Do you have questions for the Museum Program staff?  If so, email us at mum@nysca.org.  We will respond to all questions and will post those questions most often asked.

Q: My museum had a multi-year grant.  Do I still have to register?

A: Yes.  All organizations seeking support from NYSCA must register annually.  Your annual registration lets you update your organizational information and confirm that you are still have a need for NYSCA support.

Q: What happened to the Exhibition, Museum Education & Interpretation, Collections Care & Research, Institutional Development, and Services to the Field categories?  Will you bring them back?

A:  We still provide grants for such projects.  However, all project requests now fall under a single category called “Project Support.”  A museum or museum service organization is welcome to submit one request under this category as long as your organization does not receive GOS or GPS from the Museum Program.

Q: Can I submit more than one application to NYSCA?

A: Yes, you may submit up to four applications to NYSCA. There are specific restrictions as to how many requests may be submitted in each program, so please read the guidelines carefully.  For example, in the Museum Program an applicant may submit only one request. 

Q: I see there are only two categories available: General Operating/Program Support and Project Support.  How do I know which to apply for?

A:  To be eligible to apply for General Operating/Program Support your organization must have a minimum of three (3) consecutive years of project support within the Museum Program.  If you believe you meet the minimum requirement, please contact Museum Program staff to best assess your options. There are many factors involved in evaluating a request for unrestricted support. Meeting the minimum requirement is just one of them.

If your organization does not have the minimum three (3) years of consecutive support, then Project Support is the category you should pursue.  New applicants are welcomed in this category.

Q: I still don’t understand why my organization cannot apply for General Program Support.

A: General Program Support is the same as General Operating Support and requires three (3) consecutive years of project support with the Museum Program as an eligibility requirement.  GPS is an administrative term used when the applicant organization is not the museum ie. a University, for applicants without a collection, or for organizations that are both a museum and a library.