Mid-Year Progress Report FY2021

January 25, 2021

At the Demuth Foundation, we seek to keep our partners and public informed. Our FY2021 goals include preserving and building collections, enhancing our online presence, improving facilities, and creating a fundraising plan. The outline below provides a mid-year status update for each growth area. We also developed goals for increased diversity and inclusion at our museums and have posted a Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion Accountability Statement that provides an in-depth look at our progress in this area. 

Preserve and build collections

  • Install collections database to organize information and increase accessibility of both the Demuth Museum and Lancaster Museum of Art (LMA) collections. - Grant funding has not been obtained for this project despite two proposals submitted. We remain optimistic that we will be able to purchase and install a collections database before the end of June. 

  • Build acquisitions fund to enable purchases of key works to improve our collections. - A separate account has been set up to hold special funds for new acquisitions. A major donor contributed a large portion of the funding needed for our fall 2020 Demuth acquisition and we will continue to build financial resources to purchase new works from artists and auctions. 

  • Additional staff training on collections care. - Exhibition and Collections Coordinator Greta Rymar completed a Collections Policy course in spring 2020 and will continue her studies this spring with a course from the American Association for State and Local History on Caring for Museum Collections. 

Enhance online presence

  • Create a new website that unites the Demuth Museum and Lancaster Museum of Art online.- Just before Thanksgiving, we launched our new website at demuth.org. The new site offers expanded content, including a page for virtual learning experiences, a full list of the Demuth Museum collection and highlights from LMA’s collection, and an online gift shop. 

  • Improve quality of online programs and exhibitions through new tools. - Our new website has afforded us a new format for online exhibitions that makes viewing easier from mobile devices and tablets. In January 2020, we introduced our first viewing guide that provides additional information about the works on view and reflection questions for deeper understanding. We will continue to develop new tools and resources in this area. 

Improve Facilities

  • Upgrade lighting to offer energy savings and increased protection for sensitive works on paper. - Thanks to a generous grant, we were able to upgrade lighting fixtures to LED bulbs with UV filters for one gallery at the Demuth Museum. We plan to make additional lighting upgrades in phases over the next few years. 

  • Remodel office space for staff to have designated desks and sufficient space for COVID protocols- Work for this remodeling project will take place over the next 3 months, with the majority of the effort going to repairing plaster walls and repainting the new office room. The new office will house 3 desks and be adjacent to the Director’s office. 

  • Continue to explore potential uses for the Demuth Snuff Mill and Tobacco Shop- While we haven’t been able to have committee meetings around this conversation, we remain committed to maximizing our facilities and property, including the historic Snuff Mill and Tobacco Shop. As the pandemic wanes, we hope to redirect energy towards this and develop a few creative ideas for the spaces. In the meantime, with grant support, we are producing a new virtual tour that will give viewers a glimpse into the buildings and present information about their history. 

Create Fundraising Plan

  • New income models not as reliant on event income- Over the last 6 months, we’ve focused more on our fundraising efforts since in-person events have been restricted due to the pandemic. In addition to writing and submitting more grant proposals, the entire staff have received training on the grant writing process so that everyone can support this critical function. While a formal fundraising plan has not been drafted, one is in the works for FY22 and the Executive Director is enrolled in a 8-session Fundraising Fellows program to gain additional insight and training. 

  • Communicate needs and fundraising goals more regularly to our members and constituents- This mid-year progress report is one tool we’re using to share more information about our activities and needs. Before the end of our fiscal year in June, we hope to raise $2,500 for our collections database, $6,000 for a traveling exhibition, $3,500 for our office remodel. We also have funding needs in programming sponsorship, office equipment, and capacity building projects. If you are interested in learning more about these opportunities, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Executive Director.