Enhancement NOFO FY2021

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NATIVE AMERICAN LIBRARY SERVICES

ENHANCEMENT GRANTS

FY 2021 NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Federal Awarding Agency	Institute of Museum and Library Services
Funding Opportunity Title	Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants
Announcement Type	New
Funding Opportunity Number	NAG-ENHANCEMENT-FY21
Assistance Listing Number	45.311, see also 45.029
Application Due Date	Submit through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on May 11, 2021.
Anticipated Date of Notification of Award Decisions	August 2021 (subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion)
Beginning Date of Period of Performance	Projects must begin on September 1, 2021.

Table of Contents

A. Program Description 2

B. Federal Award Information 4

C. Eligibility Information 5

D. Application and Submission Information 6

E. Application Review Information 11

F. Award Administration Information 12

G. Contacts 13

H. Other Information 14

Appendix One – IMLS Assurances and Certifications 15

Appendix Two – Required Federal Systems 15

Appendix Three – Explanation of Forms for Reference 22

Appendix Four – IMLS Products Guidance 28

Appendix Five – Conflict of Interest Requirements 29

Native American Library Services

Enhancement Grants

A. Program Description

A 1. Purpose

The mission of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is to advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Guiding our grantmaking are three agency-level goals with two objectives each.

• Goal 1: Champion Lifelong Learning

  • Objective 1.1: Advance shared knowledge and learning opportunities for all.

  • Objective 1.2: Support the training and professional development of the museum and library workforce.

• Goal 2: Strengthen Community Engagement

  • Objective 2.1: Promote inclusive engagement across diverse audiences.

  • Objective 2.2: Support community collaboration and foster civic discourse.

• Goal 3: Advance Collections Stewardship and Access

  • Objective 3.1: Support collections care and management.

  • Objective 3.2: Promote access to museum and library collections.

The Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants program is designed to support the achievement of these agency-level goals and to facilitate the delivery of significant results consistent with its Federal authorizing legislation (20 U.S.C. § 9101 et seq.; in particular, § 9161 (Services for Native Americans)). Each award that IMLS makes through the Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants program will align with one of these agency-level goals and one of its associated objectives and will contribute meaningfully to the achievement of both program and agency-level goals.

Click here to search awards made through Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants program by category, state, city, or keyword.

Throughout its work, IMLS places importance on diversity, equity, and inclusion. This may be reflected in an IMLS-funded 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.

A2. Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants Goals and Objectives

This program is designed to assist Native American tribes in improving core library services for their communities. Information needs and approaches to meeting them are evolving at an unprecedented pace in all communities, and to operate within this environment effectively for the benefit of their users, libraries must be able to both strengthen existing services and move quickly to adopt new and emerging technologies. Reflecting IMLS’s agency-level goals of championing lifelong learning, strengthening community engagement, and advancing collections stewardship and access, the goals and objectives for this program are:

• Goal 1: Improve digital services to support needs for education, workforce development, economic and business development, health information, critical thinking skills, and digital literacy skills.

• Objective 1.1: Support the establishment and refinement of digital infrastructure, platforms, and technology.

• Objective 1.2: Support preservation and access to information and resources through digitization.

• Goal 2: Improve educational programs related to specific topics and content areas of interest to library patrons and community-based users.

• Objective 2.1: Support the identification of the needs and interests of learners.

• Objective 2.2: Support the development and implementation of classes, events, teaching tools, resources, and other educational services.

• Objective 2.3: Support the evaluative assessment of library-based approaches to teaching and facilitation.

• Goal 3: Enhance the preservation and revitalization of Native American cultures and languages.

• Objective 3.1: Support the development of efficient strategic partnerships within, across, and outside Native communities.

• Objective 3.2: Support the preservation of content of unique and specific value to Native communities.

• Objective 3.3: Support the sharing of content within and/or beyond Native communities.

A3. Performance Measurement

The Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants program uses the following three performance measurements as a basis for understanding the level of performance by the grant program as a whole and by each award supported through it.

• Effectiveness: Are the activities being supported by the program contributing to (a) improving digital services, (b) improving educational programs, and/or (c) enhancing the preservation and revitalization of Native American cultures and languages?

• Quality: Is the program meeting user requirements and expectations?

• Timeliness: Is each activity being completed on time and as proposed?

