The Commission, composed of 22 members appointed by the Smithsonian Board of Regents, was charged with examining the Institution's ability to uphold James Smithson's vision of an organization dedicated to "the increase and diffusion of knowledge" despite a changing society and increasing financial hardships.

By dispersing artifacts to museums in a responsible way, the Commission believed it, "could make the Institution more reflective of our nation… [as well as] address the problem of storing, curating, studying, and exhibiting the constantly growing collections.

In addition, the Institution began to see increased interest from outside museums for partnerships and loans of artifacts that extended beyond standing practices.

Heyman responded to these challenges by creating the Smithsonian Affiliations program to oversee and manage collections-based partnerships with other museums.

Successful applicants are non-profit or publicly operated organizations whose missions are directed toward advancing research, knowledge, and education in science, history, and the arts.

[15] To qualify as an Affiliate, an organization must prove that it is able to properly care for, protect, and exhibit Smithsonian collections on a long-term basis.

Strong applicants are organizations that are fiscally sound and capable of developing, installing, and evaluating professional exhibitions.

Applicants provide documentation that confirms IRS status as a 501(c)(3) entity and a narrative detailing how the agreement will be mutually beneficial.

[32] Thomas Moran's painting The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, was loaned to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming.

[35] The Durham Museum in Omaha, Nebraska borrowed 174 artifacts for the exhibit American Originals: Collections from the Smithsonian.

Borrowed artifacts included the jacket worn by Bob Keeshan while filming the children's television series, Captain Kangaroo, a three-wheel Westcoaster Mailster used by the United States Postal Service in the 1960s, and two oil on canvass paintings of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and Seneca Chief Red Jacket.

[48] Yokohama prints from the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery were loaned to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, California for the exhibit Japan After Perry: Views of Yokohama and Meiji Japan.