From the monthly archives: January 2011

Alignment for Dollars

by David Grabitske on January 25, 2011 · No Comments · in Fundraising, Marketing, Nonprofit Issues

In Data for Dollars we looked at how the history museum industry could better articulate its worth in self study. Such articulation is meant to aid advocacy so that people understand not only the industry’s worth, but also its needs. This study would show a certain return on investment, as urged in the recent Pioneer [...]

Continue Reading →

Paper Records with Electronic?

by David Grabitske on January 20, 2011 · 5 Comments · in Collections, PastPerfect

Now that many of you have made the move to electronic cataloging (such as PastPerfect), are you still keeping paper records? Of course we keep the signed acquisition forms, but do you maintain paper accession books and a card catalogs of artifacts? At this point, I am continuing to maintain paper records like they started [...]

Continue Reading →

Data for Dollars

by David Grabitske on January 12, 2011 · 7 Comments · in Fundraising, Marketing, Nonprofit Issues

Even in better times local historical organizations can struggle to find compelling ways to express the urgency and importance of what they do in order encourage strong giving. There are a number of ongoing projects to develop data sets that can be used as benchmarking tools for historical organizations, sometimes within a broader scope of [...]

Continue Reading →

Why so bleak?

by David Grabitske on January 5, 2011 · 2 Comments · in Fundraising, Marketing

As is often said, the actions of a few museums color the way the public perceives all museums. The reaction can take various forms, from harmless opinions to legislative corrections suddenly deemed necessary. This is unfortunate, and perhaps the most effective step the history museum community in Minnesota can be to help refocus the message [...]

Continue Reading →