The vermont historical society will work with local historical societies and museums around vermont to help develop skills among the workforce at mostly all-volunteer organizations

The Vermont Historical Society received a $350,081 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (CFDA 45.032 - 21st Century Museum Professionals Program) to provide workforce development training and resources to approximately 300 staff and volunteers at historical societies and museums across Vermont.

The project aims to engage these participants in using an "active collections framework" to encourage smaller and more focused museum collections. Key project components include four one-day workshops, monthly virtual meetings with two cohorts, and the creation of an online resource center. These efforts will help develop skills and increase the institutional sustainability of these primarily volunteer-based organizations to ensure the continuing preservation of local history in Vermont. The award period runs from August 1, 2024 to December 31, 2026.

The project aims to engage up to 300 museum staff and volunteers in using an active collections framework that encourages smaller and more focused museum collections. Project components include four one-day workshops, and monthly virtual meetings with two cohorts of historical societies to provide training, resources, and direct assistance on self-selected components of collections-based projects. An online resource center will be created that will include content from the project, such as training materials and collections management resources that may serve similar volunteer-based organizations in other states develop the skills of their volunteer staff to increase institutional sustainability and ensure the continuing preservation of local history.