Conservation Assessment Program Eligibility
Any not-for-profit museum that cares for and owns or uses tangible objects, exhibits them on a regular basis, is open to the public at least 90 days annually, has at least one full-time paid or volunteer staff person or the equivalent, and is located in one of the 50 states of the Union, the District of Columbia, or U.S. territories is eligible to apply.
All types of museums may participate: aquariums; arboreta, botanical gardens and nature centers; art museums/centers; children’s museums; historic houses and sites; history, science and natural history museums; science technology centers and planetariums; specialized museums; and zoos. Institutions with fully surveyed living animal collections (such as those accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association) may use CAP to assess the conservation needs of their non-living collections only.
CAP is designed to serve only those museums whose collections and physical plant can be assessed in a two-day period. Museums whose collections and/or facilities cannot be surveyed within two days should apply for a general conservation survey grant through the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ (IMLS) Conservation Project Support program.
The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page may answer some of your additional questions about eligibility or appropriateness.
For information on programs that fund preservation projects, see our Resources section.
Fee for Service
Institutions that are ineligible to participate may enter the program on a fee-for-service basis. For more information, please e-mail the CAP staff at cap@heritagepreservation.org or call 202-233-0800.
Deadlines
The 2008 application deadline has passed. The 2009 applications will be mailed in October 2008. For a sample application, or to be added to or verify your address on the mailing list, contact the CAP staff at cap@heritagepreservation.org or 202-233-0800.