ARTISTS' TAX DONATION BILL MAY BE REDRAFTED

Americans for the Arts recently provided an update on an important piece of legislation regarding the calculated tax value of artwork donated by artists. Currently an artist who donates a piece of work to a nonprofit or museum can only receive a tax deduction based on the value of the materials, while an independent owner or collecting agency can claim the market value for the artwork. The California Arts Council's CAC Update reported on this legislation in December of 2005 (see story at http://www.cac.ca.gov/?id=153&newsletter=31#3). While the original bill did not make progress through Congress in the spring, things may be changing.

From American for the Arts: "The chief senator sponsor of the bill that would allow artists to claim a full tax deduction when they donate their work to art-related charities is considering combining the bill with three other measures that would affect charitable gifts of artwork. The new combined bill would require charities to retain donated works for three years and would also change some of the rules on appraisal and valuation of gifts. Americans for the Arts would support such a bill, as would the major museum, library, and appraiser associations. For more information on tax issues, please contact Senior Director of Government Affairs Andy Finch at afinch@artsusa.org." (Excerpted from the California Arts Council's CAC Update, July 28, 2006.)

IMLS OFFERS CONSERVATION GRANTS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CONFERENCE CALLS

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting grant applications to the agency's FY 2007 Conservation Project Support (CPS) program. CPS awards matching grants to help museums identify conservation needs and priorities and perform activities to ensure the safekeeping of their collections. The deadline to apply is October 1, 2006. For grant application and guidelines, visit http://www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/conservProject.shtm.

IMLS has scheduled four technical assistance audio-conference calls to give prospective applicants an opportunity to talk with program officers about the CPS grant program. The first call will be open to prospective applicants from across the country and answer general questions such as, “Is CPS right for me?” The National CPS Audio Conference will take place on Monday, August 21, 3:00-4:00 pm ET (Conference telephone number: 800-946-0706). In cooperation with the regional museum associations, three regional audio-conference calls are scheduled for applicants who are further along in the application process and who have more specific questions for program officers. The CPS Audio Conference for Western and Mountain Plains will take place on Thursday, September 7, 3:00-4:00 pm ET (Conference telephone number: 800-967-7185). Participants should dial in five to ten minutes before the call begins. Contact IMLS at 202-653-4789 or imlsinfo@imls.gov to report any problems or to receive a hard copy.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A CONSULTANT OR MUSEUM SERVICE PROVIDER?
If you are looking for a consultant, exhibit designer or fabricator, archival supplies company, architect, or other museum service provider, visit the CAM Business Associates directory at http://www.calmuseums.org/membership/businessassociates.html. The Business Associates Directory highlights businesses and vendors that are members of CAM and support the California museum field. The directory is organized into categories to easily identify the type of services each company provides and features links for additional information. Also, don't forget that CAM members save money on some services through the Member Discount Program. To learn more, visit http://www.calmuseums.org/membership/discounts.html.

EXHIBIT HALL, SPONSORSHIPS, AND ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2007 CAM CONFERENCE
Planning for the 2007 CAM conference is underway and the guidelines for being an exhibitor, advertiser, and/or sponsor are now available. You can download a pdf version (190 KB) of the “Vendor and Consultant Prospectus” at http://www.calmuseums.org/conferences_and_workshops/Vendor_Consultant_Prospectus.pdf. This prospectus is for consultants and museum vendors who wish to showcase or advertise their products and services at the conference or support this professional development program through sponsorships. Please feel to contact the CAM office at (831) 471-9970 or cam@calmuseums.org if you have any questions.

NEW GUIDE HELPS INSTITUTIONS COPE WHEN DISASTER STRIKES
A new multimedia field guide to emergency response, published by Heritage Preservation, is now avaialble and focuses on the steps to take in the first few hours of a disaster. In addition to a handbook, a companion DVD illustrates salvage techniques for typical problems like mud, mold, and soot. The DVD can be used on-site in a laptop or vehicle player, as well as for preparedness training. Also included are information panels that can be customized before disaster strikes, as well as helpful checklists such as a Disaster Supplies Shopping List organized by type of store. To learn more, visit www.heritageemergency.org. The Field Guide is available at Heritage Preservation’s website at www.heritagepreservation.org/catalog/.

