FY20 National Lead FY20 National Leadership for Museums NOFO

Federal Awarding Agency:	Institute of Museum and Library Services
Funding Opportunity Title:	National Leadership Grants for Museums
Announcement Type:	Notice of Funding Opportunity
Funding Opportunity Number:	NLG-M-FY20
Catalog of Federal Financial Assistance (CFDA) Number:	45.312
Due Date:	Submit through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on November 15, 2019.
Anticipated Date of Notification of Award Decisions:	August 2020 (subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion)
Beginning Date of Period of Performance:	Projects must begin on September 1, 2020.

Equal Opportunity

IMLS-funded programs do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age. For further information, email the Civil Rights Officer at CivilRights@imls.gov or write to the Civil Rights Officer, Institute of Museum and Library Services, 955 L’Enfant Plaza North, SW, Suite 4000, Washington, DC, 20024-2135.

A. Program Description

A1. What is this grant program?

The goals of National Leadership Grants (NLG) for Museums are to 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 strengthen services for the American public.

A2. What are indicators of successful projects?

Indicators (characteristics) of successful projects in the NLG for Museums program are as follows:

Broad Impact: The project has the potential for far-reaching impact beyond the institution and for influencing practice across one or more disciplines or specific fields within the museum profession.
In-depth Knowledge: The proposal reflects a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about the subject matter and an awareness and support of current strategic initiatives and agendas in the field.
Innovative Approach: The project employs novel approaches or techniques new to the project area to strengthen and improve museum services to benefit the audiences and communities being served.
Collaborative Process: The project incorporates audience, stakeholders, and/or other partners to demonstrate broad need, field-wide buy-in and input, access to appropriate expertise, and sharing of resources.
Shared Results: The project generates results such as models, new tools, research findings, services, practices, and/or alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend and leverage the benefits of federal investment.

A3. What are the IMLS Agency-Level Goals and Objectives?

The mission of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. We provide leadership through research, policy development, and grant making. Please view the Director’s letter in Appendix Six to learn about the “essential elements” IMLS is seeking in the FY2020 NLG for Museums applications.

In FY2018-2022, each award funded under this program will support one of the following three goals and an associated objective from the IMLS strategic plan, Transforming Communities:

Promote Lifelong Learning: IMLS supports learning and literacy for people of all ages through museums and libraries.
- Early, digital, information, health, financial, media, civic, and other literacies
- Cross-disciplinary and inquiry-based learning methods
- Continuous learning for families and individuals with diverse backgrounds and needs
- Distinctive role of museums and libraries as trusted sources of information

Build Capacity: IMLS strengthens the capacity of museums and libraries to improve the well-being of their communities.

Recruitment, training, and development of library and museum workforces
Sharing and adoption of best practices and innovations
Identification of trends to help organizations make informed decisions
Service as trusted spaces for community engagement and dialogue

Increase Public Access: IMLS makes strategic investments that increase access to information, ideas, and networks through libraries and museums.
- Support for stewardship of museum and library collections
- Tools, technology, and training enabling discovery and use of collections and resources by all
- Policies and partnerships to address access barriers to collections, programs, and information
- Increased access to knowledge through effective communications

These agency goals and objectives focus on achieving positive public outcomes for communities and individuals; supporting the unique role of museums and libraries in preserving and providing access to collections and content; and promoting library, museum, and information service policies that ensure access to information for all Americans.

IMLS places importance on diversity, equity, and inclusion. This may be reflected in a project in a wide range of ways, including efforts to serve individuals of diverse geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds; individuals with disabilities; individuals with limited functional literacy or information skills; individuals having difficulty using a library or museum; and underserved urban and rural communities, including children from families with incomes below the poverty line. This may also be reflected in efforts to recruit future professionals in the library or museum fields as well as strategies for building or enhancing access to collections and information.

A4. What are the project categories and funding levels?

A4a. What are the project categories?

There are five project categories within the NLG for Museums program. Your project must align with one of them.

Collections Care and Public Access

IMLS supports the efforts of museums of all types and sizes to care for, conserve, and manage collections that represent the cultural, artistic, historical, natural, and scientific foundations of our shared heritage. IMLS welcomes applications for projects that help the museum field address state-of-the-art collections care and collections-information management, curation, preventive conservation, conservation treatments as well as provide broad access to and use of museum collections. We welcome projects that demonstrate cross-sector and cross-disciplinary collaboration with libraries, archives, and other collecting institutions.

Projects may include, but are not limited to, the following activities:

Developing, implementing, and disseminating new and innovative tools or services that enhance collection management strategies, facilitate access, and aide in the use of museum collections;
Investigating questions relating to any broadly relevant aspect of care and management, including methods that increase engagement among community groups with special interests, affinities, and needs;
Building or strengthening coalitions and networks to enhance and sustain collections care and digital access across the spectrum of institutional sizes, discipline, mission, and locations; and
Developing various approaches for gathering and incorporating collections information and relevant artifacts by engaging stakeholders such as community members and scholars in order to capture and share multiple and dynamic perspectives on museum collections.

Data, Analysis, and Assessment

IMLS supports the collection of cross-sector data that can be analyzed to lead to new understandings about the museum field and its impacts on individuals, communities, and society. IMLS encourages data collection that can be used to demonstrate current and future trends, to identify gaps and opportunities, to contribute toward improved practices, and to better understand the landscape of museum programs and services. We welcome projects that use qualitative and quantitative approaches to shed new light on museum services to the public.

Projects may include, but are not limited to, the following activities:

Applying innovative methods for partnering with communities to identify and develop solutions for challenges and opportunities through analysis, modeling, and visualization of data;
Testing and applying qualitative and quantitative tools and frameworks to assess needs and evaluate impacts that can be scaled up and replicated;
Demonstrating the use of design-based evaluation methodologies to evaluate and document processes and outcomes;
Using needs assessments and gap analyses to understand the capacity of the museum sector in order to inform the development of tools and approaches to advance the field;
Conducting social-wellbeing studies, socio-economic studies, visitor studies, and other analyses to demonstrate the impact of museums on people and communities and identify future trends;
Forging partnerships between the museum field and higher education to further efforts to understand museum practice and its impacts through data, analysis, and assessment; and
Conducting longitudinal studies on emerging professional preparation approaches that can benefit the sector with valuable needs assessment and gap analysis data.

Digital Platforms and Applications

Recognizing the dynamic nature of digital technology and its far-reaching benefits for the museum sector, IMLS welcomes applications that fully explore, understand, and optimize the use of digital technology in the museum field. IMLS encourages innovative approaches that use technology to further lifelong learning, community collaboration, and public access to collections. This may include seeking models and approaches from outside the museum sector.

Projects may include, but are not limited to, the following activities:

Encouraging shared systems, networks, and open-source technologies to enhance access, optimize adoption and use, and sustain the management of digital assets;
Exploring the tools and technologies that enable people of all backgrounds and abilities to discover and use museum collections and resources;
Leveraging new digital learning resources, such as those involving digital media for learning and digital platforms for online access to museum learning resources;
Demonstrating the role of new media communications tools to foster audience engagement, learning, and conversation with the museum and within broader social networks;
Adopting and integrating emerging educational trends such as open education resources, blended and flipped classrooms, gaming, and other uses of new media technology for enhanced learning outcomes;
Demonstrating expanded access to and use of collections through the application of technologies such as 3D visualization, augmented and virtual reality, digital archiving, or crowd-sourcing models; and
Developing multi-institutional digital strategies and shared platforms to leverage big data, linked data, and open data resources in a scalable and sustainable manner.

Diversity and Inclusion

IMLS supports the work of museums and related organizations in engaging with communities and providing inclusive services to people of diverse geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds and to individuals with disabilities. IMLS encourages museums and related organizations to deeply understand the current status and future trends in the demographics of their communities and to address it in their programs and services. IMLS seeks innovative and replicable projects that help museums work with community members and community-based organizations as equal partners to broaden opportunity and access.

Projects may include, but are not limited to, the following activities:

Supporting museums in developing user-centered programs that focus on sustained learning for families and individuals taking into account their diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and needs;
Developing policies and partnerships that address barriers to accessing museum collections, programs, and information;
Developing early awareness programs about museum careers for middle and high school students in underserved and diverse communities that can ignite new career exploration possibilities amongst these youths;
Developing a collective-impact model for the museum sector that results in frameworks and templates which can seamlessly incorporate diversity and inclusion objectives into strategic plans, interpretive plans and/or collections plans;
Investigating various questions relating to diversity and inclusion, the findings from which will inform museums' or the sector’s work in this area;
Promoting the ability of museums to serve as trusted spaces for community engagement and dialogue; and
Developing community-based asset identification, stakeholder mapping, and other tools to further the work of museums with partners on mutual goals.

Professional Development

IMLS supports the recruitment, training, and development of museum staff, leadership, volunteers, and interns, to grow a skilled, professional, diverse, and inclusive workforce and strengthen museums’ capacity to serve their audiences. IMLS encourages museum professionals and institutions to share and adopt best practices and innovations by creating skill-building and capacity-expanding programs that are applicable across all levels of museum staff to ensure the highest standards in all aspects of museum practices and operations. These aspects broadly include: strategy development and execution; organizational skills such as performance management, planning, budgeting, and assessment; sustainability, external relationship building, and partnerships; human resources including staff, leadership, volunteers, and interns; organizational structure, governance, and design; systems and infrastructure; and culture.

Projects may include, but are not limited to, the following activities:

Developing and implementing multi-institutional and cross-sector networks, coalitions, and cohorts in support of professional development opportunities;
Developing models for paid-internship opportunities within higher education programs or museums that would lower economic barriers for students and allow them to accept and pursue learning experiences anywhere in the nation;
Disseminating content and skills-based information to a range of museum professionals through innovative and adaptive techniques, leveraging online community of practice models, on demand learning, and cohorts supported by proven technology tools;
Creating opportunities to encourage a more inclusive and diverse museum professional and volunteer workforce.
Focusing professional development training models on relevant sector technical and programmatic needs such as digital technology, evaluation and assessment, collective impact methodology, and collections stewardship;
Building the capacity of the museum sector to support their community networks by sharing new cross-cutting frameworks, tools, and ways of assessing needs and evaluating impact that can be scaled up and replicated in multiple communities; and
Developing innovative and collaborative courses, internship exchange models, and museum placement plans to broaden the opportunities for leadership development and skill building of emerging professionals.

Click here for samples of recently funded applications in the National Leadership Grants for Museums program.

A4b. What are the funding levels?

