The Museum Grants for African American
History and Culture (AAHC) program is one of these six IMLS Office
of Museum Services (OMS) grant programs, and it was created by an
Act of Congress in 2003 – the same act that created the Smithsonian
National Museum of African American History and Culture. This
legislation directed IMLS to create a grant program to improve
operations, care of collections, and development of professional
management at African American museums. Now in its 13th year of
funding grants, AAHC funds projects that nurture museum
professionals; builds institutional capacity; and increases access
to museum and archival collections at African American museums and
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Museums of
all sizes and geographic areas whose primary purpose, as reflected
in their mission is African American art, life, history, and
culture, are eligible to apply for an AAHC grant. The agency now
seeks to undertake a systematic assessment to evaluate the
performance of the AAHC grant program. The proposed evaluation
approach is intended to provide a reasonable balance between
scientific considerations for valid and reliable evidence with
stakeholder utilization of the acquired knowledge. This
investigation is tended to inform IMLS decision-making for current
and future grant-making in this grant program, as well as for
practices in this segment of the museum sector. This action is to
create the survey forms and instructions for the assessment for the
next three years.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.