Culture Programs Unit Programs and Services Branch 401 Bay Street, 17th Floor Toronto ON M7A 0A7
In 2010–11, the Ministry initiated a comprehensive Heritage Programs Review that includes the Community Museums Operating Grant (CMOG).
All current community museum clients will be simultaneously evaluated against the 10 Standards for Community Museums over a three-year period: three standards will be reviewed in year 1, four standards in year 2 and three standards in year 3 as per the following schedule:
There is no financial penalty in the event that a museum fails to meet a standard. Only when a standard is failed twice will the museum be deemed ineligible for funding through CMOG.
A community museum that fails to meet a standard in year 1 will be put on notice, and will have until the next grant cycle to comply. If the museum fails to achieve the same standard two years in a row, they will be ineligible to apply for the CMOG program in year 3.
A community museum could successfully meet the standard in year 2 and fail to meet a new standard that it is being evaluated against for the first time. The community museum would put on notice and the cycle would be repeated.
In the event that a community museum is ineligible for CMOG funding, it may be re-accepted into the program if:
Questionnaires for the standards are enclosed. Please use the most current information and documentation available to complete the questionnaires. A copy of the Standards for Community Museums in Ontario is provided to assist you. Please respond as soon as possible to assist Ministry staff with quick and efficient processing. Scoring will be based on the rating of each question in the questionnaires with 75 per cent constituting a passing mark.
The deadline dates for returning the completed questionnaires are as follows:
The three-year assessment process will be transparent and equitable since all museums will be assessed against the same standards under the same timelines.
This timeline also gives community museums the opportunity to revisit and/or revise policies and procedures to meet the Standards. Client museums are encouraged to make any necessary changes in advance of identified deadlines.
Please contact your Museum and Heritage Advisor if you require assistance.
Following the completion of the review in 2013, a new measurement framework for performance will be developed. Community museums will need to demonstrate their ongoing compliance with the Standards for Community Museums in Ontario. We will consult with the heritage sector, including the Ontario Museum Association (OMA) and the Ontario Historical Society (OHS) on this new framework that will be a part of the regular annual application process.