There are three funding levels within the FY19 NLG for Museums program. You must choose one of them.

Non-research grant, $50,000-$1,000,000 with 1:1 cost share required

Projects of one to three years 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. These may test scalability or expand and enhance existing products or initiatives.

Research grant, $50,000-$1,000,000 with no cost share required

IMLS encourages research applicants to adopt a "research in service of practice" framework. Research projects of one to three years should investigate key questions important to museum practice and have the potential to advance the profession so that museums can improve services for the American public. These proposals should build upon prior empirical, theoretical, or exploratory work in museums or other disciplines (as they relate to museums or museum services). Proposals should include clearly articulated research questions and feature appropriate methods, including relevant theoretical or conceptual approaches, data collection, and analysis. Findings and their implications for museum service and practice should be shared broadly throughout the grant period, rather than exclusively at the conclusion of the project. Dissemination activities should not be limited to publishing journal articles and presenting at academic conferences. Proposals focused on evaluation are not appropriate for the Research funding level, and should be submitted to the Non-research grant funding level above. Click here to learn more about the elements of an effective research application.

Rapid prototyping grant, $5,000-$50,000 with no cost share required

Projects of up to one year that perform exploratory activities that rapidly prototype, pilot, and evaluate specific innovations in the ways museums operate and the services they provide. Project results, both successful and unsuccessful, should offer valuable information to the museum field and the potential for improvement in the ways museums serve their communities.

A5. Where can I find examples of projects funded by this program?

Click here to search awarded grants by program, category, and/or key word.

A6. Where can I find the authorizing statute and regulations for this funding opportunity?

Statute: 20 U.S.C. § 9101 et seq.; in particular, § 9162 (National leadership grants) and § 9173 (Museum services activities).

Regulations: 45 C.F.R. ch. XI and 2 C.F.R. ch. XXXI

Note: You are required to follow the IMLS regulations that are in effect at the time of the award.

Note: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance on Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) can be found at 2 C.F.R. pt. 200. With certain IMLS-specific additions, IMLS regulations at 2 C.F.R. pt. 3187 formally adopt the 2 C.F.R. pt. 200 Uniform Guidance.

B. Federal Award Information

Total amount of funding expected to be awarded through this announcement	$6,500,000
Anticipated number of awards	12
Expected amount of individual awards	Non-research grants	$50,000-$1,000,000
	Research grants	$50,000-$1,000,000
	Rapid prototyping grants	$5,000-$50,000
Average amount of funding per award experienced in previous years	$450,000
Anticipated start dates for new awards	Projects must begin on September 1, 2020.
Anticipated period of performance	September 1, 2020– August 31, 2023. Project activities may be carried out for one to three years.
Type of assistance instrument	Grant

The funding in the above Federal Award Information table is subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion. IMLS is not bound by any estimates in this announcement.

If your request for federal funding, including all direct and indirect costs, is outside the applicable funding level range, your application will be rejected from consideration for funding in this program.

Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are not eligible to compete with applications for new awards.

Contingent upon the availability of funds, the quality of applications, and IMLS discretion, IMLS may make additional awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

C. Eligibility Information

C1. What are the eligibility requirements for this program?

To be eligible for an award under this NLG for Museums Notice of Funding Opportunity, you must be an organization that meets all three of the following criteria:

You must be either a unit of State, local, or tribal government or be a private, nonprofit organization that has tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code;
You must be located in one of the 50 States of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau; and
You must qualify as one of the following:
1. A museum that, using a professional staff, is organized on a permanent basis for essentially educational, cultural heritage, or aesthetic purposes; owns or uses tangible objects, either animate or inanimate; cares for these objects; and exhibits these objects to the general public on a regular basis through facilities that it owns or operates.
  1. What types of institutions are included in the term “museum”? If they otherwise meet these requirements, “museums” include, but are not limited to, aquariums, arboretums, art museums, botanical gardens, children’s/youth museums, general museums (those having two or more significant disciplines), historic houses/sites, history museums, natural history/anthropology museums, nature centers, planetariums, science/technology centers, specialized museums (limited to a single distinct subject), and zoological parks.
  2. What does it mean to be “using a professional staff”?

An institution uses a professional staff if it employs at least one staff member, or the full-time equivalent, whether paid or unpaid, primarily engaged in the acquisition, care, or exhibition to the public of objects owned or used by the institution.

What does it mean to “exhibit the objects to the general public”?

An institution exhibits objects to the general public if such exhibition is a primary purpose of the institution. An institution that exhibits objects to the general public for at least 120 days a year is deemed to exhibit objects to the general public on a regular basis.

An institution which does not have the exhibition of objects as a primary purpose and/or does not exhibit objects to the public for at least 120 days a year may be determined to be eligible as a museum under certain circumstances. For more information, please see 2 C.F.R. § 3187.3.

An organization or association that engages in activities designed to advance the wellbeing of museums and the museum profession;
An institution of higher education, including public and nonprofit universities; or
A public or private nonprofit agency that is responsible for the operation of a museum that meets the eligibility criteria in 1, 2, and 3(a) above may apply on behalf of the museum.

If my museum is located within a parent organization, can my museum apply on its own?

A museum located within a parent organization that is a State, local, or tribal government or multipurpose nonprofit entity, such as a municipality, university, historical society, foundation, or cultural center, may apply on its own behalf if the museum:

is able to independently fulfill all the eligibility requirements listed in the above three criteria;
functions as a discrete unit within the parent organization;
has its own fully segregated and itemized operating budget; and
has the authority to make the application on its own.

When any of the last three conditions cannot be met, a museum may only apply through its parent organization.

Is a nonprofit organization eligible if it is affiliated with a museum?

IMLS may determine that a nonprofit organization that is affiliated with a museum is eligible for this program where the organization can demonstrate that it has the ability to administer the project and can ensure compliance with the terms of this Notice of Funding Opportunity and the applicable law, including the IMLS Assurances and Certifications. The applicant organization must submit an agreement from the museum that details the activities that the applicant and museum will perform and binds the museum to the statements and assurances made in the grant application.

Native American tribal organizations may apply if they otherwise meet the above eligibility requirements.

C2. What are the cost-sharing requirements for this program?

For the NLG for Museums program, the requirements to provide cost share from non-federal sources differ according to funding level.

NLG for Museums Funding Level	Cost Share Requirement
Non-research grant, $50,000–$1,000,000	At least 1:1 cost share from non-federal sources is required. Note: If you do not include at least 1:1 cost share in your project budget, your application will be rejected from further consideration.
Research grant, $50,000–$1,000,000	No cost share required.
Rapid prototyping grant, $5,000-$50,000	No cost share required.

Cost sharing that appears in your project budget should be carefully calculated. Grantees are expected to meet their cost share commitments.

Click here for further information on cost sharing.

C3. Other Information

C3a. How many applications can we submit under this announcement?

There is no limit to the number of applications your museum may submit under this announcement.

C3b. What if our organization fails to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of the application deadline?

IMLS will not review applications from ineligible applicants. We will notify you if your application will not be reviewed because your organization is determined to be ineligible.

C3c. What if our organization fails to meet an eligibility criterion at the time of award?

IMLS will not make awards to ineligible applicants. In order to receive an IMLS award, your organization must be eligible, be in compliance with applicable requirements, and be in good standing on all active IMLS awards.

D. Application and Submission Information

D1. How can we find the application package?

This announcement contains all application materials needed to apply. Use one of the following identifiers to locate the application package in Grants.gov:

CFDA No. 45.312, or
Funding Opportunity Number: NLG-M-FY20

D1a. Can we request an audio recording of this announcement?

Yes, call 202-653-4744 to request it.

D1b. Can we request a paper copy of this announcement?

Yes, call 202-653-4744 to request it.

Persons with hearing difficulty are welcome to use Teletype (TTY/TDD) 202-653-4614.

D2. What content and forms are required to make a complete application?

The Table of Application Components below will help you prepare a complete application. You will find links to more information and instructions for each application component in the table. Applications missing any Required Documents or Conditionally Required Documents from this list will be considered incomplete and may be rejected from further consideration. (See 2 C.F.R. §3187.9.)

D2a. Table of Application Components

Component	Format	File name to use
Required Documents Please see the guidance in Section D2c for more information.
The Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form (SF-424S)	Grants.gov form	n/a
IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract)	Grants.gov form	n/a
IMLS Museum Program Information Form	Grants.gov form	n/a
Organizational Profile (one page max.)	PDF document	Organizationalprofile.pdf
Narrative (ten pages max.)	PDF document	Narrative.pdf
Schedule of Completion (one page per year max.)	PDF document	Scheduleofcompletion.pdf
IMLS Budget Form	IMLS PDF form	Budget.pdf
Budget Justification	PDF document	Budgetjustification.pdf
List of Key Project Staff and Consultants (one page max.)	PDF document	Projectstaff.pdf
Resumes of Key Project Staff and Consultants (two pages each max.)	PDF document	Resumes.pdf
Conditionally Required Documents Please see the guidance in Section D2d for more information.
Proof of Private, Nonprofit Status	PDF document	Proofnonprofit.pdf
Final Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement	PDF document	Indirectcostrate.pdf
Digital Product Form	IMLS PDF form	Digitalproduct.pdf
Supporting Documents Please see the guidance in Section D2e for more information.
Information that supplements the Narrative and supports the project description provided in the application	PDF document	Supportingdoc1.pdf Supportingdoc2.pdf Supportingdoc3.pdf

D2b. How should we format, name, and sequence the application components?

Document format: Aside from the SF-424S, the IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract) and the IMLS Museum Program Information Form, which are created in Grants.gov Workspace, all application components must be submitted as PDF documents.

Page limits: Note page limits listed in the table above. We will remove any additional pages, and we will not send them to reviewers as part of your application.

Naming convention: Use the naming conventions indicated in the table above. IMPORTANT: You are limited to using the following characters in all attachment file names: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore (_), hyphen (-), space, period. If you use any other characters when naming your attachment files, your application may be rejected by Grants.gov.

Attachment order: In Grants.gov, attach all application components in the sequence listed in the table above. Use all available spaces in the “Attachments Form” first. Attach any additional application components using the “Other Attachment File(s)” boxes.

Complete applications: Use the table above as a checklist to ensure that you have created and attached all necessary application components.

D2c. Instructions for Required Documents

The Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form (SF424S)

The SF-424S is part of the application package that you complete in the Grants.gov Workspace. Click here for instructions on completing the SF-424S.

