What I Learned from Museum Advocacy Day 2011

SMAers Lauren and Lindsey visit their local representative as part of Museum Advocacy Day 2011.

SMA helped sponsor AAM’s 2011 Advocacy Day. A few SMA’ers and I attended. Here are some thoughts I came away with…

What I Learned From Museum Advocacy Day 2011:

• Advocacy matters. Talking to our legislators at any level of government doesn’t guarantee funding for museums but not talking to them guarantees that they will not know the great work we do, the partnerships we create, the money we generate in our neighborhoods, the educational opportunities we provide, or the cultural heritage we preserve. By talking to them – and talking to them often – they are beginning to understand what a critical role we play in our communities and will help us fight for the funding we need. This was the third year of Museum Advocacy Day, and many attendees told me that some of the people they encountered remembered them from previous years. They felt that our message was beginning to sink in.
• Lots of people really do care. Being in a room on Capitol Hill with 300 other attendees felt awesome. Walking around the Hill and running into those 300 other attendees felt awesome. Talking to our representative’s aides and finding that they cared was awesome. I couldn’t get over how many people were really interested in museums and what I had to say.
• Both a lone voice and a big group are important. I quickly realized that each attendee needed to be both about the bigger message and selfish at the same time.  It’s vital to tell my museum’s story, to invite legislators to my museum, and to keep them informed about my museum. By connecting to those legislators in a group – be it other staff, volunteers, board members, members, educators, other museums, companies we partner with, etc – we were a real show of force and made a big impact. By having a focused message to drive home (e.g. sustaining IMLS funding, including museums in the reauthorization of ESEA, etc) and by connecting that message to personal anecdotes and economic impact statements, we were concise and powerful.
• Advocating is easy. While it was a bit nerve-wracking to enter those marbled halls, everyone I spoke to was polite and responded well to our message. It helped that I had looked up my representatives’ websites ahead of time to see what they cared about and figured out how I could match their interests. Now that it’s over, I can follow up with emails and phone calls. Pretty straightforward. (Although I will admit that I was pretty tired from my six meetings with representatives from both Maryland and Tennessee – but a good tired.)
• Don’t expect any actual answers. First, I spoke only to aides (who, granted, are the eyes and ears of the congressmen and women themselves, so I was happy to speak to them). They can’t say what the congressman/woman would choose to do. They couldn’t make any promises. But – they could relay what we thought, share the information packet we provided, and be a cheerleader for us behind the scenes. And they might take us up on our offer to contact us with any additional questions or concerns.
• www.speakupformuseums.org is invaluable. Sorry for the shameless plug, but seriously, the site really simplifies the process, provides the reference materials I needed, and helps me reach my federal level representation whenever I want.  
• It’s not over. Just because I went once doesn’t mean I don’t need to go back next year (or sooner). Just because I spoke with my congressmen and women doesn’t mean I don’t need to speak to my city council members, my county executive, my state senators and my delegates. And just because I spoke to them doesn’t mean I don’t have an obligation to encourage others to speak to them too. 

What’s Next from SMA?

• We’re going to discuss what you told us at the roundtables during the conference. Not there? Have something more to add? Email us at conference@smallmuseum.org
• We’re going to revamp the website (www.smallmuseum.org). We’ll be adding materials about advocacy on the local level and geared towards small museums during the next few months. We’ll also link to resources provided by other organizations’ sites, as there is a lot of good stuff out there now.
• We’re going to help raise awareness of the importance of small museums. We’ll keep you updated as we figure out new ways to do so. Have an idea? Share it at conference@smallmuseum.org.

Call to Advocacy from AASLH - History Funding in Jeopardy!

Dear Friends of History:

As I’m sure you know, President Obama released his FY 2012 budget on Monday, calling for significant cuts to history. At the same time, Congress is gearing up for funding cuts within the FY 2011 budget which is operating under a Continuing Resolution.

HISTORY NEEDS YOUR HELP! There are several agencies and programs at risk. AASLH has made it as easy for you as possible, but we need you to follow the steps below and let your Members of Congress know that you think history is essential to an educated and democratic society.

When you contact your Members, please be sure to let me know (davis@aaslh.org) so I can get a feel for how the field is responding to our request for assistance. And thank you so much for being actively involved in the fight for the future of public funding for history!

Here’s a summary of the battle. As you can see, it’s complicated and a huge hit for history. Below the summary are action steps AASLH is requesting from you!

• Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) – The President has requested $242,605,000 for FY 2012, of which $32,318,000 is for the museum side of the agency, or an 8% cut. In addition, Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) has filed an amendment to strip all funding for IMLS (both libraries and museums) for the balance of the FY 2011 funding year. His proposal may come to the House floor this week. 
• Teaching American History Grants – The President has requested the elimination of TAH grants for FY 2012, just as he did for FY 2011—a $119 million loss.
• Save America’s Treasures – The President has proposed the elimination of the SAT program.
• National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) – The President has proposed a $22 million cut.  In addition, Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) has filed an amendment to strip all funding for NEH for the balance of the FY 2011 funding year.  His proposal may come to the House floor this week. Also, Rep. Francisco Canseco (R-TX) has introduced an amendment to reduce NEH funding by $12.51 million for FY 2011.
• National Publications and Records Commission – The President has proposed a 50% cut, from $10 million to $5 million in funds to grant for FY 2012.
• National Archives and Records Administration – The President has proposed funding at $422,501,000, or an 8.2% decrease from his FY 2011 proposed budget.

Action Steps Requested. These steps are focused on FY 2011. Funding requests regarding FY 2012 will be the focus of future requests, but it’s imperative that funding for history in FY 2011 remain stable.

• Please call or write your Representative now and urge them to oppose the Garrett and Canseco amendments to cut NEH and IMLS funding for FY 2011. AASLH is a proud member of the National Humanities Alliance that has provided you with the links below that make it simple for you to take immediate action against amendments that may be on the House floor this week. Act Now!
  
  Call your Representative – Click here
  Enter your contact information and follow prompts to call your Representative’s office. Talking points are provided regarding NEH, but please be sure to include IMLS in your conversation.
  
  Email your Representative – Click here
  Enter your contact information and follow prompts to send an email message to your Representative. Talking points are provided regarding NEH, but please be sure to include IMLS in your text, and you are encouraged to customize your message.
  
• Contact your Representative and Senators and let them know that history is important. Ask them to support current funding levels for FY 2011 for IMLS, the National Archives, NHPRC, and Save America’s Treasures. Tell them there is abundant evidence on the economic benefits of supporting the cultural sector. Make your own case for these programs. Let them know that history is important for an informed democratic society. AAM has provided an easy way to find your members of Congress at http://www.speakupformuseums.org/home.htm. Just type in your zip code, press go, and contact your Members of Congress.
  
• Teaching American History Grants – Contact your Senators now and ask them to save Teaching American History grants.  AASLH is a proud member of the National Coalition for History and they have provided this easy link for you to use: Save Teaching American History Grants. 

Thank your help with the urgent matter,


Terry Davis
AASLH President & CEO

Deadlines!! CAP and AAM Advocacy Day

From Heritage Preservation:

This is a reminder that the deadline to apply for the 2011 Conservation Assessment Program (CAP) is Friday, January 21, 2011. The application is available on Heritage Preservation's Web site at www.heritagepreservation.org/cap/application.html.

If you have questions about the CAP program, please call the CAP staff at 202-233-0800 or email cap@heritagepreservation.org.

From AAM: 

Your Participation in Museums Advocacy Day 2011 is Important!
With more than 100 new elected officials and new leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, it is critical that members of Congress hear from their constituents back home. Only you can convey the value of museums in your community!

Registration closes TODAY for Museums Advocacy Day 2011, Feb. 28–March 1 in Washington, D.C.

Register Online NOW
OR
Print, Complete and Return the Paper Registration Form

Museums Advocacy Day 2011
On February 28 and March 1, museum supporters – staff, trustees, students, volunteers and advocates – will gather in Washington, DC for advocacy and issue training and a day of making our case on Capitol Hill. Will you be there? There’s still time to register for this two-day event, and AAM members attend for FREE! Registration is open through TODAY January 21, 2011. (After that date, registration requests will be handled on a case-by-case basis.)

This two-day event includes a day of advocacy training in coordination with advocates from your state, a Monday evening reception at the U.S. Botanic Gardens with Members of Congress invited, and a Tuesday morning Congressional Breakfast where Members of Congress are invited to address museum advocates, followed by a day of visits to the offices of your Members of Congress (scheduled by AAM). Please visit www.speakupformuseums.org to learn more about Museums Advocacy Day.

Special Hotel Rate Also Available Through Today!
Hotel rooms have been reserved until January 21 (TODAY) at a special AAM rate of $159 at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center, where the day of advocacy training and issue briefings will be held. Please call 202-687-3200 or 888-324-2111 to make reservations at this special AAM rate and note that you are with the American Association of Museums when you call to make your reservation. Book now before the room block expires!

Any other deadlines I'm missing??

Update on IMLS Re-Authorization: Going to the President

Just a quick update to let you know that IMLS has passed the House and is now onto the President. The bipartisan bill reauthorizes the agency for the next five years. Please consider contacting your congressmen and women to thank them. I'll also have a report soon about SMA and locally based advocacy. Well, assuming the predicted snow doesn't impact my meeting today on the subject!

Senate Re-Authorizes IMLS - Onto the House!

Moderator's note: SMA will also be announcing some additional local advocacy measures geared towards small museums soon. Stay tuned!

IMLS Reauthorization Bill Passes Senate - Ask House to Pass Bill in Final Days of Congressional Session

On December 7, the U.S. Senate approved S. 3984, the Museum and Library Services Act of 2010.

