FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Updated August 22, 2005

Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Eileen Maxwell, emaxwell@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov

Heritage Preservation Press Contact
202-233-0800 or 202-233-0831
Kate Marks, Coordinator
kmarks@heritagepreservation.org

2006 Conservation Assessment Program Changes

Changes will streamline application process and allow more museums to participate

Washington, DC—Heritage Preservation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) are pleased to announce upcoming changes to the Conservation Assessment Program (CAP) starting in FY2006. The changes will allow more museums to participate and will streamline the application process.

CAP will be administered through a cooperative agreement between IMLS and Heritage Preservation with two modifications to the eligibility criteria: the number of days per year a museum is required to be open to the public will change from 120 days to 90 days; and a second assessment (a re-CAP) will be available to organizations who participated in CAP prior to 1999.

CAP is a program for small to mid-sized museums of all types, from art museums to zoos that provide a conservation professional to conduct a broad assessment of the museum’s collections, environmental conditions, and historic buildings. At the conclusion of the assessment, the conservation professional provides a written report recommending priorities to improve collections care. This report assists museums in developing strategies, long-rang planning, and fundraising activities to improve the care of their collections.

In addition to receiving a conservation collections assessment, museums with buildings older than 50 years are also offered an architectural assessment to identify priorities for the care of the building(s). Limited to a two-day site visit from a conservation professional, museums with small to mid-sized collections are most appropriate for the CAP program. Larger museums are encouraged to contact IMLS for information on the Conservation Project Support (CPS) grant. CPS grants fund a variety of conservation projects, including general conservation surveys that can accommodate a lengthier visit by a conservation professional.

The FY 2006 CAP applications will be mailed on Friday, October 7, 2005, to museums on the CAP mailing list and will also be available on Heritage Preservation’s Web site at http://www.heritagepreservation.org. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until the postmark deadline of December 1, 2005.

To be added to Heritage Preservation’s CAP mailing list, institutions may contact Heritage Preservation by mail, telephone, fax, or e-mail. It is recommended that potential applicants request a sample application to review the eligibility requirements and prepare for the application process. More information and the sample application are also available on the Heritage Preservation Web site at http://www.heritagepreservation.org/programs/capover.htm.

Heritage Preservation is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving our nation's heritage. Its members include libraries, museums, archives, historic preservation organizations, historical societies, conservation organizations, and other professional groups concerned with saving the past for the future. To learn more about Heritage Preservation, please visit http://www.heritagepreservation.org.