Groton Historical Society

Transcription

1 Groton Historical Society General Information PO Box 22 Groton, MA 145 (978) Website grotonhistoricalsociety.org Organization Contact John Ott Year of Incorporation

2 Statements & Search Criteria Mission Statement Collect, preserve and display objects and records from Groton and maintain a museum to current museum standards; provide an organization for those residents interested in Groton's history; to familiarize a wider community with Groton's history through exhibits, educational programs and publications. Background Statement Since 1894, when the Groton Historical Society was founded, it has provided protection for hundreds of artifacts (current estimate is 35) that tell the long and important story of Groton, its people, and its place in the history of the Commonwealth and the nation. In 1933, at the death of the Historical Society founder, Georgianna Boutwell, her 1851 Italianate home on Groton s Main Street became the Society s property, and in 1939 after extensive renovations including addition of two apartments for income, the House opened to the public as a museum. In its 11-year history, the Society has offered educational programs for schoolchildren, seasonal tours of the Boutwell House, furnished as a period house and with exhibits, quarterly lectures, and summer programs. The GHS has partnered with the Library, Women s Club, the local schools and town committees on subjects of historical interest to the town, such as the 35 th anniversary, a town-wide Victorian Stroll and similar community activities. In the last fifteen years, the Society has been examining and redefining itself through a review and rewriting of the bylaws and mission in 1998 and 1999; a self-study conducted by the board utilizing the results of a questionnaire sent to all members in 1999; a membership drive resulting in nearly 3 members in 2; a grant-funded collections assessment and building assessment carried out in 21; and the establishment of a quarterly newsletter. Inclusion on the National Register in 23, completion of a long-range plan with 5 and 1 year goals, reorganization of the board, hiring of a part-time collections manager and the start of a full-scale collections catalog using PastPerfect 5 software were highlights of the last ten years. In 21, however, two major plumbing failures resulted in serious leaks which damaged walls, ceilings, and several collection areas, and forced the closing of the Boutwell House. The board's fund-raising, grant-writing and community support brought both a CPC grant and a Cultural Facilities grant which have funded major renovations including new mechancials, replastering and repainting. w the organization needs to finalize its interpretation plan, re-open to the public, and reenergize its member base. The iconic Boutwell House is a centerpiece of the town of Groton, directly across the street from Town Hall. Impact Statement In 213, GHS using funds from the Community Preservation Act grant of $176,525, completed 1.the installation of a handicapped accessible bathroom for visitors and a staff/volunteer bathroom and all the requisite new pipes 2. a new high efficiency gas furnace 3. new wiring and installation of exhibition track lighting, plus re-wiring of office and research study areas 4. Using Cultural Facilities Funds from Mass. Cultural Council, added a fire suppression system throughout Boutwell House, headquarters of the GHS All these are physical accomplishments that need to be completed before the programs and house interpretation can be restored. For 214, GHS hopes to complete the processing, recording and rehousing of the voluminous Boutwell papers; complete the CPC/CFF grants to add a handicap accessible entrance and ramp, once the weather permits the work to resume; and to open the house one day a week for public visitation. 2

3 Needs Statement 1. Install exhibits and re-vamp period rooms to re-open house for visitors 2. Increase membership to 5 units 3. Build endowment to $5, to ensure GHS future 4. Recruit and train volunteer corps for interpretive and cataloguing needs 5. Hire part-time permanent staff Board Chair Statement As a museum professional with long experience, when I was asked to help this organization, I saw huge opportunity. Through a series of planning meetings which led to a new long range plan with annual and strategic five year goals, we have restructured the Board of Directors. Our active nominating and governance committee has led to the election of board members who represent skills and interests that better serve the long term needs of the Society. All committees now have objectives and goals; all are asked to submit budgets, and we have created a small group of advisers with specialized skills in finance and investments, building needs, and legal issues. We have changed our membership structure to make it easier and more attractive for people to join. We work to help newly arrived residents understand the importance of being a part of a small community and how their skills and knowledge can help it continue to grow and evolve. For example, our programs on the tools and lifestyle of this early agricultural-based community can translate today into Right-To-Farm Bylaw, establishing an Agricultural Commission and protecting the physical manifestations of the rural history such as barns, the fairgrounds and viewsheds. Service Categories Historical Societies & Historic Preservation Geographic Areas Served The Town of Groton, largest town in Middlesex County, and also all the seven towns that were originally part of Groton inlcuding Ayer, Dunstable, Shirley and several others, plus many local history students with ancestors or family members who formerly resided here. Please review online profile for full list of selected areas served. 3

