Phipps Conservatory receives National Leadership Grant from Institute of Museum and Library Services

Taylor Spirito
·2 min read

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens received a National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

According to Phipps, the grant will be used in collaboration with The Wild Center in New York to develop their project, Climate Communication and Action for Museum Professionals (CCAMP), over the course of three years.

CCAMP’s goal is to equip museum professionals with a climate education framework and development program that will empower cultural institutions to address climate change, Phipps said.

The project team will select two cohorts, each comprised of three staff from five museums — Anchorage Museum, Oakland Zoo, Montshire Museum of Science, Cincinnati Art Museum and Boise WaterShed — to participate in a year-long professional development program including a two-day in-person retreat, monthly virtual meetings, and team work on strategic initiatives to implement in their home institutions and communities.

Phipps said the project will result in a suite of resources, a cross-sector network of museum professionals and institutions accelerating climate action and a replicable model of professional development that can be widely used, adapted and scaled by museums across the field.

“Museums are institutions of trust, and it’s essential for us to be engaging our staff, visitors, and the communities we serve on climate action. Research from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication has found that while 72% of Americans think climate change is happening, only 35% are talking about climate change occasionally. With this project we hope to create a supportive community for museum staff to build their confidence and competence in having climate conversations,” said Director of Research and Science Education at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Dr. Sarah States.

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