The Curator Branch of the Naval History and Heritage Command seeks a Museum Specialist to work with the headquarters artifact collection at the Collection Management Facility in Richmond, VA. Please visit https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/548620200 to view the announcement, which closes Tuesday, October 22^nd.

The Membership Committee has prepared a short survey as it prepares for a new year. This survey, a fillable form, was resent to all member institutions today. The committee would appreciate receiving your responses by October 31, 2019.

If any member did not receive the survey, please contact the CAMM Administrator, Paul Fontenoy, at maritimemuseums@gmail.com and request a copy.

We look forward to learning from you, and thank you.

CAMM is excited to announce we have been joined by a new member: the Bayshore Center at Bivalve. This is only the second maritime museum in New Jersey to join us. If you would like to welcome them or want to know more about this museum, please contact:

Brian Keenan
Executive Director
Bayshore Center at Bivalve
Home Port of NJ’s Tall Ship
www.bayshorecenter.org
(856) 785-2060

 

Welcome aboard!

Mystic Seaport Museum presents J.M.W. Turner: Watercolors from Tate, a major exhibition organized in cooperation with Tate, from October 5, 2019, to February 23, 2020. The show is drawn from the renowned Turner Bequest of 1856, the vast legacy of art donated to Great Britain by J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851), which resides today at Tate. Mystic Seaport Museum is the only North American venue for the exhibition. For more information, please go to: https://www.mysticseaport.org/press-release/2019/mystic-seaport-museum-organized-in-cooperation-with-tate-presents-the-most-comprehensive-exhibition-ever-in-u-s-of-watercolors-by-j-m-w-turner/

 

CIMM Executive Director – deadline application due October 25, 2019

The Ventura County Maritime Museum, Inc., dba Channel Islands Maritime Museum (CIMM) was incorporated in 1990 as an independent, non-profit 501 (c) (3) public benefit organization. CIMM has been an Oxnard cultural resource for 29 years, serving the area that includes Ventura County and Southern California.  Our mission is to provide an enriching museum experience based on maritime history ranging from ancient mariners to the modern marine era, and to enhance the understanding of our rich international and local seafaring heritage with a focus on educational programs through world-class maritime art, unique ship models, dynamic exhibits, artifacts and a nautical research library.

Position Summary – CIMM is seeking a full time Executive Director to provide leadership in executing the Museum’s strategic plans and goals in accordance with its mission.  Working with the Board of Trustees, the Executive Director will advance the growth and development as envisioned in the Strategic Plan, grow a larger and more diverse funding base over time, and strengthen management practices across all areas of the organization.

SUMMARY OF KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Fundraising – Ensure that CIMM has a diverse and resilient funding base.
2. Organizational Management – Lead and manage all aspects of the Museum, including Volunteers and Staff.
3. Strategic Leadership – Enhance and build on the Strategic Plan as identified, and turn the strategy into action
4. Program Management – Provide program development in accordance with the mission, supporting the volunteer and staff groups in their execution.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

Fundraising – Ability to plan and lead a diverse and sustainable fundraising program, providing     on-going stability.

• Ability to identify, cultivate and steward major donors and foundations to support CIMM’s mission and growth
• Knowledge of and experience with developing marketing and donor outreach materials
• Experience in soliciting strategic grants from foundations and other major donors
• Experience working with database software used by the Museum that tracks donors and other stakeholders

Organizational Management – Leadership and management of all aspects of a nonprofit organization, a diverse team, and its finances and operations.

• Nonprofit financial acumen
• Experience with recruiting, engaging and supervising a talented staff and volunteer team.
• Knowledge of best practices in human resources.
• Day-to-day nonprofit operations experience, including customer service.
• Sensitive to and experience with issues of diversity and inclusion.
• Project management, direction and delegation experience.
• Ensuring compliance with all local, state and federal legal requirements.

