Mission Statement
History
Governance
Roles and Responsibilities of a VAM Council Member
Guiding Principles
Directions to the VAM Office
VAM Form 990 (you must enter password: 546075555 to access)
Mission Statement
The Virginia Association of Museums is a non-profit, professional membership organization for museums and individuals associated with museums, primarily in Virginia, serving all museum disciplines. The Association provides education, information, resource and support services, facilitates communication among the institutions and individuals of its membership, fosters inclusiveness and serves as an advocate to governmental and other decision-making authorities on issues relating to museums.
History
Since the late 1950s Virginia's museum professionals have been getting together to share expertise, exchange exhibits and collaborate on programs. As the group grew, it expanded its activities incorporating, for example, a Civil War Centennial Celebration, a magazine and additional meetings during the year for training and networking. Initially called The Virginia History Federation it was incorporated in 1968 to promote and support Virginia's historical museums and sites; one year later it was granted 501c(3) status by the IRS. In 1978, the organization became the Virginia History and Museums Federation to reflect a broader mission intended to include all museum disciplines. In 1980 the organization was renamed the Virginia Association of Museums (VAM) to further establish its purpose in the education and support for all museums, cultural institutions and those dedicated to Virginia's museums.
Governance
The Virginia Association of Museums is governed by a twenty-member Council. On this Council are Directors representing the six geographic regions of VAM membership (Northern Virginia, Central Virginia, Tidewater & Eastern Shore, Southwest & Blueridge, Mountain & Valley, and District of Columbia). Five Directors represent the various disciplines of museums (Art, History, Historic Houses, Science & Nature, and Specialized Audience). Executive oversight is provided by five officers - President, Vice President for Programs, Vice President for Planning and Resources, Secretary and Treasurer. There are also three Directors-at-Large, and the Past President.
Roles and Responsibilities of a VAM Council Member
Roles
The Council acts as a Board of Trustees and therefore has responsibility for the continuity (financial health) and direction (programming) of the Association. The Council serves as the policy-making body. It consists of five officers (President, Vice President for Planning and Resources, Vice President for Programs, Secretary, and Treasurer); seven regional directors, six discipline-representative directors, two directors-at-large; and the immediate past president.
Responsibilities
- To support the mission of the Association: promoting professionalism in Virginia's museum community.
- To determine directions, goals and priorities for the Association.
- To define policy governing the Association.
- To maintain contact with museums and other appropriate institutions in the Council member's community, in order to assure widespread participation in the Association's programs and to survey local needs and provide suggestions for services to Association members.
- To support the Association through at least an individual membership, and by enlisting new members from other museums as well as the member's home institution personnel, trustees and volunteers.
- To assist in the development of financial and advisory resources necessary to accomplish the Council's stated goals.
- To cooperate with the Association's staff in solicitation for funds from the corporate community, foundations and other granting organizations, state and federal government and individual benefactors.
- To advocate for the Association's needs and those of the commonwealth's entire museum community with the legislature and local governments.
- To attend bimonthly Council meetings and the annual conference. Missing two (2) meetings with unreported absences, or three (3) meetings for any reason during a year shall indicate that member's intention to resign.
- To serve as member or chairman of one or more committees per year, meeting on a regular basis to complete projects and prepare for Council meetings.
- To participate in the selection of the Executive Director, oversee his/her activities and assist in setting personnel policies for the Association's staff.
- To provide active, working support for the Association's staff.
- To review and approve the annual budget submitted by the Executive Committee.
- To supply items for the newsletter and write occasional articles as requested by the Association's staff.
- From time to time, to host visits by the Association's staff, meetings of regional groups and the annual conference as agreed upon by the Council, staff and the individual Council member.
- To coordinate logistical assistance and program development for planned meetings.
Guiding Principles
Strategic Area 1: Developing Leadership
Leadership is critical at all institutional levels and across the continuum of the profession. It is defined here as the skills and tools to further personal and professional advancement within the broadest spectrum of the museum profession. Leadership is also defined as the public dimension of the role a museum takes in a community.
Goal I: VAM will provide high quality professional programs that meet the needs of our members.
Objective A: Ensure High Quality of Programs.
Action 1. Address current issues and topics.
Action 2. Identify best faculty.
Action 3. Utilize and improve VAM program evaluation tools.
Objective B: Increase Accessibility of Programs.
Action 1. Create and maintain geographic balance in program locations.
Action 2. Maintain low fees and offer scholarships where funding allows.
Action 3. Look at what is required to meet the needs of various groups within the membership.
Action 4. Open VAM Council meetings by communicating via the News Magazine and website that VAM members
are welcome to attend.
Action 5. Institute VAM regional meetings and evaluate their effectiveness.
Objective C: Provide for expansion and evolution of VAM programs.
Action 1. Evaluate conference and workshop locations considering location, cost, technology needs, and
availability of associated activities.
Action 2. Develop sessions and opportunities for team building and “meet your colleague” sessions at annual
conference, workshop and
special programs.
Action 3. Develop multi-media materials relating to workshops and to conference sessions.
