Technical Assistance

Receiving Assistance
Offering Assistance
Technical Assistance Projects

The Virginia Association of Museums has always been dedicated to giving our members the best opportunities possible for professional development and growth. We are continuing that tradition with our Technical Assistance program. Every day the VAM staff receives requests for assistance from new members, volunteers trying to form a museum, and staff who are facing a challenge they are not quite prepared to handle alone. To provide ongoing support for requests such as these, our Technical Assistance programs allow individual access to the expertise in the Virginia museum community.

We hope that you agree that these programs afford VAM members a wonderful resource to call on when needed!

Receiving Assistance
Review our available technical assistance topics to see if one might match your needs at this point. If so, fill out the assistance request form and send it to VAM. We will match you with an available Advisor. All Technical Advisors agree to offer their services at no charge; in return, all those receiving assistance agree to pay all out-of-pocket expenses that the Advisor may incur—to include reimbursement for travel, copies or phone service. Remember, you must be a current VAM member to request assistance from a Technical Advisor.

Offering Assistance
If you would like to serve as a Technical Advisor, please fill out our technical assistance information form and return it to VAM. Technical Advisors should be professionals with recognized expertise in a given topic area, and be willing to share that expertise with other VAM members. As an Advisor, you would be placed on our list of available expertise. If VAM member requests assistance and your expertise seems to fit, we will facilitate the process of connecting you to each other. All Technical Advisors agree to offer their services at no charge; in return, all those receiving assistance agree to pay all out-of-pocket expenses that the Advisor may incur—to include reimbursement for travel, copies or phone service.

Technical Assistance Projects
The Technical Assistance program is designed to help with specific projects, not to serve as an ongoing mentorship program. When considering whether to apply for a Technical Advisor, make sure you meet the following criteria:

1. The project you need assistance with has specific parameters and is easily defined (Examples include creating a furnishing plan or writing an interpretive plan.)

2. The project can be completed in 6 months or less

If you are matched with a Technical Advisor, the site or person receiving assistance will be required to cover all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by your Advisor during the project.