The center of science and industry (cosi), in collaboration with the ohio museums association (OMA), will enhance the strategic planning capabilities of three ohio museums, representing small, medium,…

The Center of Science and Industry (COSI), in collaboration with the Ohio Museums Association (OMA), received a $400,184 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the 21st Century Museum Professional Program (CFDA 45.032). The award, effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027, supports an initiative to enhance strategic planning capabilities across three Ohio museums representing small, medium, and large institutions. COSI will develop customized strategic and partnership plans for each participating museum while creating a publicly accessible strategic planning toolkit to serve as a resource for other museums nationwide.

Deliverables include detailed institutional strategic and partnership plans, the reusable strategic planning toolkit, and broad dissemination of results through OMA's platforms, professional development workshops, and publications. Success will be measured through plan completion and implementation, increased community engagement metrics, and adoption of the toolkit by additional museums. This project directly supports the 21st Century Museum Professional Program's goal to strengthen professional networks and advance workforce education practices across the museum sector by building strategic planning capacity within museum organizations.

The center of science and industry (cosi), in collaboration with the ohio museums association (OMA), will enhance the strategic planning capabilities of three ohio museums, representing small, medium, and large institutions. This initiative addresses the critical need for tailored strategic and partnership plans to drive sustainable growth and community engagement. Deliverables include detailed strategic and partnership plans for each museum and a publicly accessible strategic planning toolkit to guide other institutions. Success will be measured through the completion and implementation of the strategic plans, increased community engagement metrics, and the adoption of the strategic planning toolkit by other museums. Dissemination of results will occur through OMA's platforms, professional development workshops, and publications, ensuring broad accessibility and impact across the museum sector.