FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2007

Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, jmjoseth@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov

Urban Institute to Investigate Public Funding Mechanisms for Museums

Washington, DC--In a new cooperative agreement with the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Urban Institute, a non-partisan economic and social policy research organization based in Washington, D.C., will study the mechanisms of public support for museums in the United States and possible alternative funding methods. The goal of the research project is to identify:

• the mechanisms currently used to deliver public funding to museums from federal and state governments in selected states;
• the purposes for which state and federal public funds are allocated to museums in those states;
• the impact of delivery mechanisms on the quality of services and possible service gaps left by those mechanisms; and
• alternative funding models, such as a population-based state grant, and their potential impact on any identified gaps in museum services.

After the study’s completion, IMLS will host up to three regional hearings to collect opinions and perspectives about the impact and effectiveness of museum services from museum professionals, community leaders, educators, public officials, and representatives of regional, state, and local organizations.

In 2008, the findings of the study and the results of the regional hearings will be published and widely disseminated in a final report. The report will include a discussion of the degree to which museums are able to fulfill their missions and serve their publics through available funding sources, the expectations and needs of communities and the museum-going public, and recommendations for further action.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.

About the Urban Institute
The Urban Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy research and educational organization established in Washington, D.C., in 1968. Its staff investigates the social, economic, and governance problems confronting the nation and evaluates the public and private means to alleviate them. Through work that ranges from broad conceptual studies to administrative and technical assistance, Institute researchers contribute to the stock of knowledge available to guide decisionmaking in the public interest. To learn more about the Urban Institute, please visit www.urban.org.