ABC Foundation for Arts and Culture Grant Application Form Cover Sheet

Your name: Elana Barton

Application Date: 12/3/13
Name of organization to which grant would be paid: -------------------------------------------
Purpose of grant (one sentence): The purpose of this proposal is for the installation of
an audio tour system for our new -------------------------------- in order to create a
compelling, educational visitor experience.
Organizational contact person and title: -----------------------, Chair, ----- -------------------
Project
Is your organization an IRS 501(c)(3) not-for-profit? (Required): Yes
Grant request ($50,000 maximum): $42,600
Total organizational budget (for current year): $820,661
Total project budget: $42,600
Dates covered by project budget (mo/day/year): 03/01/2014 12/1/2014

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I. PROPOSAL SUMMARY
The ------------------------------------------- preserve the heritage of the Republic of
Texas era, a ten-year period from 1836 to 1846. We run the -------------------------------- in
Austin, Texas with the goal of educating visitors about the history and culture of the era.
At present, the ----- is undergoing the refurbishment of a new museum, headquarters,
and research center close to downtown Austin in hopes of attracting more visitors. This
------------------- is an opportunity for the ----- to incorporate technology into the visitor
experience at the museum, including an audio tour.
An audio tour at the -------------------------------- would give access to audiences
underserved at the current location. Visually impaired and Spanish-speaking visitors will
gain a memorable experience using an easy-to-use audio tour device that can be
programmed for multiple languages and different age groups. Children and adults alike
will have a dynamic experience with the audio tours exciting stories about the
Republics founding fathers, heroic battles, and struggles of a new country. With this
equipment, we hope to add a multi-sensory element to the exhibits and artifacts thought
a professionally produced tour.
With the support from the ABC Foundation for the Arts and Culture, the ----- will
be able to create a script for multiple audio tours and have them professionally recorded
and produced by Tour-Mate Systems. We will then implement the tour into our new
museum at the ------------------- and give our visitors an enhanced experience with music
and sound effects. The -------------------------------- will have the ability to stimulate visitors
with this distinctive piece of history in the states capital, adding to Austins cultural
heritage Texas own past.
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II. NARRATIVE
A. Background
The ------------------------------------------- (-----) maintain several properties with the
mission of preserving the heritage of the Republic of Texas period. After the Texas
Revolution in 1835-1836, Texas remained an independent country until 1846 when it
was annexed with the United States. Along with preserving the Republic era heritage,
the -----s -------------------------------- aims to educate the public about the history and
culture of this short yet exciting time in Texas history. Museum visitors are often not
native Texans with little knowledge of the era and many Texans are unaware of the
dramatic ten-year period of the Republic. Schoolchildren are the main audience the -----
reaches, including public school field trips, homeschoolers, and Boy Scout groups.
At present, the ----- are undergoing plans of refurbishing three buildings adjacent
to the historic --------------------- near downtown Austin, which is also operated by the ----.
In combing with the ---------------------, this new location, called the -------------------, will
serve as the -----s headquarters, research center, and most importantly, --------------------
------------. With the anticipated opening date of December 2014, the ------------------- is a
fresh start for the museum, giving us the opportunity to reach out to more visitors in
completely new ways. While at its current location the museum receives approximately
1,000 yearly visitors, the new museums audience will combine with the -------------------s
14,000 visitors, giving accessibility to retirement groups and tourists visiting other
downtown museums.
This new museum will provide a platform to expand on the story of the Republic
and to reach audiences in exciting new ways. The ----- hopes to implement an audio
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tour system into the museums visitor experience, providing accessibility for multiple
audiences while preserving the eras history and legacy. With the addition of this
technology, the museum can do so much more in sharing such an important part of
Texas history.
B. Grant Request
An audio tour at the -------------------------------- will enhance visitor experience,
creating a memorable, personalized tour by conveying stories that are both educational
and interesting. This system would benefit our visitors and staff alike, allowing the
museum to share the story of the Republic even as visitors experience a personalized
tour. With an audio tour, visitors can gain a memorable experience involving multiple
senses, guiding them throughout the museum while moving at their own pace.
Multiple languages and tours targeted to different age groups can be
programmed into the tour devices, opening the educational opportunities to numerous
visitors. Schoolchildren, our main target audience, will be enthralled by the stories of the
Republic with sound effects and vocabulary tailored to their age group. The script will be
written with Texas schools in mind, providing supplementary education to lessons in the
classroom. Filled with dynamic stories of the Republic, a script for adults will offer more
in-depth history than can be offered on exhibit labels. Translated into Spanish, these
tours will provide Spanish-speakers the accessibility not seen in the current museum.
The selected audio tour device, Tour-Mate Systems SC550-EL Listening Wand, has
buttons with large numbers and easily identifiable symbols and a Talking Keypad
feature for visually impaired users. The device is also compatible with most hearing aids
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and contains an audio output jack for headphones, giving visitors the option of listening
with a partner/group or alone.
Concurrent with the refurbishment of the buildings to become the -------------------,
the audio tour project is anticipated to take nine months for research, script-creation,
recording, production, and installation. The ----- ------------------- Project committee in
charge of the new museum will work with the chosen audio tour company, Tour-Mate
Systems, to create the ideal audio tour for the museum. The committee is chaired by a
former schoolteacher, -----------------------, who, along with fellow ----- member --------------
-----------, will create the scripts to be sent to Tour-Mate. Mrs. ----------- is also a retired
schoolteacher and has experience writing and creating an audio tour for the ---------------
----- Cemetery, a local historical cemetery. Tour-Mate will then record and produce the
script into a professional, compelling tour. Music and sound effects will be added to the
tour device to further engage visitors in the story of the Republic of Texas.
When arriving at the -------------------, visitors will have the option of touring the
museum with an audio tour or as a part of the docent-lead tour, which will be combined
with the neighboring ---------------------s tour. Those who chose an audio will be given the
audio tour device at the museum entrance where they can view the museum exhibits at
their own pace. While browsing through the artifacts and displays, and listening to the
tour they can discover new insights into the lives of Sam Houston and other Texas
patriarchs, the political power struggles within the Republic, tensions with Mexico and
the United States, and battles with Comanches.
The ------------------- Project committee is confident we can implement this audio
tour project successfully. The ----- have worked to preserve the Republics heritage
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since its creation in 1891 and have maintained several properties in pursuit of our
mission. We are able to learn from other museums using audio tours, including the Bob
Bullock Texas State History Museum and the most visited tourist attraction in Texas, the
Alamo, which is managed by the -----. Reviews found online of the Alamos audio tour
are overwhelmingly positive: I highly recommend the self-guided audio tour - you'll be
able to take in and appreciate what you're seeing so much more - you can also move at
your own pace!
1
and My nine year old son found the Alamo tour was fun and
exciting.
2
We hope to produce similar results at the new -------------------s -------------------
-------------.
While we are still in the planning and renovation stages of creating the --------------
----- site in downtown Austin, we are hoping to begin the process of an audio tour. We
have successfully raised $2.8 million for the land and refurbishment of the buildings to
become the ------------------- and are now looking for the best way to tell the Republics
story with the new museums exhibits. With the Foundations assistance, this rich but
little known period of Texas history can be shared and appreciated in a new, exciting
way.



