Jean…Jean,

My short answer is no - at least regarding the use of any overly creative new recruitment methods. I pretty much do the things you listed. We also do a statewide RFP press release, article in our newsletter, article in the state museum association newsletter, and put information on our website. I haven’t tried a leaflet drop from helicopters yet but I am putting a chopper request in our next We the People application!

We have never been inundated with applications either. Typically we get around 10 or 12 applications or about one-third the number of inquiries. Once they get the application and see what is expected of them the pretenders are usually separated from the contenders.

I don’t see anything wrong with recruiting specific sites though I’ve only done it a couple of times. All I’ve ever done is make certain that a particular organization that I felt might be a good site (for whatever reason) knew about the opportunity. But I would never coax.

Receiving a specific invitation to apply can sometimes give a group the confidence to take a chance. I did that for one of our upcoming Way We Worked sites. They were thrilled to be made aware and I expect them to be a crackerjack site. And a guiding principle of MOMS is to help small or emerging organizations get in the game.

Mark Payne, Program Officer

West Virginia Humanities Council

1310 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston, WV  25301

304-346-8500 ~ 304-346-8504 (fax)

www.wvhumanities.org

Visit the West Virginia Encyclopedia at www.wvencyclopedia.org

From: Museum on Main Street [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jean Wortman
Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2011 2:15 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: recruiting host sites

Hi and Happy New Year!

I am wondering if any of you have some good tips and creative ideas for recruiting MoMs host sites. We will be bringing Journey Stories to Maryland in 2012. For past MoMs tours we’ve done emails and sent snail mail  to museums, libraries, cultural orgs on our database and used our museum association’s mailing list and I have spoken at the annual regional museum conference, we’ve never had an overwhelming response to a request for applications.

Does anyone have the secret to successful recruiting?  Catchy appeals or promotions?  Has anyone directly recruited specific host sites and, if so, has this been successful?

Thanks for your help.

Jean

Jean Wortman

Program Officer

Coordinator Maryland Center for the Book

Maryland Humanities Council

108 W. Centre Street

Baltimore, MD 21201-4565

(D) 410-685-4187

(0) 410-685-0095

(F)  410-685-0795

Email: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]

Website: htpp://www.mdhc.org

MHC wants to hear from you! Do you have a transportation story about Baltimore City? Submit your story idea to Beth Barbush at [log in to unmask] or call 410-685-3715, and plan to attend our free event “Moving Stories: Getting Around Baltimore” at the Walters Art Museum February 10, 2011 at 6 p.m. See www.mdhc.org/programs/practicing-democracy/moving-stories-getting-around-baltimore/ for more information.