MUSEUM ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK
Strategic Plan for 2010-2014
Approved by the Board of Directors:
October 18, 2009
- The Planning Process: Establishing Key Priorities and Future Directions
- Challenges & Opportunities for New York State’s Museums
- Challenges & Opportunities for MANY
- The Vision of the Museum Association of New York
- The Mission of the Museum Association of New York
- Overarching Programmatic and Organizational Goals & Strategies for 2010-2014
The Planning Process:
Establishing Key Priorities and Future Directions
The Museum Association of New York (MANY) remains deeply committed to the positive impact our state’s museums make on audiences and communities. MANY’s efforts to advance and promote this impact are critical elements of our work. Our success depends on the progress we can make together. We look forward to continuing to work with our members, partners, colleagues, funders, and friends in this important effort.
In preparation of this plan, MANY has gathered the thoughts of more than 100 stakeholders through a member survey, focus groups, and dialogue. The process for this plan’s development also included two facilitated sessions for MANY board, staff, and contractors, partially funded by the New York State Council on the Arts’ Grants for Museum Advancement, and led by consultant Laura Roberts in July 2008 and January 2009.
A contest was run in July encouraging members and MANY followers to submit word pictures and poems about what inspires them about museums. Some of the winning entries are quoted in this plan.
During the planning process, the MANY board developed the following priorities as its outcome from the January 2009 retreat. These priorities were consistently echoed by stakeholders as needing attention in the coming years.
- Continue/expand data collection to help make the individual and collective case for museums
- Expand focus from best practices to crisis management by sharing strategies, concerns and problems
- Look for and publish patterns and trends affecting museums in NYS
- Remain/expand MANY presence in public policy debates/discussions
- Stay focused on advocacy
- Stay focused on succession issues
MANY’s membership numbers nearly 300 institutional, individual and corporate members. Institutional members reflect the great diversity of organizations found in New York State and range from large, urban art museums to all-volunteer historical societies serving rural communities. MANY broadens this audience by collaborating programmatically with the state’s regional museums service organizations, state agencies, funders, and related statewide organizations.
Recent programmatic efforts include standards development, leadership training and succession, advocacy for museum funding at the state and federal levels, and collaboration with elected leaders on the passage of abandoned property legislation and development of deaccessioning legislation.
Challenges & Opportunities for New York State’s Museums
New York State’s museums are a diverse group of organizations integral to the social and economic well being of communities throughout the state. They teach, they challenge, they commemorate, they inspire. They are places of quiet reverie and noisy exploration.
Through its most recent online survey and discussion with focus groups, MANY identified a number of challenges and opportunities for New York state museums and the associations who serve them.
- The people of New York see museums and historical organizations as part of the state’s huge menu of cultural opportunities. The museum community needs to define itself, communicating that definition to society at large as well as within state government.
- Partnership and collaboration are important to
all organizations particularly in times of crisis. New York’s museum community, MANY, and the regional service organizations must work together to address, advise, and explain issues of crisis management for institutions in need. - Museums in New York state need data on an on-going basis to persuade the people of the state of New York that museums have an economic impact on the state’s neighborhoods, cities, and regions.
- New York’s museums are frequently divided and isolated by the state’s geography. Technology, whether through email, online teaching, and other networking opportunities overcomes distances, both geographical and intellectual.
- New York state museums and heritage organizations provide classes, school programs, camps, and after-school activities for six million students annually. The state’s museum community must work collaboratively to support foundational funding from the New York State Education Department, while at the national level supporting the Federal-State Partnerships Coalition.
- Museums in New York state require varied and talented staff. The state’s museum community must continue to encourage a broad spectrum of talent, diverse in gender, race, and ethnicity, to become museum professionals. Particularly in times of recession, organizations must be conscious of their staffs as part of a larger community, governing for the future by nurturing, mentoring, and planning for succession.
- A disregard for professional standards continues to plague the field. Some of these standards are peculiar to non-profits in general; some are specific to museums and historical organizations. Some are New York state laws; some are part of an international code of ethics for the field. It is important for all the stakeholders—boards of Trustees, members of New York State government, the Governor’s office, the Attorney General’s office, and the Board of Regents—to understand the genesis of these standards and where New York State law and museum ethics meet and overlap.
Challenges & Opportunities for MANY
- MANY will continue to develop its role as the link between the wider museum community and the Governor’s office, the New York state legislature, the New York State Education Department/Office of Cultural Education, and the Department of Economic Development/Division of Tourism.
- MANY will continue to enhance and build its web site, on-line networking and programs, publications, and surveys to make it the go-to site for New York state’s 12,000 museum employees as well as for museum professionals elsewhere.
