Virginia Department of Historic Resources announces Reimbursement Grants

For Immediate Release

February 20, 2014

Contact:
Randy Jones
Department of Historic Resources
540.578-3031 (cell)
Randy.Jones@dhr.virginia.gov.

 

Virginia Department of Historic Resources

Announces Reimbursement Grants

for Repairs to Historic Structures
Damaged by Hurricane Sandy (October 2012)

in FEMA-Approved Localities

  

Localities impacted by Hurricane Sandy and recognized by FEMA in Virginia:
Cities of Fairfax, Falls Church, and Manassas; counties of Accomack, Arlington, Clarke, Craig, Culpeper, Essex, Fauquier, Frederick, Greene, Highland, King and Queen, Lancaster, Loudoun, Madison, Mathews, Middlesex, Nelson, New Kent, Northampton, Northumberland, Prince William, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, Surry, Warren and Westmoreland

DHR will manage grant disbursements & conduct two workshops

to assist possible applicants prior to application deadline

Grants may also be used for preventive measures

to protect historic structures from future storms

RICHMOND - The National Park Service is allocating $1.5 million to the Commonwealth of Virginia to reimburse property owners for repairs to their historic properties damaged by Hurricane Sandy, the massive storm that struck the mid-Atlantic and northeast coast of the United States in October of 2012 leaving a wide path of destruction from Virginia to New England.

The grant is open to private property owners, and organizations or local governments with ownership interests in historic properties in jurisdictions in Virginia that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declared federal disaster areas in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Owners of historic properties in those localities are now possibly eligible for reimbursement funds to repairs they made already or are planning to make to historic structures ravaged by the storm. The funds derive from the NPS's Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Assistance Grant for Historic Properties.

The grant funds may be "used for the preservation, stabilization, rehabilitation, and repair of historic properties damaged by Hurricane Sandy," according to NPS guidelines. Applicants may apply for two types of funding: a "Pre-development / Planning" grant, which includes "technical assistance" through a survey and assessment of historic properties in order for plans to lessen future damage from a storm; the other grant is a "Development / Construction" grant. "The minimum grant award is $10,000 for Pre-development/Planning projects and $25,000 for Development/Construction projects," the grant guidelines state.

Virginia, while spared much of Hurricane Sandy's full fury, had 29 jurisdictions declared post-storm disaster areas by FEMA. Those jurisdictions are the cities of Fairfax, Falls Church, and Manassas, and the counties of Accomack, Arlington, Clarke, Craig, Culpeper, Essex, Fauquier, Frederick, Greene, Highland, King and Queen, Lancaster, Loudoun, Madison, Mathews, Middlesex, Nelson, New Kent, Northampton, Northumberland, Prince William, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, Surry, Warren and Westmoreland.

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) will manage and disburse the grant funds to applicants meeting NPS and DHR criteria. Grant applications must be submitted to DHR by no later than 3 p.m., Friday, March 28.

DHR staff will conduct two open house workshops for potential applicants to inform them about the scope of the grants, eligibility, and offer guidance in completing applications for the relief funds. The first workshop convenes March 7, 1 to 4 p.m. at DHR's headquarters at 2801 Kensington Avenue, Richmond.  A second workshop will be conducted March 12, 5 to 7 p.m., at DHR's Tidewater Region Preservation Office at 14415 Old Courthouse Way, Newport News.

"We are on a fast track to receive applications, disperse the funds, and get any approved projects underway in order to meet the grant's overall completion deadline," said Julie Langan, Acting Director, DHR.  "Our agency applied for this grant last year but only recently learned the dollar amount allotted Virginia by the NPS and, most importantly, NPS guidelines and conditions for awarding the grants," she added.

The "Development/Construction" grants are restricted to a "historic property" listed or eligible-as determined by DHR- for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or a historic property that contributes to a historic district listed in the National Register. DHR strongly encourages applicants to confirm a property's eligibility status, and if necessary, apply for National Register evaluation before submitting an application.

