Volunteer

We offer opportunities to participate at a variety of levels, depending on your interests and availability.

Roles

Some roles, especially for live virtual programs, are already defined, such as:

• Presentation Facilitator: responsible for working with the presenter to define and refine the presentation in advance of the session and then, at the program, welcoming participants, introducing the topic or speakers, facilitating Q&A, and closing the program. Responsibilities may include working with the presenter(s) to prepare documents and slides. They also secure additional volunteers for the webinar itself (monitors, below).

• Zoom Room Monitor: responsible for admitting participants, securing the room, technical troubleshooting, assigning breakout rooms, polling, etc. (training provided).

• Chat Monitor: responsible for monitoring the chat; copying and pasting info, links, and questions into chat from prepared doc; and helping facilitators field questions in chat.

Other roles will likely include:

• Webinar video editor: (e.g. creating short clips for other uses)

• Video transcript editor: (correcting machine-generated transcript, pulling short take-away messages, etc.)

• Resources researcher/writer: (research a specific topic; review, assemble, and summarize specific information)

• Resource editor/webinar “repurposer”: (Working from webinar transcripts and the speakers’ handouts: create summaries of take-aways or highlights, identify pithy lessons for use by the communication committee.)

• Resource library manager/organizer: develop tools/templates/etc. to create organization and consistency in the “resource library.”

Projects/tasks

We also have a number of one-off projects or tasks that volunteers can take on, either solo or as part of a small team. In 2024, these include, but are not limited to:

• Member Interests List: Reviewing all past member surveys and webinar participant evaluations to assemble a list of member program/resource interests.

• Program Evaluation Revision: Revamp the existing webinar evaluation form, including asking for interest on past member interests (mentioned above), and recruiting future speakers, volunteers, etc.

• Evaluation Reviewer: summarize and create data management system for evaluation results.

• Survey Developer/Data Analyst: (if occurring; will be coordinated with the full IMP; could be a fee survey in 2024)

• Conference Proposal Schedule: Research conference dates and session proposal deadlines; create an updateable comprehensive calendar or schedule.

• Conference Proposal Template “Library”: Gather and organize a collection of successful evergreen or plug-and-play conference sessions that work well for showcasing how IMPs benefit their client museums and the broader field.

Please join us!

Here are a few ways you could help us develop messaging strategy, regularly communicate with membership, and promote IMP resources and programs:

• Update our calendar.

• Write/edit copy for quarterly newsletter and other communications.

• Create graphics for newsletters, social media posts, and program promotion.

• Update and maintain website.

• Monitor email and respond or redirect inquiries.

• Update and maintain the MailChimp account and subscriber list

• Maintain social media accounts on Instagram/X/LinkedIn, promote IMP programs, make regular topical posts/reposts

• Promote IMP programs on listservs (Museum Junction, IMP Intersections, Museum L)

• Coordinate with other IMP Teams on overlapping activities and priorities.

Please join us!

The Gathering Gurus create and identify opportunities to help IMPs:

Connect 

• In person, online, and at conferences 

• Foster a sense of community and belonging 

Network

• Develop “IMPs Connect”, or new virtual meetup/roundtable series

• Find and leverage each other’s talents and expertise

• Keep abreast of each other’s contributions to advancing the field

• Coordinate with other PNs and affinity groups

Support

• Manage and Moderate the listserv in coordination with the Communications Team

• Mentor and support one another (peer-to-peer or senior-junior)Mentor and support one another (peer-to-peer or senior-junior)

• Create structures to support IMP needs

Promote DEAI

• Actively work to promote and support BIPOC IMP

• Develop an understanding of the various cultural backgrounds, perspectives, and needs of team members.

The Business Group will, in coordination with the Membership Group, evaluate options for fiscal sponsorship or forming a legal entity, outline financial and operational needs, and provide recommendations on governance, bylaws, and succession planning.

Key tasks include:

• Investigate opportunities for fiscal sponsorship

  • Develop a list of potential fiscal sponsors (with input from SC)

  • Draft and distribute inquiry letter

• Simultaneously recommend what kind of legal entity we should become and the steps to get there (if no fiscal sponsor)

• Explore our financial needs: entity prep, insurance, website costs etc, the possibility of paying someone a certain number of hours per month to handle admin, the miscellaneous expenses being covered by our members (business cards, stickers etc), and potentially one day being able to pay to host events and bring in speakers

• Offer recommendations related to operations, bylaws, and succession

The Membership Group will, in coordination with the Business Group, will develop a proposed membership structure with funding options, and recommend a platform that meets our needs for member management, a directory, discussion boards, gated content, and fee collection.

Tasks include

• Propose a Membership Structure and how to fund it via a fiscal sponsor, or an offering of founding members

• Research Membership platforms to determine what suits our needs. Priorities thus far are:

  • Member management

  • Member Directory

  • More sophisticated discussion boards

  • Gated content

  • Potential collection of fees for programs