New England Museum Association

Is your organization struggling with the inherent challenges of maintaining and preserving sports-related items in your collection? Join us for an in-person workshop at the Major Taylor Museum in Worcester, MA, on October 7, that will include presentations by collections specialists and conservators. Attendees will gain greater insight into the unique nature of sporting artifacts and how best to care for them long term. Presented by the Conservators PAG & the Sports Community of Practice. Registration deadline is October 3. Sign up and find more information here: https://ow.ly/4YHL50T6rXV

Celebrate excellence in the museum field, and the 10th anniversary of the award program, by nominating someone for a NEMA Excellence Award, today! Every day museum colleagues are doing excellent work for and with their communities! Now is the time to celebrate them by nominating them for a 2024 NEMA Excellence Award. Recognize excellence in the field, your own or a colleagues, and complete a quick online nomination form: nemanet.org/excellence Nominations are due next Friday, August 30, 2024.

Hoping to attend #NEMA2024 but not sure if you have the funds? Volunteering is an easy way to save money while still being able to attend many of the great sessions offered at conference. Here’s how it works: If you work one shift (typically 2.5 hours long), your registration fee is waived for that day. If you work three shifts, your registration fee is waived for the entire conference. There are no two shift or half-day opportunities. The NEMA staff provides training at the beginning of your shift(s) and we are always available to answer your questions. Assignments might include: - working at the registration desks - setting up rooms for sessions - changing rooms signs - taking head counts during sessions - data entry projects - collecting meal tickets - launching off-site sessions and evening events - providing directions and crowd control during peak turn-over times We also need volunteers local to our Arlington, MA office to help with conference prep the week before conference. This is a great way to earn free conference time beforehand! Visit nemanet.org/conf_vol for more information and to sign up today.

On August 27 from 12-1 pm, join the Interpreting Enslavement and Freedom CoP for a 45-minute breakout room (pod) discussions based on specific topics. Pods are repeated every other month and all community of practice attendees are welcome to join. RSVP: https://ow.ly/Yguo50SZtQX

What is the relationship between membership and annual fund at your organization? Do these campaigns go hand-in-hand or is there grey area that you’ve been looking to clarify? On September 9 from 2 - 3:30 pm, join the Membership, Development, Marketing, and PR PAG for a virtual conversation about annual fund and how its relationship with membership is defined at different organizations, as well as how these relationships affect tax-deductibility and remain donor-centered and mission-focused. All are welcome! RSVP on the NEMA website: https://ow.ly/JXm650T0GgO

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: NASA is seeking proposals for the 2024 NASA TEAM II Community Anchor and STEM Innovator Awards. Eligible proposers include U.S. nonprofit science museums, planetariums, youth-serving organizations, and libraries. Selected parties will offer inquiry- or experiential-based opportunities that include NASA education and research and directly align with space exploration, aeronautics, space science, earth science, or microgravity. Community Anchor proposals are due August 27; STEM Innovator are due September 26, 2024. Pre-proposal webinar materials and links, plus FAQs, are at the Community Anchor and STEM Innovator landing pages. Questions should be sent to [email protected]. TEAM II: https://ow.ly/bn7S50SYyOu Community Anchor: https://ow.ly/NbJq50SYyOt STEM Innovator: https://ow.ly/CesG50SYyOs

Get your last beach read in during these dog days of summer and be part of a larger book conversation at the upcoming NEMA Annual Conference in Newport, Rhode Island! New for NEMA 2024: Tomaquag Museum's Indigenous Author Book Club and NEMA team up to read “Warrior Girl Unearthed” by Angeline Boulley. Come to NEMA ready to talk with colleagues about the book which explores a myriad of topics, including: summer internships, repatriation, museum collections, Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), social issues, and justice. Sometimes, the truth shouldn't stay buried. Join Tomaquag Museum staff for an in-person book club on Friday, November 8th during the conference. Use #NEMAReads to share your thoughts and photos prior to November. Can’t attend the conference in person? Join an evening virtual chat on December 10, 2024 at 7 pm after the conference and connect with colleagues to discuss! RSVP for the December chat here: https://ow.ly/XkFC50SY1P7 Don't have a copy of the book? No worries! Check your local library, independent bookstore, or visit the Tomaquag Museum store in-person to purchase a copy!

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Applications for the GRAMMY Museum Grant Programs Are Live. If you work in Scientific Research and Music Preservation, you can receive an award of up to $20,000 in grant assistance for your project today. Applications are now live, and the deadline to submit letters of inquiry is August 23, 2024. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/egdwWXsw

North-of Boston Museum People: Join NEMA Board Member Doneeca Thurston-Chavez, Executive Director, Lynn Museum & Arts Center, and NEMA colleagues on the North Shore for an end of summer meet-up at Granite Coast Brewing. This event will feature a grazing table featuring locally sourced meats, cheeses, dried fruits, and vegetables from Edex Provisions! This Wednesday, August 15 at 5:30 pm. RSVP on the NEMA website: https://ow.ly/Vwq950SVZkR

Museum Hue is seeking feedback from leaders of culturally specific institutions in New England. See their post below for more information about completing their survey and a $100 thank you that will be provided for your time and expertise.