Projects awarded "Development/Construction" reimbursement grant funds must be carried out according to the Secretary of Interior's "Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties" and any alterations to historic buildings must comply with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, in addition to other requirements tied to the federal funds.

Applicants awarded a "Development/Construction" grant also will be required to provide DHR a "Preservation Covenant" of limited duration on a property that benefits from the grant funding.

The Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Assistance Grant is a competitive grant program and each application will be scored by DHR according to a pre-determined set of criteria. Applications will be reviewed for eligibility and, if determined eligible, will be rated according to the following criteria: 

• Historic Significance of the property or properties.
• Degree and nature of the damage or severity of threat to the property.
• Applicant's ability to complete the project promptly and successfully, including project planning, administrative structures and budget, and ability to demonstrate fiscal prudence and readiness to proceed.
• Ability of the project to address/correct the storm-related damage and whether the funds awarded will achieve a significant preservation objective and meet preservation standards. 
• Degree to which local historic preservation needs will be met and a public benefit achieved.
• Completeness and accuracy of the grant application.

After review and careful consideration, applications with the highest scores will be selected for funding. DHR may fund all or a portion of a proposed project. The department anticipates applicants will be notified of the outcome of the selection process by April 11.

All projects approved for the grant must be completed and approved by DHR by no later than August 15, 2015. As these are reimbursement grants, all grantees must document and provide proof of expenditures and submit the same to recover eligible expenses. DHR expects that individuals or organizations covered by the grant will have 15 months to complete a project.

Grant applications are available for download at DHR's website: http://www.dhr.virginia.gov. For more information about the grants, please contact Julie Langan, Acting Director, DHR, at (804) 482-6087 or by email at Julie.Langan@dhr.virginia.gov.

MAAM Call for Proposals

2014 MAAM Conference Call for Proposals:

Museums in Transition and Transition in Museums

 October 22-24, 2014
Washington, DC
Proposals due:  March 21, 2014
MAAM, The Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums, represents museum professionals, organizations, institutions and museum service providers via a collective forum in order to enhance and elevate the image of museums and educate individuals on an array of field-specific studies and programs. The MAAM annual meeting is an important gathering of museum stakeholders and provides a dynamic opportunity to share and exchange ideas.
 Join MAAM in Washington DC this October as we explore Museums in Transition and Transitions in Museums. The museum world is constantly undergoing change and transformation, whether in response to economics, cultural trends or professional advances. Examples may include seeking new audiences, developing and providing new or revised services, introducing new leadership, consolidating resources or collaborating creatively with unlikely partners. We invite you to contribute to the dialogue with a conference session proposal. We are looking particularly for sessions that appeal to mid-level career professionals, as well as students and senior-level staff and service providers.
 The annual meeting is the perfect opportunity to introduce theoretical or philosophical frameworks that explore daily issues shared by all. Sessions should present differing perspectives that constructively embrace controversy and enliven the session.  You do not need to be the “expert” to propose/organize a session. Vendors are also welcome to submit proposals, but all panels should include at least one museum professional.  The MAAM Program Committee, comprised of recognized museum professionals, will review all proposals. Please consider a submitting a proposal on one of the following transitions:

TRANSITIONS:
➢ Strategic Alliances and Mergers
➢ New Leadership
➢ Transition from Student/Intern to Employee ➢ Becoming an Independent Contractor
➢ “Free to Fee” or “Fee to Free” ➢ New Places/Spaces
➢ The Revisioning Process
➢ Changing Exhibitions
➢ Retirement and Attrition

SUBMIT: Proposals must be submitted by March 21, 2014 and will be reviewed by the MAAM Conference Program Committee; please refer to the attached “Guidelines and Requirements for Conference Presenters.”  Only complete submissions will be reviewed. Decisions regarding the selection of sessions will be e-mailed to the session chair by May 15, 2014
 A great conference begins with great MAAM members. Consider becoming a MAAM member today. [Click here to join or renew your MAAM membership]

QUESTIONS & TO SUBMIT:
 Please submit all completed proposals in word document to:
 midatlanticmuseums@gmail.com

All session proposals should contain the following information:

1.     General Information

Applicant Name & Title

Museum Name

Session Title (Title should capture the session’s essence as well as serve as a marketing tool.)