Action 4. Develop and implement a Certificate Program to launch in 2005.
Action 5. Create a series of workshops each year correlating to the core areas of VAM’s Certificate Program.
Action 6. Develop programming that utilizes non-museum faculty for new and/or different viewpoints and ideas.
Action 7. Create in-depth training programs for all levels of the museum profession and further develop a rotation
schedule and funding
plan for these special initiatives.
Action 8. Publish a News Magazine article on a relevant workshop whenever possible.
Goal II: VAM will foster leadership opportunities for service and support of the VAM mission.
Objective A: Cultivate and recruit talented and committed individuals for leadership positions in VAM.
Strategic Area 2: Promoting a Sense of Community
Community is viewed in the broadest sense to include the community of museum professionals, the community of visitors attending museums and the geographic communities served or potentially served by museum programs and operations.
Goal I: VAM will aggressively embrace and support all types of museums.
Goal II: VAM will form cooperative partnerships that will benefit the Virginia museum community.
Objective A: Seek more opportunities to co-sponsor training workshops and professional development
Action 1. Work with specialized groups and service organizations that provide training for specific disciplines and
types of museums.
Action 2. Seek partnerships with Peninsula Museum Forum and other regional museum professional
associations.
Action 3. Seek opportunities with Virginia colleges and universities to develop continuing education credits for
qualifying VAM workshops and programs.
Goal III: VAM will serve as an advocate for Virginia’s museum community.
Objective A: Represent the museum community to local, state, and federal governments.
Action 1. Attend hearings and provide testimony on critical issues.
Action 2. Continue to provide information and updates on the museum community to local, state, and federal
governments and their agencies.
Action 3. Continue to serve as an advisor to the Virginia Tourism Authority and the Virginia Department of Historic
Resources.
Objective B: Gather and disseminate information presenting a true picture of the Virginia museum community.
Action 1. Identify available impact information from Virginia Tourism Corp., universities, and other agencies.
Action 2. Publish sources of impact information on VAM's website and, as appropriate, devote a short column
in the News Magazine to statistics relevant to members, including economic impact updates and visitor
information.
Action 3. Strategically use impact information to educate policy makers.
Action 4. Regularly conduct polls of museums on current issues and publish results.
Action 5. Explore resources for the creation of a “Cultural Inventory and Condition Report.”
Objective C: Establish VAM as a unifying legislative voice in support of Virginia museums.
Action 1. Form an Advocacy Committee to direct advocacy efforts and work with other cultural organizations to
develop a collaborative arts and humanities message.
Action 2. Identify and cultivate legislators, elected officials and key community figures to support Virginia
museums.
Action 3. Charge the Local Arrangements committee with devising a way to include such persons in the annual
conference.
Goal IV: VAM will address diversity issues and be a leader in ensuring that diversity is recognized as an integral part of the museum community.
Objective A: Expand and activate the current Diversity Committee.
Action 1. Gather statistical information and examine models about diversity in Virginia from non-museum
sources including businesses.
Action 2. Review VAM’s successes and failures to diversify its community.
Action 3. Explore opportunities and means to address diversity issues, including the annual conference, a
forum/program under the auspices of the VFH African-American Heritage Program and/or a program for the
commemoration of 2007.
Objective B: Showcase relevant museum programs that successfully expand the diversity of audiences served in
the VAM News Magazine, conferences and programs.
Action 1. Develop and/or sponsor programs to assist museums to define, understand and serve diverse
communities.
Action 2. Promote an understanding and use of community/civic advisory groups.
Action 3. Print at least one News Magazine article a year that touches upon diversity issues.
Objective C: Develop strategies to assure that the museum community and the membership of VAM reflect the
diversity of Virginia.
Action 1. Increase involvement of individuals with diverse backgrounds in 1) the museum profession; 2) VAM
membership; 3) VAM- sponsored activities; and 4) VAM leadership.
Objective D: Increase diversity of participation in VAM programs and conferences.
Action 1. Identify and target existing African-American, Native-American, and other culturally specific museums
and networks to encourage involvement.
Action 2. Investigate ways to make VAM more visible to culturally specific museums and their professional staff,
including contacting the state’s Minority Business Enterprise.
Action 3. Review VAM’s current geographic structure.
A. Make recommendations regarding its regions in order to make them more effective and accessible to our
members.
B. Clearly define or redefine the roles and responsibilities of Council’s regional and discipline directors.
C. Consider how to encourage and support existing regional museum forums.
Goal V: VAM will continue to serve as a state-wide information exchange.
Objective A: Use News Magazine & web site as an effective tool of communication for museum related issues.
Action 1. Continue to use the News Magazine as a vehicle for communication.
Action 2. Develop and enhance VAM website to serve VAM members and the public.
Action 3. Encourage dialogue about timely topics by posing questions in the News Magazine, and on the website
inviting member response and printing the results.
Objective B: Provide timely information on museum events, legal issues, legislative news, professional
opportunities and member services.
Action 1. Maintain a website that serves VAM members and the public in a timely manner.
