Justification for Change Request

Justification for Change

3137-0094 National Leadership Grant for Museum and Museums for America – Notice of Funding Opportunity

IMLS is requesting a change to a previously approved clearance in order to make non-substantive changes for the grant programs National Leadership Grants for Museums (NLG-M) and Museums for America (MFA). The forms associated with these Notice of Funding Opportunities have already been approved for the FY18 cycle as OMB#3137-0092. NLG-M and MFA are requesting the same expiration date of 07/31/2018.

Request abstract:

The information collections in this package include the guidelines and instructions to apply for IMLS support in the following grant programs: Museums for America and National Leadership Grants for Museums.

Justification for National Leadership Grants for Museums

National Leadership Grants for Museums support projects that address critical needs of the museum field and that have the potential to advance practice in the profession so that museums can improve services for the American public.

IMLS has continued to bring its Notice of Funding Opportunity templates into close conformity with the standards set forth in the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 C.F.R. part 200, in particular Appendix I – Full Text of Funding Opportunity). The attached draft reflects those efforts.

The attached draft also contains a few minor language clarifications to reduce applicant confusion in several sections of the NOFO; removes a few errors introduced during the agency standardization of NOFOs; and responds to requests from both internal staff, as well as the applicant community, to better align the NLG-Museums grant program language with other museum grant programs.

Justification for the Museums for America Program

Museums for America grants support projects that strengthen the ability of an individual museum to serve its public.

IMLS has continued to bring its Notice of Funding Opportunity templates into close conformity with the standards set forth in the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 C.F.R. part 200, in particular Appendix I – Full Text of Funding Opportunity). The attached draft reflects those efforts.

The attached draft also contains a few minor language clarifications to reduce applicant confusion in several sections of the NOFO; removes a few errors introduced during the agency standardization of NOFOs; and responds to requests from both internal staff, as well as the applicant community, to better align the MFA grant program language with other museum grant programs. The maximum funding level for MFA has been reduced from $500,000 to $250,000 to allow IMLS to match the projects to the capacity of the institutions we fund.

The respondent burden should remain the same.