2.     Maximum Number of Participants

 Target Audience

Administrative

Collections

Conservation

Curatorial

Development/Fundraising

Education

Exhibits

Facilities

Museum Store

Public Relations/Marketing

Other (Please specify)

4.     Career Level

Student

Entry

Mid-Career

Senior-Level

5.    Relevance to Conference Themes

How is your session relevant to the conference theme?[50 word limit]

6. Session Proposal: 100 Word Maximum. Description should address specific topics covered, target audience, session goals, expected outcomes, and relevance to conference themes. This description also serves as the conference program guide description in the event your session is selected. *NOTE: All sessions are 75 minutes.

7. SESSION CHAIR: Serves as the point of contact for MAAM’s conference planners, receives all communications, and is expected to communicate all pertinent annual meeting information to session panelists.

Name

Title

Institution

City, State, Zip

Phone

Cell

E-mail

8. PANELIST 1 Please note that at least one recognized museum professional must be represented in each session proposal.

Name

Title

Institution

City, State, Zip

Phone

E-mail

9. PANELIST 2

Name

Title

Institution

City, State, Zip

Phone

E-mail

10. PANELIST 3

Name

Title

Institution

City, State, Zip

Phone

E-mail

11. PANELIST 4

Name

Title

Institution

City, State, Zip

Phone

E-mail

12. Chair & Panelist Description: Please write a brief bio statementfor each session participant. Include what he or she brings to the session; why he or she was recruited; and draw a connection between presenters. Do not attach resumes or CVs. Although it is preferable to identify panelists with this proposal, if you require assistance in identifying specific participants, please characterize what qualifications you are seeking - for example: “director of a small rural art museum who has recently completed a capital campaign.” If your session is then selected, Program Committee members will then work with you to help identify potential participants.

13. What are the goals and takeaways of this session? [50 word maximum.]

14. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Please briefly note any additional relevant information you wish to convey to assist the Program Committee in its decision making process. E.G. You are requesting a particular museum venue where you wish to present or you can only present on one specific date of the conference.

AUDIO VISUAL: MAAM will provide certain basic Audio Visual equipment and services such as: LCD projectors, limited computers forpresentations, a microphone and podium as well as a head table forpanels. Please note that additional equipment and services may require additional costs and MAAM reserves the right to seek reimbursement from sessions that request AudioVisual equipment and services in excess of basic levels. If your session is accepted and in advance of the conference, MAAM  will review and confirm what  AudioVisual equipment and services will be provided at no fee by MAAM and what equipment and services will require reimbursement.  
HANDOUTS: Program chairs and presenters are encouraged to provide sufficient handouts for all session attendees or distribute materials electronically. You are encouraged to provide MAAM with a PDF or PowerPoint of any slides or handouts that can be posted on our website or distributed to all conference attendees. MAAM does not provide a printing station for attendees. 

Guidelines and Requirements for Conference Presenters

Chairs: Each session must have a chairperson responsible for finding other speakers and coordinating logistics. Chairs will be the main contact between MAAM and their panelists. MAAM will not contact panelists. It is the session chair’s responsibility to notify MAAM if there are any changes to the panel before the preliminary program is printed (August.) Chairs should ensure that they and their panelists are available to present on either date of the conference. Any scheduling conflicts must be presented in writing to MAAM Conference Program Chair by immediately.

For-Profit:  For-profit companies and vendors may submit session proposals; however, at least one recognized museum professional must be represented on each panel.

AV and Room Arrangements: Chairs must submit AV and room arrangement requests to MAAM by  August 1.  Mac Users: Neither MAAM nor host hotel will provide laptops, overhead projectors, carousel projectors and LCDs for Macs. LCD projectors that will be provided may not be compatible with Macs.

How to Select a Topic: Think of this as sharing ideas you have or challenges you’ve experienced within the field while encouraging discussion of significant issues among your colleagues.