In the Narrative, each applicant must identify what data they will collect, how often, and from what source in order to produce these measures (see Section D2c).

A4. Authorizing Statute and Regulations

Statute: 20 U.S.C. § 9101 et seq.; in particular, § 9161 (Services for Native Americans).

Regulations: 45 C.F.R. Chapter XI and 2 C.F.R. Chapter 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. part 200. With certain IMLS-specific additions, IMLS regulations at 2 C.F.R. part 3187 formally adopt the 2 C.F.R. part 200 Uniform Guidance.

A5. 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.

B. Federal Award Information

Total amount of funding IMLS expects to award through this announcement	$1,200,000
Expected performance measurements	See Section A3
Anticipated number of awards	20
Expected amount of individual awards*	$10,000-150,000
Average amount of funding per award experienced in previous years	$131,000
Anticipated start dates for new awards	Projects must begin on September 1, 2021.
Anticipated period of performance	September 1, 2021 – August 30, 2023. Project activities may be carried out for up to two 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.

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. Eligible Applicants

To be eligible for an award under this Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants Notice of Funding Opportunity, you must be a Federally recognized tribe. Entities such as libraries, schools, tribal colleges, or departments of education are not eligible, although they may be involved in the administration of this program, and their staff may serve as project directors in partnership with an eligible applicant.

For the purpose of funding under this program, “Indian tribe” means any tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska native village, regional corporation, or village corporation (as defined in, or established pursuant to, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq.)), which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians. A list of eligible entities is available from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Minimum Requirements of Library Service

To be eligible for this program, you must be able to document an existing library that meets, at a minimum, three basic criteria: (1) regularly scheduled hours, (2) staff, and (3) materials available for library users.

You are required to have submitted a FY2021 Native American Library Services Basic Grant application to be eligible to apply for a FY 2021 Enhancement Grant. Failure to submit a FY 2021 Basic Grant application in FY2021 will result in the rejection of your FY2020 Enhancement Grant application.

Please note that there are also funding restrictions that could affect the eligibility of a project; please consult Section D6 below for details.

C2. Cost Sharing

Cost sharing is allowed but not required in this program. Cost sharing that appears in your projected budget should be carefully calculated. Grantees are expected to meet their cost share commitments.

Click here for further information on cost sharing.

C3. Other Eligibility Information

An eligible applicant organization may submit only one application under this announcement. The same population cannot be served by more than one Native American Library Services Enhancement Grant.

A grantee with an active Native American Enhancement Grant may not apply for another Native American Enhancement Grant that would have an overlapping period of performance with the active grant.

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.

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.

All application materials must be received through Grants.gov by the application deadline, 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on May 11, 2021. Late, incomplete, or ineligible applications will not be considered for funding under this notice.

D. Application and Submission Information

D1. 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:

• Funding Opportunity Number: NAG-ENHANCEMENT-FY21

• Assistance Listing Number 45.311, see also 45.029

To request an audio recording of this announcement, call 202-653-4744. To request a paper copy of this announcement, call 202-653-4744 or email imls-librarygrants@imls.gov.

Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing (TTY Users) can contact IMLS via Federal Relay at 800-877-8339.

D2. Content and Form of Application Submission

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 Library – Discretionary Program Information Form	IMLS PDF form	Programinfo.pdf
Organizational Profile (one page max.)	PDF document	Organizationalprofile.pdf
Narrative (eight 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
IMLS 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.
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 D2d 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. Format, Name, and Sequence of the Application Components

Document format: Aside from the SF-424S and the IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract), 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 pages over the limit.

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 will 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

1. The Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form (SF-424S)

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

2. 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.

3. IMLS Library – Discretionary Program Information Form

Download the current IMLS Library – Discretionary Program Information Form (PDF, 204 KB). Click here for instructions on completing it.

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 service area (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.

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 eight single-spaced, 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. As such, it must not include any sensitive, proprietary, or confidential information.

Organize your Narrative using these section headings: Project Justification, Project Work Plan, and Project Results.

Project Justification

• What need, problem, or challenge will your project address relating to the goals and objectives of this grant program as articulated in Section A2 and the project category you have chosen? How was it identified? Describe any assessment that led you to identify this need, problem, or challenge as a priority for your organization.

• Who will benefit from your project? Be specific by identifying particular age groups, under-resourced community members, and/or other types of target audiences.

