Who we are:

Part of the Old Colony History Museum’s mission remains true to our origins which date to 1853: “to collect, preserve and exhibit the history of the region of southeastern Massachusetts once known as the Old Colony.” After 162 years of doing this work, in 2015 we set a new course; not to stop these important goals but to expand, enhance, and grow. To our mission we added a second impetus: “through a vigorous program of outreach and education, to interpret the area’s history in ways that are accessible, inclusive and meaningful to local residents and visitors.”

To live this mission, we crafted a plan to change our public image, grow our local connections, and serve more members of our diverse community because we fundamentally believe that engagement with history teaches not only history, but also the critical thinking, communication, and intrapersonal skills that create informed citizens and devoted community members.

In pursuit of this mission we offer lectures, tours, hands on interactive activities and host a fall festival. We also host online virtual visits to regional historic sites and a historic recipe cooking program. We visit students in the Taunton Public School system and are rapidly expanding to other districts within the “Old Colony.” We present a variety of programs to non-profit adult and youth service organizations, libraries, and genealogy groups across the United States, and create content for three different shows on our YouTube Channel. In addition to this active calendar of programming, we welcome more than 5,000 guests to tour our exhibit spaces and help hundreds of researchers in our library each year.

What we want to do:

Our next step in growth is to establish a Development infrastructure to grow our museum’s impact (and do more fun things!). By supplementing our annual budget, we will be able to:

• enhance our programming and special events

• engage with more people

• improve our collection and collection storage

• expand our regional footprint

• care for our historic building

• publish more content (books, videos, blog posts, etc.)

What the Development Associate will do:

Create a resource development plan that will encompass the following:

• Develop a resource development strategy for the organization

• Assess our organization’s development capacity and determine areas of growth

• Identify clear tactics for implementation

• Establish clear benchmarks for evaluating success

• Determine an annual budget for Resource Development initiatives

Qualifications:

To be able to help us, you’ll have experience in some (and hopefully many of) these areas:

• Database management
• Stewardship plan
• Membership growth
• Individual Giving
• Planned giving
• Corporate membership/sponsorship plan
• Capital campaign
• Annual events
• Previous museum resource development experience a plus

And these skills:

• Independent judgment and initiative in organization and planning
• Excellent communication and team skills in a hybrid office environment
• A track record of member growth and fundraising success

How To Apply:

Details:

• Compensation is $250-$400 per diem, depending on experience
• Part-time contract role anticipated at 2-3 days a week, for 3-6 months
• Can be organized as a hybrid of remote and office work based on needs and mutual agreement with the Executive Director.
• This role is to help us plan.
• Based on potential growth, this position could also become full-time.

How to Apply:
Please email your cover letter and resume to kmacdonald@oldcolonyhistorymuseum.org

About this Organization:

The Old Colony History Museum houses significant collections which chronicle lives lived, wars waged, fortunes won and ingenuity rewarded. We encourage visitors to walk among our exhibits and discover regional history. The Museum’s parent organization is the Old Colony Historical Society, one of the oldest organizations of its kind in New England. Founded in 1853, it serves the region of southeastern Massachusetts that was once part of the Plymouth Colony.

At OCHM, we’re committed to the preservation of our history through public engagement and community outreach. We’re here to collect, curate, interpret and bring to vibrant life the history of the Old Colony, collaborating with the community to share those meaningful connections that knit together our past, present, and future. We invite you to experience what we mean by history happens here. The Old Colony History Museum is located on historic Church Green in Taunton.

The Museum has its headquarters in the former Bristol Academy, designed in 1852 by the New York architect Richard Upjohn. The Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm. For additional information, please call 508-822-1622 or visit www.oldcolonyhistorymuseum.org.