July 01, 2008 09:08 am
—
By MICHELLE MILLER
Staff Writer
MIDDLEFIELD — The
Community Foundation for
South Central New York
gives out competitive grants
twice each year, and the
Town of Middlefield Historic
Association was recently selected
to receive $1,090 for
its Collections Management
Project.
The Community Foundation’s
board of directors reviewed
38 grant requests,
and the Middlefield Historical
Association was the only
one in Otsego County selected
to receive a grant. Nine
other grants were given out.
According to The Community
Foundation Executive
Director Diane Brown, the
foundation had more than
$309,000 worth of grant requests,
but only had $75,000
to give away.
``It was a tough decision,’’
said Brown while visiting the
Old Middlefield Schoolhouse
with board member Callie
Demtrak last Thursday. ``All
the organizations are great
and deserving organizations.’’
Brown said the biggest
grant given away was in the
amount of $10,000.
She said the foundation
gives to all sorts of organizations
such as zoos, clinics,
art associations and school
projects, and much more.
Brown said the foundation
has just started sending
people out to a site after a
grant is awarded, and that is
one of her favorite parts of
the job.
``I get to see the passion
that people have about their
organization,’’ Brown said.
``Not to mention, I get to see
and learn about all sorts of
new and exciting things on
my travels.’’
Merrilyn O’Connell, Town
of Middlefield Historic Association
President and project
director, said the funding
will enable the association to
conduct an inventory and assessment
of its collections
and verify records, to upgrade
storage conditions, and
to train volunteers in the
skills and techniques of collections
care. In August, a
workshop will be offered to
representatives of area historical
societies that are
planning on working on a
similar project, she said.
According to O’Connell,
the association’s board of directors
decided to respond to
a nationwide Heritage
Health Index survey conducted
in 2004, which focused
on the condition and
preservation needs of national,
state and local collections.
She said it emphasized that
damage occurs at institutions
of all sizes, but is most
serious at local museums
and historical societies.
The Middlefield Old
Schoolhouse has been the
center of education, local history
and community activities
since 1875, and according
to O’Connell, the Town of
Middlefield Historical Association
has made collections
care a priority, and is most
appreciative of the Community
Foundation’s recognition
of the needs and generous
support of the project.
The Community Foundation
for South Central New
York, a nonprofit organization
founded in 1997, encourages
and facilitates personal
and institutional philanthropy
throughout the region,
works directly with donors to
achieve donors’ charitable
goals, makes grants to other
regional non-profits in order
to help solve current community
problems, and works to
build an endowment for the
region’s future needs.
The foundation serves six
counties including Chenango,
Delaware and Otsego.
Otsego County was added
to its service area in 2007.
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