Can a museum committed to sustainability accept sponsorship from a fossil fuel company? Does renewing a partnership risk the appearance of greenwashing? And how do you ensure that such decisions are made fairly, transparently, and in line with your museum’s mission?
To help institutions respond to these challenges, the Dutch Museums Association’s Working Group on Ethics and Fundraising has developed A Practical Guide to Responsible Choices in a Complex World. This guide offers a structured approach to building a clear, thoughtful, and realistic fundraising and sponsorship policy that helps museums stay true to their values while navigating real-world financial pressures.
The guide is designed to support both museums that are starting from scratch and those looking to refine existing policies. Drawing from collaborative work sessions in 2024–2025 and informed by examples from the field, the publication outlines how to develop policies for accepting, declining, or returning funds
The guide includes two parts: a set of core principles that express shared values around ethical fundraising, and a step-by-step plan to help you build a policy that fits your museum’s unique context.
- Access the full guide (in Dutch)
