Every year, I have the distinct pleasure to work on the upcoming Seminar for Historical Administration. This past week, I ventured to Indianapolis, Indiana, to kick off the 49th SHA at our host institution, the Indiana Historical Society.

In my opinion, SHA is one of the finest professional development programs in the country. It is sponsored by six organizations—AAM, AASLH, Colonial Williamsburg, IHS, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture—that each care deeply about training the next generation of leaders in our field.

Some of the field’s greatest minds teach the three week curriculum and each year the partners review the program to ensure that it’s meeting the needs of the field. We tweak the schedule and presents based on the program’s evaluation and our own understanding of the issues facing the field. For example, in 2007 we introduced a session called “The Electric Museum” looking at issues of technology.

Yet the formal program is only a small part of the seminar. Based on my conversations with SHA alumni and my own observations, it is the peer networking that makes SHA nonpariel. Each year, the partners meet and select the eighteen history professionals who will make up that year’s SHA class. It is a competitive process and we put an incredible amount of thought into selecting the class.

My experience in the two years I’ve been managing the program for AASLH has been nothing short of inspiring. I look forward to my meetings with the partners each year and to meeting each year’s class.

Three weeks is a long time to be away from work and home to be sure. Yet seminarians report that the experience was well worth that time and effort.

One person from the Class of 2007 noted, “The confidence I gained and the new insights are invaluable as well as the bond with other professionals in my field. The memories I made there will be with me forever. I not only benefited as a professional but also personally. It gave me confidence in myself to be trained by the top professionals in my field and that carries into every aspect of my life.”

I believe that SHA is one of the best and most inspiring professional development opportunities around and it is something I am proud to be a part of.

I hope you will consider applying for the Class of 2009 and/or will forward along information on the program to your peers. You can find information about the program and the application process here.

I’m interested in hearing how history organizations are changing the way they are doing business as a result of the national economic crisis.

The past few years have hit the pocket books of historical organizations hard, and the near future doesn’t appear to offer any relief. Consider these portents with respect to historical organizations:

• Even before a major national economic crisis, public support for historical organizations was on the decline, as evidenced by significant cuts in state budgets and IMLS’s lack of growth to keep up with the dollar.
• The great transfer of wealth from the Baby Boomer generation to our heirs may have been a pipe dream – at least to the tune of over $40 trillion. Many of us are more concerned with having enough for retirement than having enough to pass on to others.
• Historical organizations, as a field, remain disengaged with respect to advocacy. Although a few museums are successful at securing federal and state earmarks for special projects, the field as a whole has not embraced the notion of advocacy and has never lobbied as a national community.
• The old business model for historical organizations isn’t working all that well, and there’s no new business model in sight.
• Now, a national economic crisis threatens all business models for all businesses. Endowments are on the decline; corporations, foundations, and the public sector have or will have decreased assets to offer; and individuals are hanging on to their assets with both hands.

Here are some articles that we’ve found on this subject that might be of interest to you (links to the full articles are in red):

Baby Boomers are becoming more concerned with preserving their wealth than accumulating and transferring it. Insurance Journal, www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/west/2004/02/23/features/37126.htm 

Baby Boomers may not have as much to give away as we originally thought. Kiplinger.com, www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/2006/09/inherit.html 

The financial crisis impacts the state of philanthropy, from:

• The Nonprofit Quarterly, www.nonprofitquarterly.org/cohenreport/2008/09/23/what-the-financial-sector-meltdown-really-means-for-nonprofits-and-philanthropy/ AND THE
• New York Times (need to sign in or create an account with them), www.nytimes.com/2008/06/21/business/yourmoney/21money.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin.

Spending trends in Louisiana may be applicable to us all. The Times-Picayune, www.nola.com/business/t-p/index.ssf?/base/money-3/1222580423120200.xml&coll=1

Many states, like Virginia, are cutting funding for history organizations. The Virginian Pilot, hamptonroads.com:80/2008/03/virginia-will-cut-money-museums-arts

The American Historical Association is worried about funding for history. www.historians.org:80/Perspectives/Issues/2003/0304/0304new1.cfm

Business as usual is not an option, but what are some strategies that might help historical organizations navigate these stormy waters? And how will the way we do business change forever?

To share your comments, click on the Comments link underneath the list of Tags.