This bipartisan bill would reauthorize the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and contains several provisions proposed by the museum field, including enhanced support for conservation and preservation, emergency preparedness and response, and building statewide capacity. The bill specifically supports efforts at the state level to leverage museum resources, including statewide needs assessments and the development of state plans to improve and maximize museum services throughout the state.

“Now that the Senate has passed the bill, we need to turn our attention to the U.S. House of Representatives,” said AAM President Ford W. Bell. “There are only a few legislative days left in this Congressional session so we have to make our case NOW. I encourage everyone to visit AAM’s advocacy website, www.speakupformuseums.org, and take advantage of our easy-to-use online letter feature to send a letter to your Member of Congress today.”

Send a letter to your U.S. Representative TODAY asking them to support the Museum and Library Services Act, S. 3984, when it reaches the House floor.

A note about Congressional procedure: If you are wondering why a bill would go through the House with an “S.” number, then first of all: good for you for noticing this! While it is far more common for “H.R.” bills to be taken up by the House, it is possible for bills on a faster track (that will forgo the regular House or Senate committee procedure) to be picked up for consideration in the House with their Senate bill number, or on occasion in the Senate with their House bill number. This is now the case with S. 3984, which is why we are now asking House Members to vote in favor of S. 3984.

Stay tuned for additional updates on the progress of IMLS Reauthorization!

Museum Advocacy 101

Today, I had the privilege of attending AAM’s free webinar on Museum Advocacy, which was led by outside consultant, Stephanie Vance. There were many useful tips for how to get started with advocacy, and I’ve consolidated some of them that were particularly useful to smaller institutions. Let me know what you think!

Why Is Advocacy Important?

I already knew that over a quarter of many small museums’ funding comes from the government – especially from the local level. (See Museum Financial Information 2009, Elizabeth E. Merritt and Philip M. Katz, Eds., The AAM Press, 2009) To retain and possibly increase that funding and to remain relevant to elected officials, we need to let them know that we’re important.

• Do they know how you’re enriching students’ educational experiences?
• Do they know about the rich treasure trove of programming you provide?
• Do they understand the importance of the cultural heritage you are preserving?
• Do they know what will happen if your museum ceases to exist?!

As one of my colleagues says, “Museums have great show and tell.” So – get out there, museums, and strut your stuff!

The Rules: What You Can Do

As a non-profit/501c3, your museum can promote advocacy and lobby candidates and elected officials. Your museum can also encourage voter registration.

As a private citizen, you can do whatever you want within the scope of the law, including promoting a particular candidate. Just make sure it’s separate from your museum persona!

The Rules: What You Can’t Do

No electioneering! Do not single out candidates or officials.

Remain non-partisan at all times.

Simple Ideas for Local Advocacy

• Add legislative officials to mailing and email lists. Invite them to your events on a regular basis.
• Conduct candidate surveys. Use free survey software, like www.Zoomerang.com or www.Surveymonkey.com, to send short surveys to candidates about their work with and views upon museums. Share those results. Just make sure you share everyone’s results, so as not to appear to be singling people out.
• Remind your visitors, members, volunteers, trustees, and other stakeholders to vote! Make voter registration information available at your museum (and maybe on your website).
• While you’re at it, let your visitors, members, volunteers, trustees, and other stakeholders know about issues that are important to your museum (e.g. funding concerns). This can also be spearheaded by your trustees and/or volunteers.
• Create a free online petition at www.citizenspeak.org. According to Ms. Vance, a recent petition helped raise over 10,000 signatures towards a monument in Las Vegas. Is there an issue regarding your museum you’d like to see supported?
• Volunteer. You’ll learn even more about the electoral process by volunteering on election day as a judge.
• Host a reception for elected officials. Your museum can host events for candidates, if the museum’s officials stay out of it, but that can be tricky waters to navigate. But you can invite people to the museum for an event learning more about your site and the issues that are important to you.
• Attend AAM’s Museum Advocacy Day! Check out www.speakupformuseums.org for more information. You can also attend their webinars – for FREE! – learn more here.

Resources

www.speakupformuseums.org

www.ballot.org

www.congress.org

www.opensecrets.org

www.vote-smart.org

www.independentsector.org/election-resources

Okay, now it’s your turn! Tell us what you’re doing in advocacy and how it’s worked out for your museum.

Free Advocacy Webinar on Monday

Monday, September 27, at 2pm EDT
Advocating During an Election Season
Election day is fast approaching, and this session will provide practical advice on how to get involved before and after the November 2 election without jeopardizing your nonprofit status. Learn how to familiarize yourself with the candidates, encourage voter registration, and promote museum awareness through the electoral process.
REGISTER TODAY!

More information at http://www.speakupformuseums.org/alert_20100902.htm.  

Keynote: Advocacy

Learn more about advocacy at www.speakupformuseums.org.