The Alliance offers fee-based services on a select basis to museums and related organizations, consortia, and companies that are looking for speakers, trainers, customized assessment, or other assistance not provided by other AAM resources and programs (see below). The Alliance Advisory Services and Speakers Bureau takes advantage of in-house expertise to help advance your objectives—such as inspiring your stakeholders, exploring new areas of practice, or envisioning the future of your organization. In return, this work helps the Alliance realize our vision of “a world informed and enriched by thriving museums.”

We invite you to review our range of services and expertise/focus areas and submit a request (see form below) to talk further about how the Alliance can help your organization. Speaking fees typically range from $2000 to $7000 for a keynote or workshop, and rates for consulting services from $100 to $200 per hour. We are happy to provide customized quotes for longer projects in response to requests for proposals.

Can my needs be met through other AAM resources and programs?

If you have general questions about standards and professional practices, or specific aspects of museum operation; want to start a museum; or are looking for museum examples/samples, explore these AAM resources:

• Museum Junction: post your question to the museum field’s largest discussion forum with over 48,000 members (free to all, AAM membership is not required)
• Resource Library: access over 2,000 curated how-to guides, articles, and other tools (AAM Individual or Tier 2-3 Museum Membership required)
• Customized Research and Sample Documents: get guidance on specialized questions, and search and download sample documents (AAM Tier-3 Museum Membership required)
• About Museums: Access reports, research, and FAQs about museums (free to all)
• Starting a Museum: a toolkit with a set of resources for what actions to take to start a new museum
• Museum Assessment Program (MAP): a one-year process of self-assessment, institutional activities, and consultative peer review (open to all museums that meet the eligibility requirements)
• Advocacy Resources: Access a wealth of year-round advocacy tools, resources, data, and guides for advancing your advocacy skills, engaging your board, and advocating for museums – including timely Alliance Advocacy Alerts
• DEAI (Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion) Resources – Access a growing list of tools, resources, and sample documents related to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion
• Trustee Resource Center – Access diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion resources specifically tailored for museum trustees

How Alliance Advisory Services might be of assistance

If the resources listed above do not meet your needs, here is a guide to how Alliance Advisory Services might be of assistance.

I represent a museum executive and I need

• a custom-built DEAI training
• an expert DEAI trainer for my staff, executive team, or board
• an equity coach/caoching call
• expert facilitator
• strategic thought partner
• engaging Keynote or panelist for conferences and convenings

I represent a DEAI museum professional and I need

• a custom built DEAI training
• an expert DEAI trainer for my staff, executive team, or board
• an equity coach/coaching call
• expert facilitator
• strategic thought partner
• practitioner of resources and tools

I represent a museum, and we want

• a speaker to expand the thinking of our staff and board
• a workshop to help us explore critical issues facing society, our sector and our institution
• a national perspective in our strategic planning process
• help planning and implementing digital projects
• assistance with future-proofing our operations
• advocacy training for our staff and/or board

I represent an association or service provider, and we want

• an inspiring keynote or workshop for our conference
• advocacy training for our staff, board, or members
• assistance creating our own certification/accreditation program
• input on cutting-edge professional practices: membership, business models, micro-credentialling, diversity & inclusion policies
• guidance on starting our own “futures” program

I represent a funder, and we want

• to help the nonprofits we support become more financially stable and self-sufficient
• to evaluate our own operations in light of current financial, cultural, and technological trend
• to empower the nonprofits we support to advocate effectively for the field
• current and credible research to inform our funding decisions and document the impact of our work

I’m a developer or entrepreneur, and I want

• input on the product or service I am designing for museums
• help finding museum partners to test and refine my prototypes

Staff and Collective Expertise

Our staff collectively represent decades of experience working in and with museums of all types and sizes. Staff are available on a selective basis for lectures, workshops, service on planning committees and consultations on key projects.

Topics

Based on the areas of focus identified in the Alliance’s strategic plan, and based on input from our wide membership, we concentrate on content and services related to:

• Accreditation and Assessment Programs
• Advocacy for Museums
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Financial Sustainability
• Governance and Nonprofit Leadership
• Museums and P-12 Education
• Museum Standards and Professional Practices
• Strategic Foresight and Exploring the Future of Museums and their Communities
• Strategic Planning

Use this form to start a conversation with Alliance staff about how we might provide customized services or a speaker to meet your needs.

Examples of Recent Work:

Exhibit planning charrette, the DoSeum, San Antonio, TX (contributing participant)

Strategic Re-visioning Task Force, National WWII Museum, New Orleans, LA (contributing participant)

Advising the American Library Association on the formation of the ALA Center for the Future of Libraries

Thought paper on the future of history organizations for the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage

Workshops on the future of inclusive museums for the US Embassy in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece

Helping the Terra Foundation for American Art to identify candidate museums for a grant program

Comprehensive assessment for the Alberta Museums Association of its Recognized Museum Program

Coordination of custom peer assessments at university museums to inform strategic decision-making about facility merging/relocation and organizational structure

Workshop on effective advocacy for museums for The Icelandic Museums Association (FISOS)

Online advocacy training, workshops, and sessions for Museums Alaska, Iowa Association of Museums, Ohio Museums Association, New England Museum Association, and New Mexico Association of Museums

Designed 90-minute workshop on DEAI foundations (foundational knowledge/DEAI 101)

Served as executive-level thought partner for DEAI related issues at staff and board level