C. Evaluation

1
DLK26. (March 10, 2012). The Alamo: Traveler Reviews. Retrieved from tripadvisor.com
2
mizquincy1. (March 10, 2012) The Alamo: Traveler Reviews. Retrieved from tripadvisor.com
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Success of the audio tour project will be determined by completing of each stage
by the following dates, especially final installation of the audio tour by the opening of the
------------------- Museum in December 2014.
Project Timeline:
March May Research and Script Creation
June October Tour-Mate Production
November December Installation and Museum Opening
Tour-Mate offers Usage Logging Software that allows the Listening Wand to
store information describing the details of which audio selections were played, when
they were played and for how long they were played. This data will be useful in
evaluating the success of the audio tour and popularity of individual exhibits within the
museum. Success will also be determined by the visitor comments entered into the
museums visitor log at the end of the exhibits, as well as verbal comments given to
museum staff. Evaluation may also be undertaken using online reviews of the museum
itself and volunteer or docent observations will be taken into consideration.

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III. ATTACHMENTS
A. Project Budget
The following is the proposed budget for the ------------------- Museum audio tour
project. Because museum staff is comprised of volunteers, no personnel costs will be
incurred.
Equipment/Service Cost
SC550-EL Listening Wand (40) $ 13,600
Warranty, Service and Maintenance $ 1,500
Tour-Mate SC550 Edit Capability Package $ 500
Tour-Mate Usage Logging Software $ 500
Recording $ 12,000
Foreign Language Translation $ 4,500
Foreign Language Recording $ 10,000
TOTAL EXPENSES $ 42,600


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B. Foundations Candidates
The following foundation candidates were found using the Foundation Directory
Online Database at the Regional Foundation Library in Austin, Texas. Each is meant to
be a potential source of financial support, although their requirements will be different
and some require a letter of intent before a formal grant proposal. Attached are
information sheets about each foundation provided by the Foundation Directory Online
Database.
i. The Meadows Foundation, Inc.
Wilson Historic District
3003 Swiss Ave.
Dallas, TX 75204-6049
Telephone: (214) 826-9431
Contact: Bruce H. Esterline, V.P., Grants
Fax: (214) 827-7042
E-mail: grants@mfi.org
URL: www.mfi.org

The Meadows Foundation limits giving to Texas and supports community
development and civic and cultural programs. Some of their main areas of interest
include public and early childhood education, historic preservation/historical
societies, and museums. The Foundation supports equipment and program
development projects and with a total of $23,666,768 in grants in 2011.
ii. Hoblitzelle Foundation
5556 Caruth Haven Ln., Ste. 200
Dallas, TX 75225-8146
Telephone: (214) 373-0462
Contact: Paul W. Harris, C.E.O. and Pres.
Fax: (214) 750-7412
E-mail: pharris@hoblitzelle.org
URL: www.hoblitzelle.org

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The Hoblitzelle Foundation limits giving to Texas and supports community
development and civic and cultural programs. Some of their main areas of interest
include children/youth services and education, historic preservation/historical
societies, and museums. The Foundation supports equipment and program
development and with a total of $5,085,611in grants in 2012.
iii. Andrew Delaney Foundation
5501-A Balcones Dr.
PMB 152
Austin, TX 78731-5043
Telephone: (512) 637-4168
Contact: Janet Delaney, Pres.
E-mail: jld215@sbcglobal.net

The Andrew Delaney Foundation limits giving to Texas and supports education
and community services. Some of their main areas of interest include arts,
multipurpose centers/programs; historic preservation/historical societies; and
museums. The Foundations target population groups include children/youth and
with a total of $126,534 for 18 grants in 2012.

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C. SC550-EL Listening Wand Sales Sheet
See Tour-Mate Sales Sheet and Financial Information attachments.