Selecting Your Chair and Panelists: Every session must have a chairperson who is responsible for the organization and management of the session including logistics, requests for materials and equipment, communication with participants and MAAM staff, and leading the session itself. Most sessions include one chair and up to three presenters who bring balance to the session. The session chair may serve as a panelist. Panelists from different museums and states are encouraged. A single panelist is highly discouraged. Panelists should have direct experience with the topic, present information in a professional manner, and be prepared for questions and comments that address differing opinions and viewpoints than their own.

Panelists:  Please note: At least one recognized museum professional must be represented on each panel. Panelists will be responsible for their travel to and from the conference and must register for the conference.  A discounted speaker’s rate will apply to all panelists. Panelists are responsible for ensuring that they are available to speak on any of the conference dates. Panelists should have direct experience with the session topic, present information in a professional manner, and be prepared for questions and comments that address differing opinions and viewpoints than their own.

Program Committee Review of Sessions:  Each session proposalwill be reviewed by the MAAM Program Committee. Only completeproposals will be reviewed. Sessions will be scored (1-5) in areas such as relevance to conference theme; appeal to broad or specific audience; speakers’ ability to attract attendees to the conference.  The committee may ask for revisions to the proposal; suggest additional or alternate panelists; combine similar proposal ideas.

Registration Fees & Costs: All Chairs and panelists must register forthe annual meeting; however, they may take advantage of the discounted speaker rate. Speakers are encouraged to take advantage of this reduced rate and enjoy the complete conference. MAAM does not pay travel costs or honoraria for any session chairs or panelists. Session chairs are responsible for making sure that all panelists register for the annual meeting.

Time: All sessions re one hour and fifteen minutes (75 minutes). This must include time for questions and answers.

Employment Opportunity with First State Heritage Park

RECRUITMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

TITLE: Park Superintendent

LOCATION: First State Heritage Park-Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation

102 S. State Street

Dover, DE 19901

SALARY: The position is a non-merit contractual position with Delaware State Parks. Salary is $44,094. Benefits include medical, dental, disability and life insurance.

CLOSING DATE: March 14, 2014

Duties and Responsibilities:

First State Heritage Park-Delaware State Parks (DNREC) is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Park Superintendent, responsible for performing the following duties and responsibilities:

·         Plans, coordinates and oversees implementation of First State Heritage Park.

·         Develop short- and long-term goals for the park in collaboration with planning team members. Establish priorities for the planning process. Negotiate and incorporate input from planning team members, advisory groups and community.

·         Maintain and enhance collaborative relationships with interagency partners, advisory groups, and community members. Facilitate the working relationship of the partner agencies as outlined in the Memo of Understanding.

·         Develops and manages First State Heritage Park annual $250,000 operating budget.

·         Recommend and monitor purchases and contractual services.

·         Explore additional funding sources for the project.

·         Work closely with accounting to provide regular fiscal reports as required by Department of State.

·         Maintains and enhances a strong identity for First State Heritage Park

·         Manage all First State Heritage Park signage, including highway signs, building and pole banners, interpretive waysides, and informational kiosks.

·         Develop and implement annual marketing plan for First State Heritage Park, including advertising and media relations.

·         Work closely with Delaware State Parks Creative Services and partner agencies on promotional graphics projects.

·         Plans and manages the First State Heritage Park’s annual signature event – the 18th Century Market Fair.

·         Hires, supervises and evaluates paid and volunteer staff positions that support the park’s programming and activities in accordance with Delaware State Parks management practices.

·         Manages and oversees the park’s interpretive center (John Bell House) and office facilities.

Position Requirements: Applicants must have at least the following education and experience:

·         Bachelor’s degree required, master’s degree preferred, preferably in museum or recreation management, public administration or business management. Background in history or cultural heritage is strongly desirable. Strong management skills and significant experience managing staff and budgets are required. Strong written and oral communication skills are necessary.

