Writing a Museum Business Plan for the Long Term Success of your Museum

We know what you are thinking...writing a business is a dull as a dish rag. You would rather be charting a course to build a successful future for your museum, or developing a decision tool to insure your museum's long term success. That sounds like a lot more fun, but that is exactly what a good business plan is and does.

OMA will present the workshop, Writing a Museum Business Plan, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm on Monday, April 6 at the 99s Museum of Women Pilots in Oklahoma City. The cost is $25 for OMA members and $35 for non-mem­bers.  The deadline to register for the workshop is March 27.  The workshop will be presented by Cecil C. Carter. 

Traditionally, we think of a business as plan being for, well for business. But there are thousands of non-profit organizations, which are businesses, they are just not for profit businesses. By nature, non-profits are mostly in the service business.  Again this compounds the management issue as service businesses are much more difficult to operate than manufacturers and processors. Since non-profit organizations, including museums, are just as difficult to manage as a for profit organization, one needs to plan carefully.

There is no "standard" format for a museum business plan. The content covered in the plan is determined by the museum's mission and goals. A business plan should be a careful examination of all the critical factors of success necessary to achieving the museum's mission and goals as well as its long term viability as an entity. 

A big issue for museums is their boards are composed almost totally of external people and their main focus is usually on serving the patron; however, these external directors bring a bias of how it works in the "real world" to the board. Externally focused business plans are weighted more toward mission, vision and goals which are often more important to external directors. But someone must speak for the internal workings of the museum and its staff. This workshop will discuss how a museum business plan will generate a balanced focus for the organization.  The workshop will focus planning in the various functions of the museum, critical factors of success and how to develop the plan that will insure the museum's success.

Partners and sponsors of the OMA regional workshop series include Oklahoma Arts Council, Kirkpatrick Family Fund, The Kerr Foundation, Inc., Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, ConocoPhillips, Plains Indians & Pioneers Museum, 99s Museum of Women Pilots and the Tulsa Historical Society.

Monday, April 6, 2009
OMA Regional Workshop Series
Writing a Museum Business Plan
1:00pm to 4:00pm
99s Museum of Women Pilots, Oklahoma City
Registration deadline: Friday, March 27, 2009

The cost is $25 for OMA members and $35 for non-members.