Strategic Leadership – A hands-on leader with the ability to turn strategy into action to meet CIMM’s goals

• Understanding of the dynamics of CIMM’s culture and vision for the future
• Knowledge of and experience with productively partnering with a Board of Trustees and various Board and Volunteer committees

Program Management – Proven coordination skills with the ability to develop and manage programs within a team environment

Communication/Skills Requirements

• Enjoys networking and being the public face of CIMM
• Superior written and verbal communication
• Effective and confident public speaker with strong presentation abilities
• Marketing knowledge, particularly using social media
• Attentive to detail
• Positive working relationship with Volunteer groups
• The capability to understand and operate software used by the Museum: Microsoft Office, Charityproud, Past Perfect, NCR Silver POS, etc.
• Knowledge of the Ventura County/Central Coast donor/funder community desirable

Education/Training

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated strong leadership capabilities as well as excellent managerial and interpersonal skills in the nonprofit arena, with proven results in community engagement, financial sustainability and capital campaigns.  Experience in the museum world, while not mandatory, is preferred.  The candidate will have a strong interest in history and art, from either a museum or personal perspective.  A college degree is required, and an advanced degree in a related field would be a plus.  Second, or multiple, language skills are preferred, but not mandatory.

Reports to:  Channel Islands Maritime Museum Board of Trustees, subject to the direct supervision of the Board President and Executive Committee

Salary:  Negotiable

Employment Type/Payroll Status:  Full Time Exempt

The Prime Minister of Turkey visited the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum on Saturday, September 21

l-r: Ryan Zinke (Former Secretary of the Interior), Greg Gorga (SBMM Executive Director), Lola Zinke, Binali Yildirim (Prime Minister of Turkey), Maryam Cooley Telos, David Cooley Telos, Ihsan Durdu (Advisor to the Prime Minister)

The Western Naval History Association’s annual symposium is scheduled for 29 February – 1 March 2020, aboard the USS Midway Museum in San Diego. Speakers will include authors and war gamers, naval historians from the National War College, Naval War College, the Canadian Department of National Defence, and a Cold War submarine captain.  Roundtables and workshops on naval topics also are scheduled. See the flyer for full symposium details. Free admission to the Midway Museum is included in the cost of the symposium. We hope to see you at the symposium! Symposium space is limited, so don’t delay!  Sign up today!

WNHA_CONFERENCE_FLYER

 

San Francisco, CA – Fourth grade students can get a free annual pass through the Every Kid Outdoors Program to visit San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, plus more than 2,000 other federal recreation areas across the United States. The Every Kid Outdoors Program is an interagency collaboration between the Department of the Interior, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Forest Service that provides fourth graders with free access to explore, learn, and recreate in spectacular settings, including national parks, wildlife refuges, marine sanctuaries, and forests, along with their families, classmates, and friends. The program replaces Every Kid in a Park, and is authorized for seven years.

The program focuses on children ten years of age (the age of most fourth graders) and is based on research that indicates such children are at a unique developmental stage in their learning where they are more receptive to engaging with nature and the environment. By focusing on this age group year after year, the program aims to ensure every child in the United States has the opportunity to visit their national parks by the time he or she is eleven years old, thereby establishing a lifelong connection to enjoy and protect our American outdoor heritage.

To obtain the free pass, fourth grade students can visit the Every Kid Outdoors website https://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm, participate in a short educational activity, and download and print a paper voucher. The voucher is valid for multiple uses between Sept. 1, 2019 and Aug. 31, 2020. The voucher may also be exchanged for a durable pass at the fee booth on Hyde Street Pier (open daily from 9:30am-4:30pm), as well as at other sites.

The voucher or pass grants free entry for fourth graders, all other children under 16 in the group, and up to three accompanying adults to the historic ships on Hyde Street Pier. (Admission to the park’s Visitor Center and Maritime Museum is always free for all visitors.) The pass is non-transferable, and the fourth grade passholder must be present for the pass to be honored. We hope to see your family at San Francisco Maritime soon!

The pass also offers free admission at most federally managed lands and waters across the country. Drive-in sites allow everyone traveling in the same vehicle with the passholder to enter for free.

National Parks are great classrooms! San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park offers a free, curriculum-based, ranger-led field trip especially for 4th grade classes. The program is called “Vessels and their Vocations.” During this field trip, all students will receive their Every Kid Outdoors pass. For field trip reservations, teachers may contact Catelyn Kindred at ckindred@maritime.org or 415-292-6664.

Fourth grade educators are encouraged to take advantage of the wide range of educational programs and tools associated with the Every Kid Outdoors Program. Educational activities, field trip options, information and tools in English and Spanish, and the ability to print vouchers for passes for students are all available on the website.

