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MID ATLANTIC ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS

COOPERSTOWN, NY · EIN 222313195 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Small ($100K-$1M) · midatlanticmuseums.org
revenue
$529K
expenses
$417K
net assets
$252K
employees
1
volunteers
16
program ratio
85%
mission · from form 990

THE MISSION OF THE ASSOCIATION IS TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE EXCELLENCE, ETHICS, AND ACCESSIBILITY IN MUSEUM PRACTICES TO MAKE THE MUSEUMS OF THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION BETTER ABLE TO PRESERVE AND INTERPRET OUR DIVERSE CULTURAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND AESTHECTIC HERITAGE.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums (MAAM) is a regional membership organization founded in 1947 that supports museum professionals through professional development, advocacy, and networking. It serves museums across Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, promoting excellence, ethics, and accessibility in museum practices. MAAM fosters dialogue and sustainability in the museum field through conferences, white papers, and resource sharing.

named programs · 6 · from sources

What they call their work

Annual Conference
Professional development event featuring sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities for museum professionals in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Building Museums™ Symposium
Symposium focused on museum development organized around themes of Vision, Implementation, and Sustainability.
Collections Sustainability Rubric
Assessment tool to help museums evaluate institutional health and collections stewardship practices.
Museum Advocacy Resources
Provides tools and guidance for museum professionals to advocate for their institutions, including impact statements and legislative engagement.
Redefining Narrative
YouTube video series featuring cultural sector leaders discussing innovation and the future of museums, supported by Humanities New York and the NEH.
White Papers Program
Hosts and publishes white papers from members to share research findings and next practices in the museum field.
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 2 activities
    • Hosts specialized symposium on museum construction and renovation
      Organizes and manages an annual international symposium focused on museum building projects, structured around Vision, Implementation, and Sustainability, with case studies and resources for architects, consultants, and museum leaders.
    • Organizes annual conference and professional development events for museum professionals
      Hosts an annual conference, symposia, and workshops to foster excellence in museums through professional development, networking, and specialized programming for museum professionals in the Mid-Atlantic region.
  • Community Safety and Conduct Enforcement 1 activity
    • Enforces code of conduct at events and within membership
      Provides a safe and inclusive environment at in-person and virtual events by enforcing a code of conduct, including removing individuals from platforms, rescinding awards, and revoking membership for violations.
  • Mentorship and Professional Development Programs 1 activity
    • Provides professional development resources and learning programs
      Offers online learning series, maintains career and HR resources, and shares professional development opportunities to support museum professionals, including a 4-session series for museum educators and a living Google Doc on diversity-focused programs.
  • Academic Research Dissemination 1 activity
    • Supports dissemination of research and next practices in museums
      Hosts and publishes white papers authored by members, including "Seizing the Moment: A Manifesto for Next Practice" (2021) and "Reflections on Re-Assessing Museum Purpose" (2023), to inform and educate the museum field on emerging research and practices.
  • Arts and Cultural Workforce Training 1 activity
    • Supports student engagement and professional presentation skills
      Hosts poster presentations at events to enable undergraduate and graduate students in museum studies to showcase research and gain professional presentation experience.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Produces public video series featuring cultural sector leaders
      Produces the video series "Redefining Narrative," which features conversations with thought leaders in the cultural sector to broaden public understanding and discourse.
    • Provides institutional assessment tools for museum sustainability
      Offers the Collections Sustainability Rubric, an assessment tool that enables museums to evaluate their institutional and collections health.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$529K
Contributions & grants$47K9%
Program service revenue$479K91%
Investment income$6550%
Other revenue$3K
expenses
Total expenses$417K
Program expenses85%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$76K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$262K
Cash$254K
Investments$0
Liabilities$10K
Net assets$252K
Liquid reserves7.3 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +17.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
KAHLA DESMIT Executive Dir. 40 $71K
board members · 15
  • AMANDA GILLEN — Vice President
  • ANGELA WINAND — Secretary
  • ANNIE V F STORR — Director
  • AVERIE SHAUGHNESSY-COMFORT — Director
  • BETH VAN WHY — Director
  • DAVID COLE — Treasurer
  • DAVID SEARLES — Director
  • DEBORAH SCHWARTZ — President
  • JACQUELINE EYL — Director
  • JEAN HERSHNER — Director
  • MELISSA KIEWIET — Director
  • NANCY PROCTOR — Director
  • NICHOLAS WEST — Director
  • SEAN BLINN — Director
  • TONIKA BERKLEY — Director
relationships · 12

Who they work with

  • American Alliance of Museums Network — Recognized as a regional association by the American Alliance of Museums.
  • American Alliance of Museums Partner — MAAM supports Museum Advocacy Day, an event hosted by the American Alliance of Museums.
  • Field Museum Partner — Collaborates with the Field Museum to compile a list of diversity-focused collections management and registration programs.
  • Humanities New York Funder — Funded the "Redefining Narrative" video series.
  • Learning Unbound Partner — Collaborates with Learning Unbound to deliver a professional learning series for museum educators.
  • Long Island Historical Societies Partner — Collaborates to promote the Long Island Museum Conference 2026
  • Long Island Museum Association Partner — Collaborates to promote the Long Island Museum Conference 2026
  • Museum Hue Partner — Partnership to distribute a living list of diversity-focused museum apprenticeship and internship opportunities.
  • National Endowment for the Humanities Funder — Provided support for the "Redefining Narrative" video series.
  • Unnamed In-Kind Sponsor Partner — Provided in-kind printing and design services for the 2024 Building Museums conference.
  • Zubatkin Owner Representation Partner — Corporate Member of MAAM that contributes resources on capital project management during Covid-19.
  • info@midatlanticmuseums.org Partner — Point of contact for submitting career, HR, and professional development resources
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Advocacy Empowerment Through Tools and Shared Narratives
    methodology: advocacy-empowerment
    By equipping museum professionals with practical tools, shared stories, and actionable strategies, the organization amplifies advocacy capacity because empowered individuals are more effective in advancing the value and needs of museums within their communities and to policymakers.
  • Field-Wide Capacity Building Through Collaborative Knowledge Sharing
    methodology: field-wide_capacity_building
    By aggregating and disseminating member-generated research, best practices, and professional resources through inclusive, community-sourced models, the organization strengthens regional museum capacity because shared knowledge enables broader adoption of innovative and equitable practices.
  • Professional Development and Peer Dialogue for Institutional Change
    methodology: professional-dialogue-for-institutional-change
    By fostering structured professional development, peer-to-peer dialogue, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, the organization strengthens individual museum professionals' capabilities and drives sustainable, inclusive institutional change in the museum sector because collective learning and networking improve decision-making and practice.
  • Thematic and Collaborative Learning Frameworks for Sustainable Practice
    methodology: thematic framework
    By structuring professional development around interconnected themes—Vision, Implementation, and Sustainability—and using collaborative review processes, the organization ensures that learning is comprehensive and contextually relevant because thematic coherence and inclusive input improve the applicability and long-term impact of museum projects.