Review Criteria:

• Is the need, problem, or challenge to be addressed clearly identified, relevant to the goals and objectives of this grant program as well as the project category chosen, and is it supported by relevant evidence and best practices?

• Are the people who will benefit from the project clearly identified?

Project Work Plan

• What specific activities will you carry out and in what sequence?

• Who will plan, implement, and manage your project?

• What time, financial, personnel, and other resources will you need to carry out the activities? Identify any partner and/or collaborator organizations that will contribute to your project and describe their roles.

• What are the risks to the project and how will you mitigate them?

• What data will you collect, how often, and from what source(s) in order to measure your performance in terms of effectiveness, quality, and timeliness (see Section A3)?

• How and with whom will you share your work’s general findings lessons learned?

Review Criteria:

• Are the proposed activities informed by appropriate theory and practice?

• Do the identified staff, partners, collaborators, consultants, and service providers possess the experience and skills necessary to complete the work?

• Are the time, financial, personnel, and other resources identified appropriate for the scope and scale of the project?

• Are the risks clearly stated and is the plan for mitigating them reasonable and well thought out?

• Is the methodology described for measuring performance likely to provide meaningful information?

• Is there an effective plan for communicating general findings and/or lessons learned?

Project Results

• What are your project’s intended results and how will they address the need, problem, or challenge you have identified in the Project Justification?

• How will the knowledge, skills, behaviors, capabilities, and/or attitudes of the intended audience change as a result of your project?

• 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 there evidence that the project will effect meaningful change in knowledge, skills, behaviors, capabilities, and/or attitudes of the intended audience?

• Is the plan for collecting and reporting data to measure the project’s success well designed and feasible?

• Will the tangible products be useful?

• 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.

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 and submit this document as a PDF.

If your proposal is selected for funding, your application, including but not limited to 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.

7. IMLS Budget Form

Download the IMLS Budget Form (PDF, 1.67MB). Click here for instructions on completing it. Java Script must be enabled in your web browser.

Make sure that the total budget amount on your IMLS Budget Form matches the total amount in your Library Services Plan and the total amount on your Supplementary Information Form.

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.

Make sure the total dollar amount(s) on the IMLS Budget Form and in the Budget Justification equal the total dollar amount(s) on the IMLS Supplementary Information Form.

Please include $2,000 in your budget for IMLS-directed travel each year.

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 instead. This list must include the Project Director listed in Item 7 of the SF-424S.

10. Resumes of Key Project Staff and Consultants

Provide a resume of no more than two pages for each individual identified on the List of Key Project Staff and Consultants. Save all the resumes in a single PDF. If you cannot identify key project staff by the application deadline, then provide a position description that identifies the qualities, range of experience, and education necessary to successfully implement and complete project activities.

D2d. Conditionally Required Documents

These documents may be required, depending on 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:
Using a federally negotiated indirect cost rate in your budget	A current copy of your Final Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.	If you do not have a current negotiated (including provisional) indirect cost rate and elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10 percent of Modified Total Direct Costs (see 2 C.F.R. part 200, including 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.1, 200.414(f), and 200.510(b) (6)), you do not need to provide any documentation.
Proposing to generate digital content, resources, assets, software, and/or research data	A completed IMLS Digital Product Form (PDF, XXKB; Word XXKB).	Click here for Guidance for projects that develop digital products.

If your proposal is selected for funding, your application, including but not limited to the Digital Product Form, 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)

D2e. Instructions for 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

• Position descriptions for project staff (if not included with resumes for key personnel) to be supported by grant or cost share funds

• 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. Registration Requirements

Before submitting an application, your organization must have a current and active Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S®) Number or Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number (see Section D3a); a current and active System for Award Management (SAM) registration; and an active Grants.gov registration with an approved Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). Check your materials and registrations well in advance of the application deadline to ensure that they are accurate, current, and active.

IMLS may reject an application if the SAM registration is not active and current at the time of submission. IMLS may determine that an applicant without an active and current SAM registration at the time an award is made is not qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

D3a. Unique Entity Identifier

The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number is a non-proprietary identifier assigned to all entities (public and private companies, individuals, institutions, or organizations) who register to do business with the federal government. The D-U-N-S® number will eventually be phased out as the official identifier for doing business with the federal government. The UEI will replace the D-U-N-S® Number and will be requested in, and assigned by, the System for Award Management. Until then, the D-U-N-S® Number remains the official identifier, and applicants should continue to use it to register in SAM. Click here to learn more about getting a D-U-N-S® number. Click here to learn more about planned UEI updates in grant application forms.