Located at the west end of Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park includes a fleet of historic ships, Visitor Center, Maritime Museum, Maritime Research Center, and the Aquatic Park Historic District. For more information, please call 415-447-5000 or visit nps.gov/safr, Twitter @SFMaritimeNPS, and Facebook @SanFranciscoMaritimeNHP. The Park offers assisted listening services on request. Sign Language interpreter services need to be requested at least five days in advance. Contact Accessibility Coordinator/Chief of Interpretation for more information at 415-859-6797, or safr_accessibility@nps.gov.

Below is a message from Dr. Tim Runyan, National Maritime Alliance

Earlier, we announced that $2-3M will be available for the National Maritime Heritage grant program for 2020 from profits of ship scrapping by the Maritime Administration. We can help assure a supplement of $5M to the 2020 National Maritime Heritage grants program—raising the amount available to $7-8M.

I am working with staff of Rep. Brian Higgins (NY D-26, Buffalo-Erie area). Rep. Higgins offered an amendment to the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (Defense Bill) that stated:

“the Secretary of Defense may contribute up to $5,000,000 to support the National Maritime Heritage Grants Program established under section 308703 of title 54, United States Code.” The amendment was included in the 2020 NDAA passed by the House (HR 2500).

I am working with Rep. Higgins’ Legislative Director to support this amendment. It will be considered in the conference among the House and Senate as they iron out the differences between their Defense bills. There is no complementary language regarding the $5M in the Senate NDAA (S. 1790). The conference will begin soon–but the conference members to represent the House and Senate have not been announced.

Our task is to contact the members who will make a decision on whether the $5M remains in the final 2020 NDAA. I am also working with Rep. Higgins’ staff to strengthen the language–from “the Secretary of Defense “may contribute” to “shall contribute,” in the amendment.

Since the conference members are not known at this time, it is best we write to the chairs and ranking members of the House Armed Services Committee, and the Senate Armed Services Committee, and cc other members, including our local Representatives/Senators. I have prepared a draft letter below.

Again, for clarification: there will be $2-3M available in the coming 2020 National Maritime Heritage Grant Program generated from ship scrapping. The $5M allocation would be an addition to the $2-3M. The grants program will be administered by NPS, as usual.

Suggested Letter

Letterhead

The Hon. Name of Rep/Senator

House/Senate Office Building

Washington, DC  20515 (House) 20510 (Senate)

Date, 2019

Dear Senator/Representative #####:

I write to ask that you assure the inclusion of Section 1099F (HB 2500) in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. This language authorizes the Secretary of Defense to contribute up to $5M to fund the National Maritime Heritage Grants program. We want to make clear that we anticipate the full amount of $5M will be contributed to the grant program.

The National Maritime Heritage Grants program was created by Congress in 1994 to support the preservation of historic maritime resources and educate the public on the nation’s rich maritime history. This competitive grant program, administered by the National Park Service, requires one-to-one matching support by a successful applicant. State, tribal and local governments, and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for grants. It is the only federal grant program supporting America’s maritime heritage. The program has provided only about $10M in grant support in the past five years.

Section 1099F in the House NDAA helps address the funding shortage. The language of Section 1099F is not included in the Senate NDAA. Your support is critical to insure its inclusion in the final NDAA at the conference of the House and Senate.

We have benefited greatly by a grant(s) through this program (if applicable, and you can cite briefly the outcome of the grant funding). Describe your organization.

The (name of your organization) is part of the maritime heritage community, composed of 1,000 non-profit organizations in more than 40 states. This includes historic naval ships, maritime museums, tall ships for sail training, lighthouses, maritime historical societies, education, and preservation organizations. Hundreds of veterans serve as staff or volunteers.

Please act to ensure Section 1099F, “Support for National Maritime Heritage Grants program,” is included in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.

Sincerely,

Your name, organization, contact information

Cc or bcc a copy to: Tim Runyan, Chair, National Maritime Alliance at: runyant@ecu.edu

You are encouraged to cc staff of the members of Congress.

Timothy J. Runyan, PhD, Chair, National Maritime Alliance

252-902-5455 cell

runyant@ecu.edu

CAMM is now accepting proposals for the 2020 conference in Vancouver. The conference will take place from April 27-29, 2020. The theme of this year’s conference is “Inclusion, Diversity, Equity: Maritime Museums as centers for dialogue.” Proposals will be accepted until Friday, December 6, 2019. Details are available on the conference proposal form accessible from the Conference page. We hope to receive your proposal soon!