WASHINGTON, DC — The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has announced a $3,327,912 investment in museums through the Museums Empowered grant program. Eighteen institutions including two public gardens will receive funding to engage staff, leadership, and volunteers in a series of training activities designed to generate systemic change or organizational growth that results in a more agile and sustainable museum.
“Like the rest of the world, the museum field continues to navigate its response to the pandemic and its impact on the workforce,” said IMLS Acting Director Cyndee Landrum. “IMLS is dedicated to providing research, funding, and support to museums as they navigate the challenges of today.”
All awarded ME projects can be found on the IMLS website.
Powell Gardens will build its institutional capacity to support a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for staff, volunteers, and visitors. The project builds upon a needs assessment completed by the IDEA Center for Public Gardens, a partnership between Denver Botanic Gardens and the American Public Garden Association. The project team will build capacity by hiring an outreach position, that will define audiences and develop a plan for community outreach that will also include a paid position for an undergraduate student that will contribute to research, planning, and updating of program curricula. Project activities will include training opportunities for all staff within the organization to foster a culture of respect, accountability, transparency, and trust across all departments and levels of the organization. Specialized certifications and train-the-trainer opportunities for those in leadership positions in human resources, public programs and audience engagement will support those individuals in their leadership roles and enable them to further the learning objectives for the entire organization.
The Lincoln Park Zoo will expand the scope and scale of its paid internship program to increase participation of young adults from lower-income backgrounds. The project will support fair compensation to all participants, increase professional development opportunities and workforce readiness training for interns, and creating a zoo-wide application and accountability process for staff intern oversight. Staff will engage with community partners and institutions of higher learning to recruit and select 27 interns over three years. The students participating in the program will take their training and lessons with them into their careers, and the zoo staff will have developed a program that builds knowledge and skills to empower the next generation, while supporting its new strategic plan, calling for equitably serving as leaders in conservation, science, and animal welfare.