EDWARD ABLE, PRESIDENT & CEO OF AAM, RETIRES AFTER 20 YEARS
Edward H. Able, President and CEO of the American Association of Museums (AAM), retired from his position on August 1, 2006, after 20 years. Able helped guide the nation's museum community during a period of unprecedented growth and transition. When Able joined AAM in July 1986, there were only 620 accredited museums in the United States. Today, there are more than 17,500 U.S. museums, including 775 accredited museums, and AAM is the largest museum association in the world. Able was recently awarded the Chairman's Medal from the National Endowment for the Arts, which recognized his "long and distinguished service" to the arts. Able plans to continue his leadership and service both to museums and nonprofit organizations following his retirement from AAM.

DISASTER PLAN INFORMATION, DOCUMENTS AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE
The California Preservation Program (CPP) is available to provide disaster assistance to libraries, archives, historical societies and cultural institutions. Institutions are encouraged to call the emergency toll-free number (888) 905-7737 as soon as possible after a disaster. Phone consultation is provided at no charge. If phone consultation is not sufficient, on-site assistance can be arranged at minimal or no charge. To prepare your collection for emergency situations, use the tools provided by the Emergency Preparedness and Response section of the CPP website at http://www.calpreservation.org/disasters/index.html. More useful tools can be found at http://www.calpreservation.org/services/disaster_assist.html. Please direct non-emergency inquiries about disaster assistance to the CPP at info@calpreservation.org. Your needs will be matched to a consultant with appropriate expertise and availability on the schedule needed. If you would like to speak to someone directly, please call Julie Page, (858) 534-7695 or Barclay Ogden, (510) 642-4946.

NEA ACCEPTS APPLICATIONS FOR THEIR AMERICAN MASTERPIECES: VISUAL ARTS TOURING GRANT PROGRAM
American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius is a major initiative to acquaint Americans with the best of their cultural and artistic legacy. Through American Masterpieces, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) will sponsor performances, exhibitions, tours, and educational programs across all art forms that will reach large and small communities in all 50 states. The deadline to apply is September 21, 2006. If you have questions, please contact the NEA's Museum staff at (202) 682-5573 or (202) 682-5576. For more information, visit http://www.arts.gov/grants/apply/AMVAT.html.

TWO-DAY WORKSHOPS IN LOS ANGELES AND OAKLAND IN PRESERVATION OF COLLECTIONS
These workshops will focus on creating cost-effective preservation environments for cultural collections. The first workshop will be held on October 3-4, at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. The second workshop will be held October 5-6 at the Oakland Museum. The two-day intensive programs are intended for archivists, conservators, curators, librarians, and facilities managers responsible for the preservation of collections and the management of collections’ storage facilities. Experienced speakers will present practical perspectives and approaches to creating and managing HVAC systems to meet collection needs. Pre-registration required by September 25; register online at http://www.plsinfo.org/workshops/environment.htm. For registration information contact: Kathy Krause at krause@plsinfo.org or (650) 349-5538. For program content information contact: Julie Page at jpage@ucsd.edu or (858) 534-7695.

HELP NONPROFITS INVEST IN THEIR CAPACITY
Money Matters, the Nonprofit Finance Conference presented by the California Association of Nonprofits (CAN) and PHFE Management Solutions, will be held Thursdays this summer across California. It will be held in Los Angeles on August 10, Riverside on August 17, San Diego on August 24, Visalia on August 31, and Oakland on September 14. Money Matters is for nonprofit financial and accounting staff, board members, CPAs, consultants and their clients, and volunteers. For more information and to register, please visit www.CAnonprofits.org and click on “Money Matters.” If you have questions, contact Dayna Hall, Education Coordinator, at dayna@CAnonprofits.org or (213) 347-2070, ext. 210.

ARCHIVES MONTH IS IN OCTOBER
The Sacramento Archives & Museum Collection Center will be celebrating Archives Month in October with the theme "Celebrating California's Bountical and Historical Heritage"and is interested in contacting allied organizations. For more information, please contact Patricia J. Johnson, Senior Archivist, at pjohnson@cityofsacramento.org.

VOTE ON NEW NAME FOR VOLUNTEER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT GROUP
The Communications/PR Team of a volunteer resources management association has developed a list of potential names for the new organization. Several names are being presented to the Task Force and Roundtable professional community to garner input. The Team sees this as a starting point in the conversation and welcomes input from all interested parties. Please vote on your preferred organization name or feel free to suggest another one. The poll will be open until Friday, August 11, 2006. To vote, go to http://vrm-roundtable.org and click on the "Vote" link in the upper left corner of the home page.

