Sargent-Murray-Gilman-Hough House Association

Annual Meeting 2009

Agenda

• Annual Report• Treasury Report 1. Profit and Loss 2. Balance Sheet 3. Investment Status• Election of directors (Leaf, Moskal, Purser) • Recognition of Service• New Business• Adjourn

Sargent House Museum

Annual Report 2008

Mission

• The mission of the Sargent House Museum is to engage the public in the life, times, writings and home of Judith Sargent Murray, pioneering advocate of women’s education and equality.

Goals of Strategic Plan

1. Reinterpret the house to reflect the new mission.2. Preserve the building and collections in keeping with

historic preservation and museum standards. 3. Build the organization’s capacity to master operations.

Build the capacity of the board by increasing its size and seeking out needed skills and expertise.

4. Expand and diversify the audience. 5. Ensure the financial stability of the organization over

time.

Building the Fundamentals

Goal 1: Interpretation:

Establish an intellectual foundation for interpreting Judith Sargent Murray’s life. Introduce contemporary scholarship into the culture of the Museum.

Building the Fundamentals

Goal 2: Preserve the building and the collections.

Secure Conservation Assessments of both the building and the collections.

Follow the recommendations in each report, beginning with high priority items and working toward low priority items.

Inventory the entire collection. Photograph all objects and all rooms. Digitize all collections records.

Building the Fundamentals Goal 3: Build the organization’s capacity to master operations. Build the

capacity of the board by seeking out needed skills and expertise.

Operations: Organize all digital and paper records according to master system. Acquire standard data base (Past Perfect). Compile master data base of all membership, mailing and donor information.

Board: Develop and approve strategic plan.

Develop and approve appropriate policies and procedures. Secure qualified and experienced treasurer.

Building the Fundamentals

Goal 4:

Expand and diversify the audience.

Visitation up 300% as a result of new advertising.

Sargent House named one of ten “North Stars” of Boston.

Building the Fundamentals

• Goal 5: Ensure financial stability.

Transfer books to digital non-profit accounting system.

Eliminate withdrawal of funds from savings and eliminate decades-old budget deficit.

Review investment firms and current investments in light of recession.

Increase support and earned revenue.

Next Steps

Goal 1: Interpretation

CD version of all JSM letters

$175 per roll –10 rolls

Total $1750

Next Steps

Goal 2: Preservation Building

Repair and paint house exterior and fence (Masonry, carpentry, etc.) Cost: $100-$150K Funds in Hand: $45K Secure adequate funds to complete project. Prepare NHL application.

Next Steps

Goal 2: Preserve collections.

Review and revise collections

policies.

Identify items

for acquisition and deaccessioning.

Next Steps

Goal 3: Master operations.

Complete data bases. Continue to gather email addresses to allow for reduced mailing costs . Increase communications through social networking.

Next Steps Goal 3: Expand the board and its capacity to govern effectively.

Add at least two new members to each board committee.

Program Collections Development (including membership, events) Communications (including marketing, public relations, publications, web) Buildings and Grounds Governance (including Nominating, Ethics, Evaluation) Finance and Investments

Next Steps

Goal 3: Expand and diversify the board.

Recruit non-profit attorney, marketing, public relations and web professionals and architect. Appoint at least five new board members this year.

Next Steps

Goal 4: Expand and diversify audience.

Develop additional programs for

teachers.

Next Steps

Goal 5: Ensure financial stability.

Host a business roundtable to develop new ideas for earned income. Develop new products.

Expand sales. Develop a

business plan. AND/OR

Next Steps

Goal 5: Ensure financial stability.

Examine possible ways to

collaborate or merge. Consider

alternative uses.

The Main Thing

• We need to focus on the main thing and then we need to be sure that the main thing is the main thing.

Sargent’s Daughters

• Income $855 tickets, books, contribution

• Expense printing, mailing, purchase books

$1010

Committee Responsibilities

• Governance:

Recruiting and nominating new board members; annual review of By-Laws, recommendations regarding By-Law questions and matters of ethics, evaluation of board performance

Finalize policy regarding board responsibilities

Finance

Development and tracking of annual budgetRecommendations to improve cash flowRecommendations regarding insuranceReview of monthly P and L statementReview of auditor’s compilation report Review of monthly investment statements

and investment strategiesDevelopment investment policy

Development

• Final responsibility for fundraising events

• Final responsibility for membership drive

• Develops new strategies and programs for raising adequate resources to carry out mission

Collections

• Review and revise collections policies• Initiate review of collections for acquisition

and deaccessioning• Ensures that collections records and other

data are maintained and kept up to date• Provides recommendations regarding

loans • Develops plan to address Conservation

report recommendations

Communications

• Secures resources and personnel to address publicity needs for each program and events

• Provides recommendations regarding marketing and publicity

• Secures resources and personnel to maintain web site

• Works with other committees to develop semi-annual Dolphin

• Works with other committees to develop other publications

Buildings and Grounds

Ensures that all tasks of annual maintenance plan are carried out-may mean arranging for them, being at house to see that they are done

Will provide oversight of exterior repair and paint job, and of fence restoration

Ensures that all tasks of grounds maintenance are carried out

Oversees gardening