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Download Guidelines |
The HRF gives first priority to applications that address one or more of the following areas.
• Audience Assessment
• Organizational Assessment
• Financial Stabilization
• Public Programming
• Marketing and Communication
• Evaluation
Grants for pre-planning, planning and implementation are available under each priority, depending on where a project is in its lifecycle. Applications must clearly and persuasively describe how the project addresses a chosen priority. Applications in non-priority areas are also considered, but at a lesser degree of funding importance.
Note that the examples given below are just that and are intended to give applicants a feel for the types of projects covered under each area. Please discuss your project idea with an HRF staff member prior to submitting an application to determine if and how it fits HRF priorities.
Audience Assessment
Projects that identify and increase understanding of key audience’s (existing and potential) perceptions of and expectations for the institution and/or its services. These expectations should inform planning, programs and operations.
Examples:
• Conduct surveys and other research-based initiatives
that identify audience motivations and expectations
• Conduct research to identify visitor demographics
• Conduct focus groups or interviews with community members
to determine perceptions of the institution or barriers to participation
• Analyze of how audience information impacts programs and services
Audience Assessment Example |
Organizational Assessment
Projects that examine, re-imagine or reorganize critical components of an organization’s operations and/or organizational focus.
Examples:
• Participate in planning
to create and/ or implement an organizational strategic plan
• Conduct a board retreat to examine organizational priorities
• Reorganize staff functions by analyzing existing staff strengths,
organizational needs, and audience expectations
• Develop a new business plan to respond to organizational
strengths and priorities
• Conduct overall program assessments to determine areas of
strength and weakness and to establish priorities
• Conduct collections assessments to identify key collections
and prioritize interpretive strengths and programming resources
Organizational Assessment Example |
Financial Stabilization
Projects that maintain or improve an organization’s overall financial health.
Examples:
• Develop an institutional fund raising plan
• Create and implement a planned giving program
• Conduct a feasibility study for launching a capital campaign
• Evaluate potential for job sharing between two or more organizations
and create a plan to integrate the shared position
• Integrate an online giving component to existing Web site and/or
implement point of sale technology to enable revenue generation
via the internet
• Evaluate and implement new financial management plan and related
software
Financial Stabilization Example |
Public Programming
Projects that satisfy the expectations and interests of current audiences and/or attract new ones.
Examples:
• Research and/ or create new exhibits, lectures, walking tours,
conferences, workshops or other types of interpretive and
educational programs
• Digitize an existing exhibition or program to enable the
content to continue to benefit the public via the internet
• Work with schools or groups of teachers to develop curriculum
based educational programs
• Develop Web-based content to create a museum without borders
• Create a new orientation video focused on the institution’s
strengths
Public Programming Example |
Marketing and Communication
Projects that help organizations connect to and communicate with their audiences
Examples:
• Develop a new marketing and communications plan
• Evaluate new technologies and social media to connect with
existing and reach new audiences
• Evaluate existing and/or develop a new institutional brand
and related marketing materials
• Evaluate existing and/or create a new institutional Web site
• Evaluate potential reaction to and cost savings from transitioning
from print communications to e-communications
Marketing and Communication Example |
Evaluation
Projects that measure the effectiveness and audience impact of an institution and/or its services
Examples:
• Conduct front-end evaluation of a project
through focus groups or interviews to help in project planning
• Conduct formative evaluation
and/or prototyping through detailed observation,
interviews, or self-reported
surveys to evaluate and change a project during development
or pre-public opening
• Conduct summative evaluation
to look at the program after it has been completed through
observations, interviews, and/ or focus
groups.
• Conduct an economic impact study
Evaluation Example |