NORTHERN STATES CONVERSATION CENTER'S SUMMER ONLINE COURSES
There are still spaces available for on-line courses offered by the Northern States Conservation Center this summer, namely Materials for Storage and Display, Disaster Planning I, Care of Textiles, and Fundraising for Collections Care. For additional information, please visit www.museumclasses.org. If you have trouble with either website, please contact Helen Alten at helen@collectioncare.org.

JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION NAMES LEADERSHIP AWARD RECIPIENTS
The James Irvine Foundation selected seven California leaders to receive its first Leadership Awards, which celebrate the ability of individuals to make a difference to California’s future and spotlight the promising solutions they are advancing. Recipients are James Bell, founder, W. Haywood Burns Institute for Juvenile Justice Fairness and Equity (San Francisco); Mark Gold, executive director, Heal the Bay, (Los Angeles); Sister Eileen McNerney, founder, Taller San Jose (Santa Ana); Don Shalvey, co-founder and CEO, Aspire Public Schools (Oakland); Eric Weaver, founder, Lenders for Community Development (San Jose); and Kevin Sved and Jonathan Williams, founders, The Accelerated School (Los Angeles). Each receives $125,000 to $150,000 to advance their work and for professional development. Read more: http://www.irvine.org/leadershipAwards.

GRANTCRAFT PUBLISHES ONLINE RESOURCES FOR MEASURING OUTCOMES
Measuring outcomes can be a tricky and sometimes contentious issue. GrantCraft’s guide, Making Measures Work for You: Outcomes and Evaluation, helps grantmakers understand the tensions that may be raised by measuring outcomes and learn how to make measurement work well for them and their grantees. The guide is the latest in GrantCraft’s series on evaluation techniques. Read more or download the guide (PDF): http://www.grantcraft.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageID=835. (Excerpted from the Council on Foundation’s FN&C Now, Volume 7, Number 30.)

PHILADELPHIA CULTURAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM GRANTS
The goal of the Philadelphia Cultural Leadership Program (PCLP) is to stimulate leadership and best practices within the cultural community by providing multiyear operating support to organizations that meet high standards of programmatic, fiscal and management performance. All PCLP grants are for three years, and their use is unrestricted. The deadline to submit a letters of intent is September 22, 2006. Eligible applicants include museums of any kind; visual and media arts organizations; performing arts and literary organizations; arts education organizations; living collections (zoos and arboreta); community and/or multidisciplinary arts; cultural service organizations; private special collections; and libraries. For detailed information, go to: http://www.pewtrusts.com/ideas/index.cfm?issue=15&misc_idea=1, download a .pdf at http://www.pewtrusts.com/pdf/pclp_program_description.pdf, or contact Greg Rowe, Deputy Director, PLCP, at (215) 575-4875 or growe@pewtrusts.org.

WESTERN REGIONAL ALHFAM MEETING SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 12-14, 2006
The Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums (ALHFAM) will have their Western Regional meeting on October 12-14, 2006, at the San Joaquin County Historical Museum in Lodi, California. The conference will explore the issues and challenges of recruiting, training, and sustaining good volunteers. For questions or to register, contact Robin Wood at (209) 331-2055.

MCKENZIE FOUNDATION GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
The purpose of the McKenzie Foundation is to encourage and support non-profit programs primarily in the areas of education, health, human services, and cultural and environmental concerns. The McKenzie Foundation recognizes the power of arts and culture to nurture the vitality of people of all ages and backgrounds. The McKenzie Foundation reviews letters on a continuous basis; letters of inquiry may be submitted at any time during the year. Final decisions on proposals are made by the Foundation's Board of Directors, which meets once a year, usually in August. See http://www.mckenziefoundation.us/index.php for more information.

Get the Word Out in CAM e-News!
Please email the CAM office at cam@calmuseums.org to list any announcements pertaining to professional development programs, grant opportunities, or related opportunities in future editions of CAM e-News and on the CAM web site. Since it is not possible to include all the details of an announcement, please include a phone number, web site address, or email address so interested parties can get additional information. Please do not exceed a limit of 150 words per listing. All announcements are subject to editing by CAM personnel.