Where are you located?

We are in the start-up phase doing pop-up events and raising money so we can buy our own space some day. We were advised to have one year’s worth of rent before signing for a space. Current rental prices for spaces we’ve looked at in Addison County range from $2400 to $7600 per month with varied degrees of how much work they would need before we could open.

What kind of space are you looking for?

We are looking for a big open space with enough room to have a gross motor area for children to get the wiggles out in addition to a make believe town, art area, STEM space, and baby play area. We want to be adjacent to parking and also not right on the road to make getting into the museum safer for young families.

Why do you need money if you are a non-profit?

Non-profit means there is no owner who benefits financially from the profits of the organization. Non-profits are run by a volunteer board who oversees the governance of the organization and paid staff who run the operations of the organization. We are still an all volunteer organization with no paid staff. We are working on raising funds that would help pay for staff to run the operations and take our mission to the next phase. Grants do not cover overhead costs like rent and are often for very specific programs so we still need to fundraise to cover our costs.

How much money do you need?

Based on market research, our estimated budget to be up and operating full-time in our own space is $250,000 annually. Only a small portion of those expenses are eligible for grant money. We still need ongoing local support through fundraising and sponsorship. A general rule of thumb for children’s museums is to aim for 50% of costs covered by museum admissions and 50% covered by a combination of individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and government funds like grants and town contributions.

What is a children’s museum?