FY22 MAP Application Form

MAP Application Form 20220127.docx

Museum Assessment Program Application

FY22 MAP Application Form

OMB: 3137-0101

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2024-11-19 - Revision of a currently approved collection

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Museum Assessment Program APPLICATION

Deadline MM/DD/YYYY

Questions? [email protected] or 202.289.9118

About the Museum Assessment Program

The Museum Assessment Program (MAP) is a technical assistance program that can help your museum attain excellence in operations and planning through a confidential process of self-study and peer review. MAP is part of the Continuum of Excellence and is administered by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). MAP is supported through a cooperative agreement between the AAM and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

About the American Alliance of Museums

The American Alliance 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. Representing more than 35,000 individual museum professionals and volunteers, institutions, and corporate partners serving the museum field, the Alliance stands for the broad scope of the museum community. For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. Its mission is to advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov.

This information collection is being conducted in conformance with the Museum and Library Services Act of 2018, as amended. IMLS intends to make institutional participation information provided through this form publicly available. However, information specifically identifying any individual will be protected from public disclosure to the extent permitted by law.

You are not required to respond to this collection of information unless it displays a currently valid U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OMB control number 3137-0101, and the expiration date is XX/XX/20XX.

Copyright © 20XX. All rights reserved subject to the federal interest. 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 Alliance of Museums, 2451 Crystal Drive, Suite 1005 Arlington, VA 22202.

PART I

Museum Assessment Program Overview

What is MAP?
Components of MAP
Benefits of MAP
Assessment Types

Organizational Assessment
Collections Stewardship Assessment
Community and Audience Engagement Assessment
Board Leadership Assessment
Education and Interpretation Assessment

MAP Process Schedule
Museum Roles and Responsibilities

The MAP Team
Evaluation and Reporting
Withdrawal Policy
Museum Responsibilities and Time Commitment Table

Eligibility

Eligibility Criteria for MAP Applicants
Museums with Parent Organizations
Returning to MAP or Repeating a MAP Assessment

Cost Information

Participation Fee
What You Get
Peer Reviewer Expenses
Number of Peer Reviewers

PART II

MAP Application Guidelines

Application Format
Required Application Materials
Submitting the Application
Next Steps

Glossary

PART III

MAP Application Form

Applicant Information
MAP Assessment Type
Your MAP Goals
MAP Assessment Team
Eligibility Considerations
Operational Information
Organizational Profile Information
Assessment History and Preparation

Application Evaluation

Supporting Documentation

Proof of Non-Profit Status
Organizational Chart
Letter from Parent Organization
Signatures

PART I
MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM OVERVIEW

What is MAP?

For more than 40 years the Museum Assessment Program (MAP) has helped more than 5,000 small and mid- sized museums of all types strengthen and align operations, plan for the future, build capacity, and benchmark themselves against standards. This takes place through a confidential, consultative one-year process of self-assessment, institutional activities, and peer review, including a site visit from an expert peer reviewer. MAP is administered by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM/the Alliance) and supported through a cooperative agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This allows AAM to provide museums $4,000 - $6,000 worth of consultative resources and services for a modest fee based on museum budget size.

In addition to the information contained in this document, you may learn more about MAP through reading case studies and examples of impact from former participants at https://www.aam- us.org/programs/accreditation-excellence-programs/museum-assessment-program-map/

Components of MAP

The MAP process consists of submitting an application; completing a self-study workbook and activities; undergoing a site visit; receiving a final report; and documenting immediate and longer-term action steps informed by the report.

Application

To be considered for participation in MAP, your museum must submit an application which collects information on eligibility, institutional capacity, assessment goals, who will be involved from the institution, and readiness for MAP.

MAP Portal

MAP participants use an online platform to support and guide their progression, step-by-step, through the process. Your institution will move through a series of modules that include narrated presentations, digital resources, and required materials.

MAP Workbook and Activities

The MAP Workbook and Activities are designed to help your institution see itself holistically and prepare the Peer Reviewer for the site visit. This self-assessment aspect of MAP:

stimulates a review of your institution’s policies, procedures, and records
fosters institutional dialogue and openness
informs the peer review phase
encourages new ways of operating
serves as a baseline against which to measure your museum’s progress

Peer Review/Site Visit

Each MAP assessment includes a site visit by a Peer Reviewer who is a museum professional volunteering their time, experience, and expertise to help your institution. They review your museum’s application and self-study materials; visit your museum for a 1 to 2-1/2 day site visit, and provide your museum with a report of findings and recommendations. The MAP priorities you identify in your application will help focus the Peer Reviewer’s visit and report. Peer review provides you the opportunity to receive:

a collegial critique of your operations from an external, fresh perspective
validation and input from an experienced museum professional
consultation and advice to help your museum improve

Implementation Planning

Museums receive and discuss the final report from their Peer Reviewer and then use it to create plans and take action to implement the recommendations. MAP will give you the tools and motivation to continue with next steps.

Evaluation

As part of their participation in MAP, museum staff must provide feedback about the materials and process, as well as report on individual results and benefits. Evaluation surveys are circulated periodically throughout the process and one year after completion.

Benefits of MAP

Museums emerge from MAP with:

greater alignment of activities, mission, and resources
analysis of strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities
prioritized roadmap for improving operations and meeting standards
practices benchmarked to standards
enhanced credibility with potential funders and donors
improved communications between staff, board, and other constituents
expert advice, recommendations, and resources
increased capacity for strategic planning

After participating in MAP, museums:

say the changes made as a result of MAP positively impacted visitor experience and/or community response to their museum
create or update at least one museum policy
are better prepared to go through Accreditation
credit MAP for their success in fundraising

For case studies and data visit https://www.aam-us.org/programs/accreditation-excellence- programs/impact/.

Assessment Types

There are five different MAP assessment types to choose from: Organizational, Collections Stewardship, Community and Audience Engagement, Board Leadership, and Education and Interpretation. Listed below for each assessment you will find a description of scope and purpose; what is required to participate (in addition to the general eligibility requirements for MAP); recommendations on what you should already have in place in order to participate successfully; and examples of how it can benefit your museum.

Each MAP assessment:

uses AAM’s Core Standards as benchmarks
addresses Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) concerns as they relate to the focus of each assessment
helps museums look at both functional and strategic aspects of their operations

If you need more guidance on which assessment is best for your institution, visit the following webpage or contact the MAP staff: https://www.aam-us.org/programs/accreditation-excellence-programs/map- assessment-types/.

Organizational Assessment

Purpose and Scope

The Organizational Assessment offers a strategic and holistic look at museum operations, taking into consideration the alignment of activities, resources, and mission along with ethics, practices, and core standards. With a focus on the long-term health of a museum, this assessment places significant emphasis on thinking, acting, and planning strategically; the alignment of leadership, staff capacity, and organizational structure; on risk management; and overall organizational culture. This assessment helps museums identify key areas of operations or functions that need to be strengthened.

