Governor's Award in Public Archaeology

 

The Governor's Archaeology Advisory Commission (Commission) is a statutory board that advises the State Historic Preservation Officer on issues of relevance to Arizona archaeology. Each year the Commission recognizes individuals and/or programs that have contributed time and energy to promoting the protection and preservation of, and education about, Arizona's non-renewable archaeological resources. These “Awards in Public Archaeology” are presented to individuals, organizations, and/or programs that have significantly contributed to the protection and preservation of, and education about, Arizona's non-renewable archaeological resources.

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The Verde Valley Archaeology Center received the 2014 Governor’s Award in the Non-profit category. The Center was recognized for its work in artifact preservation, site preservation with the Archaeology Conservancy and for providing support for volunteer efforts and public education programming that aids in the preservation of Arizona’s heritage resources. Read the nomination HERE (6.82MB PDF). The Center’s Director of Archaeology, Dr. Todd Bostwick said “This is a very significant award within the archaeological community that recognizes the amazing efforts of the Center in its short three-year history.”

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Conservation Assessment

 

The Center's Collections Management Policy provides the policies and procedures that govern acquisition, care, management, preservation, use, and disposition of the Center’s collections.  In 2014, the Center received a grant from the National Institute for Conservation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services to conduct a Conservation Assessment of our facilities, policies and practices in the conservation of artifacts and museum management. Dr. Nancy Odegaard was contracted to conduct this assessment. Dr. Odegaard is lead conservator and head of the preservation division at Arizona State Museum in Tucson. The Final Report was received on September 1. Dr. Odegaard noted that the “professionalism in the activities of the museum staff is very evident." The report concluded that the Center “is well qualified to be an archaeological collections repository for Federal, State, Town or private collections in Arizona.

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Arizona Historical Society

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The Arizona Historical Society (AHS) Certified Historical Institution (CHI) Program is designed to support historical museums and organizations across the state of Arizona in their efforts to collect, preserve and share Arizona’s rich history. CHIs demonstrate efforts to follow and apply standards or “best practices” established by the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) and the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). While some organizations are restricted in their ability to meet some of these guidelines, AHS seeks to support those who recognize the importance of the standards and who demonstrate a desire to adhere to them within the constraints of their individual circumstance. The Arizona Historical Society State Board approved the VVAC application for Certification in 2020.

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Grants Received

 

2022 -- Grant from Arizona Community Foundation for Yavapai County for Children's Adventure Room

2022 -- Grant from Institute for Museum and Library Services for Textile Digitization Project

2021 -- Grants from the Kling Family Foundation in support of the administrative activities of the Center

2020 -- Grant from Albertson, Safeway and Vons Southwest Division for COVID-19 reopening supplies

2020 -- Grant from Arizona Community Foundation for Yavapai County for library improvements

2020 -- Grant from Arizona Humanities, National Endowment for the Humanities, CARES grant for COVID-19 effects

2020 -- Grants from the Kling Family Foundation in support of the administrative activities of the Center

2019 -- Grants from the Kling Family Foundation in support of the administrative activities of the Center

2019 -- Grant from the Arizona Lottery for the printing of our Kids Guide to Archaeology and for the Stories of Ancient Arizona for distribution in
             our Children's Archaeology Discovery Area

2018 -- Grants from the Kling Family Foundation in support of the administrative activities of the Center

2018 -- In cooperation with the National Park Service, the Center received an Open Outdoors for Kids grant from the National Park
            Foundation 

2017 -- A Museums for America Grant for expanded Yavapai-Apache Nation Exhibit

2017 -- Grants from the Kling Family Foundation in support of the administrative activities of the Center

2016 -- Grant from the Arizona Community Foundation Boynton Canyon Preservation Fund for protection of sites within Boynton Canyon.

2016 -- Grants from the Kling Family Foundation in support of the administrative activities of the Center

2015 -- A Museums for America Grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services for conservation supplies

2015 -- Grant from the Arizona Humanities Council in support of the Return of the Camp Verde Meteorite exhibit

2015 -- Grant from the Arizona Community Foundation of Yavapai County and the Arizona Community Foundation of Sedonato support                          the Verde Valley Site Watch program

2015 -- Grants from the Kling Family Foundation in support of the administrative activities of the Center

2014 -- Grant from the Arizona Community Foundation of Yavapai County for the printing of our Kids Guide to Archaeology and for
              the Stories of Ancient Arizona for distribution in our Children's Archaeology Discovery Area

2014 -- Grant from the National Institute for Conservation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services to conduct a Conservation
              Assessment

2012 -- Grant, in cooperation with the Hopi Tribe, from the National Film Preservation Foundation for the production of preservation copies
              of 16mm films made in 1956 of the Billingsley Hopi Dancers entitled Lost Dances of the Hopi Cliff Dwellers

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Center Receives Tourism Champion Award

 

For 29 years, the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce and the Verde Independent newspaper have honored citizens and organizations who continually raise the bar on improving the quality of life in the Verde Valley. These annual awards are known as the Verde Valley Community Champions.

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Awards are presented in a variety of categories. The 2015 Tourism Champion award was a tie between the Clarkdale Copper Museum and the Verde Valley Archaeology Center. We are very pleased to have received this award as it is a recognition by the Verde Valley community that our efforts in preservation is appreciated and shared. This is a group award that is shared by all of our dedicated volunteers!

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Center Receives Gold GuideStar Exchange Seal

 

The Verde Valley Archaeology Center has received the Gold Seal from GuideStar, a leading symbol of transparency and accountability provided by GuideStar USA, Inc., the premier source of nonprofit information. The Seal demonstrates to the Center's support-base the deep commitment we have in nonprofit transparency and accountability. In order to be awarded the GuideStar Exchange Seal, the Center had to fill out every required field of our report page on www.guidestar.org. Click on the seal to the left to go to our reports

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