Conservation Assessment Program
Application Information
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Sotterly Plantation, Hollywood, Maryland. |
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 facilities 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.
Deadline Information:
Notification of the release of the 2013 CAP application will be emailed to museums on the CAP application e-mail list on October 1, 2012 and will be available online. To be added to or verify your address on the e-mail list, please contact the CAP staff at cap(a)heritagepreservation.org or call 202-233-0800. The deadline to submit 2013 CAP applications will be December 3, 2012.
Sample Application:
You may download a sample application (839 KB PDF) here. Please note: This sample application will not be accepted as an official application. Check this page after October 1, 2012 for the official application.
When Do I Apply?
Applications for CAP will be made available on October 1, 2012. CAP has a deadline of December 3rd. Applications are evaluated in the order in which they are received, so it is in your institution’s best interest to apply early.