Topics covered in the Organizational Assessment may include:

Ethics, transparency and openness
Facility planning and management
Financial resource allocation, development
Governance structure, composition, function, and role
Legal compliance, public disclosure, accountability
Mission statement
Operating environment/community partnerships
Organizational life cycle
Security, safety, and emergency planning
Staff roles, capacity, and compensation equity
Strategic planning

Eligibility and Readiness

See the main Eligibility section below.

Benefits

Completing this assessment may help museum staff increase their awareness and understanding of the respective roles and responsibilities of governing authority and staff.

It can improve alignment of operations to mission, resources to mission, and organizational structure to mission.

It can provide insights on the use and application of museum standards and best practices to strengthen museum operations and minimize risk.

It may increase knowledge of what resources are available to help your museum advance its mission and improve financial sustainability.

And finally, it can be a step in preparation for core document verification, accreditation or reaccreditation.

Collections Stewardship Assessment

Purpose and Scope

The Collection Stewardship assessment focuses on the practical, ethical, and strategic concerns related to the care and management of museum collections following professional practices and core standards. This assessment considers the care of collections within the context of the entirety of the museum’s overall operations, planning documents, and resource allocation priorities. When identified as a priority area by the museum, this assessment may cover topics such as the impact of decolonization on legacy collections or the stewardship of sacred and culturally sensitive objects.

Topics covered in the Collection Stewardship Assessment may include:

Acquisitions and accessioning
Alignment of collections, resources, and mission
Collection planning
Collection storage and access
Conservation and preservation
Deaccessioning and disposal
Documentation and inventory
Environmental monitoring and control
Emergency planning
Ethical, cultural, and legal issues
Loans
Staffing, training, and resource allocation

Eligibility and Readiness

In addition to the main eligibility requirement for MAP, your institution MUST have:

A formal and approved mission statement which has been recently reviewed.

MAP staff also strongly recommends that your museum have:

A collections management policy, at least in draft, before applying for this assessment. This recommendation is based on feedback from Peer Reviewers, who find that they can be of greatest help to a museum if there is a policy or draft policy on which they can comment.

Benefits

Completing this assessment may help your museum’s governing authority and staff increase knowledge about collections care, recognize and mitigate risks to the collection, and prioritize long-term collections stewardship issues.

It may help advance the physical and intellectual control of your museum collection and may generate new or revised collection policies or plans. It could help your museum prioritize long-term collections management issues and may support your museum’s ability to raise funds to support the collections.

This assessment could also assist in evaluating and reviewing the levels of collections management staffing, building capacity, and mechanical systems necessary to manage risk and improve overall collections stewardship.

And finally, it can be a step in preparation for core document verification, accreditation, or reaccreditation.

Community and Audience Engagement Assessment

Purpose and Scope

The Community and Audience Engagement assessment focuses on the museum’s awareness and understanding of, and relationship with, its various communities and audiences. It takes into consideration the way an audience and a community experience the museum and what perceptions may impact that experience. It is useful for museums that want to know:

what the community knows and thinks about the museum,

what staff and leadership know about the community and how they know it, and/or
who comes to the museum and how they engage with it.

This assessment will look at the roles your museum plays in your community and consider the ways in which the community may affect your museum. It may help your museum reflect on its culture and actions through the perspectives of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion, which can shape and influence the relevancy and financial sustainability of your museum. This assessment also will look at how your museum is meeting core standards.

Topics covered in the Community and Audience Engagement assessment may include:

Allocating organizational resources to enhance visitor services and improve visitor experience
Examining the ways in which your museum does or does not reflect your community
Fostering strategic partnerships and community relationships
Gathering and using audience data
Generating more inclusive and accessible messaging, branding and other public-facing media
Identifying barriers that exist to reaching your target audiences
Understanding the role of interpretive plans and related policies
Recognizing opportunities for community engagement within your museum (e.g., board service or having a voice in programming)

Eligibility and Readiness

In addition to the main eligibility requirement for MAP, your institution MUST have:

A formal and approved mission statement which has been recently reviewed.

MAP staff also strongly recommends that your museum have:

Someone on its internal Assessment Team with experience with self-assessment and/or working on projects that involve outside stakeholders. This will be of benefit when it comes to managing the assessment logistics, which need to involve members of your museum’s community and audiences.
An established process for institutional/strategic planning

In addition, prior completion of an Organizational Assessment is encouraged but not required.

Benefits

Completing this assessment can help your museum gain insight about your constituents and develop a more nuanced understanding of the demographics of your community or the needs of a particular audience. This assessment can increase understanding among staff and leadership about how your museum is perceived by its audiences and community and may lead to a better alignment of your museum’s mission with its audience and community.

It can help your museum improve its ability to respond to the changing nature of its audiences by identifying ways to incorporate these findings into planning and operational decisions. It may help your museum recognize and develop potential audiences, create collaborations to address community needs and align audience needs with exhibitions and programming. It may improve visitor services by helping you develop a long-range interpretive plan or design audience evaluation plans.

And finally, it can be a step in preparation for core document verification, accreditation, or reaccreditation.

Board Leadership Assessment

Purpose and Scope

This advanced assessment is for private non-profit museums with boards that are primarily strategically focused rather than operationally focused (i.e., members do not function as staff) and that are looking for guidance on how to strengthen their institution and ensure long-term success through more effective leadership-oriented governance. The assessment looks at the board from three perspectives— culture, people, work — and helps it identify opportunities to move the museum beyond surviving to thriving. It also helps strengthen the board’s understanding of museum ethics and standards.

Topics covered in the Board Leadership assessment may include:

Culture: Leadership and Board Dynamics

Accountability and ethics
Board-Director relationship
Museum core standards and ethics

People: Board Composition and Structure

Who is on the board and who is not
Diversity, skills, and connection to/reflection of community
Recruitment and orientation
Succession planning (board and director)

Work: Board Responsibilities

Advancing institutional diversity and inclusion
Advocacy (monitoring and engaging in public policy)
Performance and evaluation
Raising money and financial oversight
Strategic planning

Eligibility and Readiness

The Board Leadership Assessment is primarily designed for standalone museums that are 501(c)(3)s — organizations with boards that operate autonomously and have a fiduciary responsibility to the organization. However, if your museum is part of a larger parent organization whose board functions as your museum’s board or if your museum is a public-private partnership, contact the MAP staff to discuss, as the program will consider these on case-by-case basis.

