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Operational summary
and budget

The Museum Center's
financial road map
toward success.


Museum Center Operational Summary as of September 15, 1997

The operational budget for the Museum Center at 5ive Points clearly and accurately reflects the organization's goals of reaching a wide variety and diversity of audiences throughout the community.

Overall budget
Approximately $240,000 for the first year, with moderate increases for Years 2 and 3.

Programs
A variety of programs have been planned, including Museum Tours, Christmas Program, Museum Camp, Film Festival, Cherokee Pottery, Kayak Studies, Traveling Trunks, Oral History, Teacher Education, Theater Performances, "Cleveland Collects" Special Exhibit, Traveling Exhibit, Art for Non-Artists and Storytelling Lunches.

Rentals
Rentals will be booked for the Cultural Center, Education Center, Lobby, Conference Room, Outdoor Courtyard and Outdoor Greenspace. Both  non-profit and for-profit fee structures have been determined.

Fundraising
An annual fundraiser will be held at the Museum Center.

City/County funds
Money from the City and County are expected to continue as an important part of the budget.

Marketing
The Marketing expense category is calculated by the often-quoted figure for advertising of general services as 10 percent of sales. This is more aggressive than most small to mid-sized museums, but below what the larger, more progressive museums spend.

Admissions
The Museum Center's admissions policy will be implemented both as a way to generate revenues and as a way to create a value perception for the museum. The basic fee will be $5 per person. Discounts will be available for children 12 and under, seniors, Bradley County residents, members, and groups.

Membership
Membership at the Museum Center will fall into three categories: business, family, and individual. Limiting it to three categories will reduce the paperwork involved. The main goal for membership is to give people the chance to feel involved.

Museum Center Shop
Shop revenues will be tied directly to visitation for the first three years. After that, additional revenues could be generated through outside marketing, licensing, and the like.

Staffing
The staffing budget includes the Executive Director, Education Director, Administrative Assistant and a Weekend Supervisor. Other per-project staffing needs, i.e. special programs, have been included in the specific program plan.

Other expenses
Other non-program-related expenses in the budget include Collections, Maintenance, Security, Utilities, Dues/Subscriptions, Staff Training, Volunteer Training/Recognition, Cost of Shop Goods, Shop Expenses, Office Expenses, Insurance, Audit, and Meeting Expenses.

Resources
Resources used to create the budget and operational plan include information from 10 regional museums; data from 17 museums and cultural centers across the country; U.S. Census figures for Bradley County; American Association of Museums statistics; local and regional organizations; input from the board; and financial and programming planning by staff. Because there has never been a museum in Bradley County similar to this undertaking, many variables were taken into account when working to create as accurate a budget as is possible.

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