Advocacy

When you make advocacy part of your normal operations, you are creating a win-win situation for both your museum and museums at-large.  Issues that affect you as an institution affect institutions across the museum field.  Engaging in regular advocacy means you will be in a better position to have a favorable impact on local, state, or federal policies that affect your museum.

Nearly every legislator in Congress represents at least one museum within their congressional district.  Museums are available to citizens and visitors across the country, serving as sources of education, and places of reflection, contemplation, and connection with others.  Every elected official should be informed about the public services of the museums they represent.  And they need to hear it from you!

See below for ways you can help advocate on behalf of your museum and for museums across the state and country.

Speak Up For Ohio Museums Advocacy Resources 

Advocating for your museum and museums across the state is not just an important act during election time -- it is an essential mission all year to communicate with your elected officials and the public the importance of our institutions in our communities. The following are a collection of resources to help in your advocacy mission.

General Advocacy Letter

General Advocacy Letter- This letter can be personalized and used to communicate with your local, state and national legislators. A great way to introduce yourself and your museum, or to keep in contact with your elected officials!

Economic and Education Impact Statements

Does your institution have a completed Economic or Educational Impact Statement? We would love to see it! Your information can help OMA advocate for museums both on a state and a national level.

OMA General Impact Statement 2024 - This infographic can be used to show the general impact of museums in Ohio. National museum data from the American Alliance of Museums is also included.

Blank Economic Impact Form - This fillable form from AAM has five easy questions that will help you create a comprehensive Economic Impact statement for your museum. National economic museum data from AAM is also included.

Blank Educational Impact Form - This fillable form from AAM has eight easy questions and an area for a testimonial that will help you create a comprehensive Educational Impact statement for your museum. National educational museum data from AAM is also included.

Advocacy Infographics

Museums: Did you know? -  This infographic from AAM shows details on how museums impact communities across the nation in education, volunteer service, economic growth, job creation and more.

Ohio's National Legislators - District Offices

Congressional Ohio District Offices - Download OMA's conact sheet with Senator Brown and Senator Vance's Ohio office addresses and phone numbers, as well as the district office addresses and phone numbers for Ohio's members of the House of Representatives.

Ohio Legislators on Social Media

Connecting with your Legislators on Social Media is a great way to stay up to date with their latest details, and to connect them with your museum!

Ohio's National Legislators on Social Media - This document has the social media information of each of Ohio's 15 House of Representative district reps, as well as the social media information for both Ohio Senators.

Advocacy Alerts

American Alliance of Museums - Click on the link to send an email to AAM and be added to their Advocacy Alerts. AAM will let you know about breaking news and key moments in the policy process so you can weigh-in with elected officials and federal agencies about legislation and regulation that directly impacts museums.

Americans for the Arts - This link takes you to the Arts Action Fund membership page. Membership is FREE and includes breaking news and legislative alerts, quarterly updates through Arts Action eNews and more.

National Humanities Alliance - This link takes you to the NHA Advocacy page which includes current and past action alerts, as well as other advocacy resources.

Ohio Citizens for the Arts - This link takes you to the Ohio Citizens for the Arts action center. This service is free.

How to Contact Your Elected Officials

Ohio Legislative Directory - This directory provided by the Ohio Citizens for the Arts lists the district, name, office location, and phone number for each member of the Ohio Senate. The site also offers a photo directory for both the Ohio House and Senate, and a complete list of the Ohio House of Representatives, including email, office location, and phone number upon request.

AAM's Advocacy Letter Central - This links to form letters on 11 topics to be sent to your national legislators. Just input your name, address, and personalized message, and the rest is done for you.

Find your Legislators

National Legislator Search

Ohio State Legislator Search

General Advocacy Resources

Funding Snapshot: NEA, NEH and IMLS in Ohio - How much funding do Ohio Museums get from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts? This great resource from AAM shows a snapshot of funding from these federal agencies from 2014-2016. 

OMA's Advocacy Made Easy Presentation - Tips and resources from OMA's 2013 advocacy workshop "Advocacy Made Easy"

American Alliance of Museums - An amazing location for advocacy resources, the AAM advocacy page includes:

Advocacy for Museums Matters

Why Should I Advocate for My Museum?

75 Advocacy Ideas in 75 Minutes

Advocate from Anywhere

Communicating with Legislators

Getting to Know your Legislators

Issue Briefs

Ideas for E-Advocacy for museums

Advocacy Tips and Tricks

Museum Facts

Museums Advocacy Day - An initiative from AAM, this page is the definitive resource for Advocacy Day materials and information.

Association of Midwest Museums - This page is the advocacy resource for AMM including links and local advocacy ideas.

Ohio Travel Association - Great resources from OTA including current tourism-related legislative issues and other resources.

Ohio Connecting to Collections: A Statewide Preservation Initiative - OMA has partnered with the State Library of Ohio, the Ohio Historical Society, LYRASIS, the Intermuseum Conservation Association and the Ohio Local History Alliance to create the advocacy resource: The Ohio Connecting to Collections Brochure. This beautiful, full-color brochure is an Ohio-specific look at the state of our collections as a whole, in the vane of the Heritage Health Index.The publication was funded through an IMLS Connecting to Collections Planning Grant.

Nonprofit Vote - This page has several resources to help engage nonprofits in  elections and voting during an election year.

I'm Not a CEO, Why Should I Advocate? - Thanks to Kate Schureman at the Lakeview Museum of Arts & Sciences and Brenda Raney at the Science Museum of Minnesota for developing and sharing this piece about why advocacy is relevant to you, no matter what your role is at your museum.

Ohio Citizens for the Arts - Listed on this page under "Resources," the Advocacy tab from the Ohio Citizens for the Arts lists FAQs, Talking Points, a Columbus City School student advocacy program, and an Arts Day Advocacy Guide.

Americans for the Arts - The Arts Action Center for the Americans for the Arts has several resources, including legislation trackers, voting records, Capital Hill basics, a Congressional Arts Handbook, an election guide, and more.

Meeting With Elected Officials

Invite Congress to Visit Your Museum - State and district work periods are a critical and ideal time to connect with your legislators at your museum. The AAM makes it easy with this step-by-step "How To" guide.

Meeting with Elected Officials - Meeting with elected officials doesn't have to be intimidating! Get AAMs best tips for making sure your meetings go as smoothly as possible.

Ten Rules for Engagement - Getting involved in advocacy can be fun and easy. AAM has a list of top ten tips for engaging in effective advocacy.

How to Advocate Year-Round - Engage legislators and other stakeholders in the work of your museum, every day of the year, wherever you are located.

Museum Advocacy in an Election Year - Museums and nonprofits can participate in advocacy, and advocate on behalf of their mission. Learn what is and is not allowed in our election year advocacy guide.