D3b. System for Award Management (SAM)

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. Click here to learn more about SAM registration.

D3c. Grants.gov

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 multistep registration process generally cannot be completed in a single day. If you are not already registered, you should allow several weeks before the grant program 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. Submission Dates and Times

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

For the Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants program, Grants.gov will accept applications through 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on May 11, 2021.

We strongly recommend that you obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, register with SAM and Grants.gov, and complete and submit the application early (see Section D3a). 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.

Visit Grants.gov Support, email support@grants.gov, or call Grants.gov Applicant Support 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.

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, visit Check Application Status at Grants.gov.

D5. Intergovernmental Review

This funding opportunity is not subject to intergovernmental review per Exec. Order No. 12372.

D6. Funding Restrictions

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

The following list includes some examples of generally allowable costs 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

• adaptive and/or assistive technologies and other resources and services to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities

• equipment to improve collections storage and exhibit environments

• third-party costs

• publication design and printing

• staff and volunteer training

• 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

• research projects (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.1)

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

D6a. Costs for Third Parties

Your project may require you to provide federal funds to third parties (such as partners, consultants, collaborators, 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. § 200.1 for definitions of contract, contractor, subaward, and subrecipient; see also 2 C.F.R. § 200.331 (Subrecipient and contractor determinations).) IMLS grant funds may not be provided to any federal agency serving as a third party.

D6b. Indirect Costs

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 percent of the Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) if you currently do not have 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.

Click here for further information on indirect costs.

E. Application Review Information

E1. Review Criteria

IMLS instructs reviewers 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.

Cost sharing is not required for this program and is not considered in the review of applications. Click here for further information on cost sharing.

E2. Review and Selection Process

We use a peer review process to evaluate all eligible and complete applications. 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. Designated Integrity and Performance System

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. § 200.206 (Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants).

E4. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

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 2021.

F. Award Administration Information

F1. Federal Award Notices

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

F2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Organizations that receive IMLS grants or cooperative agreements are subject to 2 C.F.R. part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, the IMLS General Terms and Conditions for IMLS Discretionary Grant and Cooperative Agreement Awards (PDF, XXXKB) 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 submitting the application, 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. For information about award termination, please see the IMLS General Terms and Conditions for IMLS Discretionary Grant and Cooperative Agreement Awards and 2 C.F.R. § 200.340.

In accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s guidance located at 2 C.F.R. part 200, all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Federal awarding agency will review and consider applications for funding pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity in accordance with the:

• President’s September 2, 2020 memorandum, entitled Memorandum on Reviewing Funding to State and Local Government Recipients of Federal Funds that Are Permitting Anarchy, Violence, and Destruction in American Cities;

• Executive Order on Protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues and Combating Recent Criminal Violence (Exec. Order No. 13933); and

• Guidance for Grants and Agreements in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR), as updated in the Federal Register’s 85 FR 49506 on August 13, 2020, particularly on:

  • Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering results based on the program objectives through an objective process of evaluating Federal award applications (2 C.F.R. § 200.205),

  • Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. No. 115—232) (2 C.F.R. § 200.216),

  • Promoting the freedom of speech and religious liberty in alignment with Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty (Exec. Order No. 13798) and Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities (Exec. Order No. 13864) (2 C.F.R. §§ 200.300, 200.303, 200.339, and 200.341),

  • Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States (2 C.F.R. § 200.322), and

  • Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest extent authorized by law, if an award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2 C.F.R. § 200.340).

F3. Reporting

Grantees must comply with the following reporting requirements.

Interim and final financial and performance reports are due according to the reporting schedule that is part of your official award notification. Grantees must submit reports electronically using the IMLS electronic grants management system, eGMS. 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.

We require that your final report include one copy of each written product you create, unless otherwise instructed.

For details and forms, please see Manage Your Award: Grant Administration.

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

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. part 200, Appendix XII – Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.

G. Contacts

Click here for IMLS staff contact information for this grant program. IMLS staff are available by phone and email to answer programmatic and administrative questions relating to this grant program. IMLS staff also provide webinars to introduce potential applicants to funding opportunities. Click here for a list of webinars and instructions for accessing them from your computer.

