Heritage Field Resources

We encourage you to check out 4Culture’s ongoing resource list for local, regional, and national resources for the arts and cultural sector. We recognize that the Heritage field has unique needs as well as opportunities to respond in the Covid-19 public health crisis. We included some resources around collections, programming, and facilities that are specific to the needs of heritage field in “Looking for Best Practices?” below.

With a focus on racial equity, 4Culture funds, supports, and advocates for culture to enhance the quality of life in King County. We acknowledge that systematic inequity takes many forms—racism, sexism, ableism, transphobia, heterosexualism, and more. Our focus on racial equity provides us with the tools we use to dismantle all oppressions. As we work to make our practices more racially equitable, we encourage all heritage practitioners to assess their personal knowledge of interpersonal and systemic racism and how it permeates the heritage field.

Here we compiled some resources to get you started.

• Take an implicit bias self-assessment through Project Implicit
• Take an organizational self-assessment developed by Of/By/ForAll
• Read about oppression in museums Oppression: A museum primer
• Learn about how structural racism is perpetuated in museums, Museums and Race
• Dig into these equity and social change resources from MASS Action, Nonprofit Learning Lab, and National Association of Interpretation
• Peruse AASLH’s newest resource Inclusive Historian’s Handbook
• Educate yourself about White Supremacist Culture
• Bookmark these blogs by local practitioners: Nonprofit AF, Incluseum
• Keep up to date with local news with lens of culture and equity
  • South Seattle Emerald
  • Crosscut
  • Hyperallergic
• Remember museums can have a voice: “YES, You Can Advocate! What Nonprofits Can and Can’t Do”
• Keep equity in mind in the moment of change and transformation, Cultural Competence and Learning Institute Public Webinars
• Learn about other EDI frameworks and movements: Empathetic Museum, Gender Equity in Museums Movement

Job Listings

• Western Museum Association Job Board
• Washington Museum Association Job Listings
• American Association for State and Local History Career Center
• American Alliance of Museums Job HQ
• Northwest Archivists Jobs in the Northwest
• 4Culture’s Other Listings page

Internship and Apprenticeship Programs

• 4Culture’s King County Heritage Internship Program
• Beyond Integrity
• Cultural and Creative Workforce Development Internships (Northwest Folklife)
• Diversity in Local History Internships (Washington State Historical Society)
• Heritage Arts Apprenticeship Program (Center for Washington Cultural Traditions)
• In My Backyard (Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park)

Are you interested in volunteering with a local heritage group or 4Culture Heritage, but not sure where to start? Send us an email at with your contact information and areas of interest and we will get in touch with you!

4Culture Grant programs

We offer a variety of grant programs that are designed to support the work of heritage practitioners and organizations.

Other Grant Opportunities

There are other agencies and organizations that provide funding for works related to heritage and history. You can view our Other Listings page for more funding opportunities, but here are some of the funding agencies and grants for heritage.

• Washington State Historical Society Heritage Capital Projects program
• Washington State Historical Society Diversity in Local History program
• Humanities Washington
• IMLS
• National Endowment for the Humanities
• National Railway Historical Society
• National Historical Publications & Records Commission
• Washington Digital Heritage Grants
• U.S. National Parks Service
• Maritime Washington National Heritage Area

Other Resources on Fundraising

• Association of Fundraising Professionals has newsletters and yearly conferences.
• Puget Sound Grantwriters Association has monthly lunches and quarterly workshops on grantwriting.
• Grantmakers in the Arts has helpful information from a perspective of funders.
• Philanthropy NW offers the Philanthropy News Digest and a newsletter.
• Fundraising for collections care? See resources compiled by the American Institute for Conservation and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation.

Here are some lists of local providers to get you started:

Nonprofit Consultants

• Nonprofit Consultants & Other Specialists Directory, 501 Commons

Collections Care

• Find A Conservator, American Institute for Conservation and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation
• Consultants, Northwest Archivists
• Directory of Archival Consultants, Society of American Archivists

Exhibit, Programs, Education

• Vendors Exhibit Design – Washington, Museums USA

Research

• The NCPH Consultants Directory, The National Council on Public History

Legal Services

• WLA Services, Washington Lawyers for the Arts

Professional networks like AKCHO and AASLH often offer training for those working in the heritage field. Below are useful free resources on best practices for various aspects of heritage works. Notice something missing? Let us know!

Resources from 4Culture-hosted workshops

When 4Culture Heritage hosts a workshop, you can find the resources and recordings (if available) here.

• Recordings and resources from Digital Collections Webinar Series, April 10-24, 2023 (Presenter: Marie Williams Chant).

Administration

• “Thinking about starting a museum,” Alberta Museums Association, 2003
• “Developing a Disaster Preparedness/ Emergency Response Plan,” American Alliance of Museums, 2018
• “Roberts Rules of Order Toolkit,” BoardEffect, 2020
• “Boards in Gear Toolkit,” Washington Nonprofits Institute, 2019
• “Washington Nonprofit Corporation Act” The new law goes into effect on January 1, 2022.
• “Washington State Department of Labor & Industries Consultation Program,” confidential, no-fee, professional advice and assistance to Washington businesses

Collections Management

• “Developing a Collections Management Policy,” American Alliance of Museums, 2012
• “Resources | Connecting To Collections Care,” Foundation for Advancement In Conservation
• “Audio and Video Guidance: Resources,” National Archives, last reviewed 2019
• “The Film Preservation Guide,” National Film Preservation Foundation, 2004
• “We Are History Keepers! A Free Workshop on Preserving the Historical and Cultural Record of Our Ethnic Communities, University of Washington Libraries and Ethnic Heritage Council
• Managing Collections Care During Pandemics, American Alliance of Museums
• Pandemic Preparedness, American Library Association

Exhibitions

• “Standards for Museum Exhibitions and Excellence,” American Alliance of Museums, 2012

Small Museums and Historical Organizations

• “Sustaining Places: An Encyclopedia of Resources For Small Historical Organizations,” The University of Delaware Museum Studies Graduate Program
• Museum Learning Hub has expert tips, online trainings, and digital toolkits.
• Washington State Historical Society YouTube channel, A collection of recorded webinars and conversations on various topics hosted by Washington State Historical Society.
• “DIY Strategic Planning for Small Museums,” American Association for State and Local History, 2008.

Assessment Programs

• “Museum Assessment Program,” American Alliance of Museums
• “Collections Assessment for Preservation Program,” Institute of Museum and Library Services
• “Standards and Excellence Programs for History Organizations,” American Association for State and Local History

Facilities

• Closing a Museum for the Winter, Canadian Conservation Institute

Community Engagement

• How Your Museum Can Use Social Media During COVID-19, American Alliance of Museums

Volunteer Management

• Volunteer Match Learning Center, Volunteer Match
• Resources for Volunteer Engagement Professionals, Energize Inc.
• Standards and Best Practices for Museum Volunteer Professionals, American Association for Museum Volunteers (AAMV), 2011 (revised 2012)
• A Conversation with a Purpose: A practical guide to interviewing prospective volunteers, Kathleen McCleskey and Cheryle N. Yallen, 2009

Networking in the Heritage Field

Starting out in the heritage field? Want to know what like-minded professionals are up to? Joining and participating in professional networks is a great way to expand your connections and the reach of your organization.

Please inquire with each group for registration, membership dues, meeting information, etc.

Please get in touch with us if you have any questions or requests. We look forward to getting to know you and your work in the heritage field!