Here you can find recommended resources that support requirement 2.1 of the UK Museum Accreditation Scheme: A forward or business plan which covers the current and subsequent planning year.
‘Your museum must plan effectively for the long-term and be able to adapt in a changing environment. Your forward or business plan should be approved by your governing body and should:
- include a statement of purpose for your museum
- be explicit about the period the plan covers
- state the key aims you want to achieve over the plan’s duration
- explain how you’ll achieve these aims
- explain what you’ll need to achieve these aims, including people, equipment and money
- include budgets for the current and subsequent planning year
- include the plan’s next review date’
(Accreditation standard, November 2018)
This case study explores the Forward Planning process at Kirkleatham Museum, the museums service for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. This resource includes Kirkleatham’s 2012-17 Forward Plan, which was submitted with their Accreditation Return.
This case study from Collections Trust explores the forward planning process at the Scottish Maritime Museum. It includes the museum’s business plan for 2012-2015, which was submitted with their Accreditation return.
This case study from Collections Trust explores the forward planning process at Thornbury and District Museum, an independent museum in Gloucestershire. It includes Thornbury’s 2013-15 forward plan, which was submitted with their Accreditation return.
This case study from CultureHive explores Black Country Living Museum’s business model, demonstrating how the organisation’s determination to offer compelling and educational experiences drives innovation.
This resource is not aligned to the Accreditation Standard, however the stages outlined in the toolkit will be useful for museums that are building on their forward plan and developing business plans. The resource has a wide reach across the cultural sector.
This guide is not specifically aligned to the Accreditation Standard, however it includes all the elements for a forward plan but with increased emphasis on business planning. It aims to build on a museum’s forward plan, taking museums through the process of business planning in logical steps.
This practical guide is designed to win support for an organisation’s organisational purpose, to articulate its strategic priorities, and to set objectives and allocate resources to support them. It is directly linked to the Accreditation Standard and enables museums to develop effective, Accreditation compliant forward plans.