Visit the Federal Service Desk or call 1-866-606-8220 for questions about registering or renewing your registration with login.gov or SAM.gov. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

Visit Grants.gov Support, email support@grants.gov, or call Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 for assistance with software issues, registration issues, and technical problems. Grants.gov Applicant Support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for Federal holidays.

Be sure to obtain a case number when calling the Federal Service Desk or Grants.gov for support.

H. Other Information

H1. 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 Kit, which provides guidance for fulfilling these requirements.

H2. Disclosure of Information in Applications

IMLS may share grant applications, products, and reports to further the mission of the agency and the development of museum, library, and information services.

As a general practice, and except for information that is privacy-protected, information contained in IMLS applications that receive funding may be made public. Please identify any information you deem confidential and/or proprietary and seek to have protected.

H3. 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. Conflict of Interest Requirements

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. Additional Information about IMLS

Visit the IMLS website for information about IMLS and IMLS activities.

H6. IMLS Obligations to Make Awards

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

H7. Peer Review

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 portal. 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. Application Completion Time

Complete applications include the elements listed in the Table of Application Components in Section D2a. We estimate the average amount of time needed for one applicant to complete the narrative portion of this application to be 35 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 for the IMLS Supplementary Information Form and the IMLS Library - Discretionary 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 (3137-0110), Washington, DC 20503.

H9. PRA Clearance Number

OMB Control #: 3137-0110, Expiration date: x/xx/xxxx

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 submitting the application, 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. Chapter XXXI and 45 C.F.R. Chapter 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:

1. 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));

2. 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. part 1170 in determining compliance with Section 504 as it applies to recipients of federal assistance);

3. 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;

4. 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

5. 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. part 3185 and 2 C.F.R. part 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:

1. are presently excluded or disqualified;

2. 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;

3. 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

4. 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, the authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, shall attach an explanation to the application.

The applicant, as a primary tier participant, is required to comply with 2 C.F.R. part 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. part 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. part 3186 (Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)). In particular, 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. part 3186, which adopts the Government wide implementation (2 C.F.R. part 182) of Sections 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 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 kept on file in the recipient’s offices) all known workplaces under 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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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 31 U.S.C. § 1352. 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 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards set forth in 2 C.F.R. part 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:

1. 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;

2. notification of violating facilities pursuant to Exec. Order No. 11738;

3. protection of wetlands pursuant to Exec. Order No. 11990, as amended by Exec. Order No. 12608;

4. evaluation of flood hazards in floodplains in accordance with Exec. Order No. 11988, as amended (see Exec. Order No. 12148);

5. 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.);

6. 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.);

7. 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

8. 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. part 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

Currently, all non-federal entities must obtain a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S®) Number in order to apply for, receive, and report on federal awards. The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) will eventually replace the D-U-N-S® Number and will be requested in, and assigned by, the System for Award Management (SAM). Until then, the D-U-N-S® Number remains the official identifier, and applicants should continue to use it to register in SAM.

Visit http://www.dnb.com/duns-number.html or call 1-866-705-5711 to look up, request, or update the information associated with an organization’s D-U-N-S® Number. D-U-N-S® Numbers are free and can be created in one or two business days.

For more information about the transition from D-U-N-S® to UEI, visit gsa.gov/entityid.

Registering for SAM

The System for Award Management (SAM) is a federal repository that centralizes information about grant applicants and recipients and is free to all users. You must be registered with SAM before you register with Grants.gov. Click here to quickly check on an organization’s registration status in SAM by entering a D-U-N-S® Number or a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code.

Representatives of organizations that must register with SAM for the first time must begin by creating a SAM user account through login.gov. Click here to access instructions and FAQs. Then proceed to the registration process.

We recommend that you allow several weeks to complete your SAM registration and to secure a CAGE Code.

You must renew your registration in SAM 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 registration.

Registering for Grants.gov

Grants.gov is a website owned and operated by the Federal government and is free to all users. Applicants must register with Grants.gov before submitting an application to IMLS. Click here to learn more about the multistep registration process. Applicants should make sure that the information associated with their D-U-N-S® Numbers is accurate and that the SAM registration is current and active. Allow several weeks to complete the 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. Click here for more detailed instructions for creating a profile on Grants.gov.

