The recipient entity's physical address:
           17544 Tunica Trace
Angola, LA 70712

The recipient entity's mailing address (if different):
           P. O. Box 1
Anngola, LA 70712

Type of Entity (for instance, a nonprofit corporation):  Non-Profit Corporation

If the entity is a corporation, list the names of the incorporators:
          1998 Incorporators:
Burl Cain, Warden, General Delivery, Angola, LA 70712
Sheryl Ranatza, Deputy Warden, General Delivery, Angola, LA 70712
Pat Truett, Administrative Director, General Delivery, Angola, LA 70712

The last four digits of the entity's taxpayer ID number:  7409

What is the dollar amount of the request?  $50,000

What type of request is this?  General Appropriation

Is this entity in good standing with the Secretary of State?  Yes

Provide the name of each member of the recipient entity's governing board and officers:
           Cathy Fontenot, President
1185 American Way, #2410
Zachary, LA 70791

Perry Stagg, 1st Vice-President
2128 W. George
Zachary, LA 70791

Cindy Mann, 2nd Vice-President
1927 Rue Cremieux
Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Eric Lane, Secretary
P. O. Box 66456
Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Brian Gremillion, Treasurer (ex-officio)
Louisiana State Penitentiary
Angola, LA 70712

Sheryl Ranatza
P. O. Box 547
St. Francisville, LA 70775

Ronnie Jett
P. O. Box 8
Norwood, LA 70791

Dyvar Anderson-Wright
P. O. Box 1358
St. Francisville, LA 70775

Elizabeth Pierite Mora
150 Melacon Rd
Marksville, LA 71351

Anne Marie Easley
Louisiana State Penitentiary
Angola, LA 70712

Tommy Clark
P. O. Box 1005
Grambling, LA 71245

Jesse L. Perkins
4393 Rosegarden Circle
Zachary, LA 70791

Kerry Myers
P. O. Box 2029
Baton Rouge, LA 70821

Francis Abbott
P. O. Box 94304
Baton Rouge, LA 70804

Dr. Marianne Giorlando
P. O. Box 2493
St. Francisville, LA 70775

Robert Johannessen
644 Audubon Lane
Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Bretton Sommers
8081 Innovation Park Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70820

Warden Darrel Vannoy (ex-officio)
Louisiana State Penitentiary
Angola, LA 70712

Deputy Warden Rochelle Ambeau (ex-officio)
Louisiana State Penitentiary
Angola, LA 70712

Scarlett Smith, Museum Director
P. O. Box 1
Angola, LA 70712

Provide a summary of the project or program:
           This proposal seeks $50,000 for a one-year professional services contract to complete the organization, cataloging, and stabilization of the Museum’s collection. The project will:
• Preserve irreplaceable Louisiana history.
• Support education, research, and civic learning.
• Provide public access to heritage materials through exhibits, programs, and digital resources.
• Strengthen tourism and community engagement in West Feliciana Parish.
The Louisiana Prison Museum & Cultural Center (Angola Museum) preserves one of the most significant collections of documents related to corrections in Louisiana. The collection comprises 3,000–4,000 artifacts, photographs, documents, recordings, and oral histories; however, the majority remain unorganized and inaccessible to the public.
In 2019, the Museum hired a professional staff member who began cataloging the collection. That progress was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the elimination of the position. A partial catalog now exists, along with a successful online database project completed in partnership with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation.
By funding this project, the Legislature will ensure that Louisiana’s unique history of justice and corrections is preserved, interpreted, and made accessible for future generations.

What is the budget relative to the project for which funding is requested?:
          Salaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Professional Services. . . $50,000
          Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . $0
          Major Repairs . . . . . . . $0
          Operating Services. . . . $0
          Other Charges. . . . . . . $0

Does your organization have any outstanding audit issues or findings?  No

If 'Yes' is your organization working with the appropriate governmental agencies to resolve those issues or findings?
          Not Applicable

What is the entity's public purpose, sought to be achieved through the use of state monies?
          The Angola Museum houses a collection of approximately 3,000–4,000 artifacts, photographs, documents, oral histories, recordings, and other historical materials that represent one of the most significant records of corrections in Louisiana. These items are an invaluable resource for students, educators, researchers, and the general public, offering insight into Louisiana’s cultural, civic, and social history.
In 2019, the Museum hired a professional museum staff member who began the critical work of itemizing and cataloging the collection. This effort was unfortunately interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a sharp decline in revenue and necessitated the elimination of that position. As a result, the cataloging effort remains incomplete, and the majority of the collection is still unorganized and largely inaccessible to the public.

The Museum does, however, have a strong starting point. In addition to the partial catalog developed before 2020, the Museum partnered with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and was awarded a grant by the Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation to create an online database of images from the Louisiana State Penitentiary, spanning the 1940s–1970s. This successful project demonstrated both the value of the collection and the Museum’s capacity to manage professional partnerships and grant-funded initiatives.