(Back to Table of Application Components)

IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract)

The IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract) is part of the application package that you complete in Grants.gov Workspace. Click here for instructions on completing it.

(Back to Table of Application Components)

IMLS Museum Program Information Form

The IMLS Museum Program Information Form is part of the application package that you complete in Grants.gov Workspace. Click here for instructions on completing it.

(Back to Table of Application Components)

4. Organizational Profile

Create a one-page Organizational Profile, addressing the following, and save it as a PDF.

Your organization’s mission or statement of purpose, noting the source, approving body, and date of the official document in which it appears.

Your organization’s governance structure if your museum is located within a parent organization or if your organization is a nonprofit affiliated with a museum.

Your service area (i.e., communities and/or audiences served, including size, demographic characteristics, and geographic area).
A brief history of your organization, focusing on the unit that will be directly involved in carrying out the work.

If your proposal is selected for funding, the Organizational Profile may be published online, or otherwise shared, by IMLS. As such, it must not include any sensitive, proprietary, or confidential information.

(Back to Table of Application Components)

5. Proposal Narrative

Write a Narrative that addresses the questions listed under each section heading, and save it as a PDF.

Limit the Narrative to ten numbered pages. We will remove any additional pages, and we will not send them to reviewers as part of your application.
Consider each Narrative question and be mindful of each section’s review criteria.
Be clear and concise with a minimum of technical jargon and acronyms.
Include references throughout your Narrative to any Supporting Documents that help make your case.
Make sure your organization’s name appears at the top of each page.
Use at least 0.5-inch margins on all sides and a font size of at least twelve points.
If your proposal is selected for funding, the Narrative may be published online, or otherwise shared, by IMLS. As such, it must not include any sensitive, proprietary, or confidential information.

Organize your Narrative using the section headings Project Justification, Project Work Plan, and Project Results. Note the specialized review criteria for applications under the Research funding level.

Project Justification

What field-wide need, problem, or challenge will your project address, and how was it identified?
Are others addressing this need? What other studies or best practices have you used in developing your project?
How will the museum field benefit from your project?
How will collaborators, such as partners and intermediaries, be involved and contribute to the success of the project?
How will your project address the goals of the NLG for Museums program (as described above in Section A1) and align with the project category you have chosen?

Review Criteria:

Is the field-wide need, problem, or challenge to be addressed clearly identified and supported by relevant evidence?
Have appropriate studies and best practices been considered in developing the project?
Are the stakeholders and/or those who will benefit from the project clearly identified, and have they been involved in planning the project?
Does the project address current needs of the museum field and/or have the potential to advance practice in the museum profession?
Does the project align with the NLG for Museums Project Category listed in Section

A4 above: Collections Care and Public Access; Data, Analysis, and Assessment; Digital Platforms and Applications, Diversity and Inclusion; or Professional Development?

Project Work Plan

What specific activities, including evaluation, will you carry out?
What is your project’s maturity level (i.e. exploratory, piloting, scaling, or mainstreaming)?
What are the risks to the project? Have you identified ways to monitor or mitigate risk in the work plan?
Who will plan, implement, and manage your project?
How will you initiate or strengthen collaborative efforts to ensure broad participation and diverse perspectives?
How and when will you engage end-users in the work plan? How will you integrate their input?
When and in what sequence will your activities occur?
What time, financial, personnel, and other resources will you need to carry out the activities?
How will you track your progress toward achieving your intended results?
How and with whom will you share your project’s results?

Review Criteria:

Are the proposed activities informed by appropriate theory and practice?
Do the proposed activities appropriately reflect the project’s maturity level?
Are the goals, assumptions, and risks clearly stated?
Are the proposed evaluation activities appropriate for the project? Will they result in valid, reliable, and generalizable findings?
Do the identified staff, partners, consultants, and service providers possess the experience and skills necessary to complete the work successfully and will they ensure broad participation and diverse perspectives?
Is the schedule of work realistic and achievable?
Are the time, financial, personnel, and other resources identified appropriate for the scope and scale of the project?
Is a clear methodology described for tracking the project’s progress and adjusting course when necessary?
Is there an effective plan for communicating results and/or sharing discoveries?
For research projects, is the research design appropriate and does the proposal answer the questions outlined in the guidance on effective research proposals?

Project Results

What are your project’s intended results and how will they address the need, problem, or challenge you have identified?
How will the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and/or attitudes of the intended audience change as a result of your project?
What barriers might there be that pose challenges for broad adoption by others or wider dissemination to the field?
What data will you collect and report to measure your project’s success?
What tangible products will result from your project?
How will you sustain the benefit(s) of your project?

Review Criteria:

Are the project’s intended results clearly articulated, realistic, meaningful, actionable, and linked to the need, problem, or challenge addressed by the project?
Is the plan to effect meaningful change in knowledge, skills, behaviors, and/or attitudes solidly grounded and appropriately structured?
Is the plan for collecting and reporting data well designed and feasible?
Will the proposed project generate results such as models, tools, research findings, services, and practices that can be broadly used, adapted, scaled, or replicated in the museum profession?
Is there a reasonable and practical plan for sustaining the benefits of the project beyond the conclusion of this award?

Please be advised that reviewers may also choose to visit your organization’s website, as listed on the SF-424S form provided with your application.

(Back to Table of Application Components)

6. Schedule of Completion

The Schedule of Completion should reflect each major activity identified in your application narrative and the project dates identified on the SF-424S and the IMLS Budget Form. It should show when each major project activity will start and end. The schedule must be no longer than one page per project year. See the sample schedule of completion below. Save this document as a PDF.

If your proposal is selected for funding, the Schedule of Completion may be published online, or otherwise shared, by IMLS. As such, it must not include any sensitive, proprietary, or confidential information.

(Back to Table of Application Components)

7. IMLS Budget Form

Download and complete the current IMLS Budget Form (PDF, 1.1MB). Click here for instructions on completing it. Java Script must be enabled in your web browser.

(Back to Table of Application Components)

8. Budget Justification

Write a Budget Justification to identify each expense and show the method of cost computation used to determine each dollar amount, including any that you may have consolidated and summarized on the IMLS Budget Form. Save this document as a PDF. Click here for detailed instructions.

(Back to Table of Application Components)

9. List of Key Project Staff and Consultants

Write a one-page list of only those staff and consultants whose expertise is essential to the success of the project and save it as a PDF. Do not list all staff involved in the project. If you cannot identify key project staff by the application deadline, then list the position title(s) instead. This list must include the Project Director listed in Item 7 of the SF-424S.

(Back to Table of Application Components)

10. Resumes of Key Project Staff and Consultants

Provide a resume of no more than two pages for each individual whose expertise is essential to the success of the project. Save all the resumes in a single PDF. You must include the resume of the Project Director listed in Item 7 of the SF-424S. If you cannot identify key project staff by the application deadline, then (in lieu of a resume) provide position description(s) including the qualities, range of experience, and education necessary to successfully implement and complete project activities.

(Back to Table of Application Components)

D2d. Conditionally Required Documents

These are documents that may be required, depending upon the circumstances. Please see the table below.

Failure to provide a conditionally required document will result in your application’s being considered incomplete, and it may be rejected from further consideration.

If you are:	Then you must provide:	Notes:
Applying as a private, nonprofit institution, as indicated by choosing “M” as the Applicant Type code in 5d of the SF-424S form	A copy of the IRS letter indicating your eligibility for nonprofit status under the applicable provision of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.	You must submit this letter with each application whether or not you have submitted it with other applications in the current year or in previous years. We will not accept a letter or State sales tax exemption as proof of nonprofit status.
Using a federally negotiated indirect cost rate in your budget	A current copy of your Final Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.	If you are eligible for and are choosing the option of claiming an indirect cost rate of 10 percent of modified total direct costs (see 2 C.F.R. part 200, including 2 C.F.R. 200.68, 200.414(f), and 200.510(b)(6)), you do not need to provide any documentation.
Proposing to generate digital products, software, and/or research data	A completed Digital Product Form (PDF, X MB; Word, X.X KB).	Click here for Guidance for Projects that Develop Digital Products, Software, and Research Data.

(Back to Table of Application Components)

D2e. Supporting Documents

You may submit a reasonable number of supporting documents that supplement your Narrative and support the project description. Supporting documents should help IMLS staff and reviewers envision your project in greater detail, but they should not be used to introduce new topics nor to continue answers to the Narrative questions. Give each document a clear, descriptive title at the top of the first page. You may wish to consider the following:

Letters of commitment from any third party that will receive grant funds or from entities that will contribute substantive funds to the completion of project activities
Letters of commitment from partners or other groups who will work closely with you on your project
Bibliography or references relevant to your proposed project design or evaluation strategy
Letters of support from experts and stakeholders
Relevant images that support your proposed project
Reports from planning activities
Contractor quotes
Equipment specifications
Products or evaluations from previously completed or ongoing projects of a similar nature
Collections, technology, or other departmental plans for the organization as applicable to the proposed project
Web links to relevant online materials
Needs assessments

(Back to Table of Application Components)

D3. What are the registration requirements for submitting an application?

Before submitting an application, your organization must have a current and active D-U-N-S® number (a unique entity identifier), System for Award Management (SAM.gov) registration, and Grants.gov registration. Check your materials and registrations well in advance of the application deadline to ensure that they are accurate, current, and active.

If your D-U-N-S® number and SAM.gov registration are not active and current at the time of submission, your application will be rejected; if they are not active and current at the time an award is made, we may determine that you are not qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

D3a. What is a D-U-N-S® number and how do we get one?

A D-U-N-S® number is a unique nine-digit number assigned to all types of business organizations, including nonprofits and government entities. Click here to learn more about getting a D-U-N-S® number.

D3b. What is the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and how do we register?

The System for Award Management (SAM) is a federal repository that centralizes information about grant applicants and recipients. There is no fee to register with SAM.gov. Click here to learn more about SAM.gov registration.

D3c. What is Grants.gov and how do we register?

Grants.gov is the centralized location for grant seekers to find and apply for Federal funding opportunities.

You must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting your application package. The multi-step registration process generally cannot be completed in a single day. If you are not already registered, you should allow several weeks before the application deadline to complete this one-time process. Do not wait until the day of the application deadline to register.

You will need your Grants.gov user ID and password that you obtain during the registration process to submit your application when it is complete.

Click here to learn more about Grants.gov registration and tips for using Grants.gov.

D4. When and how must we submit our application?

You must submit your application through Grants.gov. Do not submit through email or postal mail to IMLS.