4 Programs Quarterly Talks Description Budget Category Quarterly programs are sponsored by GHS and cover a wide range of historic topics. On Feb 4, 214 we hosted a lecture on Researching a Local Historic House and a number of local research materials available. Other programs in the last year included a tour of Groton sites related to transcendentalist Margaret Fuller, a talk on 19th century historic interiors by Jane Nylander, a tour of Boutwell House by historian Brian Bixby on Boutwell's roles as farmer, Governor, Secretary of the Treasury; a bus tour on sites of William P. Wharton as early environmenatlist; a talk by scholar John Tyler on the history of Gothic architecture as seen in the chapel at Groton School, designed by Cram; the history and economic development of agriculture in Groton. Also, one case in the Groton Public Library houses GHS exhibits, such as Civil War, Agriculture, Political Ephemera. 25 per program Arts, Culture & Humanities, General/Other History & Historical Programs Population Served Adults,, Program Short Term Success Program Long term Success Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success The short-term success will be that program attendees will take out a membership in Groton Historical Society, and perhaps be interested enough to volunteer their time. The outcome of these programs will be to interest more people in Groton and the surrounding areas in the history of their town. They will learn a sense of place, understand the role their community plays in the larger context of Massachusetts and the country. Program success will be measured by the number of people who attend each program, the number who sign up for blasts, the number who join the organization. At each program, board members have new member forms, and the program introducer makes a pitch for new members. Each time, visitors take the forms and there are always new members that come from the programs. Program Comments CEO Comments Other areas of impact include a publications program since GHS earliest days where we still distribute earlier publications on buildings, people and stories of Groton, the taping of our programs by the local cable channel so that a wider audience participates in our programming, the loan of historic materials to other organizations, our work as a repository for the records of many public and 4

5 pribvsate groups in Groton from the 17th century to the first half odf the 19th century, and the digitization of a portion of our Boutwell map collection, as part of Digital Commonwealth Initiative, sponsored by the Boston Public Library, and the large number of geneaologists served. 5

6 Management CEO/Executive Director Executive Director Mr John Ott Term Start Oct 21 Experience Former Interim Executive Director, rtheast Document Conservation Center (28-29), Former Executive Director, National Heritage Museum, Lexington, MA ( ), Executive Director, B & O Railroad Museum, Baltimore, MD ( ); Director Atlanta Historical Society, Atlanta, GA ( ), Executive Director, Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield, MA ( ) Staff Information Full Time Staff Part Time Staff Volunteers Contractors 25 1 Staff Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black Asian American/Pacific Islander Caucasian Hispanic/Latino Native American/American Indian Other Staff Demographics - Gender Male Female Unspecified Formal Evaluations CEO Formal Evaluation CEO/Executive Formal Evaluation Frequency Senior Management Formal Evaluation Senior Management Formal Evaluation Frequency nmanagement Formal Evaluation 6

7 n Management Formal Evaluation Frequency Plans & Policies Organization has a Fundraising Plan? Organization has a Strategic Plan? Years Strategic Plan Considers Under Development Yes Date Strategic Plan Adopted May 212 Does your organization have a Business Continuity of Operations Plan? Management Succession Plan? Organization Policy and Procedures ndiscrimination Policy Whistleblower Policy Document Destruction Policy Directors and Officers Insurance Policy Is your organization licensed by the Government? Permit? 1 Yes Risk Management Provisions General Property Coverage Accident and Injury Coverage Collaborations With local organizations including the Groton Public Library, Groton Garden Club, local schools, Groton Woman's Club, Town of Groton, Affiliations Affiliation Year American Association for State and Local History New England Museums Association (NEMA) American Association of Museums - Member 7

