The SAN antonio african american community archive and museum will strengthen leadership development and professional training opportunities for museum staff while building a mentorship pipeline…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum $1,023,380 on September 1, 2026, under the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture program (CFDA 45.309).

The recipient will develop leadership training modules focused on nonprofit governance, strategic planning, collections stewardship, community engagement, and museum operations. The project will train two cohorts of six emerging leaders each and hire an expert consultant to deliver specialized leadership training sessions. Upon completion, the recipient will share the leadership development model with museum professionals through conference presentations and professional networks, enabling other African American museums to adapt program elements for their own workforce development efforts.

The project runs through August 31, 2029, with performance at the recipient's location in Terrell Hills, Texas. The Museum Grants for African American History and Culture program supports projects that build the capacity of African American museums and HBCUs and support the growth and development of museum professionals at those institutions.

The SAN antonio african american community archive and museum will strengthen leadership development and professional training opportunities for museum staff while building a mentorship pipeline that prepares the next generation of emerging professionals working in african american museums. Project activities include developing leadership training modules focused on nonprofit governance, strategic planning, collections stewardship, community engagement, and museum operations for two cohorts of six emerging leaders. The project includes hiring an expert consultant to assist with specialized leadership training sessions and work with the museum staff to deliver the training modules. The leadership development model created through this project will be shared with museum professionals through conference presentations and professional networks, allowing other institutions to adapt elements of the program for their own workforce development efforts. The project will result in emerging museum professionals ready to assume leadership roles by providing structured training, mentorship, and professional engagement with the national museum field.