Advisory boards are not eligible to participate in the Board Leadership Assessment. In addition to the main eligibility requirement for MAP, your institution MUST have:

a formal and approved mission statement that has been recently reviewed
bylaws
a paid director (Regardless of title, this is someone that functions as the chief executive officer — the highest ranking member of staff that reports to the governing authority.)
financial sustainability and stability (Your museum cannot be currently in crisis mode.)

Also, your museum’s board MUST be:

active and aware of the involved role they will be playing in this assessment, both on the Assessment Team and during the site visit
willing to look internally at their roles and responsibilities and commit to progressing through this assessment with transparency and honesty
willing to be self-reflective and make changes

MAP staff also strongly recommends that your institution:

have completed a MAP Organizational Assessment or something similar that provided your museum with external review of its operations
speak with the MAP staff about interest in this assessment before applying

Benefits

Completing this assessment can help the board fully embrace and advance its strategic roles and responsibilities so it may more effectively lead the institution and ensure its long-term relevance and sustainability. This includes supporting the board in establishing a cohesive culture and practice of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion for itself as well as the actions and activities of your museum.

It could improve communication and collaboration among the board and director, other board members, and key stakeholders.

It may identify ways for your museum to align its board composition to the needs of the organization and the community.

It may lead to developing and expanding the role of board members in advocacy, governance, and fundraising.

Education and Interpretation Assessment

Purpose and Scope

This assessment helps the museum evaluate how well it is carrying out its educational role and mission. It looks at the entire array of content delivery methods in the museum including exhibitions, tours, and public programs, whether delivered on-site or using digital media. It considers these education and interpretation activities in the context of the museum’s community, audiences, and other aspects of museum operations.

The assessment also looks at the museum’s educational content creation and delivery from the perspective of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion and meeting core standards for education and interpretation. It is intended to help museums that want to be a more responsive and relevant source of learning as well as a trusted educational partner in its community.

Topics covered in the Education and Interpretation Assessment may include:

Educational content creation, delivery, and evaluation

Plans and policies
Who is involved internally and externally
Delivery formats (e.g., exhibits, programs, tours, off site school visits)
Goals, success measures, and impact

Educational program alignment with collections, exhibitions, and mission
Inclusion of diverse voices
Opportunities to connect audience needs with museum education deliverables
Organizational resource allocation towards your museum’s educational role (i.e., money, people, facilities, collection)
Partnerships with K-12 schools and ways your museum is used as an educational resource
Physical and intellectual accessibility of your museum’s interpretive materials and programs

Eligibility and Readiness

In addition to the main eligibility requirement for MAP, your institution MUST have:

A formal and approved mission statement which has been recently reviewed
Staff position(s) (paid or unpaid) dedicated to education, interpretation and exhibits; these roles can be separate or combined into one or more positions

Benefits

Completing this assessment can help align educational activities with the mission of your museum. It could build your museum’s capacity to enhance visitor experience and may identify opportunities to incorporate diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion to improve audience engagement.

Museums also may gain a deeper understanding of the larger educational ecosystem in their community. The assessment can help align educational concepts such as learning styles and developmental stages, with deliverables.

This assessment also can help your museum align programs and events to target audiences and improve interaction and engagement by analyzing the current inclusion of diverse voices. It may lead to improvements in the design of education materials such as gallery activities, lesson plans, exhibit guides, or teacher resources.

It may identify ways to improve training for frontline staff and volunteers and may lead to better collaboration between education-related staff and collections staff and/or volunteers.

And finally, it can be a step in preparation for core document verification, accreditation, or reaccreditation.

MAP Process Schedule

The following is an overview of the main pieces of the MAP process. If your museum is accepted into MAP, you will receive more details and reminders about each subsequent step.

Quarter 1

Ensure eligibility
Secure institutional commitment
Pick an assessment type
Select objectives
Form your internal MAP Team
Complete and submit the application
Receive notification of acceptance
Sign and return acceptance form, agreeing to terms and conditions
Access the MAP Portal
Pay fee
Begin the MAP Workbook and Activities with your MAP Team

Quarter 2

Continue working in the MAP Portal
Work with MAP staff on Peer Reviewer assignment
Work on the MAP Workbook and Activities
Contact the Peer Reviewer to schedule site visit and develop visit agenda
Inform MAP staff of site visit date

Quarters 3-4

Provide completed Part One of the MAP Workbook to Peer Reviewer
Compile and provide additional documentation to Peer Reviewer
Continue working in the MAP Portal
Site visit
Receive Peer Reviewer’s report 8-10 weeks after visit
Complete work in the MAP Portal
Continue working on activities in the MAP Workbook with the MAP Team
Begin/plan for implementing recommendations from the Peer Reviewer’s report
Follow-up with the Peer Reviewer with any questions and for recommendation clarification
Integrate recommendations into your museum’s plans
Submit completed MAP Workbook to MAP Office
Submit final MAP surveys

Museum Roles and Responsibilities

For your museum to get the most benefit from MAP, the process needs to be an institutional priority. Committing to MAP includes:

meeting deadlines
involving the staff and governing authority for the duration of the process
engaging your museum’s internal and external communities
evaluating the process
being transparent, communicative, and candid with each other, the MAP staff, and the Peer Reviewer

Key paid and unpaid staff, members of your governing authority, and other important constituencies should be involved the MAP process.

The MAP Team

The MAP Team is a critical part of the MAP process. This internal team leads the MAP process at your museum and is accountable for completion and compliance. It is responsible for doing the bulk of the work to complete materials and the modules in the MAP Portal. It is responsible for conducting the assessment and integrating it into your museum’s planning and implementation process. Members of the team can change if needed during the MAP process. Being on the team involves a significant time commitment (see chart on next page). Museums report that they meet weekly or bi-weekly over three months to complete Part One of the Workbook before the site visit.

Who should be on this team? People with:

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 hold others accountable for tasks
authority for making decisions about policies or procedures
responsibility for implementing decisions arising from the assessment and subsequent planning

The number of people on your MAP Team is up to you, but remember to keep it manageable. We require a minimum of four and recommend no more than seven members. If members of the governing authority do not feel they have time to commit as full MAP members, consider inviting them to participate for certain team meetings as special guests. See the chart below.

Consider who on the MAP Team should be the Primary Contact. This person functions as the MAP Team leader and main connection point with the MAP staff. It may be a member of your governing authority, the director, or another staff member with appropriate skills to lead a team and manage a project. Generally we do not recommend having the development director, a grant writer, a consultant, or an intern serve as the Primary Contact. Notify MAP staff if any MAP Team members change during the process.

A copy of your final report will be shared with all people listed below as your institution’s MAP Team (or their replacements).

For a full summary of the various roles at your institution, and their related responsibilities and time commitment, see the chart on the next page.

