289.9118 EMAIL [email protected]

15

Marketing & Public Relations

1

2

3

4

Which option best reflects the level of knowledge of your governing authority about standards and best
practices in each of the following areas:

Collections Stewardship
Facilities & Risk Management
Financial Management
Governance
Human Resources
Institutional Planning
Interpretation & Education
Marketing & Public Relations

No Knowledge---Knowledgeable---Highly Knowledgeable
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FLEXIBLE PARTICIPATION APPLICATION
CONTACT MAP: PHONE 202.289.9118 EMAIL [email protected]

16

APPLICATION FEEDBACK
Help Us Improve MAP
Please answer the questions below to let us know how you heard of us and provide feedback about the
application. Your feedback will help us improve the application for future participants.
Where did you get the information that prompted your interest in this application? Check all that apply:
AAM website
MAP brochure
From a colleague
Session at a national, regional or state museum association (please specify):
Listserv posting (please specify):
Discussion with MAP staff
Discussion with IMLS staff
IMLS website/publication (please specify):
Aviso
Newsletter announcement (please specify):
Other:
Please rate each of the following aspects of the MAP Application:
Organization and format
Clarity of guidelines and application
Ease of completion

Excellent
Excellent
Excellent

Good
Good
Good

Fair
Fair
Fair

Approximately how many hours did it take you to complete this application?

Poor
Poor
Poor
hours

How many staff/board members participated in gathering and reviewing the information?
Did you need to contact MAP staff while completing the application?

Yes

No

If yes, was the MAP staff:
Very helpful

Helpful

Somewhat helpful

Not helpful

Rate the level of importance that you place on each of the following aspects of the Museum
Assessment Program (use a scale of 1=very important to 4=not important):
Self-Study
Site Visit
Written Assessment Report

1
1
1

2
2
2

3
3
3

4
4
4

If you are interested in learning more about AAM’s Accreditation Program, check here to receive a
packet of information.
Comments on the application process:

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FLEXIBLE PARTICIPATION APPLICATION
CONTACT MAP: PHONE 202.289.9118 EMAIL [email protected]

17

Signatures
We (the undersigned) have examined this MAP Application and agree upon the principle objectives of
the Assessment we chose. We have discussed the MAP process with the governing authority and staff
(paid and unpaid) and will engage them as appropriate in the steps of the process. We are ready to
work together to identify our current stage of development and institutional needs and to facilitate
change. We will review all recommendations that come out of the assessment and incorporate them
into our planning. We will pay any associated costs to participate (if applicable) and devote the time
needed to complete our MAP Assessment within the designated time period.
We have examined this application, and to the best of our knowledge, we hereby certify that the
information provided is true and correct and all requirements for a complete 2011 Museum Assessment
Program application have been fulfilled.
Two original signatures are required below:
Museum Director/CEO’s signature:*
____________________________________________________ Date: ______
Name:

Title:

Phone:

E-mail:

Head of Governing Authority’s (see glossary) signature:
____________________________________________________ Date: ______
Name:

Title:

Phone:

E-mail:

Additional Governing Authority Member’s signature: (only for museums without a
Director/CEO)
____________________________________________________ Date: ______
Name:

Title:

Phone:

E-mail:

If there is no museum director, please have the head of the governing authority sign as well as a
second person from the Governing Authority.

MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FLEXIBLE PARTICIPATION APPLICATION
CONTACT MAP: PHONE 202.289.9118 EMAIL [email protected]

18

Glossary
Best Practices: Commendable actions and philosophies that successfully solve problems, can be replicated, and
demonstrate an awareness of standards.
Dual governance: a governance structure in which two separate legal entities share governance of the museum.
This involves dividing or sharing basic governance responsibilities such as determining mission and purpose;
hiring, supporting, and evaluating the director; strategic planning; obtaining and managing resources; and
monitoring the organization's programs and services. For example: a museum jointly governed by a city
government, which owns the collections and the building and hires the staff, and a private nonprofit, which
determines museum policy and operates the museum. Does not automatically include museums that have
separately incorporated friends organizations, unless the friends organization has significant responsibility for
governance of the museum.
General museum: a museum that addresses two or more disciplines to a significant extent; for example, a
museum that interprets both art and history, or both history and science.
Governing Authority: the body with legal and fiduciary responsibility for the museum and for approving museum
policy (e.g., Board of Commissioners, Board of Directors, Board of Managers, Board of Regents, Board of
Trustees, City Council, Commission).
Governing Authority: The executive body to which the director reports/is responsible. It is charged with the
fiduciary responsibility for the museum and for approving museum policy.
Names of Governing Authority include: Advisory Council, Board of Commissioners, Board of Directors,
Board of Managers, Board of Regents, Board of Trustees, City Council, Commission.
Head of Governing Authority: The elected or appointed head of the executive body (governing authority) to
which the director reports. For institutions that are part of a larger nonmuseum parent organization, the head of
governing authority is considered to be the individual within the institution’s larger parent organization to whom
the director reports/is responsible (e.g., dean or provost of a university, director of parks and recreation for a
city government, military post commander, etc.)
Museum system: two or more museums or museum facilities that share a common parent organization. The
component parts of a museum system may be museums operating independently or quasi-independently with
distinct budgets and governing authorities, or may simply be separate, distinguishable sites all managed by the
same organization.
Operating income and expenses: income generated by or expenditures supporting the museum’s general
operations in a given fiscal year, including exhibitions, education, conservation, collections management,
collections acquisitions, research, training, development, and administration. Includes any portion of income from
the endowment that is applied to operating expenses in a given year. Does not include capital expenditures.
Parent organization: a larger organization within which a museum operates. Examples of parent organizations:
colleges or universities; tribal, municipal, state, or federal government; state historical societies supervising
multiple sites; corporate foundation, etc.
Specialized museum: a museum that does not fall into or combine any of the other discipline areas listed in
question 6 of the application—for example, quilt museums, clock museums, and stamp museums.
Standard: Generally accepted level of attainment for use as a basis of comparison in measuring or judging
performance.
Tangible objects: any three-dimensional objects that are used in any way at the museum. Collections managed
by virtual museums are not considered to be tangible objects.