For the National Leadership Grants for Museums program, Grants.gov will accept applications through 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on November 15, 2019.

We strongly recommend that you obtain a D-U-N-S® number, register with SAM.gov, and Grants.gov, and complete and submit the application early. We make grants only to eligible applicants that submit complete applications, including attachments, through Grants.gov, on or before the deadline, as indicated by the date stamp generated by Grants.gov.

Contact Grants.gov at support@grants.gov or call their help line at 1-800-518-4726 for technical assistance. The help line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for federal holidays.

D4a. What happens after we submit our application through Grants.gov?

Grants.gov will generate a series of emails confirming the status of your application. You can check the status of your application(s) in Grants.gov by using “Track My Application.” For further details, please consult Grants.gov.

D5. Is there an intergovernmental review?

No. This funding opportunity is not subject to intergovernmental review per Exec. Order No.

12372.

D6. Are there funding restrictions?

You may only use IMLS funds, and your cost sharing, for allowable costs as found in IMLS and OMB government-wide cost-principle rules. Please consult 2 C.F.R. pt. 200 and 2 C.F.R. pt. 3187 for additional guidance on allowable costs.

The following list includes some examples of generally allowable costs, both for IMLS funds and for cost share (if applicable), under this announcement:

personnel salaries, wages, and fringe benefits
travel expenses for key project staff and consultants
materials, supplies, software, and equipment related directly to project activities
third-party costs
publication design and printing
training for staff and volunteers that impacts multiple museums
internships/fellowships
indirect or overhead costs

You must explain all proposed expenses in your Budget Justification.

The following list includes some examples of unallowable costs, both for IMLS funds and for cost share (if applicable), under this announcement:

general fundraising costs, such as development office staff or other staff time devoted to general fundraising
contributions to endowments
general operating support
acquisition of collections (see 2 C.F.R. §3187.15(b))
general advertising or public relations costs designed solely for promotional activities other than those related to the specific project
construction or renovation of facilities (generally, any activity involving the construction trades is not an allowable cost)
social activities, ceremonies, receptions, or entertainment
pre-award costs

Note: If you have questions about whether specific activities are allowable, call IMLS staff for guidance.

D6a. How do we include costs for third parties?

Your project may require you to provide federal funds to third parties (such as partners, consultants, collaborators, subgrantees, subawardees, vendors, and/or service providers). It is your responsibility to determine whether a third party should be characterized as a subrecipient or a contractor. The characterization must be reflected in the terms of each agreement you make with each third party.

(See 2 C.F.R. § 200.330 (Subrecipient and contractor determinations).) IMLS grant funds may not be provided to any federal agency serving as a third party.

D6b. What are our options for including indirect costs in our budget?

You can choose to:

use a rate not to exceed your current indirect cost rate already negotiated with a federal agency;
use an indirect cost rate proposed to a federal agency for negotiation, but not yet finalized, as long as it is finalized by the time of the award;
use a rate not to exceed 10% of the total modified direct costs if you have never had a federally negotiated indirect cost rate and you are otherwise eligible; or
not include any indirect costs.

Click here for further information on indirect costs.

E. Application Review Information

E1. What are the review criteria?

Reviewers are instructed to evaluate applications according to the review criteria included within the narrative instructions in Section D2 of this document. Reviewers consider all Required, Conditionally Required, and Supporting Documents, as listed in Section D2.

E1a. Is cost sharing considered in the review process?

Cost sharing is an eligibility criterion and is not considered in the review of applications. Cost sharing requirements for this grant program are addressed in Section C2.

E2. What is the review and selection process?

We use a peer review process to evaluate all complete applications from eligible institutions. Reviewers are professionals in the field with relevant knowledge and expertise in the types of project activities identified in the applications. We instruct reviewers to evaluate applications according to the review criteria. Peer reviewers must comply with IMLS’s Federal ethics and conflicts of interest requirements.

The Director takes into account the input provided by the review process and makes final funding decisions consistent with the purposes of the agency’s mission and programs.

E3. What is the designated integrity and performance system and how does IMLS comply with its requirements?

IMLS, prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $ 250,000 but periodically adjusted), is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently FAPIIS) (see 41 U.S.C. § 2313 and 41 U.S.C. §134).

An applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered.

IMLS will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in considering the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.205 (Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants).

E4. When will we be notified of funding decisions?

We will not release information about the status of an application until the applications have been reviewed and all deliberations are concluded. We expect to notify both successful and unsuccessful applicants of the final decisions by August 2020.

F. Award Administration Information

F1. How will we be notified of funding decisions?

We will notify both successful and unsuccessful applicants of funding decisions by email.

F2. What are the administrative and national policy requirements?

Organizations that receive IMLS grants or cooperative agreements are subject to the IMLS General Terms and Conditions for IMLS Discretionary Grant and Cooperative Agreement Awards (PDF, 246KB) and the IMLS Assurances and Certifications. Organizations that receive IMLS funding must be familiar with these requirements and comply with applicable law.

As an applicant for Federal funds, you must certify that you are responsible for complying with certain nondiscrimination, debarment and suspension, drug-free workplace, and lobbying laws. These are set out in more detail, along with other requirements, in the IMLS Assurances and Certifications. By signing the application from, which includes the Assurances and Certifications, you certify that you are in compliance with these requirements and that you will maintain records and submit any reports that are necessary to ensure compliance. Your failure to comply with these statutory and regulatory requirements may result in the suspension or termination of your award and require you to return funds to the government.

F3. What are the reporting requirements?

At a minimum, you will be required to submit a performance report and financial report annually.

Reports are due according to the reporting schedule that is part of your Official Award Notification for Grants and Cooperative Agreements. Grantees must submit reports electronically using the IMLS performance and financial report forms. In support of the agency’s commitment to open government, interim and final performance reports may be made accessible on the IMLS website to engage the public in communities of practice and to inform application development and grant making strategies.

For details and forms, please see the Manage Your Grant: Grant Administration page on the IMLS website.

You must also comply with 2 C.F.R. §§ 180.335 and 180.350 and 2 C.F.R. pt. 3185 with respect to providing information regarding all debarment, suspension, and related offenses information, as applicable.

F3a. What do we need to know if the Federal share of our award is more than $500,000 over the period of performance?

If the Federal share of your award is more than $500,000 over the period of performance, you should refer to the post-award reporting requirements reflected in 2 C.F.R. pt. 200, Appendix XII – Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.

G. Contacts

G1. Whom should we contact if we have questions?

Click here for IMLS staff contact information for this program. IMLS staff are available by phone and email to answer programmatic and administrative questions relating to this grant program.

Contact Grants.go v or call their help line at 1-800-518-4726 for assistance with software issues, registration issues, and technical problems.

G2. How can we participate in a webinar for this IMLS funding opportunity?

Program staff hosts webinars to introduce potential applicants to funding opportunities. Click here fo r a schedule of webinars and instructions for accessing them from your compute r.

H. Other Information

H1. What do we need to know about acknowledging IMLS support?

Grantees must include an acknowledgement of IMLS support in all grant products, publications, websites, and presentations developed with IMLS funding. All work products should reference

IMLS and include the associated grant award number(s). Click here for the Grantee Communications Ki t, which provides guidance for fulfilling these requirements.

H2. What should we do if we are including confidential or proprietary information in our application?

IMLS may share grant applications, work products, and reports with grantees, potential grantees, and the general public to further the mission of the agency and the development of museum, library, and information services. These materials may be disseminated broadly and made available in a variety of ways and formats.

For the above reasons, you should not include in your application any information that you consider to be confidential or proprietary. However, if you do decide to provide information that you consider confidential or proprietary, you must clearly identify it as such. IMLS will handle confidential and proprietary information in accordance with applicable law (e.g., Freedom of Information Act [FOIA], Privacy Act).

H3. What do we need to know about sharing and copyright of IMLS-supported work products and managing digital products?

Read more about sharing and copyright of IMLS-supported work products and management of digital products (including digitized and born-digital content, resources, or assets; software; and research data) produced with IMLS support.

H4. What conflict of interest requirements must we follow?

As a non-federal entity, you must follow IMLS conflict of interest policies for federal awards. Click here for more information about IMLS conflict of interest requirements.

H5. Where can we find additional information about IMLS?

You can check the IMLS websit e for information on IMLS and IMLS activities.

H6. Is IMLS obligated to make an award as a result of this announcement?

IMLS is not obligated to make any Federal award or commitment as a result of this announcement.

H7. How can I become a peer reviewer?

If you are interested in serving as a peer reviewer, you may enter your contact information, identify your experience and expertise, and upload your resume through our online reviewer application at www.imls.gov/grants/become-reviewe r. If you are identified as a potential reviewer, we will notify you by email prior to the next review period to confirm your availability.

H8. How long should it take us to complete an application?

Complete applications include the elements listed in the Table of Application Components in Section D. We estimate the average amount of time needed for one applicant to complete the narrative portion of this application to be 45 hours. This includes the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and writing and reviewing the answers.

We estimate that it will take you an average of 15 minutes per response each for the IMLS Supplementary Information Form and the IMLS Museum Program Information Form and three hours per response for the IMLS Budget Form. We estimate that it will take you an average of 60 minutes per response for the Digital Product Form.

Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Institute of Museum and Library Services at 955 L’Enfant Plaza North, SW, Suite 4000, Washington, DC, 20024-2135, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (3137-0091), Washington, DC, 20503.

H9. IMLS Clearance Number:

IMLS-CLR-D-0024 Expiration date: 8/31/2021

H10. PRA Clearance Number:

OMB Control #: 3137-0094, Expiration date: 8/31/2021

Appendix One – IMLS Assurances and Certifications

As a Federal agency, IMLS is required to obtain from all applicants certifications, including those regarding Nondiscrimination, Debarment and Suspension, Federal Debt Status, and Drug-Free Workplace. Applicants requesting more than $100,000 in grant funds must also certify regarding lobbying activities and may be required to submit a “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” form (Standard Form LLL). Some applicants will be required to certify that they will comply with other federal statutes that pertain to their particular situation. These requirements are incorporated in the Assurances Statement below. The authorized representative must review the statement and provide the certification in item 9 on the SF-424S.

Assurances Statement

By signing the application form, the authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, assures and certifies that, should a Federal award be made, the applicant will comply with the statutes outlined below and all related IMLS regulations (for example, see 2 C.F.R. ch. XXXI and 45 C.F.R. ch. XI). These assurances are given in connection with any and all financial assistance from IMLS after the date this form is signed, but may include payments after this date for financial assistance approved prior to this date. These assurances shall obligate the applicant for the period during which the federal financial assistance is extended. The applicant recognizes and agrees that any such assistance will be extended in reliance on the representations and agreements made in these assurances, and that the United States Government has the right to seek judicial enforcement of these assurances, which are binding on the applicant, its successors, transferees, and assignees, and on the authorized representative whose signature appears on the application form.