- Through both the Internet and a network of
regional discussion groups, MANY will distill data about the impact of museums and heritage organizations on their communities, underscoring their impact as employers, builders, engines of cultural and heritage tourism so that the public—particularly the New York State legislature—understands their role. - MANY needs to use its annual conference to build a new community of museum professionals, diverse in gender, race and ethnicity as well as supporting professionalization, through continuing education, networking and upholding salary standards.
The Vision of the Museum Association of New York
Current: The Museum Association of New York is the key strategic resource for the New York state museum community.
The Mission of the Museum Association of New York
Current: The Museum Association of New York provides an information, advocacy and professional standards network that serves and strengthens New York State’s diverse museum community and enables its museums to fulfill their missions.
Overarching Programmatic and Organizational Goals & Strategies for 2010-2014
The 2010-2014 plan rests on five overarching goals that support the association’s vision and mission, and address the challenges, opportunities and priorities MANY has articulated. Additionally, MANY will measure each two-to-five year strategy against six key values of stakeholder participation including brand value (BV), knowledge value (KV), meaning (MEV), monetary value (MOV), network value (NV), and social value (SV)i.
To champion the values and needs of museums in New York State. Success for New York State’s museums depends, at least in part, upon broad support and favorable opinion of the public, including individuals, educational institutions, foundations, corporations and the media.
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KEY PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES |
STRATEGIES |
PERFORMANCE MEASURES |
| Continue/expand data collection to help make the individual and collective case for museums
Stay focused on succession issues Remain/expand MANY presence in public policy Stay focused on advocacy |
Engage in ongoing communication with the field using a variety of media to determine and distill the importance of museums and their needs. Ongoing
Regularly contribute to state and national discussions of issues facing the field based on original research and routinely comment to public stakeholders about these issues. Ongoing Collaborate on regional, state and national levels to raise awareness of museums and their importance to New York State. Ongoing
Provide the field with resource materials that can be adapted to specific institutions, communities and regions. Short-term and ongoing
Provide opportunities for the field to connect with one another and offer MANY advice and guidance. Short-term
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Conduct minimum of two member polls/surveys per year examining museum issues. (KV) Collaborate with OCE agencies, NYSCA, NYCH and others on projects addressing museum issues. (KV, NV) Complete IMLS-funded partnership with Cooperstown Graduate Program to develop and pilot a mid-career Sponsor annual Museums in Conversation conference. (BV, KV, MEV, MOV, NV, SV) Develop, produce and widely distribute New York State’s Museums: Building Community fact sheet. Conduct annual series of regional meetings to gather information and facilitate networking. (BV, KV, MEV, NV, SV) |
To facilitate a lively community of practice built on credible research, timely response, open communication, the creative use of technology, and committed to advancing knowledge that informs decision making. MANY will continue to promote the creative and timely exchange of information among the state’s museums using
various media.
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KEY PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES |
STRATEGIES |
PERFORMANCE MEASURES
|
| Continue/expand data collection to help make the individual and collective case for museums
Expand focus from best practices to crisis management by sharing strategies, concerns and problems Look for and publish patterns and trends affecting museums in NYS Stay focused on succession issues |
Continue collection and interpretation of trend data affecting museums in NYS to help make the individual and collective case for museums. Ongoing Offer communication vehicles and ways to share case studies and questions, such as targeted blogs, listservs, podcasts, electronic newsletters and the MANY website. Short-term and ongoing
Actively use social media, listservs, online classrooms, and other Web-based networking opportunities to exchange information–legal, legislative, economic, employment and other data– quickly and efficiently. Short-term
Support and advocate for technology-based funding initiatives through NYSCA and other state funders.
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Conduct minimum of two member polls/surveys per year examining museum issues. Use this information to create press releases, white papers, news/web articles. (BV, KV, MEV) Conduct annual series of regional meetings to gather information and facilitate networking. (BV, KV, MEV, NV, SV) Post a minimum of twice per month on the MANY blog. Cross-promote with website, email, listservs, and Post to listservs twice weekly to encourage listserv use. (BV, KV, NV) Post to Facebook daily (M-F) to encourage interactions with fans. Use Facebook to drive fans to participate in NYS museums, to inform the public about museum issues, and to support MANY’s work. (BV, NV, SV) |
To advance the needs of the state’s museum community to stakeholders and the public and to help position it to attract new resources. From Arts Day to old loan legislation, MANY has a long history advocating for the state’s museums and historical organizations.