Evaluation and Reporting

Helping to improve specific parts of the process, materials, and the MAP experience overall is part of your museum’s commitment to MAP. Your museum will be asked to return surveys at various stages of the MAP process. Your comments will help AAM improve MAP for future users and inform key stakeholders and funders about the impact of the MAP program. We also welcome your comments and observations at any point during the assessment, outside the formal survey instruments.

Withdrawal Policy

A museum may need to withdraw from the Museum Assessment Program due to unforeseen circumstances that affect the availability and capacity of the museum staff and/or governing authority to see the process through to completion.

The AAM staff may request that a museum withdraw from the Museum Assessment Program because of a failure to make adequate progress in completing steps in the process or a lack of compliance with program requirements.

MAP fees are nonrefundable. Withdrawing from the program will not affect your standing with AAM or other Excellence Programs and will not affect your ability to apply for MAP or other AAM programs in the future.

Museum Responsibilities and Time Commitment Table

MAP Role	Time Commitment	Obligations
Primary Contact Consider: Director* Member of the governing authority Other senior staff member Note: Generally we do not recommend having the development director, a grant writer, a consultant, or an intern serve as the Primary Contact.	10-15 hours on the MAP application 50 hours on the MAP Workbook and MAP Team meetings 10-15 hours working with the peer reviewer before the site visit 16-25 hours during the site visit	Serves as the main liaison with MAP staff Is the museum’s project lead for MAP Leads and coordinates MAP for the museum. Submits required documents to MAP staff by deadlines Communicates with Peer Reviewer Coordinates the site visit agenda between the Peer Reviewer and the museum Coordinates implementing report suggestions or delegates to appropriate staff Must be regularly accessible by email, as this is the primary method for all communications from the MAP staff.
MAP Team Member Consider: Key staff Governing authority members** Volunteers Interns Community members/external stakeholders	15 -20 hours per person on the MAP Workbook and MAP Team meetings 5 -10 hours per person during the site visit	Research and respond to questions about MAP Workbook Participates in MAP Workbook activities Available during the site visit to meet with Peer Reviewer
Invited MAP Team Special Guest (Non-MAP Team Member) May include: Other staff Additional governing authority members Other volunteers Interns Student workers Community members	Potentially up to 5 hours per person on the MAP Workbook activities and/or discussions Potentially up to 5 hours per person during the site visit	A person that the team invites to participate in a certain MAP Workbook Activity and/or Team Discussion Question in the workbook relating to their role in the museum Be available to meet with the Peer Reviewer during the site visit if appropriate

*Directors must be on the MAP Assessment Team for both Organizational and Board Leadership Assessments.

**Members of the governing authority are expected to be available for site visit (other arrangements can be made if unavailable during site visit dates) even if they are not on the MAP Assessment Team for both Organizational and Board Leadership Assessments.

ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility Criteria for MAP Applicants

Words in bold and italics appear in the glossary.

Eligible institutions include aquariums, art museums, children/youth museums, general museums, historic houses/sites, history museums, natural history/anthropology museums, nature centers, planetariums, public gardens, science/technology museums, specialized museums, and zoos.

The following eligibility criteria apply to all applicants, regardless of which assessment is selected.

The applicant museum must:

be organized on a permanent basis for essentially educational or aesthetic purposes.
own or use, tangible objects, whether animate or inanimate; care for these tangible objects; and exhibit these objects to the general public on a regular basis at facilities it owns or operates.
be a unit of state local, or tribal government; or a private nonprofit organization with tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code.
have at least one professional staff member or the full-time equivalent, whether paid or unpaid, who is primarily engaged in the governance, administration, programming, and/or collections management of the museum.
be 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 per year fulfills this requirement. If a museum is not scheduled to be open to the public 90 days per 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; travelling exhibits, digital exhibits and access to online collections may also be considered. Note: The determination of program eligibility takes into consideration the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of days the museum is open. The application requests data on both pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic operating schedules for your museum.
be located in one of the fifty states of the U.S., the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau; and
not be operated by the U.S. Federal Government. (If your museum is a federal institution, contact the MAP staff to discuss how it can still participate in MAP on a fee-for-service basis.)

In addition to these main criteria, also see assessment-specific eligibility requirements in the Assessment Types sub-section in Part I of this document.

Museums with Parent Organizations

Museums that operate within a non-federal parent organization are eligible to apply and participate in MAP. A museum located within a parent organization that is a state or local government or multipurpose not-for-profit entity, 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;
is an identifiably discrete unit within the parent organization;
has its own fully segregated and itemized operating budget; and
has the authority to make the application on its own.

When any of the last three conditions cannot be met, a museum may only apply through its parent organization.

Returning to MAP or Repeating a MAP Assessment

Museums that previously completed an IMLS-funded MAP assessment are eligible to participate again in the same type of assessment if seven years have passed since the original assessment. There is no waiting period to do a different assessment All applicants that have previously completed a MAP must describe any progress made since the last assessment compared to the recommendations received and explain why they are seeking another assessment. If you are unsure whether your institution has participated in MAP before, please check the AAM website or contact map@aam- us.org directly.

COST INFORMATION

Participation Fee

Through a Cooperative Agreement with IMLS, AAM is able to offer MAP assessments at a modest cost to your institution in relation to its budget. Use the table below to determine your museum’s costs based on your institution’s operating expenses. Your museum will be invoiced for its participation fee after it is accepted into MAP. Fees are paid to AAM, and they are non-refundable.

Museum Annual Operating Expenses	Participation Costs
$125,000 or less	$300
$125,001-$400,000	$500
$400,001-$1 Million	$700
$1.1 Million-$5 Million	$1000
Greater than $5 Million	$1500

Other possible costs you should consider budgeting for:

Add an additional Peer Reviewer (optional, see details below): $1,650 fee
Expenses associated with conducting any MAP Activities
Costs associated with food or beverage your museum provides when the Peer Reviewer(s) is on-site
Postage, copying, printing, supplies, telephone/internet charges

What You Get

Your MAP participation includes the following materials and services, valued at approximately $4,000 -$6,000*:

MAP Self-Study Materials: Workbook and Activities
Access to an online MAP Portal with customized presentations, activities, and resources to help you through each step of the MAP experience
Assessment Report: a written report of the Peer Reviewer’s findings and recommendations, with prioritized next steps and resources
The time, expertise, and travel expenses (transportation, meals, incidentals, lodging) for one Peer Reviewer to visit your museum for one to three days to offer guidance and consultation on site
Peer Reviewer’s honorarium
A dedicated MAP Program Officer for support, guidance, and feedback

*Please note: Your museum’s MAP participation is IMLS funded but is not a grant awarded to your institution. AAM receives grant funding from IMLS to deliver this comprehensive program and service to your museum. AAM does not disperse any money to your museum.

