Museum seeks $487,000 NEH collections grant, partners with researchers for preservation work

The Executive Director reported the Yellowstone Gateway Museum is preparing a National Endowment for the Humanities collections stewardship grant application seeking $487,000 over three years to support a contract registrar, conservation assessments, preservation rehousing supplies, cataloging and digitization work and tribal and archaeological expertise through a partnership with the Alpine Ecosystems Research Institute.

"This is looking for $487,000 in NEH collection stewardship funding for 3 year implementation project that will preserve and make available physical and digital collections important for research, teaching, public engagement in the humanities," the Executive Director said. The director added that partnering with ARRI would allow a larger joint request than the museum could submit alone: "as a single entity we can go up to $350,000 but up to 500 with a partnership program," the Executive Director said.

The proposal would fund a temporary full-time registrar, specialized conservation assessments, preservation-quality rehousing supplies, digitization and hands-on training opportunities for students. The Executive Director said the museum is coordinating the submission through county channels and that the application will be presented to the county commission for approval because the museum is submitting as a county department.

Museum staff framed the grant as addressing both immediate preservation needs and long-term public access to artifacts and records. The Executive Director also noted the museum is working with ARRI to include archaeological training and conference activities in Livingston aimed at students and professionals.

The museum has related grant activity under way, including applications to IMLS and a Montana Historic Preservation program that funds storage-building work. The Executive Director said some siding work on the storage building is already complete and that heavier equipment moves and foundation work remain to be scheduled once contracts are in place.

The board did not take a vote on the NEH application during the meeting; the director said the next step is finalizing the application and obtaining county commission approval for the submission.