Museum Grant Program Criteria

Eligibility
To be eligible for funding in all streams, an institution must:

• Meet the following definition of museum "a non-profit making institution in the service of society and its development, and open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates, and exhibits, for the purposes of study, education, and enjoyment, material evidence of people and their environment." (MAS Articles and Bylaws, April 1998)
• Be incorporated as a non-profit organization in Saskatchewan, or be a public institution operated by a municipality, educational organization, religious organization, library board, recreation board or other incorporated body.
• Have been open to the public and fully operational for at least one year.
• Have a permanent facility with public access and space designated for museum/gallery use only.
• Hold clear ownership of a majority of items in its collection (51% or more).
• Maintain separate financial records related to the operation of the institution.
• Be a member of Museums Association of Saskatchewan.

An institution must not:

• Be part of a federal or provincial operation and/or Crown Corporation.
• Receive more than 50 percent of its total revenues from the Government of Saskatchewan, any of its agencies and/or Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust.
• Receive funding directly from the Cultural Division of Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust.
• Receive funding directed by the Government of Saskatchewan.
• Use this funding to cover developmental costs for a new facility, for capital improvements (except minor renovations in connection with upgrading or improvement projects) or for the purchase of artifacts or collections.

The MGP Application Components
Each funding stream within the MGP has a separate application form. Museums must choose which stream they wish to apply in and complete the appropriate application form. Museums can apply in a different stream from year to year as their circumstances change.

Within each funding stream, there are three common components;

Applicant Profile: The purpose of this profile is to provide jury members with an overview of the applicant and to give them an understanding of the museum. The profile is for information purposes only and is not scored by the jury. Applicant profiles are required for all first time applicants for the application to be adjudicated. Subsequently, Applicant profiles are to be submitted once every three years or if the information provided changes.

Application Form: Application forms address questions which apply to overall museum operations within three key areas - management, collections, and communication. The application form elicits responses depending upon the requirements of each stream. Applicants are also required to provide financial information on their most recently completed fiscal year, their current year, and their proposed budget for next year.

Follow-up Report: MAS is responsible to SaskCulture to ensure that the Museum Grant Program meets the requirements of both SaskCulture and the Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund. The information required for the follow-up report has been incorporated into the grant application. As a result, applicants are not required to submit a separate follow-up report. Museums that do not apply to the program on a yearly basis will be required to submit a follow-up report for the year that they received funding.