Action 2. Ensure that the quarterly News Magazine and monthly email newsletter provides timely information
Action 3. Expand, update and promote Resource Library.
Strategic Area 3: Developing Resources
Goal I: VAM will strengthen and expand its membership base.
Objective A: Profile VAM’s current Institutional membership and assess ways to maintain and increase
membership in that category.
Action 1. The Membership Committee and regional directors will establish regional meetings/happy hours in
their areas.
Action 2. Develop a survey every four years to determine the value of existing as well as potential benefits for
institutional members, the next one to take place in Fall 2005.
Action 3. Analyze the institutional membership.
Action 4. Determine goals for institutional membership.
Objective B: Profile VAM’s current Individual membership and assess ways to maintain and increase membership
in that category.
Action 1. Develop a survey every four years to determine the value of existing and potential benefits for individual
members, the next one to take place in Fall 2005.
Action 2. Analyze the individual membership.
Action 3. Determine goals for individual membership.
Objective C: Provide benefits to members.
Action 1. Analyze membership surveys to determine benefits of value to members.
Action 2. Maintain excellence in conference and regional workshops.
Action 3. Publish a quarterly News Magazine and develop a website that will expand statewide communication
and that members will feel address their issues, and actively solicit contributions from members.
Action 4. Ensure access to professional development resources and technical support.
Action 5. Provide and ensure opportunities for networking and expanding professional contacts.
Action 6. Revise Patron level benefits.
Objective D: Cultivate new members.
Action 1. Revise and update membership brochure (s
Action 2. Set goals for VAM Council representatives to establish contacts with nonmember institutions.
Objective E: Develop strategies for retaining members.
Action 1. Improve / expand personal contact into core of member institutions through Council representatives.
Action 2. Implement a marketing plan.
Goal II: VAM will practice sound fiscal management.
Objective A: Maintain a balanced budget and comply with all generally accepted accounting procedures.
Action 1. Establish goals for long-term fiscal management.
Action 2. Strive to break even or surpass budget forecasts.
Objective B: Maintain and expand sources of earned income.
Action 1. Periodically (Biannually) revisit membership fee structure and perceived benefit value.
Action 2. Periodically (Biannually) revisit program related income fee structure and perceived benefit value.
Action 3. Research new diverse and mission-related revenue-generating initiatives and implement as is
practical.
Action 4. Research the News Magazine advertising rates of other associations to make sure we are maximizing
our revenue.
Objective C: Maintain and expand sources of contributed income.
Action 1. Define VAM programs (e.g. Resource Library, scholarships, workshops, speakers, publications, etc.) in
ways that enhance their appeal for sponsorship and grant funding.
Action 2. Identify potential funding sources.
Action 3. Seek a corporate foundation or business sponsor for as many as possible workshops and programs.
Action 4. Seek in-kind contributed services for all publications.
Action 5. Seek funding sources for other VAM programs.
Action 6. Executive Committee should review and advise Council on the budget.
Objective D: Build operating reserves.
Action 1. Establish goals for the Finance Committee
Action 2. Establish a line item in the budget for the reserve account in FY 06, and establish goals for annual
contributions to the reserve account each year.
Action 3. Maximize the amount of funds currently earning interest.
Action 4. Use resources well and responsibly, employing the best management practices for not-for-profits.
Goal III: VAM will strive to recruit and maintain qualified and motivated staff.
Objective A: Provide competitive salaries and benefits.
Objective B: Provide for professional development of VAM staff.
Strategic Area 4: Using Technology
Technology is viewed in the broadest sense and includes, but is not limited to: computers (hardware, software, World Wide Web); communication systems; mechanical systems (security, HVAC, telecommunications); printing resources; exhibits/programs ( lighting, cases & props, interactive); multi-media (such as electronic classrooms); storage (archival boxes, shelving, etc.); and conservation/preservation (for objects and for buildings).
Goal I: VAM will advocate the use of technology for the museum community as a means to improve services, operations and communication.
Objective A: Disseminate information on the use of technology in museums via the News Magazine, website,
workshops, conference, and other venues.
Action 1. Print at least one News Magazine article a year that explores how museums are using technology.
Action 2. Establish a periodic technology column in the News Magazine.
Action 3. Create a Technology Advisory Group composed of volunteers from the museum field to respond to
member inquiries as directed by VAM staff.
Objective B: Assess the current technology needs and assets of Virginia museums.
Action 1. Survey technology resources of VA museums every four years, the next one to be conducted in 2007.
Action 2. Continue to explore funding sources tol provide equipment to museums in Virginia, and cooperative
purchasing/leasing programs.
Objective C: Identify opportunities for museums to use technology.
Action 1. Publish technology opportunities for museums on the VAM website and in the News Magazine.
Goal II: VAM will acquire and use technology to improve the efficiency of the organization in serving the membership.
Objective A: Ensure VAM office is equipped appropriately.
Action 1. Identify equipment and programs that will enhance the functioning of the VAM office.
Action 2. Provide funding for updating software and hardware as needed.
Objective B: Ensure VAM staff has adequate technology-related training.
Action 1. Provide funding for staff training