Certifications Required of All Applicants

Financial, Administrative, and Legal Accountability

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant has legal authority to apply for federal assistance and the institutional, managerial, and financial capability (including funds sufficient to pay the non-federal share of project costs) to ensure proper planning, management, reporting, recordkeeping, and completion of the project described in this application.

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will cause to be performed the required financial and compliance audits in accordance with applicable law. The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will comply with the provisions of applicable OMB Circulars and regulations.

Nondiscrimination

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will comply with the following nondiscrimination statutes and their implementing regulations:

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 2000 et seq.), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin (note: as clarified by Exec. Order No. 13166, the applicant must take reasonable steps to ensure that limited English proficient (LEP) persons have meaningful access to the applicant’s programs (see IMLS guidance at 68 Federal Register 17679, April 10, 2003));
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq., including § 794), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability (note: IMLS applies the regulations in 45 C.F.R. pt. 1170 in determining compliance with section 504 as it applies to recipients of federal assistance);
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (20 U.S.C. §§ 1681– 1683, §§ 1685–1686), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs;
the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1975, as amended (42 U.S.C. §

6101 et seq.), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age; and

the requirements of any other nondiscrimination statute(s) which may apply to the application.

Debarment and Suspension

The applicant shall comply with 2 C.F.R. pt. 3185 and 2 C.F.R. pt. 180, as applicable. The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies to the best of his or her knowledge and belief that neither the applicant nor any of its principals:

are presently excluded or disqualified;
have been convicted within the preceding three years of any of the offenses listed in 2 C.F.R. § 180.800(a) or had a civil judgment rendered against it or them for one of those offenses within that time period;
are presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (federal, state, or local) with commission of any of the offenses listed in 2 C.F.R. § 180.800(a); or
have had one or more public transactions (federal, state, or local) terminated within the preceding three years for cause or default.

Where the applicant is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, he or she shall attach an explanation to this application.

The applicant, as a primary tier participant, is required to comply with 2 C.F.R. pt. 180 subpart C (Responsibilities of Participants Regarding Transactions Doing Business with Other Persons) as a condition of participation in the award. The applicant is also required to communicate the requirement to comply with 2 C.F.R. pt. 180 subpart C (Responsibilities of Participants Regarding Transactions Doing Business with Other Persons) to persons at the next lower tier with whom the applicant enters into covered transactions.

As noted in the preceding paragraph, applicants who plan to use IMLS awards to fund contracts should be aware that they must comply with the communication and verification requirements set forth in the above Debarment and Suspension provisions.

Federal Debt Status

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies to the best of his or her knowledge and belief that the applicant is not delinquent in the repayment of any federal debt.

Drug-Free Workplace

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies, as a condition of the award, that the applicant will or will continue to provide a drug-free workplace by complying with the requirements in 2 C.F.R. pt. 3186 (Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)). In particular, you as the recipient must comply with drug-free workplace requirements in subpart B (or subpart C, if the recipient is an individual) of 2 C.F.R. pt. 3186, which adopts the Government wide implementation (2 C.F.R. pt. 182) of sec. 5152-5158 of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-690, Title V, Subtitle D; 41 U.S.C. §§ 701–707). This includes, but is not limited to: making a good faith effort, on a continuing basis, to maintain a drug-free workplace; publishing a drug-free workplace statement; establishing a drug-free awareness program for your employees; taking actions concerning employees who are convicted of violating drug statutes in the workplace; and identifying (either at the time of application or upon award, or in documents you keep on file in your offices) all known workplaces under your federal awards.

Trafficking in Persons

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies, as a condition of the award, that the applicant will comply with the trafficking in persons requirements that are set out in the General Terms and Conditions for IMLS Discretionary Awards (2 C.F.R. 175.15 Award Term.).

Certification Regarding Lobbying Activities

(Applies to Applicants Requesting Funds in Excess of $100,000) (31 U.S.C. § 1352)

The authorized representative certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that:

No federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the authorized representative, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of an agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of any federal contract, the making of any federal grant, the making of any federal loan, the entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
If any funds other than federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person (other than a regularly employed officer or employee of the applicant, as provided in 31 U.S.C. § 1352) for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement, the authorized representative shall complete and submit Standard Form LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,” in accordance with its instructions.
The authorized representative shall require that the language of this certification be included in the award documents for all subawards at all tiers (including subcontracts and contracts under grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients shall certify and disclose accordingly.

This certification is a material representation of fact upon which reliance is placed when the transaction is made or entered into. Submission of this certification is a prerequisite for making or entering into the transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. Code. Any person who fails to file the required certification shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.

General Certification

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will comply with all applicable requirements of all other federal laws, executive orders, regulations, and policies governing the program.

Certifications Required for Certain Projects

The following certifications are required if applicable to the project for which an application is being submitted. Applicants should be aware that additional federal certifications, not listed below, might apply to a particular project.

Subawards

Under IMLS regulations at 2 C.F.R. § 3187.14, a recipient may not make a subaward unless expressly authorized by IMLS. A recipient may contract for supplies, equipment, and services, subject to applicable law, including but not limited to applicable Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards set forth in 2 C.F.R. pt. 200.

Native American Human Remains and Associated Funerary Objects

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will comply with the provisions of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (25 U.S.C. § 3001 et seq.), which applies to any organization that controls or possesses Native American human remains and associated funerary objects, and which receives federal funding, even for a purpose unrelated to the Act.

Historic Properties

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will assist the awarding agency in ensuring compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic

Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. § 470f, see 54 U.S.C. § 306108), Exec. Order No. 11593) and any related applicable preservation laws.

Environmental Protections

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the project will comply with environmental standards, including the following:

institution of environmental quality control measures under the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq.) and

Exec. Order No. 11514;

notification of violating facilities pursuant to Exec. Order No. 11738;
protection of wetlands pursuant to Exec. Order No. 11990, as amended by Exec.

Order No. 12608;

evaluation of flood hazards in floodplains in accordance with Exec. Order No.

11988, as amended see Executive Order 12148);

assurance of project consistency with the approved state management program developed under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended (16

U.S.C. § 1451 et seq.);

conformity of federal actions to State (Clean Air) Implementation Plans under section 176(c) of the Clean Air Act of 1955, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq.);
protection of underground sources of drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water

Act of 1974, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq.); and

protection of endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. § 1531–1543).

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the project will comply with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, as amended (16 U.S.C. § 1271 et seq.), related to protecting components or potential components of the national wild and scenic rivers system.

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will comply with the flood insurance purchase requirements of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 4001 et seq.), which requires recipients in a special flood hazard area to participate in the program and to purchase flood insurance if the total cost of insurable construction and acquisition is $10,000 or more, or as otherwise designated.

Research on Human Subjects

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the project will comply with 45 C.F.R. pt. 46 regarding the protection of human subjects involved in research, development, and related activities supported by this award of assistance.

Research on Animal Subjects

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the project will comply with the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966, as amended (7 U.S.C. § 2131 et seq.) pertaining to the care, handling, and treatment of warm-blooded animals held for research, teaching, or other activities supported by this award of assistance.

For further information on these certifications, contact IMLS, 955 L’Enfant Plaza North, SW, Suite 4000, Washington, DC, 20024-2135. Or call 202-653-IMLS (4657).

Appendix Two – Required Federal Systems

Getting a D-U-N-S® Number

All non-federal entities are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S®) number (a unique entity identifier) in order to apply for, receive, and report on federal awards.

You should verify that your organization has a D-U-N-S® number. You can get one within two business days at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free D-U-N-S® number request line at 1‑866-705-5711 or by visiting http://www.dnb.com/duns-number.htm l.

Registering for SAM.gov

The System for Award Management (SAM) is a federal repository that centralizes information about grant applicants and recipients. You must be registered with SAM.gov before you register with Grants.gov. There is no fee to register with SAM.gov. Click here to find information about registering with SAM.gov. (Correct link needed – use https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/help/samQUserGuides.jsf)

We recommend that you allow several weeks to complete your SAM.gov registration. You must renew your registration in SAM.gov at least every 12 months—and sooner, if your information changes. An expired registration will prevent you from submitting applications via Grants.gov and receiving awards or payments. Grant payments will be made to the bank account that is associated with your SAM.gov registration.

Registering for Grants.gov

You must register with Grants.gov before submitting your application to IMLS. Click here to learn mor e about the multistep registration proces s. Make sure your D-U-N-S® number and SAM.gov registration are accurate, current, and active. We recommend that you allow several weeks to complete your Grants.gov registration.

After you register with Grants.gov, and create an Organizational Applicant Profile, the request for the organization’s Grants.gov roles and access is sent to the EBiz POC. The EBiz POC will then log into Grants.gov and assign the appropriate roles to individuals within the organization. This will include the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) which will give permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, please refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html.

Working with Grants.gov

Click here to learn more about Grants.gov resource s, which include checklists, FAQs, and online tutorials to assist you in preparing your organization to submit applications.

Grants.gov applicants apply online using “Workspace”. “Workspace” is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within a grant application. For each funding opportunity, you can create individual copies

of a workspace to complete your application. Here is an overview of how to apply on Grants.gov. https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

Designating more than one Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) when you register in Grants.gov will help avoid last-minute crises in the event that your one AOR is unavailable when you are ready to submit your application.

Update the contact information and password in Grants.gov when the AOR at your organization changes.

Grants.gov offers online support regarding Adobe® softwar e and browse r compatibility. Contact Grants.gov at support@grants.gov or call the help line (1-800-518-4726) for technical assistance. The help line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for federal holidays.

Appendix Three – Explanation of Forms for Reference

Grants.gov SF-424S

The SF-424S is the “Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form,” which is part of the application package that you downloaded from Grants.gov.

Items 1 through 4

These items are automatically populated by Grants.gov.

