AAMC Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Association of Art Museum Curators, a New York-based professional organization founded in 2001 that grew out of the Forum of Curators and Conservators at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Incorporated in 2004 as a 501(c)(3), the Foundation works to heighten public understanding of the curator's role through lectures, symposia, and published materials, and it awards grants to curators to strengthen their ability to serve the public. Together, AAMC and its Foundation form a network of curators across North America, supporting professional development, mentoring, and annual conferences.