Applicants interested in applying for this position are encouraged to submit letter of inquiry and a résumé that outlines relevant and qualifying experience and education to:

Matthew Ritter

Division of Parks and Recreation

152 S. State Street

Dover, DE 19901

Matthew.ritter@state.de.us  

The State of Delaware is an EOE.

Vitrines for Sale in D.C.

The offices of B’nai B’rith International in Washington, DC will transfer to a smaller space in early July.  Vitrines of varying dimensions, sculpture pedestals and wall cases that are of very high quality are now and will be available for sale. 

Inquiries should be directed to the telephone number or to the contact at the email address provided below.

Cheryl A. Kempler
Curatorial Office

B'nai B'rith International

(202) 857-6647

ckempler@bnaibrith.org

Employment Opportunity with Craik-Patton House Museum

Executive Director Position available for small house museum in Charleston, West Virginia

The Craik-Patton House Museum (craik-patton.org) is seeking an individual with exceptional development and fund raising skills for the position of Executive Director. Major responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:

-Working with and providing support to the Board of Directors and committees of Craik-Patton Inc. and the WV Society of the Colonial Dames (nscdawv.org)

-Fund raising and managing database of donors

-Grant writing

-Management of the house and the collection

-Supervising and training volunteers to conduct tours

-Establish history programs for all ages

-Create partnerships with other civic business and historic organizations

-Conduct tours for the public and school groups

-Office management to include daily operations/knowledge of Quickbooks and PastPerfect

-Supervise special events and rentals

This is the only paid position at this time.

Qualifications:

B.A. or higher

3-5 years experience in museum/historic house administration

Experience in grant writing

Strong oral and writing proficiency

Ability to self-direct and be able to work independently

Please mail resumes to Jeanne Grubb, 2809 Kanawha Blvd., E., Charleston, WV 25311 or email to info@craik-patton.org.

Employment Opportunity with University of Illinois

Archivist for Faculty Papers

Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor, University Library

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Position Available:  Position available immediately after closing. This is a 100%, twelve-month, tenure-system appointment.

Duties and Responsibilities:  Working under the direction of the Archivist for Music and Fine Arts, the Associate Archivist for Faculty Papers is responsible for strategic leadership to acquire, preserve and steward the professional and personal archives of University of Illinois faculty (i.e., “faculty papers”) initially those in the College of Fine and Applied Arts.  Major responsibilities include: 

·         Developing a collection development strategy and choosing areas in which to focus collecting in consultation with teaching faculty and appropriate experts in the Archives and Library, (e.g. subject and functional specialists and Research Data Services staff);

·         Conducting collections development research concerning faculty communication and documentation patterns to better understand, document, and preserve evidence of faculty activities and the information and data produced from those activities;

·         Developing and administering policies relating to faculty papers acquisitions including intellectual property rights and access restrictions via deeds of gift;

·         Soliciting of and negotiating with faculty donors;

·         Making strategic decisions regarding descriptive practices and access tools to facilitate discovery and use of faculty papers;

·         Creating processing plans for new acquisitions that balance resources with collection and user needs;

·         Providing research, instruction, and reference service related to these new collections to support their use for scholarship, teaching, and service; and

·         Undertaking university and public engagement to bring attention to and facilitate use of newly acquired faculty papers.  

·         Articulating, pursuing and, over time, refining an aggressive agenda in research, scholarly publication, and professional and public service activities in areas appropriate for academic librarianship at the University of Illinois.

·         Contributing to the national and international reputation of the University Library through professional research, service and collaboration with appropriate colleagues and organizations.

Environment:  The University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign is one of the preeminent research libraries in the world. With more than 13 million volumes and significant digital resources, it ranks second in size among academic research libraries in the United States and first among public university libraries in the world. As the intellectual heart of the campus, the Library is committed to maintaining the strongest possible collections and services and engaging in research and development activities in pursuit of the University’s mission of teaching, scholarship, and public service. The Library currently employs approximately 90 faculty and 300 academic professionals, staff, and graduate assistants. For more detailed information, please visit <http://www.library.illinois.edu/>.  The Library consists of multiple departmental libraries located across campus, as well as an array of central public, technical, and administrative service units. The Library also encompasses a variety of virtual service points and “embedded librarian” programs.

