MDA Publishes Guide to Applying for Documentation Funding
MDA, MLA East of England and the East of England Regional Archives Council
have announced the publication of 'Making the Case' - a guide to making
funding bids for documentation projects.
Compiled by consultant Jayne Austin, the report is designed to provide
museums, libraries and archives with a range of evidence to help them
secure funding for vital documentation work, such as clearing backlogs.
While these projects are a key priority for many collections holders,
obtaining funding to undertake such back-of-house work has often proved
difficult. 'Making the Case' sets out a range of arguments to show that a
well documented collection is the foundation on which user services are
based. These arguments include:
* The economic impact - minimizing lost income generation opportunities,
and storage and security costs
* The business argument - meeting the core professional purposes of
accessibility and collections care
* The social argument - fostering engagement with the local community and
encouraging lifelong learning
* Political considerations - improving access and achieving national
standards in collections care
* Legal requirements - meeting the requirements of the Data Protection
Act, Freedom of Information Act, and proving ownership of objects and
archive collections
The report includes a series of case studies of projects which
successfully secured funds for documentation work, outlining the arguments
they made to governing bodies and external funders. The examples in the
case studies are available for others to use as a basis for their own
funding applications.
Alex Dawson, MDA Head of Programmes, commented, 'This report will give
collections holders comprehensive help and information on how to advocate
for the resources they need to meet the priorities of governing bodies and
ensure that collections remain accessible to visitors. It will be of
particular use to those planning major documentation projects - such as
clearing backlogs – and also provides advice on the policies and
procedures to have in place before making a funding application.'
'Making the Case' is available to download free from the Collections Link
website at: www.collectionslink.org.uk/raise_funds
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