This appropriation will allow the Museum to contract with a qualified museum professional for one year to complete the organization, cataloging, and stabilization of the collection. Once organized, the collection will be available for:
• Educational purposes (school tours, curriculum resources, academic research)
• Public programs and exhibits (sharing Louisiana’s cultural and civic heritage)
• Digital access (expanding reach to students, families, and researchers statewide)

This project serves a clear public purpose: preserving irreplaceable Louisiana history, enhancing education for current and future generations, supporting tourism and economic development in West Feliciana Parish, and ensuring that these unique cultural resources are not lost.

What are the goals and objectives for achieving such purpose?
          Goal 1 — Launch & plan (Month 1)
• Finalize 12-month workplan, milestones, and weekly reporting cadence.
• Confirm numbering scheme, location codes, and basic condition checklist.
Measure: Approved 2–3 page Project Charter and shelf/location code key.
Goal 2 — Baseline inventory & reconciliation (Months 1–4)
• Conduct a wall-to-wall inventory of 100% of holdings (3,000–4,000 items).
• Assign/confirm a unique object ID and location code for every item; resolve duplicates and “found-in-collection” cases.
Measures/Deliverables: Clean master inventory (ID, title, type/material, location, condition flag, provenance notes), plus an exceptions log.
Goal 3 — Catalog records & rehousing (Months 2–10)
• Create core catalog records for at least 2,500 items or =75% of the collection (if total <3,300, achieve =75% of actual). Core fields: ID, title/short description, date/approx. date, creator/origin, format/materials, dimensions (as relevant), condition flag, location, provenance/notes.
• Rehouse priority/at-risk objects using archival supplies: target =1,500 items or ˜40–50% of holdings, with supports and box labels linked to IDs.
• Produce a shelf map tying locations to object IDs; update monthly.
Measures: Weekly production log; monthly roll-ups for records created, items rehoused, and % completion.
Goal 4 — Preventive conservation & storage management (Months 3–12)
• Establish temperature/relative humidity targets and a simple monitoring routine (manual log or datalogger downloads).
• Implement handling/boxing protocols and safe workspace practices.
• Draft a 5-year storage improvement plan (equipment, phased rehousing, maintenance cycle).
Measures/Deliverables: One-page environmental plan; quarterly summaries; 5-year plan delivered by Month 10.
Goal 5 — Build internal capacity (Months 1–12)
• Train the Administrative Assistant/Operations staff to support labeling, archival housings, and metadata entry (two 2-hour micro-trainings + quick-reference guides).
• Produce a Collections Procedures Manual (10–15 pages) covering ID assignment, box labels, catalog fields, location updates, rehousing workflow, and QA.
Measures: =12 staff training hours completed; monthly QA spot-checks (10 random records) show =95% field accuracy.
Goal 6 — Public-facing readiness (Months 9–12)
• Prepare an exhibit rotation plan (3–4 small exhibits) with object lists and handling notes; create one finding aid/collection guide to speed retrieval.
Measures: Rotation schedule for the next 12–18 months; documented reduction in average retrieval time (target =50% faster compared to baseline).
End-of-year success
• 100% inventory completed and reconciled.
• =2,500 new/updated catalog records (=75% of holdings) and =1,500 items

What is the proposed length of time estimated by the entity to accomplish the purpose?
           12 months

If any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official is an officer, director, trustee, or employee of the recipient entity who receives compensation or holds any ownership interest therein:
     (a) If an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of the official and the office held by such person:
                 Appointed official: Sheryl Ranatza
P. O. Box 547
St. Francisville, LA 70775
    
     (b) If an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of such person; the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related; and the nature of the relationship:
                 None

     (c) The percentage of the official's or immediate family member's ownership interest in the recipient entity, if any:
                 None

     (d) The position, if any, held by the official or immediate family member in the recipient entity:
                  Chairman, LA Board of Pardons, Committee on Parole

If the recipient entity has a contract with any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official or with the state or any political subdivision of the state:
(a) If the contract is with an elected or appointed state official, provide the name and address of the official and the office held by such person: 
               None

(b) If the contract is with an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official:
          Provide the name and address of such person:
               None

          Provide the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related:
                None

          What is the nature of the relationship?  N/A

(c) If the contract is with the state or a political subdivision of the state, provide the name and address of the state entity or political subdivision of the state:
                 N/A

(d) The nature of the contract, including a description of the goods or services provided or to be provided pursuant to the contract:
               N/A


Contact Information
name:  Scarlett Smith 
                                       address:  Louisiana Prison Museum & Cultural Center
Post Office Box 1
Angola, LA 70712
                                       phone:  225-655-2592
                                       fax: 
                                       e-mail:  angolamuseum@angolamuseum.org
                                       relationship to entity:  Museum Director