A Day in the Life Blog: Charlotte Morgan, Programmes Manager
Welcome to our blog series, ‘A Day in the Life…’ which features a member of the CMP team and what they get up to on a typical day at work. Next up is Charlotte Morgan, Programmes Manager. Read on for more about how Charlotte spends her time at Cornwall Museums Partnership.
Being asked to contribute a blog post to this series has been a great chance to reflect on what I get up to as Collaborative Programmes Manager for CMP – especially as I am getting closer to the 6-month mark of being in the post!
My role is essentially split between two core priorities:
- Managing the National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) funding that CMP receives,
- Fundraising for future programmes of work and to protect the future of our charity.
A fair portion of my time is spent corresponding – either by email, phone, or on a video call – with the directors and staff members of the museums who form our NPO consortium. These are Bodmin Keep, Wheal Martyn, Royal Cornwall Museum, Falmouth Art Gallery, the Museum of Cornish Life, Penlee House Gallery & Museum, and PK Porthcurno. They represent such a wide variety of museums, collections, and communities across Cornwall, it’s always a pleasure to hear how they are getting on, the projects they are running, or to chat through a hurdle they’ve come up against. At the moment, a huge amount of our correspondence is Covid related – updates on opening hours, funding available, or the latest creative way the museums’ teams have pivoted to continue their amazing work serving their communities. The museums I work with never fail to amaze me with their keenness to try new things, creativity, and hard work and resilience to simply keep going.
A visit to the Museum of Cornish Life:
When I’m not focusing on the NPO programme, I’m usually working through a new project. On any given day this can include: a brainstorming session with a colleague, museum staff, funder, or external stakeholder; reading guidance and reports; drafting budgets; completing application forms; writing letters and emails; chatting to funders and partners on the phone or a video call; or signing paperwork. Once projects are submitted, we endure the anxious wait for a result. If successful, I am responsible for kicking off the projects – whether that means convening a project meeting or undertaking recruitment to run the programme.
On the other side of the fundraising coin is the ongoing communication I have with our funders. These can sometimes be simple email exchanges, but often we compile detailed reports and evaluation for the organisations who provide financial support for our work. When it comes to this, my colleagues are the most valuable resource. I work closest with the Programmes team: Celine, Steph, and Oliver, who between them are responsible for supporting the delivery of our NPO objectives, as well as the Museum Development programme in Cornwall, which supports many of the smaller and volunteer run organisations. Very few of my days go past without a chat with at least one of them.
What I really enjoy about my work is that every day is different – cliché, but true. I get to be involved in such a wide range of projects that CMP is working on, from the Heritage Awards, to trial technology projects, and everything in between. It also means I spend a lot of time on Excel, compiling budgets and project timelines.
2020 Heritage Awards:
It is so rewarding to be able to work in a role that pushes our organisation forward, providing opportunities for new areas of work. Nothing quite beats the feeling of a successful funding bid, knowing all the work that’s gone into it. Working for CMP is a real joy and privilege – this role allows me to be creative, make connections, and work collaboratively across Cornwall and the UK.
– Charlotte Morgan
Charlotte works Monday-Friday and can be reached at charlotte@cornwallmuseumspartnership.org.uk.