Peer Reviewer Expenses (Site Visit)

Peer Reviewers are reimbursed by AAM for their site visit expenses. Peer Reviewers generally make their own travel arrangements and pay upfront for them. We encourage museums to work closely with Peer Reviewers to provide suggestions on where to stay, etc. If the museum directly pays for any allowable expense on behalf of the Peer Reviewer (e.g., hotel), the museum can seek reimbursement from AAM. Museums will be provided more details on site visit expenses once the MAP process begins.

Number of Peer Reviewers

Each museum is assigned one Peer Reviewer to conduct its site visit and write an assessment report.

If your museum would like two Peer Reviewers for its site visit, there is an additional fee of $1,650 to cover travel expenses, honorarium, and additional logistics. The two Peer Reviewers will conduct the site visit as a team and produce a single report for you.

Do I need an additional Peer Reviewer?

Large, complex museums, museums with multiple sites, and/or museums with multiple disciplines may want to consider having a two-person Peer Review team. 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-to-face 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 reaccreditation may benefit from multiple perspectives

If MAP staff determine it is unrealistic for one person to handle the visit solo due to your museum’s size or complexity, they may require that you have an additional Peer Reviewer.

Talk to the MAP staff before you submit your application if you want guidance on this matter.

PART II
APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Application Format

The application is submitted through an online system where you will answer questions and upload documents. Applications submitted by email or sent in hard copy will not be considered.

For the online application link and full technical instructions visit: https://www.aam- us.org/programs/accreditation-excellence-programs/apply-to-the-museum-assessment-program/

Required Application Materials

TIN or EIN

A TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number) or EIN (Employer Identification Number) is a nine-digit number that the internal Revenue Service (IRS) assigns to business entities. The IRS uses this number to identify taxpayers who are required to file various business tax returns. This is a free service offered by the IRS and you can get your EIN immediately. To apply go to https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small- businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online.

Proof of Non-Profit Status

If your organization is incorporated as a nonprofit, you must submit a copy of your 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.

Organizational Chart

The chart should include, as applicable, your museum’s parent organization, governing authority, partner organizations, advisory boards, supporting organizations, staff, and volunteers and show the relationships among them.

Letter from Parent Organization

If your organization operates as part of a unit of state or local government or other tax-exempt multipurpose organization such as a university or foundation, you must submit official documentation from the parent identifying your museum as such and supporting its participation in MAP. This certification must be on the parent organization’s letterhead, refer to the relationship between the parent organization and the applicant, and be signed by an official of the parent organization. This can be as simple as:

The XYZ MUSEUM is owned and operated by the ABC PARENT ORGANIZATION. We support the XYZ MUSEUM’s participation in the Museum Assessment Program.

Signature Page

Two signatures are required on the application: that of the director and the head of the governing authority. If there is no museum director or the head of the governing authority fills this role, the head of the governing authority and a second person from the governing authority (as defined in the Glossary on page XX) must also sign.

Museum Hours and Staffing - Examples

To show your museum’s eligibility for MAP, in the application you must fill in charts with information about its hours of operation and staffing, as shown in the examples below:

Shape1 Sample Museum Schedule

Date to Date	Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
1/15-3/15				1- 5pm	1- 5pm	1- 5pm	1 - 5pm
3/15-9/15	1 - 5pm	1 - 5pm	1 - 5pm	1 - 5pm	1 - 5pm	1 –5pm	1 - 5pm
9/16 to 1/14				1 - 5pm	1 - 5pm	1 –5pm	1 - 5pm

If your museum does not have regularly scheduled hours, or if the regular hours do not equal 90 days, please list additional dates that your museum was open outside the normal operating schedule and the reason your museum was open.

Example:

April 7 – Girl Scout troop visit
April 15 – Homeschool tour
April 17 – Retirement center tour
April 25 – Oct 25 – Traveling exhibit

Sample Staffing Record

Name: Martin Free Title: Site Manager X volunteer paid
Responsibilities: Responsible for daily oversight of your museum, collections management, educational programming, and fund raising. Job description attached.
Hours per week:	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total
(fill in work hours for each day and total for week)	0	4	6	6	8	8	4	36

Shape2 Include only one person per position. If your museum has multiple people fulfilling the same functional role, list each person’s hours separately.

Job Descriptions

Include a job description for each position you list. If your museum does not have formal job descriptions for all or some of the positions then include a more-than-cursory summary of roles and responsibilities in the chart.

Submitting the Application

Before submitting your application, be certain all information entered is complete and accurate, and the following items have been uploaded:

Signature Page
Proof of Nonprofit Status
Signed letter from parent organization (if applicable)
Job descriptions for staff (where available)
Organizational chart

For the online application link and full technical instructions visit https://www.aam- us.org/programs/accreditation-excellence-programs/apply-to-the-museum-assessment-program/.

There is a fixed number of participants that the program can accept each year. Once the limit is reached, applications will continue to be accepted but museums might be put on a waiting list and then applications could be moved into the pool to be considered if a spot becomes available.

For questions about the application contact the Museum Assessment Program staff at (202) 289-9118 or [email protected].

Next Steps

Application Review

MAP staff may need to contact you with questions about your application. Delayed responses to staff inquiries may jeopardize your eligibility or consideration for MAP.

Acceptance Notification

MAP staff will process your museum’s application and notify the Primary Contact about the acceptance status approximately 30-45 days after the application deadline. If accepted, MAP staff will email an acceptance letter, which you will be required to sign and return in approximately two weeks.

Participation fees will be invoiced shortly after acceptance. Payment is required within 30 days of the date of the invoice.

NEED HELP? HAVE QUESTIONS?

[email protected] or 202-289-9118

GLOSSARY

Accessibility: Giving equitable access to everyone along the continuum of human ability and experience. Accessibility encompasses the broader meanings of compliance and refers to how organizations make space for the characteristics that each person brings.*

Professional Practices: A professional practice is generally accepted in the field as a reliable method or technique for achieving a desired result.

Diversity: All the ways that people are different and the same at the individual and group levels. Even when people appear the same, they are different. Organizational diversity requires examining and questioning the makeup of a group to ensure that multiple perspectives are represented.*

Equity: The fair and just treatment of all members of a community. Equity requires commitment to strategic priorities, resources, respect, and civility, as well as ongoing action and assessment of progress toward achieving specific goals.*

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.

Inclusion: The intentional, ongoing effort to ensure that diverse individuals fully participate in all aspects of organizational work, including decision-making processes. It also refers to the ways that diverse participants are valued as respected members of an organization and/ or community. While a truly “inclusive” group is necessarily diverse, a “diverse” group may or may not be “inclusive.”*

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 executive body with legal and fiduciary responsibility for the museum, for approving museum policy, and for supervising the museum director. Some examples of a governing authority are Board of Commissioners, Board of Directors, Board of Managers, Board of Regents, Board of Trustees, City Council, and 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 non-museum parent organization, the head of governing authority is considered to be the individual within the institution’s larger parent organization to which 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).

