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St. Philip's Church at Brunswick TownFree Consultant Services Available

What is FOCoS?

FOCoS is a Free On-site Consultation Service offered by NCMC to up to two deserving museums each year. A two-person team of NCMC consultants is assigned to a qualifying site. Consultants visit and tour their assigned site over a two-day period and together offer professional advice relating to needs specified as priorities by the subject museum.

What areas of consulting are offered?

Sites can obtain free consultations in either exhibit planning and installation, collection management, general administration, educational programming, or public-relations strategies.

Who can apply?

Any institution can apply, but consideration will be given to museums with small budgets -- generally, less than $100,000. While other sites with budgets larger than this can apply and will be considered, partiality in selections will be given to those facilities with fewer financial resources.

Do I have to be an NCMC member to apply?

Individual or institutional membership in NCMC is not a requirement for applicants. While enlisting new members is an ongoing objective of NCMC's work, the overriding mission of FOCoS is to help small institutions, whether affiliated with our organization or not.

Who do I contact?

FOCoS will be administered through NCMC's vice president working in cooperation with the chairs of Membership Development and Professional Development. If you are interested in serving as a consultant or would like to receive a visit from FOCoS consultants, please contact NCMC's vice president at vicepresident@ncmuseums.org.

How do I apply?

Applications can be submitted at any time. Consideration for current candidates is underway. The next deadline is March 31, 2008. Please note that applications can be created by staff or volunteers at a museum or site, but must be finalized, reviewed and signed by the director or site representative of the applicant organization. The director or site representative is then the direct contact for all interactions involving the FOCoS program. For more information, contact Richard Sceiford at vicepresident@ncmuseums.org.

Two recent recipients chosen for a FOCoS consultant visit are the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) of Asheville, and the Cherryville Historical Museum, Cherryville. Further report on these consultations will be forthcoming.

Download an application (PDF).

Read about the 2006 FOCoS Program.

Read about the 2005 FOCoS Program.

Read about the 2004 FOCoS Program.

Read about the 2003 FOCoS Program.


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