The University of Illinois’ Sousa Archives and Center for American Music, as an archives and music museum of the University Archives, provides services to undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, visiting scholars, and the general public. In addition it produces exhibitions and diverse public engagement programs for the local community and its public schools.  The Sousa Archives is one of the nation’s most vibrant centers for documenting the American music scene.  In addition to holding over 70 percent of John Philip Sousa’s original music manuscripts, it also documents the creative output of the School of Music, the world of electronic music, the local pop music scene, and musicians of all genres around the country and world. It also holds an extensive collection of historical instruments and audio players, from wax cylinders to electronic music instruments.

The University Archives' permanent staff includes seven archivists, one academic professional, one library specialist, graduate assistants, and hourly student assistants. Its holdings include official records of the university, papers of prominent faculty and alumni, and associated manuscript collections including the Student Life and Culture Archives. The Archives also holds records, papers, photographs, audiovisual materials, and related historical collections of professional and public service associations, such as the American Library Association and the Advertising Council. For over five decades, the professional staff has been recognized as national and international leaders and innovators in archival practice. They are highly productive and able to cope with growing collections and expanding groups of research users.

Qualifications: Required:

·         MLS from an ALA accredited library school with a concentration in archival theory and practice, or an equivalent degree

·         Working knowledge of the accepted standards of the archives profession

·         Minimum of one year of experience working in an academic  or governmental  archives  or special collections repository

·         Supervisory experience

·         Strong written and oral communication skills

·         Ability to meet research and publication requirements for promotion and tenure

·         Ability to read music

Preferred:

·         A second degree in history or one of the Fine and Applied Arts disciplines

·         Minimum of one year of experience working with either Archon or Archivist Toolkit

·         Minimum of one year of experience developing collection development strategies and administering policies associated with intellectual property rights and access restrictions

·         Knowledge and experience applying current encoded archival descriptive practices to the arrangement and description of archival collections and digital image libraries

·         Knowledge and experience providing research, instruction, and reference service in archives and special collections

·         Knowledge and experience curating exhibitions and implementing public engagement programs

·         Knowledge and experience in music score reading and transposition

·         Familiarity with  processes, methods, and procedures for stewardship of born-digital content

Salary and Rank:  Salary commensurate with credentials and experience. Librarians have faculty rank, and must demonstrate excellence in librarianship, research, and university/professional/community service in order to meet university standards for tenure and promotion. For more information, see <http://www.library.illinois.edu/committee/promo/pta.html>.

Terms of Appointment: Twelve-month appointment; 24 annual vacation days; 11 annual paid holidays; 12 annual sick-leave days (cumulative), plus an additional 13 sick-leave days (non-cumulative) available, if needed, each year; health insurance requiring a small co-payment is provided to employee (with the option to purchase coverage for spouse and dependents); required participation in State Universities Retirement System (SURS) (8% of annual salary is withheld and is refundable upon termination), with several options for participation in additional retirement plans; newly-hired employees are covered by the Medicare portion of Social Security and are subject to its deduction.

Campus and Community: The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a comprehensive and major public land-grant university (Doctoral/Research University-Extensive) that is ranked among the best in the world. Chartered in 1867, it provides undergraduate and graduate education in more than 150 fields of study, conducts theoretical and applied research, and provides public service to the state and the nation. It employs 3,000 faculty members who serve 31,000 undergraduates and 12,000 graduate and professional students; approximately 25% of faculty receives campus-wide recognition each year for excellence in teaching. More information about the campus is available at www.illinois.edu.

The University is located in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana, which have a combined population of 100,000 and are situated about 140 miles south of Chicago, 120 miles west of Indianapolis, and 170 northeast of St. Louis. The University and its surrounding communities offer a cultural and recreational environment ideally suited to the work of a major research institution. For more information about the community, visit: <http://illinois.edu/about/community/community.html> or <http://www.ccchamber.org/>.

