Fundraising and Grant Writing for Collections Care and Access (Level 2)

Do you need more money to properly care for your collections? Who doesn’t? Fundraising and grant writing are essential tools to improve your collections stewardship. In this class, experts in fundraising and grant writing for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) will share their knowledge and practical tips to help your organization become grant-ready and to prepare successful and realistic project proposals, work plans, and budgets. Participants will learn how to identify foundations and federal grant opportunities that address their organization’s preservation and access needs and how to develop competitive proposals. Additionally, participants will learn how to think creatively about alternative sources for funding preservation and access as not all projects merit the time and effort required for grant support. Participants are encouraged to come prepared to discuss and develop a collections care or access project.

This four-week course uses a blended learning format of synchronous and asynchronous learning. We will meet synchronously two hours per week via video conferencing, along with asynchronous discussions, readings, and activities to be completed each week. Live meetings will be on Wednesday of each week between 3:00-5:00 pm CST. Participants will build a community of practice through small group activities during synchronous sessions, online discussions, and virtual gatherings.

After completing this course participants will:

Understand what it means to be grant-ready and why that matters
Know how national initiatives for collections care can contribute to grant-readiness
Be able to identify fundraising and federal funding opportunities that address preservation and access needs
Understand what logic models are and why and how they are used
Know how to write letters of intent to foundations
Know how to develop a project methodology based on professional standards and best practice
Know how to develop a realistic work plan and project budget
Know how to develop an evaluation plan for preservation and access projects
Gain proposal writing strategies and helpful hints
Understand how to navigate grants.gov, the grant review process, and grants management
Collaborate with a community of colleagues to build lasting professional networks

Course Dates

May 7-28, 2025

Course Fee

$500

Early Registration

N/A

Instructor

Bob Beatty

About the Instructor

A “history geek” since elementary school, Bob Beatty is President of the Lyndhurst Group, a community-focused history, museum, and nonprofit consulting firm providing engagement strategies for institutional planning, organizational assessments, and interpretive direction. From 2007-2017 Bob served the American Association for State & Local History, most recently as Chief of Engagement, but also Interim President & CEO and Chief Operating Officer. From 1999-2007 he directed the Education Department at the Orange County (FL) Regional History Center.

He graduated with a B.A. in Liberal Studies and an M.A. in History from the University of Central Florida. He holds a Ph.D. in Public History from Middle Tennessee State University, his dissertation, “You Wanna Play in My Band, You Better Come to Pick,” discusses the influence of Floridian Duane Allman and the Allman Brothers Band on American music. He is also an instructor of Museum Studies and American History at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Campus shots

A view from the rooftop of the Sanger Center for the Sciences shows a park-like Beloit College campus.