Support organisations and programs for collecting organisations

There are many heritage associations and peak bodies who can assist small community groups to care for their collections, including the process of bringing collections online. The following list provides links to these organisations, with a summary of key support services, resources, training and funding programs.

Trove Collaborative Services thanks the organisations listed below, for generously sharing their resources and acknowledges their important role in supporting community groups care for their heritage collections.

National 

Australian Museums and Galleries Association (AMaGA) 

  • The national association and peak advocacy body representing museums and galleries.
  • Members can access the full range of resources on collections management and engagement.  
  • General users can access a list of key industry resources to get started.  

Australian Society of Archivists 

  • Australia’s peak professional body for archivists and recordkeepers. 
  • Members can access online publications and training modules.

Federation of Australian Historical Societies 

  • National peak body for historical societies, with state and territory representation.
  • Online collection management resources and guidance on business and governance issues.

Community Heritage Grants

  • Australian Government partnership program which supports community organisations to care for nationally significant, publicly accessible heritage collections.
  • Collection management system subscriptions and digitisation projects are eligible activities. Eligible groups can also apply for training projects.

New South Wales 

Museums & Galleries of NSW

  • Supports small to medium museums, galleries & Aboriginal cultural centres in managing their collections and building their visitor experience.  
  • Online collection management resources.
  • Delivers Museums Standards Program, Museum Advisor Program and professional development workshops and events.
  • Administers Fellowship and Mentorship programs and grant programs, including for volunteer managed museums.

Storyplace

  • Museums & Galleries of NSW collections platform publishes stories on history and culture of NSW, inspired by objects, records and artworks.  
  • Consultants work with regional museums, galleries and cultural centres to tell the stories behind the collection items.

Royal Australian History Association (NSW) 

  • Promotes the study of history in NSW through workshops, events and its own research library and supports its membership network of historical societies and individuals.
  • Administers grants programs for community organisations including support for digitisation projects.

Victoria  

Australian Museums and Galleries Association Victoria (AMaGA Victoria) 

  • Victorian Branch of the Australian Museums and Galleries Association, and membership based peak body for Victorian museums and galleries
  • Promotes collecting organisations and fosters high standards for museum and gallery management.
  • Online collection management resources.
  • Administers Victorian Collections, in partnership with Museums Victoria.
  • Delivers the Museum and Community Museum Accreditation Programs, and offers an Equipment Lending Program (digitisation) For AMaGA members in Victoria.
  • Annual training program for members and a fee for service On Demand training service.

Victorian Collections

  • Digital platform for cultural collections held by galleries, museums, libraries, archives, and historical societies across Victoria. 
  • Managed in partnership by AMaGA Victoria and Museums Victoria
  • Platform includes a built-in collection management system to help catalogue, digitise and upload records.
  • Victorian Collections is compatible with Trove, and over 60 participating organisations are also Content Contributors, exporting their publicly shared collection records to Trove

Royal Historical Society of Victoria 

  • Promotes the history of Victoria through lectures, seminars, exhibitions and its own research collection.
  • Peak body for over 350 historical societies throughout Victoria, providing support, advocacy and online resources.
  • Hosts regular online Cataloguing Clinics.

Public Records Office of Victoria (PROV)

  • Administers Local History Grants Program and Local History Awards Program.

Queensland

Museums & Galleries Queensland

  • Peak professional body for the public museum and gallery sector in Queensland.  Provides services to foster understanding, knowledge and excellence in museums, galleries and keeping places.
  • Online collection management resources and Delivers workshops, seminars, networking events and conferences on collection management issues.
  • Administers Standards Review Program for museums and galleries, and Mentorship and Internship Program.

Queensland Museum Development Program 

  • Provides heritage and collecting institutions access to experienced Museum Development Officers based in Townsville, Toowoomba, Ipswich, Mackay and Cairns.

Western Australia 

Australian Museums and Galleries Association Western Australia (AMaGA WA)  

  • Western Australian branch of the national Association 
  • Provides professional services to support cultural, creative and community collecting organisations in Western Australia. 
  • Manages Collections WA encouraging the digitisation and virtual reconnecting of community cultural heritage narratives. 
  • Annual program of events and professional development as well as on-demand consultation and training. 
  • Hosts a Regional Chapter Network in the Great Southern, South West, Mid West and Peel supporting regional collecting organisations.

Collections WA

  • A virtual platform for WA's cultural, creative and community collections. 
  • Collections WA is designed as a central database to increase access to the shared stories of WA.
  • Contributors are supported to manage and control their records as well as provided with tools to build connections and enhance the telling of Western Australia’s multifaceted history.
  • Collections WA is compatible with Trove, and over 20 participating organisations are also Content Contributors, exporting their collection records to Trove.

Digitisation Centre of Western Australia based in the University of Western Australia

  • Offering fee-based digitisation services with the goal of digitising collections of national and international significance around Western Australia.

South Australia 

History Trust of South Australia 

  • State Government agency with responsibility for museums and provides support to other community museums.
  • Online collection management resources.
  • Administers the SA History Network and Museums and Collections (MaC) professional development and funding program.
  • Delivers training, seminars and events.

Tasmania 

Arts Tasmania Roving Curators

  • Tasmanian Government program providing community museums and galleries with access to museum experts.

Australian Capital Territory 

ACT Government Heritage Unit

  • Heritage Grants program is available to help the community care for places and objects listed on the ACT Heritage Register.