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 include colleges or universities; tribal, municipal, state, or federal government; state historical societies supervising multiple sites; and corporate foundations.

Specialized museum: A museum that does not fall into or combine any of the other discipline areas listed in question 14 of the application — for example, a quilt museum, clock museum, and stamp museum.

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.

*From Facing Change: Insights from the American Alliance of Museums’ Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion Working Group Report, 2018.

PART III

MAP Application Form

Applicant Information

(* Required)

Museum Name *

Alternate Name (if any)

Previous Name (if any)

Name of parent organization or friends group applying for this organization, if applicable

Mailing Address *

Street Address Line 1

Street Address Line 2

City

State / Province

Postal / ZIP Code

Physical Address (if different)

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

City

State / Province

Postal / Zip Code

Phone Number *

Web Address *

Email *([email protected])

If you do not know what your DUNS number is, please refer to page XX of this PDF sample application or visit the DUNS website here.

TIN (EIN) Number *

If you do not know your TIN (EIN) Number, please refer to page XX of the PDF sample application. Information on how to apply for a TIN (EIN) Number can be found here.

Congressional district *

If you do not know your museum's Congressional district, click here to visit the House of Representatives website and use the “Find Your Representative” tool.

MAP Assessment Type

Check only one *

Organizational
Board Leadership
Collections Stewardship
Education and Interpretation
Community and Audience Engagement

Number of Peer Reviewers

Each museum is assigned one Peer Reviewer to conduct its site visit and write an assessment report. If your museum would like two Peer Reviewers for its site visit, you must pay an additional fee of $1,650 to cover travel expenses, honorarium, and additional logistics. The two Peer Reviewers will conduct the site visit as a team and produce a single report for you.

Please select the number of Peer Reviewers requested*

One (included)
Two (additional cost: $1,650)

Do I need an additional Peer Reviewer?

Multiple perspectives on complex situations
Ability to meet with more staff and governing authority members face-to-face 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 reaccreditation may benefit from multiple perspectives

If MAP staff determine it is unrealistic for one person to handle the visit solo due to your museum’s size or complexity, they may require you have an additional Peer Reviewer.

Talk to the MAP staff before you submit your application if you want guidance on this matter.

Your MAP Goals

List up to three goals your museum would most like this MAP assessment to address. Please be succinct but specific.

Goal I * (There is no character/word limit.)

Goal II * (There is no character/word limit.)

Goal III * (There is no character/word limit.)

Tell us more about how you hope your MAP participation will improve your institution's current situation and address challenges? (Limit your response to 500 words.) *

MAP Assessment Team

Your MAP Assessment Team must contain at least four active members. List all members of your Assessment Team. Please indicate which person is your Primary Contact by listing them in the “Primary Contact” row. Indicate which person is your Secondary Contact by listing them in the “Secondary Contact” field. If necessary, your museum can have up to two Primary Contacts.

Please note that the Primary Contact must be regularly accessible by email, as this is the primary method for communications from MAP staff.

A copy of your final report will be shared with all people listed below as your institution’s Assessment Team.

Do you have questions about whom to include on your Assessment Team? Refer to page XX of this PDF sample application for more information.

MAP Assessment Team

	Full Name, including prefix	Museum Role	Email	Phone
Primary Contact
Secondary Contact
Team Member 3
Team Member 4
Team Member 5
Team Member 6
Team Member 7

Note: We recommend that you limit the number of team members to a maximum of seven.

If you have additional team members please list them with contact information here.

Eligibility Considerations

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.

Is your museum organized as a public or private nonprofit or as a unit of state or local government institution that exists on a permanent basis for essentially educational or aesthetic purposes? *

If no, please explain: *(There is no character/word limit.)

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

If no, please explain: *(There is no character/word limit.)

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

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, was your museum regularly scheduled to be open 90 days per year? *

If your museum was not regularly scheduled to be open 90 days per year before the COVID-19 pandemic, please list additional dates that your museum was open outside the normal operating schedule and the reason your museum was open. *

If applicable, you will have the option of uploading a separate file with your list of additional dates that your museum was open outside the normal operating schedule and the reason your museum was open to supplement your response to the question above.

Was your museum open for at least 90 days in 20XX and/or 20XX? *

If your museum was not open for at least 90 days in 2019 and/or 2020, please explain: *

Total number of days your museum was open to the public in 2019: *

Total number of days your museum was open to the public in 2020: *

Is your museum currently open to the public? (If it is, you will be asked to list your museum's schedule each day of the week at this step in the official online application.) *

List your museum's schedule each day of the week for the 20XX calendar year. See page XX of this PDF sample application for more information. *

Does your museum have at least one full-time* (paid or unpaid) staff member or the equivalent**, whose primary duty includes the governance, administration, programming, and collections management of your museum? *

*Full-time is defined as 35 hours per week.

**An equivalent full-time staff member consists of 2-3 part-time paid or unpaid staff members with responsibilities that relate solely to your museum's services or operations.

If no, please explain: *

How many people (paid or unpaid) work at your museum? *

Total number of full- time paid staff

Total number of part-time*staff

Total number of full-time unpaid staff

Total number of part-time* unpaid staff

*Part-time is defined as less than 35 hours per week.

Does your organization have a director? (This person's title may vary, e.g., director, president, CEO, Museum or Site Administrator) *

Is the director of your museum full-time? *

Director's Name *

Paid or Volunteer *

You will be required to upload a document detailing the director's responsibilities (formal position description if available) at this step in the official online application process.

Director's hours per week (Fill in the hours worked each day and a total for the week.)

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Total

You will be required to upload a Word document or PDF listing up to five positions, other than the director, responsible for your museum’s activities and the average number of hours per week each one works at this step in the official online application

Please refer to page XX of the PDF sample application for an example of staffing information.

You will be required to upload job descriptions for the staff members listed in this step in the official online application.

Operational 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.

If you have a parent organization, please make sure you are listing only your museum's information and not that of the parent entity.

Revenue and Expenses *

	Year	Operating Income	Operating Expenses
Most recently completed fiscal year
Second most recently completed fiscal year

Does your museum have an itemized budget? *

Which of the following resources/services does your parent organization provide for your museum? (Check all that apply.) *

Not applicable (no parent organization)
Staffing/Benefits
Building/Grounds Maintenance or Utilities Marketing/PR/Development
Other

If you selected Other, please list: * (There is no character/word limit.)

What are your museum's financial or fundraising priorities for the next three to five years? Check all that apply.

Strategic Priorities

Building operating endowment
Build other endowment
Capital campaign
Increase cash reserves
Increase earned income
Reduce/eliminate debt
Strengthen overall financial health and stability
Other

If you selected Other, please describe: * (There is no character/word limit.)