8 Board & Governance Board Chair Board Chair Mr John Ott Company Affiliation retired museum director Term Oct 21 to Sept 215 Board Members Name Affiliation Status Judy Adams Retired Librarian Voting Nancy Barringer Community Volunteer Voting Peter Benedict Furniture Maker Bonnie Carter Office Manager Anna Eliot Attorney Voting Gregory Fishbone Author Voting Michael Flynn Retired Voting David Gordon Retired Voting Kristin Kramer Real Estate Voting Patti Modzelewski Human Resources Voting Barbara Murray Retired Voting John Ott Retired Museum Director Voting Lili Ott Retired Voting Michael Roberts Archaeologist Voting Stuart Shuman MWCC, Psychology Prof. Voting Bobbie Spiegelman Archivist Voting Liz Strachan Community Volunteer Voting Board Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black Asian American/Pacific Islander Caucasian 17 Hispanic/Latino Native American/American Indian Other Board Demographics - Gender Male Female 7 1 8

9 Unspecified Board Information Board Term Lengths Board Term Limits Number of Full Board Meetings Annually Board Meeting Attendance % Written Board Selection Criteria? Written Conflict of Interest Policy? Percentage Making Monetary Contributions Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions Constituency Includes Client Representation % Under Development 1% 1% Standing Committees Board Governance Building Capital Campaign Communications / Promotion / Publicity / Public Relations Finance Membership minating Program / Program Planning Scholarship Strategic Planning / Strategic Direction Additional Board Members and Affiliations Name Alvin Collins Gineane Haberlin Valerie Jenkins Ray Lyons Edward Strachan Affiliation Habitat Advisory Group Haberlin Herbals Retired Town Accountant Attorney-At-Law Morgan Stanley Investments 9

10 Financials Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Start Oct 1, 213 Fiscal Year End Sept 3, 214 Projected Revenue $32,35. Projected Expenses $29,557. Endowment? Yes Endowment Value $ Spending Policy Percentage Percentage 5% Credit Line? Yes Reserve Fund? Months Reserve Fund Covers Detailed Financials Revenue and Expenses Fiscal Year Total Revenue $41,673 $41,974 $43,29 Total Expenses $3,122 $32,631 $5,499 Revenue Sources Fiscal Year Foundation and Corporation Contributions Government Contributions $ $ $ Federal State Local Unspecified Individual Contributions $8,33 $14,37 $1,818 Indirect Public Support Earned Revenue $9,812 $3,396 $8,163 Investment Income, Net of Losses $19,613 $17,826 $21,543 Membership Dues $4,15 $6,445 $2,685 Special Events Revenue In-Kind Other $

11 Expense Allocation Fiscal Year Program Expense $2,543 $25,71 $44,22 Administration Expense $9,579 $6,921 $6,477 Fundraising Expense Payments to Affiliates Total Revenue/Total Expenses Program Expense/Total Expenses 68% 79% 87% Fundraising Expense/Contributed Revenue % % % Assets and Liabilities Fiscal Year Total Assets $185,88 $174,329 $164,986 Current Assets $19,84 $15,892 $6,473 Long-Term Liabilities $ $ $ Current Liabilities $1,5 $1,5 $1,5 Total Net Assets $184,83 $173,279 $163,936 Short Term Solvency Fiscal Year Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities Long Term Solvency Fiscal Year Long-Term Liabilities/Total Assets % % % Top Funding Sources Fiscal Year Top Funding Source & Dollar Amount Second Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount Third Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount Capital Campaign Currently in a Capital Campaign? Anticipated In 3 Years Campaign Purpose Refurbishing of period rooms, installation of new exhibits, conservation of key collection items and increase in endowment; specific time frame and final goal are still in process. Capital Campaign Anticipated in Next 5 Years? Yes Comments Foundation Staff Comments Financial summary data in the charts and graphs above are per the organization's IRS Form 99s. Contributions from foundations and corporations are listed under individuals when the breakout was not available. Administrative expense totals for fiscal years 211 and 212 were obtained from the Form PC documents on file with the state of MA. Created Copyright 218 The Boston Foundation 11