Frequently Asked Questions for
Current CAP Participants
When does CAP begin?
When should we have our site visits?
How much do assessments cost?
When do we receive the money?
How many assessors do we get?
How do we choose assessors?
Can we suggest an assessor?
Do both our assessors have to come on the same day?
We have money left over from our allocation; can we use it for something else?
How do we withdraw from the program?
What do we do once we have our final reports?
When does CAP begin?
Each museum will be notified by Heritage Preservation within six weeks of the receipt of their eligible application if they have been chosen to participate in CAP. This notification will include information about selecting assessors. The official program begins on January 1st and ends November 1st of the same year.
When should we have our site visits?
Site visits may take place after January 1 of the program year. Most site visits usually take place in spring or summer. Many museums select a date for their site visits based on their location. If the museum is in an area where the cold weather comes early, summer is the best time to have a site visit. Spring and summer site visits also allow each assessor ample time to complete the report draft and final report before the program deadline in November.
How much do assessments cost?
Heritage Preservation does not set assessor fees. Assessor fees are agreed upon between the institution and the assessor. You may find that assessor fees differ from assessor to assessor. Your museum is responsible for any costs over your allocation. These costs might include the assessor professional fees, travel costs, and on-site expenses.
You should select your assessor(s) in the same way you would choose any professional. When choosing a doctor or lawyer, you check references and ask questions about the quality of work, responsiveness to patient or client needs, and attention to deadlines. Cost is another factor in making your choice. The process should be no different when selecting a CAP assessor.
When do we receive the money?
CAP participants do not receive money. The Conservation Assessment Program has changed from a grant program to a technical assistance program. This means that the assessors are paid directly by Heritage Preservation up to the allocation amount. This may include assessor professional fees and travel expenses. If the professional fee is more than the allocation amount, Heritage Preservation will invoice the museum for the difference. This is to ensure that the funds are in place before the assessment. If the assessor's total fees exceed the allocation amount, the museum pays the assessor the difference directly.
How many assessors do we get?
All museums participating in CAP receive at least one assessor. A second assessor, usually a historic structures assessor, is provided for organizations whose structure is at least 50 years old. If your institution has had a Historic Structures Report (HSR) within the last 10 years, you will not qualify for a historic structures assessor. If you have a living collection, your second assessor may be a nonliving collections or a historic structures assessor.
How do we choose assessors?
To help you find a qualified individual, Heritage Preservation has included a list of potential assessors along with information about their qualifications in your CAP packet. These assessors meet the qualifications set by the CAP Advisory Committee:
- evidence of conservation/preservation training
- at least five years of experience in the field
- experience conducting general surveys or assessments.
Also, before making a decision, consider the follow suggestions:
- Determine the institution’s goals for the assessment. Identify your goals for the assessment and discuss them with potential assessors. If you refine your assessment goals before the site visit, you will need to communicate them to your chosen assessor(s).
- Examine the assessor’s professional experience and areas of expertise. No universally accepted form of training for conservators exists in the United States; both training programs and apprenticeships are common. Conservators gain experience through internships, association with museums or conservation centers, and self-employment. Historic structures assessors can be architects, conservators, or historic preservationists. They can gain experience through internships; association with museums, architects, or preservation organizations; and self-employment. All these training routes are valid.
- Talk to potential assessors. Describe your institution and its size and collections. Ask the assessors about their experience and their ability to complete the assessment within the CAP schedule. Discuss fee structures, your goals for the assessment, and your reasons for participating in CAP.
- Talk to the assessor’s references. References are one of the most important checks in hiring an assessor. Attached to each Assessor Information Sheet is a list of museums the conservator has assessed for CAP. These museums should be able to tell you about the assessor’s performance and final report—including whether and how it was helpful in conservation planning, fund-raising, and implementation.
Choosing an assessor who is sensitive to your institution’s purpose, collections, and assessment goals will lead to a good working experience and a successful assessment.
If none of the assessors on the list meet your needs, Heritage Preservation will provide additional names from our list of approved assessors.
Can we suggest an assessor?
If you know conservators who might serve as CAP assessors, you may submit their names and contact information to Heritage Preservation on the Proposed Assessor Information Form in your packet. Heritage Preservation will request their resumes and writing samples. After reviewing the candidate’s eligibility, Heritage Preservation will notify you whether they have been accepted to conduct CAP Assessments. Do not enter into a letter of agreement with an assessor who has not been approved.
Do both our assessors have to come on the same day?
It is strongly recommended that your assessors be on site at the same time, especially if you have required they submit a joint report, but it's not a requirement. Their collaboration is vital to the assessment’s success, since the care of buildings and collections are interrelated. This does not mean that the assessors will spend the entire time on site together. Most likely, they will meet occasionally to consult and discuss their preliminary findings to make sure their recommendations are coordinated and do not conflict. Sometimes the two site visits are staggered over three days so that the assessors are on site together for one day. If it is not possible for both assessors to be there on the same day, Heritage Preservation suggests that you provide contact information for them so they may communicate during the process.
We have money left over from our allocation; can we use it for something else?
Allocations may only be used for assessor professional fees or travel expenses. Any money left over will be used by Heritage Preservation to accept more museums into the program.
How do we withdraw from the program?
Museums may feel they need to withdraw from the program for a variety of reasons. It may not be the right time for the museum to participate or they may not have the staff to handle the program. Whatever the reason, museums may withdraw from the Conservation Assessment Program at any time before they complete an agreement with an assessor. If you wish to withdraw, please notify Heritage Preservation in writing on parent organization letterhead. Withdrawing will not prevent your institution from applying for the next round of CAP. Heritage Preservation has the right to drop a museum from the program if it fails to meet deadlines or becomes inactive (defined as non-responsive to phone calls, letters, and e-mails).
What do we do once we have our final reports?
The assessor will send two copies of their completed reports with their invoice to you. Within 10 business days, you should forward one copy of the report with the invoice to Heritage Preservation. By doing so, you acknowledge acceptance of the final report and thereby complete the program. Heritage Preservation will disburse payment to each assessor upon receipt of the final report and invoice (see CAP Costs).
If we did not answer your question, please e-mail the CAP staff at cap(a)heritagepreservation.org or call 202-233-0800.