Item 5. Applicant Information

Legal Name: Enter your organization’s legal name as it appears in your SAM.gov registration. This is the organization with the authority to apply directly for funding in this program. If you have an organizational unit that will be carrying out the project, be sure that it is specified as the organizational unit on the IMLS Supplementary Information Form.
Address: Enter your legal applicant’s address as it appears in your SAM.gov registration.
Web Address: Enter your web address.
Type of Applicant: Select the code that best characterizes your organization from the menu in the first dropdown box. Leave the other boxes blank.
Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN): Enter the EIN or TIN assigned to your organization by the Internal Revenue Service.
Organizational DUNS: Enter your organization’s D-U-N-S® number received from Dun and Bradstreet.
Congressional District: Enter your organization’s congressional district. Use the following format: two-letter state abbreviation, followed by a hyphen, followed by a zero, followed by the two-digit district number. For example, if the organization is located in the 5th Congressional District of California, enter “CA-005.” For the 12th Congressional District of North Carolina, enter “NC-012.” For states and territories with “At Large” Congressional Districts—that is, one representative or delegate represents the entire state or territory—use “001,” e.g., “VT-001.”

If your organization does not have a congressional district (e.g., it is located in a U.S. territory that does not have districts), enter “00-000.” To determine your organization’s district, visit the House o f Representatives website by clicking her e and using the “Find Your Representative” tool.

Item 6. Project Information

Project Title: Enter a brief descriptive title for your project. IMLS may use this title for public information purposes.
Project Description: Enter a brief description (about 120 words) of your project. Tell us what your project will do, for whom or what, and why. Use clear language that can be understood by readers who might not be familiar with the discipline or subject area.
Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the start date and end date of the proposed period of performance in the format mm/dd/yyyy. The project period begins on the first day of the month in which project activities start and ends on the last day of the month in which these activities are completed. Refer to Section B of this Notice of Funding Opportunity to determine when your project can begin.

Item 7. Project Director

The Project Director is the person who will have primary responsibility for carrying out your project’s activities. Enter the requested information for this individual here.

IMLS requires that the Project Director be a different person than the Authorized Representative.

Item 8. Primary Contact/Grants Administrator

The Primary Contact/Grants Administrator is the person who has primary responsibility for administering the award. Enter the requested information for this individual here. If the Primary Contact/Grants Administrator is the same as the Authorized Representative, please still complete both Items 8 and 9.

In some organizations this individual may be the same as the Project Director. If this is the case, check the box and skip to Item 9.

Item 9. Authorized Representative

The Authorized Representative is the person who has the authority to legally bind your organization. Enter the requested information for this individual here. The Authorized Representative cannot be the same person as the Project Director. By checking the “I Agree” box at the top of Item 9, this individual certifies the applicant’s compliance with the IMLS Assurances and Certifications and any other relevant federal requirements.

The “Signature of Authorized Representative” and “Date Signed” boxes will be automatically populated by Grants.gov upon submission of the application. This will be the person whose name was listed as your organization’s authorized representative when you registered with Grants.gov. Please note that this name might not be the same as the name and other information you entered in Item 9 above; however, the person whose name appears in the “Signature of Authorized Representative” box must have authorization from your organization to submit this application on behalf of your organization.

Submission of the electronic application acknowledges that your organization certifies compliance with relevant federal requirements, including but not limited to the IMLS Assurances and Certifications, to the same extent as the signature does on a paper application.

IMLS Supplementary Information Form

This is a dynamic form, so your answers to certain questions will determine what questions you see next.

Applicant Information

Check YES or NO, and provide the information requested in the blocks that appear next.

Funding Request

IMLS Funds Requested: Enter the amount in dollars sought from IMLS.

Cost share amount: Enter the amount of non-federal funding you are providing. Click here for further information on cost sharing.

Indirect Cost Rate

Select one option for calculating and including indirect costs in your project budget.

Population Served

Check the boxes that reflect the population(s) to be served by your project.

Abstract

Write an Abstract of no more than 3000 characters in a concise narrative format for experts as well as a general audience, and paste it into the block provided. If your proposal is selected for funding, the Abstract may be published online, or otherwise shared, by IMLS. As such, it must not include any sensitive, proprietary, or confidential information.

Address the following:

Identify the lead applicant and, if applicable, any collaborators.
Describe the need, problem, or challenge your project will address, and how it was identified.
List the high-level activities you will carry out and identify the associated time frame.
Identify who or what will benefit from your project.
Specify your project’s intended results.
Describe how you will measure your success in achieving your intended results.

IMLS Museum Program Information Form

Section 1. Organizational Financial Information: Provide the information requested in a-d. If you named an organizational unit in the IMLS Supplementary Information Form, this information must pertain to that unit.

Section 2. Agency-Level Goals and Objectives: Select one of the three IMLS Agency-Level Goals with which your project best aligns. Once you have selected a goal, then select an associated objective.

Section 3. Grant Program: Select National Leadership Grants for Museums.

Select one project category: Collections Care and Public Access; Data, Analysis, and Assessment; Digital Platforms and Applications; Diversity and Inclusion; or Professional Development.
Select one funding level: Non-research Grant $50,000-$1,000,000 with 1:1 cost share required: Research Grant $50,000-$500,000 with no cost share required; or Rapid Prototyping Grant $5,000-$50,000 with no cost share required.

Section 4. Museum Profile (Museum Applicants Only): Museum applicants must answer all questions (a–k) in this section. If you named an organizational unit in the IMLS Supplementary Information Form, this information must pertain to that unit.

Section 5. Project Elements. NLG for Museums applicants skip this section.

IMLS Budget Form

Download the IMLS Budget For m (PDF, 1.1MB).

The IMLS Budget Form accommodates up to three years of project activities and expenses. Project timelines, allowable costs, and other budget details vary by program. Be sure to review the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the grant program/category to which you are applying and the cost principles in 2 C.F.R. pt. 200 and 2 C.F.R. pt. 3187.

The Year 1 columns should include costs for activities that begin on the project start date (as listed on 6c of the SF-424S) and end 12 months later. If the project timeline exceeds one year, list the costs for the next 12 months in the Year 2 columns. If the project extends beyond two years, list the costs for the next 12 months in the Year 3 columns. If the program/category to which you are applying permits a fourth year as part of the budget, enter Year 4 budget details on a second copy of the IMLS Budget Form.

The budget should include the project costs that will be charged to grant funds as well as those that will be supported by cost sharing. In-kind contributions to cost sharing may include the value of services (e.g., donated volunteer or consultant time) or equipment donated to the project between the authorized start and end dates of your project. All the items listed, whether supported by grant funds or cost share, must be necessary to accomplish project objectives, allowable according to the applicable federal cost principles, auditable, and incurred during the award period of performance. Charges to the project for items such as salaries, fringe benefits, travel, and contractual services must conform to the written policies and established practices of your organization. You must report all revenues generated with project funds during the award period of performance as program income.

If you need more lines for a specific section, summarize the information in the IMLS Budget Form and explain it further in the Budget Justification.

Salaries and Wages: Include both temporary and permanent staff as well as volunteers engaged in project activities. Document the method of cost computation (e.g., as percentage of a person’s time devoted to the project, number of days, number of hours) in your budget justification.
Fringe Benefits: Fringe benefits can only be claimed as a direct cost for those positions included in your direct cost pool. Fringe benefits may be claimed only on the portion of salaries and wages identified for this project.
Travel: Explain the method of cost computation for each travel cost, including subsistence, lodging, and transportation, in your Budget Justification.

You must use the lowest available commercial fares for coach or equivalent accommodations, and you must use U.S. flagged air carriers for foreign travel when such services are available, in accordance with applicable U.S. legal requirements.

Please refer to the Narrative section of this Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about special travel requirements, if any.

Supplies, Materials, and Equipment: List the costs of supplies, materials, and equipment purchased specifically for the proposed project. For definitions and other information, please see 2 C.F.R. pt. 200. Use the Budget Justification to explain or describe these items in further detail.
Contracts and Subawards: List each third party that will undertake project activities and their associated costs as an individual line item on your Budget Form. Designate each third party as either a contract or subaward using the drop-down menu on each line. To explain or describe these items in further detail, you may either
- itemize these third-party costs in your Budget Justification or
- include a separate IMLS Budget Form as a supporting document and refer to it in the Budget Justification, for more complex projects.
Student Support: If your project includes student support costs, enter them in this section. Please click here for a definition and examples of student support.
Other Costs: Use this section for costs that cannot be assigned to other categories. Do not use this section to list items that do not fit in the lines allotted for another section.
Total Direct Costs: These amounts will total automatically.
Indirect Costs: Indirect costs are expenses that are incurred for common or joint objectives that cannot be easily identified with a particular project. Click here for more information about indirect costs.
Total Project Costs: These amounts will total automatically.

Cost Share

Cost share is that portion of the project costs that is not paid by IMLS funds. Common examples of cost share include cash outlays; contribution of property and services; and in-kind contributions, such as staff or volunteer time that support project activities.

All expenses, including cost sharing, must be incurred during the award period of performance unless otherwise specified and allowed by law. Federal funds from other federal awards may not be used for cost sharing. All federal, IMLS, and program requirements regarding the use of funds apply to both requested IMLS funds and to cost sharing. See 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.29 and 200.306 for more information on cost share.

Budget Justification

To write your Budget Justification, follow the format of the IMLS Budget Form’s section headings and save it as a PDF. Address both grant funds and cost share.

1. Salaries and Wages

Identify each person whose salary or wages will be paid with IMLS funds or by cost share, provide their names, describe their role in the project, the percent of time to be devoted to the project, and their rate of pay. If cost share is being provided by unpaid volunteers, explain how you arrived at the dollar amount used to represent the value of their services.

If you are requesting IMLS funding for salaries of permanent staff, explain the reason for the request and how the regular duties of these individuals will be performed during the award period of performance.

2. Fringe Benefits

Identify your organization’s fringe benefit rate and explain the base for the calculation for each person. If you have consolidated several persons’ fringe benefits into a single line on the IMLS Budget Form, break out the detail here.

3. Travel

For each trip, explain the purpose of the trip and specify the points of origin and destination, the name of the traveler, and break out the costs of transportation, lodging, per diem, and any other expenses associated with the travel. Explain how you arrived at the dollar amount.

4. Supplies, Materials, and Equipment

List each type of supply, material, and equipment you propose to purchase or provide as cost share for the project. Detail the number and unit cost for each item, and explain how you arrived at the dollar amounts. Provide vendor quotes or price lists as Supporting Documents with your application.

5. Contracts and Subawards

List the costs of project activities to be undertaken by third parties for the project. (Familiar terms for third parties can include partners, consultants, subgrantees, collaborators, vendors, or service providers.) Identify each third party by name, describe their role in the project, the activities they will carry out, and the cost. For each entry, designate the third party as either a subrecipient or a contractor. Explain costs for third parties and provide relevant Supporting Documents with your application. IMLS grant funds may generally not be provided to other U.S. government agencies.

