Network Project Grant (currently under review)

The Network Grants program enables MAS to financially assist these important member groups undertake cooperative activities which benefit all members of the Network.

Network Project Grant
This is a juried grant program which makes funds available to support joint projects within a network. Grants are to a maximum of $1,000.00 on a cost sharing basis (2/3 MAS; 1/3 Network).
Grants are distributed upon completion of the project and submission of a written final report.

Museum Grant Program (MGP)

To help achieve this mission the Museums Association of Saskatchewan administers the Museum Grant Program (MGP) which provides Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust funds to qualifying institutional MAS members.

Museum Grant Program Overview

The Museum Grant Program provides financial support for Saskatchewan museums. The goals and objectives of the MGP include supporting and promoting the advancement of Saskatchewan museums towards operational excellence, and providing enrichment for Saskatchewan communities and protection of the human and natural heritage of the province.

Funding criteria are based on operational standards articulated in Standards for Saskatchewan Museums - 2002 which was developed and published by MAS. Funding is based on merit, demand on the program, and the overall funding level provided by the Lotteries Trust.

The MGP is broadly based, with application forms eliciting information on the full range of museum activity. The program recognizes excellence in overall museum management, but gives priority to high standards of community involvement, planning and evaluation, collections care, and collections-based programming.

The MGP is the only program of its type in Saskatchewan that supports operational costs rather than special projects, and is often the only funding source for museums to access grant monies.

Application Deadline
Applications must be submitted annually, or be postmarked by November 1st.
Late applications will not be considered for funding.

In all cases, the amount of funding a museum receives will depend upon
• the assessment of the Stream Jury
• the number of applications received and
• the total funding available for distribution in each stream

Maximum amounts granted cannot exceed 50% of the museums operating expenditures for the next year.

The MGP is designed to:

- assess merit across a wide range of museum operations. Merit is measured against standards of excellence set out in Standards for Saskatchewan Museums - 2002.
- reward keeping and using a public collection
- provide operating funding, excluding capital costs
- demonstrate use and understanding of evaluation and planning methods and techniques

Assessing Merit
The kind and level of activity undertaken by a museum is dictated by the mandate or statement of purpose of the museum and the resources available to it (both human and financial).

Museums that engage in well-planned, relevant activity that is appropriate to their size and scope, increases the public's access to their collection and the knowledge surrounding it, and recognizes appropriate Standards are assessed favourably.

Assessing Evaluation
Applicants are asked to evaluate their museum's accomplishments for the most recently completed fiscal year against their planned activity. Evaluation not only demonstrates accountability for public funding, it provides a tool for museums to look objectively at what has been accomplished in the past and make positive changes for the future.

Assessing Planning
Applicants are asked to outline plans for the application year. Assessors are looking for activity that is relevant to the statement of purpose and appropriate to the size and ability of the museum. The amount of activity is not the main consideration.

The MGP is organized into three grant streams.

Stream 1
Stream 1 focuses on basic museum operations and attention is given to specific areas that help improve overall operations (i.e. policy development, collection concerns, community involvement, etc.). The questions are based directly on Standards for Saskatchewan Museums - 2002. Successful Stream I applicants can receive a maximum of $3,500.00.

Stream 2
Stream 2 moves beyond basic museum operations, taking a more holistic approach to museum operations. There is a greater expectation for a more comprehensive understanding of Standards for Saskatchewan Museums - 2002. Successful Stream II applicants can receive a maximum of $8,500.00.

Stream 3
Stream 3 focuses on core museum activities and how well the organization manages its strategic, financial and human resource processes. The application of Standards for Saskatchewan Museums - 2002 is understood throughout the museum. Applicants are expected to demonstrate improvement from year to year.
Successful Stream III applicants can receive a maximum of $25,000.00.

Adjudication Process
Each stream is adjudicated by a separate peer jury. The majority of jury members are representatives of museums within the stream in addition at least one member is to be from an institution which is not a MGP grant recipient. Jury members remain anonymous until after the final grant awards have been made.

For Grant Criteria, click here

Submitting an Application
Please ensure that your application is legible.

ALL APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT six COPIES OF THEIR GRANT APPLICATION. Please ensure copies double-sided, hole punched and paper clipped - please NO staples or binders.

Application forms are available electronically, either via email or on disc; IBM compatible only, in MS Word format. Please contact MAS if you would like an electronic version of the application.

It is the museum's responsibility to:
• submit the application by the deadline - November 1 (late applications are not accepted, applications must be postmarked by deadline date)
• ensure that all sections of the grant application are completed, and
• submit all of the requested attachments.

For more information or assistance about the Museum Grant Program contact the MAS Director of Museum Operation Services.

Network Operating Grant

A maximum grant of $500.00 is available to MAS Networks to cover their annual operating expenses.

To qualify for operating assistance Networks must be active (i.e. have a Networker in place and have met at least twice within the previous 12 months).

A separate bank account is required for the Network; a full accounting of the grant money must be recorded and submitted annually as part of the Year End Report. An end of year unallocated surplus will be taken into account when determining subsequent grant allocations.

Eligible expenses may include: expenses incurred by the Networker to perform his/her duties such as travel, phone calls, mailings; or for network meeting expenses - such as room rental, lunch/coffee, gas subsidies for meeting participants.

Note: The operating grant is limited to recognized operational expenses and may not be used to pay for network projects. However, if after all network expenses have been paid, at year end and a surplus exists it may be designated for project(s) to be undertaken by the network in the following year.

Application Deadline: April 1 annually.

Application forms are provided to Networkers in advance of the deadline.

Please note: this grant is intended to cover regular Network Operating Expenses only.

For more information contact: MAS Director of Museum Operation Services.

First Nations & Métis Collections Care Emergency Fund