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KEY PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES |
STRATEGIES |
PERFORMANCE MEASURES |
| Remain/expand MANY presence in public policy debates/discussions Stay focused on advocacy Continue/expand data collection to help make the individual and collective case for museums Look for and publish patterns and trends |
Pursue the current legislative agenda focusing on preservation of the state funding infrastructure and planning for its future growth, foundational funding from the State Education Department, and advocacy for administrative efficiencies within SED/OCE. Ongoing Continue collaborative efforts to secure increases to the Office of Museum Services within the Institute of Museum & Library Services, and to other federal agencies with funding programs for museums. Ongoing
Advocate for and uphold principles of freedom of expression and transparency in public policymaking processes. Ongoing
Advocate for individual institutions when particular issues or causes have broad implications for the field as a whole. Ongoing
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Revise/update advocacy agenda each year and distribute widely to members and stakeholders. (BV, KV)
Develop calendar of advocacy activities to support the agenda and engage membership in participation. Refine advocacy agenda and tools based on input from annual regional meetings and on polling. (KV, MEV, Develop, produce and widely distribute New York State’s Museums: Building Community fact sheet. Continue participation in AAM’s Government Relations Working Group to advocate for a broad range of funding initiatives from federal agencies. (BV, KV, NV) Communicate this message in all printed materials, testimony and correspondence with stakeholders. Develop and use a procedure for bringing individual institution issues to the MANY board. (KV, NV) |
Professional Standards &
Practice
To promote and encourage institutional professional development and adherence to professional standards and practices through educational collaborations, programs and publications, and other services to members. New York’s museums exist to protect, preserve and interpret art, history, and science collections both actual and intellectual. MANY’s goal supports excellence, ensuring that museums and historical agencies have the skills and resources necessary to meet professional standards and practice.
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KEY PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES |
STRATEGIES |
PERFORMANCE MEASURES |
| Continue/expand data collection to help make the individual and collective case for museums Expand focus from best practices to crisis management by sharing strategies, concerns and problems Look for and publish patterns and trends affecting museums in NYS Stay focused on succession issues |
Continue collaboration with state regulators, and regional and national museum service organizations to develop, promulgate, and interpret evolving standards and best practices. Ongoing Build and enable a statewide constituency of museum professionals who are committed to working toward and promoting professional standards by providing research, information, and mentoring opportunities to advance knowledge and understanding of standards and best practices Ongoing
Expand focus from best practices to crisis management by sharing strategies, concerns and problems. Short-term
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Confer formally a minimum of twice a year with state regulators on issues of standards and standards education. (BV, KV, NV)
Publish material on starting and sustaining a museum in NYS. (BV, KV, MEV) Conduct annual series of regional meetings to gather information, promote standards, and facilitate networking. (BV, KV, MEV, NV, SV) Gather materials for website. (KV, MEV) Publish material on sustaining a museum in |
To meet the changing needs of the state’s museum community by being an effective, responsive and sustainable institution.
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KEY PRIORITIES |
STRATEGIES |
PERFORMANCE MEASURES |
| Conduct the operations of MANY in an entrepreneurial and focused approach that is the result of an inventive, resourceful, and motivated staff, contractors and volunteers; a balanced budget; and environmentally sound and innovative business practices. | Cultivate strong and engaged board leadership that provides guidance on advancing the organization and its mission and represents the diversity of the communities we serve. Ongoing
Regularly evaluate the plan’s strategies against the six value propositions: Brand, Knowledge, Meaning, Monetary, Network, and Social. Ongoing
Develop tools to assess MANY’s basic organizational health. Short-term
Annually review the strategic plan and update as needed. Ongoing
Increase the membership to grow an informed, mobilized, and influential constituent base. Short-term
Develop strategies for generating earned income in concert with the needs of our stakeholders and the resources available to them. Short-term
Increase the public-sector funding base. Short-term/mid-term
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Nominating Committee active all year. (BV, NV) Develop self-nomination process. (NV) Refine what these values mean to MANY and develop procedures and dashboard for measurement. (BV, KV, MEV, MOV, NV, SV) New task force to identify assessment tools and put them into practice. Annually appoint task force to evaluate strategy achievement and overall plan. (KV) Launch a campaign to grow membership to 400 New task force to identify a suite of products and services for MANY to develop and sell. (BV, KV, Create and implement a plan to pursue legislative funding. (MOV) |
iMANY’s six key values are adapted from the April 29, 2009 Fast Company
blog post, Creating a Post-Crisis Economy: Learning to Measure
Participation, by IDEO president Tim Brown (www.fastcompany.com/blog/tim-brown/design-thinking/creating-post-crisis-economy-learning-measure-participation).
Brown’s description of the values:
Network value would describe the access that an individual or organization has to new ideas and opportunities (measured in the quantity of connections). Brand value would describe reputation (measured in
ratings/rankings). Social value would measure influence (by
tracking conversations, i.e., the number of hits in a Google
search). Knowledge would be measured through the number and
quality of ideas and, finally, meaning measured through
engagement (and the stickiness of experiences). I suspect that we
may have a hard time letting go of the measuring of cash, so I
assume monetary value remains one of the dimensions of a
participation economy.
For MANY, these values may also mean:
Network value: how many times
members and others contact MANY for information/referralsMonetary value: diversification of revenue
These values may be best measured according to Impact v. Effort.
