Museums can participate in MAP in one of two ways:

Annual Application Deadline or Flexible Participation Program (apply anytime)

Annual Application Deadline

Apply to participate in MAP at virtually no cost to your institution thanks to a Cooperative Agreement between AAM and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

MAP has made some exciting changes to be more responsive to the needs of museums:

• MAP program participants may start their assessments within weeks of applying.
• The self-study workbook is redesigned to be simpler to complete.
• The program can be completed in less than a year.

Deadline Closed: Space has been filled for this round of applications.  Please contact MAP staff at 202-289-9118 or map@aam-us.org if you want to put your name on the list for the next round of applications available September 1, 2009. 

Costs: Assessment costs are based on your institution's annual operating expenses.

For more information contact MAP staff at 202/289-9118 or map@aam-us.org.

* Museums that were previously awarded IMLS funding for MAP may be eligible to participate in the same assessment if 7 years have passed since the original award was received. Applicants are required to report on changes in operations that were made based on the earlier assessment. For the Fall 2009 deadline, museums must have participated earlier than September 30, 2003.

Flexible Participation (apply anytime)

Formerly known as "fee-for-service", Flexible Participation allows you to apply for MAP at any time. Museums taking advantage of this option have found many creative ways to fund their participation with financial support from board members, friends groups, state or local governments, and even local chambers of commerce. The advantages to doing MAP outside of the annual deadline is that you can apply to the program at any time of the year, eligibility requirements are more flexible, and your museum can begin the process immediately.

Deadline: Open

The cost for Flexible Participation:

• $3,000 administrative fee for participating in the program
• $300 honorarium per Surveyor
• Funds to cover the Surveyor’s travel, meals, and lodging during the site visit (an estimated cost of $725-850 per Surveyor)
• Meals for group meetings during Surveyor visit (amount will vary)
• Long distance phone calls, photocopying, photography, and other miscellaneous charges (amount will vary)
• Funds to implement the Surveyor’s recommendations (costs as yet undetermined)

The Flexible Participation Application and Guidelines is available for download. 

Please contact MAP staff at 202/289-9118 or map@aam-us.org for more information about the Flexible Participation program.