Federal-State Partnerships for Museums

Federal Funding for Museums
Formula Grants Initiative

Resources, Position Papers, Plan

Kansas Museums Association

Online information on the national initiative to approve a federal formula for funding museums, in addition to obtaining a large increase in total IMLS funds for museums.

This funding initiative is guided by the American Association for State and Local History, with initiative membership of 60 organizations (growing), chaired by AASLH President Terry Davis.

The American Association for Museums has added their help to the initiative, with AAM President Ford Bell being supportive of the formula funding concept and the leader in working with Congress on getting an increase in the amount of money to be spent on the nations' museums.

The IMLS funding level (currently around $31 million for whole country) starting point to be reached before the formula funding comes into affect is one point of debate. This site is to bring you up-to-date quickly on a plan, and possible solutions to the current IMLS museum federal formula funding discussion. It will bring major long-term benefits to museums in Kansas, and in the nation.

The Kansas Museums Association, and the Kansas Humanities Council are the Kansas members of the initiative. [Note: While researching and searching for links, I noted that formulas are normal in many areas of federal funding. Search for federal funding formula, without the word museums. GL}

• AASLH Federal Formula Grant Initiative; The American Association for State and Local History is serving as the Coalition Administrator for the Federal Formula Grants for Museums Coalition fostering a national movement for increased funding for museums through IMLS. (Background on AASLH Federal Formula Grant Initiative.)
  • Federal Funding Formula initiative organizational members, Oct. 2008 (Kansas Museums Association and Kansas Humanities Council, members) [.pdf file]
• AAM Federal Funding for Museums, The American Association of Museums is currently preparing its legislative agenda for the 111th Congress, which will begin in January 2009. This agenda will include a range of issues that affect museums, including federal funding, IMLS reauthorization, education policy (including a possible revision of No Child Left Behind), intellectual property, cultural property, travel and tourism, volunteerism and national service, charitable giving, and a range of issues that affect nonprofit organizations.
• Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS): Urban Institute to Investigate Public Funding Mechanisms for Museums, a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Urban Institute, a non-partisan economic and social policy research organization based in Washington, D.C., will study the mechanisms of public support for museums in the United States and possible alternative funding methods, 2007
• Association of African American Museums: IMLS Responds to Federal Formula Grants for Museums

• Association of Midwest Museums Federal Formula Grants
• Mountain-Plains Museums Association Federal Formula Grant Coalition
• New England Museums Association Federal Formula Grants Coalition

• California Association of Museums Federal Formula Grants for Museums
• IMLS Presentation by CAM Board Member on Federal Funding Issues
• Michigan Museums Association Federal Formula Grants Update
• Montana Museums: FAQs Federal Formula Grant Initiative for Museums [.pdf file]
• Museum Association of New York Federal Update: Federal Formula Grant Coalition
• Oklahoma Museums Association Directors Statement on Federal Funding for Museums [.pdf file]
• Washington Museums Association Federal Formula Grants [.pdf file]