If any of the boxes are checked above, please comment on each briefly: * (There is no character/word limit.)

Operational Priorities

Collections/storage projects
Facilities expansions, upgrades or repairs
Staffing needs
Technology projects
Raise funds for other special project or need
Other

If you selected Other, please describe: * (There is no character/word limit.)

If any of the boxes are checked above, please comment on each briefly: * (There is no character/word limit.)

Operational Profile Information

What is your museum's mission? * (There is no character/word limit.)

Is your museum's mission statement formally approved by your governing authority? *

What is the date it was originally adopted? *

When was it last reviewed? *

Primary Organization Type (Check one) *

Aquarium
Anthropology Museum
Arboretum/Botanical Garden/Public Garden
Art Museum/Center/Sculpture Garden
Children's or Youth Museum
Ethnically/Culturally/Tribally Specific Museum
General or Multi-Disciplinary
Hall of Fame
Historic House
Historic Site/Landscape
History Museum
Historical Society
Military Museum/Battlefield
Nature Center
Planetarium
Presidential Library
Science/Technology Center/Museum
Specialized Museum (a museum with collections limited to one narrowly defined topic - e.g., textiles, stamps, a specific cultural or ethnic group)
Transportation
Visitor Center/Interpretive Center
Zoo/Animal Park

If you selected Ethnically/Culturally/Tribally Specific Museum, please specify:

If you selected Specialized Museum, please specify:

Does your museum have a parent organization? *

If yes, list name: *

Which one of the following best describes your museum's governance? (Please select only one. Note: If your museum has a parent organization, please indicate the nature of your parent's governing authority.)

College/University
Government
Private Non-profit
For-profit
Dual

If College/University, is it:

Non-profit
For-profit
Government

If Government, is it:

Municipal
County
State
Federal
Tribal

If Dual, please list the institutions:

Year your museum was first open and exhibiting to the general public: *

Museum's attendance for the 12-month period prior to application:

	Attendance
Onsite
Offsite
Online

If your institution currently utilizes any social media platforms, include URLs/handles where applicable.

Blog
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram
Other

Briefly describe your museum's major programs and events: * (Please note there is a 500-word limit.)

Briefly describe your major exhibits: *(Please note there is a 500-word limit.)

Briefly list your key community/educational partners and collaborators: * (Please note there is a 500-word limit.)

Do you have a permanent collection? *

How many objects does your museum have in its collection (actual or estimated)? *

Are your collections accessible to the public online? *

In what format? *

Online Exhibit
Collections Database

If your museum owns, manages or borrows objects, please indicate the types of objects. Check all that apply. *

Aeronautics, space/airplanes
Animals, live
Animals, preserved
Anthropological, ethnographic
Archaeological
Books
Ceramics, glass, metals, plastics
Documents, manuscripts
Furniture/wooden objects
Geological, mineral, paleontological
Historic building
Historic sites
Horological (clocks)
Landscape features, constructed
Machinery
Maritime, historic ships
Medals
Medical, dental, health, pharmacological
Military, including weapons
Motion picture, audiovisual
Musical instruments
Numismatics (money)
Paintings
Philatelic (stamps)
Photography, negatives
Photography, prints
Physical science projects
Plants, live
Plants, preserved
Sculpture, indoor
Sculpture, outdoor
Textiles and costumes
Tools
Toys and dolls
Transportation, excluding airplanes
Works of art on paper
Other (fill-in blank)

Briefly describe your museum's facilities (including buildings and grounds): * (There is no character/word limit.)

If your museum is located within a larger facility (e.g., a university gallery within a classroom building or a museum inside a performing arts or community center), indicate how your museum exercises control over its space. If your museum is not located within a larger facility, please write N/A. * (There is no character/word limit.)

Which of the following plans, polices, and documents does your museum have in place? Check all that apply. *

Accounting and internal control
Budget
Business support
Collections management policy
Collections plan
Conservation plan
Development plan
Diversity plan
Emergency/Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Plan
Facilities use/facilities rental
Furnishing plan (historic sites)
General Facilities Report
Governance Manual
Housekeeping plan
Individual donor support
Institutional code of ethics
Integrated Pest Management Plan
Interpretive plan or education master plan
Investment (e.g., endowment investment)
Landscaping/grounds maintenance plan
Marketing plan
Written agreement with parent company or key stakeholders (if applicable)
Personnel policy issues (Benefits, Compensation, Diversity, Grievance, Harassment, Performance Management, Personnel Records and Privacy, Separation, etc.)/Employee Handbook
Strategic plan
Succession plan
Technology plan
Vision/value statement(s)
Volunteer manual
Other (fill-in blank)

Does your museum have some type of institutional planning process in place? *

Is it: *

Formal
Informal

If informal, please describe: * (There is no character/word limit.)

Are you applying for the Collections Stewardship Assessment? *

Does your museum currently have a collections management policy? *

No, and none in development
Yes, in development
Yes, and approved by our governing authority

If the policy is in draft form and not yet approved by your governing authority, explain the status of the draft: * (There is no character/word limit.)

Are you applying for the Board Leadership Assessment? *

If applying for the Board Leadership Assessment, you will be required to upload a copy of your museum’s bylaws at this step in the official online application process.

Indicate the frequency of communication among staff, volunteers, and governing authority members at your museum. *

	Infrequent	Somewhat Frequent	Very Frequent	Routine
Staff with Staff
Staff with Volunteers
Staff with Governing Authority

Within the past five years, has your organization experienced any of the following situations? (Check all that apply.)

General *

Opening a new building or new museum
Closing a museum
Hiring of first professional staff/director
Organizational restructuring
Change of executive director
Sudden departure/death of a director
Turnover of 30% or more of staff
Staff layoffs of 10% or more
Capital Campaign
Significant change of mission/purpose
Loss of significant funding that adversely affected the organization's ability to fulfill its mission
None of the above

Institutional Events *

Embezzlement/fiscal irregularities
Becoming accredited
Violation of Institutional Code of Ethics
Public pressure to cancel or alter exhibit content
Governance change
Retrenchment
Cancellation of capital improvements or expansion plans
None of the above

Organizational Changes *

Merger with a larger institution
Merger with an equal institution
Separation from a parent
Separation from another museum
Legal partnership with for-profit entity
None of the above

Founder *

Founder, serves on Board
Founder, serves as Director
Death of a Founder
None of the above

Natural Disaster *
Earthquake
Fire
Flood
Hurricane
Tornado
Other natural or man-made disaster
None of the above

Building Changes *

Expansion of same facility
Construction of new facility
Moving to a different facility
Restoration of a building
Acquire a satellite property
None of the above

Collections Issues *

Non-collections based institution
Theft of collections objects
Acquire significant collection
Hazardous materials
NAGPRA
Nazi-era provenance
Deaccessioning issues
Ownership dispute/claim against museum or repatriation of object(s)
None of the above
Other (fill-in blank)

If you checked any of the above, briefly describe the circumstances related to the situation(s): *

If you did not check any of the boxes, write N/A or none.

