CAP GRANTS FOR SMALL MUSEUMS

We've mentioned CAP assessments many times before. The Conservation Assessment Program is designed to enable small museums to obtain assessments of their collections and historic buildings by professional conservators. These assessments can be invaluable tools for resource management, especially for institutions that otherwise would not be able to have access to experienced museum professionals.

CAP grants are non-competitive, and underwrite a two-day visit to the recipient museum by a professional conservator to assess the institution's collections. For museums housed in historic buildings, the grant will also support a visit by a second conservator to assess the institution's building.

To be eligible, a museum must be open to the public on at least 120 days each year, and have at least one full-time paid or volunteer staffer, or the equivalent. For museums that are not eligible for a grant, Heritage Preservation also can facilitate conservation assessments on a fee-for-service basis.

Heritage Preservation mails applications for CAP assessment grants to institutions on its mailing list around the first of October, for assessments to be performed the following year. Completed applications are due back at Heritage Preservation in early December. Applications are also available on their website. (There may be a second chance for institutions that miss the deadline--in at least two of the past several years Heritage Preservation held a second round of applications early in the new year.)

For further information, or to get on the application mailing list, contact Heritage Preservation, 1012 14th St., NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20005, 202 333 0800, or visit their website at http://www.heritagepreservation.org/

Click here to see a sample conservation assessment report prepared under a CAP grant.