You are responsible for making a case-by-case determination as to whether the agreement you make with a third party should be a contract or a subaward. That determination will depend upon the nature of your relationship with the third party with respect to the activities to be carried out. (See 2 C.F.R. § 200.330 (Subrecipient and contractor determinations).)

6. Student Support

Explain your method for calculating the costs listed in this section. Please click here for a definition and examples of student support.

7. Other Costs

Use this section for costs that cannot be assigned to other categories.

8. Total Direct Costs

Indicate the total direct costs, and specify how much you are asking from IMLS and how much you intend to provide as cost share.

9. Indirect Costs

If you include indirect costs in your project budget, identify the rate(s) and explain the base(s) on which you are calculating the costs. Click here for more information about indirect costs.

10. Total Project Costs

Indicate the total project costs here, and specify how much you are asking from IMLS and how much you intend to provide as cost share.

Indirect Costs

What are indirect costs?

Indirect costs are expenses that are incurred for common or joint objectives that cannot be easily identified with a particular project. Some examples include utilities, general insurance, use of office space and equipment that you own, local telephone service, and the salaries of the management and administrative personnel of the organization. See 2 C.F.R. pt. 200 for additional guidance.

What are our options for calculating and including indirect costs in our project budget?

You can choose to:

Use a rate not to exceed your current indirect cost rate already negotiated with a federal agency;
Use an indirect cost rate proposed to a federal agency but not yet finalized (if the rate is not finalized by the time of award, it will not be allowed);
Use a rate not to exceed 10% of modified total direct costs if you have never had a federally negotiated indirect cost rate and you are not subject to other requirements

(e.g., for States and local governments and Indian tribes); or

Not include any indirect costs.

What is a federally negotiated indirect cost rate, and how do we use one?

Federally negotiated indirect cost rates are negotiated agreements between federal agencies and non-federal entities. If your organization already has an existing negotiated indirect cost rate in effect with another federal agency, you may use this rate to calculate total project costs, as long as you apply the rate in accordance with the terms of the negotiated agreement and include a copy of the current negotiated agreement with your grant application. You may also choose to use a rate lower than your current federally negotiated indirect cost rate. We will only accept federally negotiated indirect cost rates that are current by the award date.

What if we use an indirect cost rate that we proposed to a federal agency but is not yet finalized?

If your organization is in the process of negotiating an indirect cost rate with a federal agency, you may use the indirect cost rate that was proposed to the federal agency to estimate total project costs. In such situations, if we award a grant, we will accept the rate only if the negotiations are final by the award date and a copy of the final agreement is submitted to us. IMLS staff will work with you to adjust your budget prior to awarding the grant.

How do we use the 10% indirect cost rate?

Except for those non-federal entities described in Appendix VII to 2 C.F.R. pt. 200, you may choose to charge a rate not to exceed 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC), as long you have never had a federally negotiated indirect cost rate and you meet the applicable requirements. See 2 C.F.R. part 200, including 2 CFR sections 200.68, 200.414(f), and 200.510(b)(6), for additional guidance.

Modified total direct costs are direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each sub-award. MTDC excludes several cost categories, including equipment, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs, and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.68 for additional information.

If you are using the 10% indirect cost rate, check the box indicated on the IMLS Budget Form. No additional documentation is required.

Can we apply our indirect cost rate to the cost share portion on our IMLS Budget Form?

Yes. You may, consistent with 2 CFR part 200 (Uniform Guidance), apply your indirect cost rate to your total direct costs covered by cost share, but any costs you claim as cost share must be accounted for in the cost share column on the Budget Form. IMLS funds can be used for indirect costs, but only for the portion of the total direct costs for which you are requesting IMLS funds (the Grant Funds column).

Are there any other project costs that cannot be included in our indirect cost calculations?

If you have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, you must follow its conditions and requirements.

If you are eligible for and using a rate not to exceed 10%, you may include up to 10% of the modified total direct costs (MTDC) in your indirect cost calculations. (Please see above section on this 10% rate as well as 2 C.F.R. § 200.414(f) and § 200.68.)

Student Support Costs

Students are understood to be:

Students enrolled in a community college, undergraduate, or graduate program of study.
Individuals participating in post-master’s or post-doctoral programs which are focused on supporting their career or professional development.
Library, archive, and museum staff participating in education and training activities focused on their career or professional development.

Examples of student support include:

Tuition support for students participating in the project.
Salaries or stipends for graduate assistant work, so long as their work is focused on research and teaching activities (therefore contributing to their education).
Pay and benefits for a resident or fellow to work in a position that is intended to support their learning outcomes or professional development.
Costs for travel and conference registration provided to support a student or participant’s learning outcomes or professional development.
Costs of supplies and equipment provided to students to support a student’s learning outcomes or professional development.

Activities not considered student support include:

Students employed in roles that are primarily administrative or clerical, doing work that is not primarily focused on their career or professional development. These costs should be listed in the salaries and wages section of the budget, and tuition paid on behalf of these students would not be considered student support.

Proof of Private, Nonprofit Status

If your organization is applying as a private, nonprofit institution, you must submit a copy of the letter from the Internal Revenue Service indicating your eligibility for nonprofit status under the applicable provision of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended. (See 2 C.F.R.

§3187.7(b)). We will not accept a letter of state sales tax exemption as proof of nonprofit status.

Appendix Four – IMLS Products Guidance

Guidance for Projects that Develop Digital Products, Software, and/or Research Data

What are digital products?

IMLS broadly defines digital products as any digitized or born-digital content, resources, or assets; software; or research data that you may create, collect, or develop during the course of your project.

What are the IMLS requirements for projects that create, collect, or develop digital products?

IMLS is committed to expanding public access to digital products that are created using federal funds. This includes (1) digitized and born-digital content, resources, or assets; (2) software; and (3) research data. The products you create with IMLS funding require careful stewardship to protect and enhance their value, and they should be freely and readily available for use and re-use by libraries, archives, museums, and the public. Because technology is dynamic and because we do not want to inhibit innovation, we do not want to prescribe set standards and practices that could become quickly outdated. Instead, we ask that you answer questions that address specific aspects of creating and managing digital products in the Digital Product Form. Click here to access the Digital Product For m (PDF, 2MB; Word, 40.4KB).

Additionally, IMLS participates in the Federal Agencies Digital Guidelines Initiative (FADGI), a collaborative effort by federal agencies to define common standards, guidelines, methods, and best practices for creating digital collections. The FADGI website includes a growing list of links to relevant standards, recommendations, and other resources. While this list is not exhaustive— nor do we endorse any specific resource—applicants considering digital projects may find the information useful. Click here to access the FADGI websit e.

Access to Work Products and Documents from IMLS Supported Projects

How should we share our work products from IMLS-supported projects?

All work products resulting from IMLS funding should be distributed for free or at cost unless we have given you written approval for another arrangement. We encourage IMLS grant recipients to share their work products (including publications, datasets, educational resources, software, and digital content) whenever possible through free and open-access journals and repositories. We expect you to ensure that final peer-reviewed manuscripts resulting from research conducted under an award are made available in a manner that permits the public to access, read, download, and analyze the work without charge. Wide dissemination of the results of IMLS-funded projects advances the body of knowledge and professional practice in museum, library, and information services.

What project documents might IMLS make openly accessible?

We may share grant applications, work products, and reports with grantees, potential grantees, and the general public to further the mission of the agency and the development of museum, library, and information services. We require that your final report include one copy of each written product you create, unless otherwise instructed. These materials may be disseminated broadly and made available in a variety of ways and formats.

What do we need to know about copyright and works produced with IMLS support?

You may copyright any work that is subject to copyright and was developed under an award or for which ownership was purchased. However, we reserve, for federal government purposes, a royalty free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work and authorize others to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work. We encourage you to make your works produced with IMLS support widely available, including through the use of open licenses.

Guidance for Research Applications

Please note that research and information collection is subject to applicable law, including but not limited to 45 C.F.R. pt. 46 (Protection of Human Subjects); see also the IMLS Assurances and Certifications.

An effective research application should answer the following questions in the project narrative.

What are the specific research questions your project will attempt to answer?

List the question or questions that will drive your proposed activities. Research questions should be clear and concise to help reviewers understand what you wish to learn.

What is your theoretical framing?

What are the concepts, assumptions, expectations, beliefs, and/or theories that support and inform your research and guide your approach to data collection and analysis? If you are proposing to conduct research that will build theory, explain why.

What is the relevance of your proposed research for current practice?

Discuss how your proposed work builds on existing projects or efforts, including those funded by IMLS. Provide information about how your research can lead to improved museum or library practice and demonstrate you are familiar with current scholarship, including empirical work, in your area of interest.

What research methods will you use to conduct the research?

Detail the methods you will use to collect and analyze data. Say why they are the most appropriate for addressing the question(s) at hand. Your methods must be replicable and based on current practices.

What type of data will you gather?

Describe the type of data you will collect and any measures you will take to ensure its validity and reliability. Detail the methods for collecting information along with any potential privacy or human subjects concerns that may arise. List potential challenges in gathering data and explain how you will address them. As noted above, research and information collection is subject to applicable law, including but not limited to privacy requirements and 45 C.F.R. pt. 46 (Protection of Human Subjects), see also the IMLS Assurances and Certifications.

How will you analyze and use the data?

Describe how you will analyze the results of your research and relate them to your research questions. If applicable, outline an analysis plan that links a set of testable hypotheses to the proposed research question(s). Identify the variables of interest that are key to the investigation, and explain how you will deal with alternative explanations for the observed phenomena.

How will you report the information?

Address how you will communicate the results to a variety of target audiences with different levels of expertise, especially practitioners.

How will you manage the research data and make it available for future use (as applicable)?

Explain how you will manage, share, preserve, and document the information and research products you will create during the project. To do this, complete the Digital Product For m (PDF, 2MB; Word, 40.4KB) and include it as part of the application to IMLS.

Data sharing is an essential component of research and expedites the translation of research results into new knowledge and practices. If your project involves the collection and analysis of data, we expect you to include, as part of your application, a data management plan (Part IV of the Digital Product For m (PDF, 2MB; Word, 40.4KB)) that provides for long-term preservation and access. We expect you to deposit data resulting from IMLS-funded research in a broadly accessible repository that allows the public to use the data without charge no later than the date upon which you submit your final report to IMLS. The data should be deposited in a machine-readable, non-proprietary digital format to maximize search, retrieval, and analysis.