Assessment History and Preparation

Has your museum completed a MAP assessment in the last ten years? *

If you are unsure if your institution has gone through MAP before, please click here or contact [email protected] for more information.

Please indicate which one(s) and the year(s) (if known) *

Assessment Type	Yes (X)	Year
Collections Stewardship
Institutional/Organizational
Public Dimensions/Community Engagement
Governance

If your museum participated in any MAP assessment in the past ten years, please answer the next two questions:

Describe the accomplishments your museum has achieved since its previous MAP, especially those related to the MAP results and recommendations: * (There is no character/word limit.)

Describe your museum's need/desire for a new assessment: * (There is no character/word limit.)

Applicants are not required to have previously participated in other assessment programs, but this information will provide useful background to the Peer Reviewer.

Has your museum participated in:

Collections Assessment for Preservation (CAP) administered by the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation? *

If yes, what year(s): *

How has CAP impacted your museum? * (There is no character/word limit.)

Standards and Excellence Program for History Organizations (STEPS) administered by the Association for State and Local History (AASLH)? *

If yes, what year did your museum begin STEPS: *

Which sections has your museum worked on: * (There is no character/word limit.)

In which sections have you earned a completion certificate? * (There is no character/word limit.)

How has STEPS helped your museum prepare for MAP? *(There is no character/word limit.)

Have other programs or services helped prepare your museum for MAP? *

If yes, describe (what or who and when): *

Has your museum successfully completed AAM's Core Documents Verification? *

Yes
No but currently in progress
No but planning to apply
No and not planning to apply

If yes, list the year: *

To find out more about Core Documents Verification, please visit AAM's website here.

If you checked “No but currently in progress,” which documents have passed and when:

Document	Year Passed
Mission
Institutional Code of Ethics
Institution/Strategic Plan
Collections Management Policy
Emergency Response/Disaster Preparedness Plan

Is your museum considering applying for AAM Accreditation?

Yes (Reminder: Museums must successfully complete the Core Documents Verification Program to be eligible to apply for accreditation.)
No
Not sure
Already accredited by AAM

To learn more about AAM Accreditation, please visit AAM's website here.

If yes, when does your museum plan to apply:

1-3 years
4-5 years
6-10 years
More than 10 years from now

Where did you receive information about this MAP application? (Check all that apply.) *

AAM website
Aviso Newsletter
MAP/AAM brochure
From a colleague at my museum
From a colleague at another museum
Session at a national, regional or state museum association conference
Listserv posting
Discussion with MAP staff
Discussion with IMLS staff
IMLS website/publication
Other website or newsletter announcement
Previous experience with MAP
Other (fill-in blank)

If session at a national, regional or state museum association conference please specify: *

If IMLS website/publication, please specify: *

If other website or newsletter announcement, please specify: *

If you checked more than one source, which was most influential in your decision to submit this application?

AAM website
Aviso Newsletter
MAP/AAM brochure
From a colleague at my museum
From a colleague at another museum
Session at a national, regional or state museum association conference
Listserv posting
Discussion with MAP staff
Discussion with IMLS staff
IMLS website/publication
Other website or newsletter announcement
Previous experience with MAP
Other (fill-in blank)

How long have you been planning to apply for this MAP assessment? *

0-6 months
7-12 months
1-2 years
Longer than 2 years

Application Evaluation

Including time from all people who participated, approximately how many hours went into preparing and completing this application? *

Thinking about the process you just went through to complete the MAP application, please indicate how much you disagree or agree with the following statements: *

	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neither Disagree nor Agree	Agree	Strongly Agree
	1	2	3	4	5
The overall description of the MAP program was clear.
Instructions for filling out the application were easy to follow.
Filling out the application was easy to do.
Filling out the application had educational value for my museum.
Filling out the application provided opportunities to discuss important institutional priorities.

Did you encounter any challenge(s) while filling out this application? *

If yes, please specify: * (There is no character/word limit.)

Did you contact MAP staff during the application process? *

If yes, were they able to help resolve your issue(s)? *

If no, please explain: * (There is no character/word limit.)

Optional: Please provide any additional comments about the application or application process you would like to share. (There is no character/word limit.)

Supporting Documentation

Proof of Non-Profit Status

If your organization is incorporated as a nonprofit, you must submit a copy of your 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.

If you need more information on proof of non-profit status, please visit the IRS website here.

You will be required to upload a copy of your Proof of Non-Profit Status at this step in the official online application.

Organizational Chart

The chart should include, as applicable, your museum's parent organization, governing authority, partner organizations, advisory boards, supporting organizations, staff, and volunteers and show the relationships among them.

You will be required to upload a copy of your museum's organizational chart at this step in the official online application.

Does your museum have a parent organization? *

Parent organization: A larger organization within which a museum operates. Examples of parent organizations include colleges or universities; tribal, municipal, state, or federal government; state historical societies supervising multiple sites; and corporate foundations.

Letter from Parent Organization

If your organization operates as part of a unit of state or local government or other tax-exempt multipurpose organization such as a university or foundation, you must submit official documentation from the parent identifying your museum as such and supporting its participation in MAP. This certification must be on the parent organization's letterhead, refer to the relationship between the parent organization and the applicant, and be signed by an official of the parent organization. This can be as simple as:

The XYZ MUSEUM is owned and operated by the ABC PARENT ORGANIZATION. We support XYZ MUSEUM's participation in the Museum Assessment Program.

If you have a parent organization, you will be required to upload a letter of support from your parent organization at this step in the official online application.

You will have the option to upload a copy of your museum's brochure or other promotional piece at this step in the official online application. Please note that this is not a required document.

Additional information about the required documentation can be found on page XX of this PDF sample application.

SIGNATURES

Please download the following agreement statement, read and agree to the terms, and have the Museum Director/CEO and Head of the Governing Authority sign the statement. Once the statement has been signed, please attach the document below. The signatures page is available here.

You will be required to upload a copy of the Signatures Page with original signatures at this step in the official online application. Please note that you may upload two pages, each with one of the required signatures if necessary.

SUBMIT APPLICATION

On this final step in the official online application, the submit button will appear after you preview your answers. Once your application has been submitted, you can no longer make any edits or changes to your answers. You will receive an email with a copy of your submitted application for your records.

File Type	application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
File Title	Museum Assessment Program
Author	jconnors-joyner
File Modified	0000-00-00
File Created	2022-01-30

FY22 MAP Application Form

MAP Application Form 20220127.docx

Museum Assessment Program Application