Since its foundation in 1977, the Canadian Federation of Friends of Museums (CFFM) has been the national voice for the over 100,000 volunteers who support museums and heritage sites throughout Canada. CFFM knows that volunteers are at the heart of our museums. From day-to-day operations to fundraising and research, volunteers play many roles in heritage organizations, and they are vital members of the museum community.

Friends of Museums are "those who contribute in any way to the support of museums, to their development and to their public presence and influence. They act on a voluntary and non-remunerative basis. Their support is moral, financial, or consists of voluntary work or expertise." CFFM members, therefore, include benefactors, donors, volunteers, board members, trustees, museum members and all those who support heritage organizations across the country with their donations, their actions and their expertise.

We are proud to be under the patronage of the Governor General of Canada, with whom we partner to nominate museum volunteers for the prestigious Sovereign's Medal for volunteers. 

• We sponsor the annual Carol Sprachman Lecture, named in honour of an outstanding museum volunteer and CFFM pioneer, and featuring a keynote by a leading voice in Canadian culture and heritage.
• Alongside the Canadian Museum Association (CMA), we celebrate the work of volunteers with the annual Museum Volunteer Award.
• We publish a tri-quarterly newsletter, Au Courant, highlighting our members, Canadian museums, and international Friends.
• We provide a number of resources, including our monthly volunteer management memo, Volunteer Voices.
• Our Young Friends groups organize events, networking, and encourages people new to the cultural heritage sector to participate in museum volunteering.