Our Mission

The Museum Association of New York helps shape a better future for museums and museum professionals by uplifting best practices and building organizational capacity through advocacy, training, and

networking opportunities.

2020 – 2021

ADVOCACY

73 museum professionals advocated on behalf of NYS museums for the American Alliance of Museums Virtual Museums Advocacy Day in February 2021–the highest number of delegates from any state.

PROGRAMS

In 2020 and 2021, MANY produced 42 virtual programs attended by 5,034 museum professionals.

In 2021, MANY hosted 19 in-person programs across NYS attended by 371 museum professionals.

GRANTMAKING

Pomeroy Fund for NYS History

In partnership with the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, the Pomeroy Fund for NYS History has rapidly distributed $187,808 to 83 history-related organizations across NYS since April 2020.

NYSCA / MANY Partnership Grants

In October 2021, MANY was awarded $575,000 from the New York State Council on the Arts for a re-grant partnership to distribute 100 grants of $5,000 in 2022 to assist NYS museums with capacity building.

BUILDING CAPACITY, CREATING SUSTAINABILITY, GROWING ACCESSIBILITY

In November 2020, MANY was awarded an Institute of Museum and Library Services CARES Act grant to support museums reaching their audiences digitally throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

MANY worked with 178 museum professionals at 96 museums in 19 in-person workshops and 54 virtual workshops throughout 2021 to build technical and program development skills. 97% of project participants reported building new digital skills and 90% have applied their technology and learning to create additional programs at their museums.

MUSEUMS SUPPORT DEMOCRACY

In October 2021, MANY was awarded $49,884 from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) funded by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act to create a new seven part virtual series, “Museums Support Democracy” co-produced with Museum Hue beginning in 2022.

COALITION OF STATE MUSEUM ASSOCIATIONS

In August 2021, MANY helped coordinate and hosted the Coalition of State Museum Association’s two-day virtual summit to learn and network with our fellow state museum associations. MANY Executive Director Erika Sanger was named COSMA Board Vice President in September 2021.

MANY Membership as of December 31, 2021