Your project budget may include the costs of preparing the data for public release and for making the data publicly available. In your final report to IMLS, you will be required to identify where your data has been deposited and can be accessed by the public.

We recognize that data sharing may be complicated or limited in some cases by institutional policies; local Institutional Review Board (IRB) rules; and local, state, and federal laws and regulations, including those protecting confidentiality and personal privacy. The rights and privacy of people who participate in IMLS-supported research must be protected at all times. Thus, data intended for broader use should be free of anything that could lead to disclosure of the identity of individual participants. You should identify and explain the reasons for any limitations in your data management plan.

For the purposes of this section, “data” is defined consistent with OMB guidance (please see 2

C.F.R. § 200.315). We reserve a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to: (1) obtain, reproduce, publish or otherwise use the data first produced under a grant; and (2) authorize others to receive, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use such data for federal purposes.

Appendix Five – Conflict of Interest Requirements

Conflict of Interest Requirements

What conflict of interest requirements must we follow?

As a non-federal entity, you must follow IMLS conflict of interest policies for federal awards. You must disclose in writing any potential conflict of interest to an IMLS Program Officer, or to the pass-through entity if you are a subrecipient or contractor. This disclosure must take place immediately whether you are an applicant or have an active IMLS award.

The IMLS conflict of interest policies apply to subawards as well as contracts, and are as follows:

As a non-federal entity, you must maintain written standards of conduct covering conflicts of interest and governing the performance of your employees engaged in the selection, award, and administration of subawards and contracts.
None of your employees may participate in the selection, award, or administration of a subaward or contract supported by a federal award if he or she has a real or apparent conflict of interest. Such a conflict of interest would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of his or her immediate family, his or her partner, or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from an organization considered for a subaward or contract. The officers, employees, and agents of the non-federal entity must neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from subrecipients or contractors or parties to subawards or contracts.
If you have a parent, affiliate, or subsidiary organization that is not a state, local government, or Indian tribe, you must also maintain written standards of conduct covering organizational conflicts of interest. Organizational conflicts of interest means that because of relationships with a parent company, affiliate, or subsidiary organization, you are unable or appear to be unable to be impartial in conducting a subaward or procurement action involving a related organization.

Appendix Six – Director’s Letter

From the Director: IMLS’s Essential Ideas

Dear Colleagues in the Museum Sector,

Please review the FY2020 NLG for Museums funding opportunity from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). It is grounded in IMLS’s Strategic Plan 2018-2022 that reflects critical issues within our sector and communities as well as the agency’s authorizing statute. The intent of the NLG for Museums funding opportunity is to motivate the museum field to innovate, implement, and adapt potentially transformative approaches in response to our society’s demographic and cultural shifts.

Whether you are a zoo, art, history or children’s museum, botanical garden, science or technology center, university, non-profit or foundation, we encourage each of you to consider how the seven essential ideas outlined below can help you listen and respond to new challenges and changes in national priorities together. We encourage you to think about them and apply them to your project planning to strengthen your work advancing the museum field. The seven essential ideas that are explained further are:

Impact
Risk
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Stages of Maturity
Needs of End Users
Outcomes
Collaboration

The application of these essential ideas can be illustrated by walking through some of the ways they might be realized in the NLG for Museums funding opportunity. These essential ideas permeate the agency’s grant-making at all levels, and are central to IMLS’s collaborative work with the museum field:

IMLS is interested in proposals that demonstrate broad or national impact. Project impact may be difficult to define and depends on the problem you are trying to solve. Impact could be increased knowledge, deepening effective skill-building, applying existing technologies to new domains, forging new collaborations, or adapting current practice to new audiences, communities, or external conditions. Obviously weaving in appropriate and useable evaluation and assessment is essential to understanding impact, while sharing the data and findings broadly increases impact by allowing others to build upon what was learned. The essential idea is that impact depends in part on careful analysis and evaluation of your project’s work so that others can understand how they can replicate your work, use your findings to learn more, or appropriately modify your work to suit their situation. Of course we like to see successful project results, but well-documented success is better.

Risk is sometimes forgotten until late in project planning, but risk can unexpectedly occur in different forms in different stages or aspects of proposed work. It is important that you understand, plan for, and identify ways to monitor risk as part of the funding request. Our collective work benefits from a strategic portfolio of national efforts, across a mix of proposed projects. A careful balance between the risks associated with innovation and the rewards from replicable approaches helps to achieve demonstrable impact. The essential idea is that risk is welcomed as long as it is well-documented, proactively managed, and included as part of the discussion of your project’s potential impact. There are risks that are worth taking if the benefits are great.

In addition, we ask you to thoughtfully and clearly address issues of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within your organization’s proposed activities. This should be evident in your project’s approach and in the collaborative efforts you initiate or strengthen with your communities, whether public or professional. This could be demonstrated through short-term activities (such as student recruitment or engaging participants from diverse backgrounds). Or complemented by strategies to sustain and adapt such efforts (such as retaining and empowering practitioners from underserved communities or co-creating inclusive services with people from diverse backgrounds). The components of IMLS’s strategy, including NLG for Museums, work together and each inform the other. Our focus on DEI in these programs reflects the essential idea that these activities and strategies can both create change in museum practice and transform educational and career pathways. The goal is to broaden participation in the museum fields and enhance diversity in the workforce.

We encourage you to also explain how your proposed work is situated within the relevant domain (see Biscuits vs. Granola: Innovative Ways for Libraries, Archives, and Museums to Scale Up). We believe that innovation can occur anywhere in the life cycle of your work and we seek to encourage the development, adoption, spread, and adaptation of innovations. IMLS seeks ways to scale up ideas across regional or national museum communities. Project results such as new tools, research findings, models, services, practices, or collaborative approaches can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend the benefits of federal investment. The essential idea is that innovation can occur anywhere in the life cycle of your work, and work at various phases of maturity (i.e., exploring, piloting, scaling, or mainstreaming). It is important that you spend time assessing where your project fits within this framework of maturity and that you explain this through your approach to project design and evaluation.

We also seek tight alignment of project outcomes and improved practices with the needs of the end user (such as the general public, professionals at various stages of their careers, or specific communities of practice). Your proposal should address how your efforts are guided by a demonstrable opportunity for improved practice. In addition, it is important that your evaluation methods are relevant to the questions your project seeks to answer and its desired outcomes. The essential idea is the importance of understanding the needs of end users and then improving services to meet those needs.

No longer is it good enough to simply gather data. Consider how your methods, results, interpretation and dissemination can help the field, as well as society, and how you can be positioned to more effectively scale up or spread your efforts or ideas to other contexts. This applies whether you are pursuing opportunities to empower a 21st-century data-capable workforce or stewarding collections for research and use by the public. You might gather data to capture how your decision-making evolved during the life of your project due to evaluation, how your approach spreads, or how others incorporate your work within different contexts. The essential idea is that there are a variety of project results to consider; not only the methodology and outputs, but other important outcomes relating to adaptation, adoption, expansion, and re-interpretation.

At IMLS, we recognize the need to amplify the multidisciplinary nature of research and practice today—whether in data science, lifelong learning, public engagement, or community development—into the work of museums. Collaborators, such as partners and intermediaries, make important contributions to the knowledge, expertise, and networks essential to the success of a project. We view partners as those who contribute expertise, resources, reputational standing, and accountability. Intermediaries are those who help expand reach, provide capacity to conduct the work, have existing networks of target users, help in the gathering of evaluation data, or assist in the execution of the project’s plan. The essential idea is that developing equitable and mutually beneficial collaborations can fully engage the relevant community.

We believe that focusing on these essential ideas, as applied to your particular domain, will contribute to achieving a nation where museums and libraries work together, and with their constituents and stakeholders, transform the lives of both individuals and communities. The NLG for Museums funding opportunity offers wonderful avenues and incentives for innovative practitioners, leaders, collaborators, and scholars who are interested in transformative, problem-inspired work. We encourage each of you from across the broad museum community to submit proposals reflecting your best ideas. If you have questions about this or other IMLS programs, please contact the Deputy Director of Museum Services or an IMLS museum program officer.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kathryn Matthew, Director

Institute of Museum and Library Services

OMB Control #: 3137-0094, Expiration Date: 8/31/2021 IMLS-CLR-D-0024

File Type	application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
File Title	National Leadership Grants for Museums FY19 Notice of Funding Opportunity
Subject	National Leadership Grants for Libraries - FY18 Notice of Funding Opportunity
Author	Karmen Bisher
File Modified	0000-00-00
File Created	2021-01-15

FY20 National Lead FY20 National Leadership for Museums NOFO

National Leadership Grant and Museum and Museums For America - Notice of Funding Opportunity

fy20-oms-nlgm-nofo_20190626

National Leadership Grants for Museums - Notice of Funding Opportunity

OMB: 3137-0094

A. Program Description

Collections Care and Public Access

Data, Analysis, and Assessment

Digital Platforms and Applications

Diversity and Inclusion

Professional Development

Non-research grant, $50,000-$1,000,000 with 1:1 cost share required

Research grant, $50,000-$1,000,000 with no cost share required

B. Federal Award Information

C. Eligibility Information

D. Application and Submission Information

The Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form (SF424S)

IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract)

4. Organizational Profile

5. Proposal Narrative

Project Justification

Project Work Plan

Project Results

6. Schedule of Completion

7. IMLS Budget Form

8. Budget Justification

9. List of Key Project Staff and Consultants

10. Resumes of Key Project Staff and Consultants

E. Application Review Information

F. Award Administration Information

G. Contacts

H. Other Information

Appendix One – IMLS Assurances and Certifications

Financial, Administrative, and Legal Accountability

Nondiscrimination

Debarment and Suspension

Federal Debt Status

Drug-Free Workplace

Trafficking in Persons

General Certification

Subawards

Native American Human Remains and Associated Funerary Objects

Historic Properties

Environmental Protections

Research on Human Subjects

Research on Animal Subjects

Appendix Two – Required Federal Systems

Appendix Three – Explanation of Forms for Reference

Item 5. Applicant Information

Item 6. Project Information

Item 8. Primary Contact/Grants Administrator

Item 9. Authorized Representative

1. Salaries and Wages

2. Fringe Benefits

3. Travel

4. Supplies, Materials, and Equipment

5. Contracts and Subawards

7. Other Costs

9. Indirect Costs

10. Total Project Costs

Appendix Four – IMLS Products Guidance

Appendix Five – Conflict of Interest Requirements

Appendix Six – Director’s Letter