Collections Management Fund

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Launched in 2013, the Collections Management Fund (CMF) builds upon the legacy of the Alaska Art Fund.

Funded by the Rasmuson Foundation and overseen by Museums Alaska, this grant is designed to meet the evolving needs of the Alaska museum community by providing funding to enhance collections management practices through professional expertise, training, and supplies.

Initially designed to provide resources to museums for improvements to their collection management storage and practices, in 2022, the program underwent enhancements, enabling more departments across museums to submit applications for funds dedicated to collections-focused projects.

Whether it involves collections management, exhibitions, education, or programming, CMF is committed to supporting diverse initiatives that contribute to the overall development of museum collections.

Direct Impact

The Collections Management Fund grant program has been instrumental in advancing the professionalization of museums in Alaska.

This initiative has ensured a higher standard of professionalism in museum operations by providing funding for high quality collections care to our state’s institutions, and by requiring official collections management plans and policies as components of the application process.

Eligibility

All applicants must be organizational members of Museums Alaska and must hold their collections in public trust.

Museums Alaska invites applications from 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, government entities, and tribes.

Organization

Your organization must be located in Alaska, an organizational member of Museums Alaska, and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, government, or tribal organization located in Alaska that holds collections in public trust.

 

Your organization must have completed the final reporting for any open CMF grants.

Project

The Collections Management Fund (CMF) is designed to meet museum needs. The program seeks applications from any department for projects and items that relate to a museum’s permanent collections.

Organizations may apply for collections care projects, collections training projects, contracted collections professionals, exhibition expenses related to your permanent collection, digital projects related to your permanent collections, and small equipment purchases related to collections management and care or exhibiting your permanent collection.

If you are experiencing an emergency caused by a man-made or natural disaster, you can apply at any time. Please contact the director for more information.

The CMF allows the costs of museum staff time and all reasonable project expenses to be included in funding requests. However, this program does not support institutional overhead.

We also do not fund reimbursements of pre-award costs, construction or other infrastructure projects, pass-through, re-granting, or other financial assistance, or fundraising projects.

Funding

Awards up to $20,000 (per organization, per year).

 

Applicants may only apply for one grant per cycle (two grants total per year).

 

Organizations with a funded grant project must complete their project and its final report, before submitting a new application.

Deadlines

Grant Cycles:

1st Cycle
2nd Cycle

Guidelines and Application

Ready to Get Started?

The button below will take you to our application site hosted on GOSmart.

Explore the application guidelines and additional resources.

Application link

To apply, click the button below to visit our grant application website, GOSmart.

More information about the grant and how to apply can be found in the Application Guidelines linked above.

Resources

Grant Help

Informational webinar on the grant guidelines and application:

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We want your grant application to be successful, and have provided many resources to help:

Example Applications:

Explore successful applications that stood out. Dive into the nuances of these examples by referring to the provided notes with specific highlights. Double-click on the purple note symbols on the right side of the PDFs to unveil annotations.

Draft Review Period

Take advantage of the optional draft review period available for each grant cycle. Submit your draft application for a thorough review by our grant administrator. Initiate your draft review on the grant application website.

Grant Writing Tips

Explore these slides, developed as a resource for the 2019 Museums Alaska conference, provided freely for your reference.

Recommended Practices:

Other Grants

If you are working on a grant application NOT administered by Museums Alaska, take advantage of our grant draft review, a benefit for Organizational Members. Coordinate your draft review by contacting us, ensuring your organization’s membership is current. Please keep the following in mind:

Promotion

Media Kit

Following the grant awards announcement, Museums Alaska distributes a press release to media outlets statewide.

For your own media needs related to the grant, feel free to inform us of any additional resources you might require.

Alaska Art Fund

The Alaska Art Fund (AAF) is funded by the Rasmuson Foundation and managed by Museums Alaska. We encourage you to tag Museums Alaska and Rasmuson Foundation when sharing updates about your art purchases.

Social Media Handles

Museums Alaska

Rasmuson Foundation

Media Kit and Guidelines

Feel free to use the Museums Alaska logos from the provided images, adhering to the logo use guidelines outlined.

Our Sponsor

Thank you to Rasmuson Foundation for supporting the Collections Management Fund for over 10 years!

Rasmuson Foundation logo - The name of the foundation underneath a white winding road or river disappearing into a mountain range.
Rasmuson Foundation