To Apply:  To ensure full consideration, please complete your candidate profile at https://jobs.illinois.edu and upload a letter of interest, resume, and contact information including email addresses for three professional references. Applications not submitted through this website will not be considered. For questions, please call: 217-333-8169.

Deadline:  In order to ensure full consideration, applications and nominations must be received by March 18, 2014.

Illinois is an Affirmative Action /Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ideas who embrace and value diversity and inclusivity.

www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu

Preservation Access Grants for Small Museums

Those who attended the conference last week may remember that a representative from the National Endowment for the Humanities discussed Preservation Access Grants for small institutions during the lightning sessions at lunch on Monday. These are great opportunities for smaller museums, especially since they don't require a large staff to manage. Learn more at http://www.neh.gov/divisions/preservation/preservation-and-access-grants-map.

The next deadline is May 1, 2014! 

Here are some highlights from the website:
"Since 2000, NEH has made over 1,700 awards for Preservation Assistance Grants (commonly known as PAGs) to libraries, museums, historical societies, archival repositories, cultural organizations, town and county records offices, and colleges and universities that want to improve their ability to preserve and care for their humanities collections.  In all 50 states, and in Puerto Rico, PAG awards have enabled many small and mid-sized cultural repositories to hire consultants to do a preservation assessment; purchase preservation supplies, including shelving and archival folders; and acquire environmental monitoring equipment.  PAGs also support cultural heritage institutions develop disaster or environmental monitoring plans, or train their staffs in the care and storage of humanities collections or the best practices for cataloging and arranging and describing collections." 

What do these grants fund?
"Preservation Assistance Grants provide up to $6,000 of funding for the following activities:  preservation assessments, purchase of preservation supplies and equipment, development of environmental monitoring and disaster plans, and education and training.  We encourage small and mid-sized cultural heritage institutions with significant humanities collections to consider applying, and especially those that have never before received an NEH grant.  This year, we have a special encouragement for presidentially-designated institutions (historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and tribal colleges and universities) and Native American tribes with significant humanities collections.  If you have an idea for a project that you think might fit the criteria of the Preservation Assistance Grant, or if you simply want to find out more about the program, please contact us at: preservation@neh.gov or by phone at: 202-606-8570. Guidelines for the program are available here."

Let us know if you apply or have received one! Good luck :)

Employment Opportunity: National Institute of Standards and Technology

Museum Curator

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Gaithersburg, MD

$89,924.00 to $138,136.00 / Per Year

The NIST Information Services Office (ISO) is seeking an experienced individual to curate NIST’s scientific artifacts and convey research results via physical and digital exhibits and displays. ISO is a team-based environment, which emphasizes knowledge sharing and collaboration to provide services to NIST scientific and technical staff. The incumbent serves as Museum Curator to develop ISO’s strategic plans for exhibiting and communicating NIST’s rich history. The incumbent will identify strategies for understanding and presenting current exhibits and creating new exhibits at NIST Gaithersburg and Boulder sites. The incumbent proposes and develops exhibit topics and design specifications. Exhibit plans include brochures and tours. The incumbent is responsible for collection development and contacts NIST scientists regarding collection development and objects for acquisitions. The curator is responsible for the completeness and accuracy of the Registrar's database and the Heritage Assets inventory and audits. The incumbent oversees the photographing of all objects according to established standards. Conducts Museum tours and oversees trunk shows. In partnership with ISO’s Digital Services librarians the incumbent will develop and provide consultation on methods for digital data stewardship including managing, describing, preserving, and making artifact data accessible to appropriate audiences via museum collection management systems and digital repositories. The incumbent will prepare information for data entry, publication, reporting, and content management system ingest. The incumbent will identify and recommend tools, techniques, and practices for management of museum artifact data. The incumbent will monitor, investigate, and report on emerging trends, best practices, and technologies in museum services

Apply online from Thursday, February 20, 2014 to Friday, March 14, 2014

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/362239900