Earned Revenue *Earned revenue* is *revenue* created by the business operations of the facility. Sources that contribute to museums’ earned revenue include admissions, gift shops, food and beverage sales, memberships, facility rentals, and fees for research services. Essentially, any product or service that is offered by the museum and generates income is considered earned income. *Unearned revenue* is money that is not generated by the business operations of the facility, but is provided by others. The main sources of unearned revenue are fundraising and grants. Fundraising to increase unearned revenue includes both internal and external activities. Internal activities include such actions as special events, garage sales, and
Invest in a good website for promotion and exposure of the museum, but also for education and information. With the Internet being a major source of information, having a well designed and user-friendly website is crucial. Not only can the public find out about the museum, but they also may be able to use the site for research and educational purposes, thereby gaining the facility more exposure. Developing a social responsibility program may be a good way to market the museum in the community. An example may be teaming up with a social agency dealing with youth at risk to offer them volunteer or paid positions at the museum. If the museum can improve or expand their image and visibility in the community, it may increase visitor numbers. {draw:rect} 0 © British Columbia Museums Association, 2007 Suite 204, 26 Bastion Square, Victoria, B.C. V8W 1H9 www.museumsassn.bc.ca BCMA / Best Practices Modules Page 7. *Generating Earned Revenue*, cont’d… Having a strategic plan for your museum is important to guide future growth. Many small museums are run solely by volunteers, or perhaps, a director/manager with a volunteer staff. Although preserving the community’s past is the mandate of the facility, a strategic plan illustrates to community leaders that a process exists to ensure the facility’s continued relevance and position in the community’s civic structure. A benefit of a strategic plan is that