Designating more than one Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) when registering in Grants.gov will help avoid last-minute crises in the event that a single AOR is unavailable when the organization is ready to submit the application. It is also important to update the contact information and password in Grants.gov whenever an AOR changes.

Visit Grants.gov Support, email support@grants.gov, or call Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 for technical assistance. Grants.gov Applicant Support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for Federal holidays. Click here for Grants.gov Applicant FAQs with links to additional applicant resources.

Working with Grants.gov Workspace

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 forms within an application. For each funding opportunity, applicants can create individual copies of a workspace to complete an application. Click here for an overview of Grants.gov Workspace with links to interactive graphics, videos, and Help Articles.

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

1. Legal Name: Enter your organization’s legal name as it appears in your SAM 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.

2. Address: Enter your legal applicant’s address as it appears in your SAM registration.

3. Web Address: Enter your web address.

4. Type of Applicant: Select the code that best characterizes your organization from the menu in the first dropdown box. Leave the other boxes blank.

5. Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN): Enter the EIN or TIN assigned to your organization by the Internal Revenue Service.

6. Organizational DUNS: Enter your organization’s D-U-N-S® Number received from Dun and Bradstreet.

7. 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 of Representatives website by clicking here and using the “Find Your Representative” tool.

Item 6. Project Information

1. Project Title: Enter a brief descriptive title for your project. IMLS may use this title for public information purposes.

2. Project Description: Enter a brief description (about 120 words) of your project. Tell us what your project will do, for whom or what, and with what expected outcomes. Use clear language that can be understood by readers who might not be familiar with the discipline or subject area.

3. 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

The organizational unit performing the activities described in the application is the same as the legal applicant from the SF-424S. Check YES.

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(s) Served

Select the primary audience(s) to be served by the activities described in the application. Choose no more than three. If you choose General Population, do not choose any others.

Abstract

Write an Abstract of no more than 3,000 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 performance in achieving your intended results.

IMLS Library - Discretionary Program Information Form

Section 1. Organizational Financial Information: a-d. Federally recognized tribes are not required to submit this information. However, to avoid error messages and so that your form may be successfully submitted, enter “0” under Total Revenue and under Total Expenses for each Fiscal Year.

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 one associated objective.

Section 3. Grant Program: Select “C,” Native American Library Services: Enhancement Grants.

IMLS Budget Form

Download the IMLS Budget Form (PDF, 1.1MB) to your computer and work on it outside your internet browser. When it is complete, save it as a PDF and upload it as part of your application through Grants.gov.

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. part 200 and 2 C.F.R. part 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. Native American Library Services Enhancement Grant project activities may be carried out for up to two years. Year 3 should be left blank.

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.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Travel: Explain the method of cost computation for each travel cost, including transportation, lodging, and per diem, 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.

4. 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. part 200. Use the Budget Justification to explain or describe these items in further detail.

5. Subawards and Contracts: List each third party that will undertake project activities and their associated costs as an individual line item on your IMLS Budget Form. Designate each third party as either a subaward or contract 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Total Direct Costs: These amounts will total automatically.

9. 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.

10. 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. §§ 200.1 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. Subawards and Contracts

List the costs of project activities to be undertaken by third parties for the project. (Familiar terms for third parties can include partners, consultants, 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. 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 subaward or a contract. 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. § 200.331 (Subrecipient and contractor determinations).)

6. Student Support

Explain your method for calculating the costs listed in this section. 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

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. part 200 for additional guidance.

Options for Calculating and Including Indirect Costs in A 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 percent of Modified Total Direct Costs if you currently do not have 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.

Using a Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate

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.

Using a Proposed Indirect Cost Rate

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 issue an award, 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 issuing an award.

Using the 10 Percent De Minimis Indirect Cost Rate

Except for those non-federal entities described in Appendix VII to 2 C.F.R. part 200, you may choose to charge a rate not to exceed 10 percent of Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC), as long you do not currently have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate and you meet the applicable requirements. See 2 C.F.R. part 200, including 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.1, 200.414(f), and 200.510(b)(6), for additional guidance.

Modified Total Direct Costs means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each subaward. 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. § 200.1 for additional information.

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

Applying an Indirect Cost Rate to the Cost Share Portion of a Budget

You may, consistent with 2 C.F.R. part 200, 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).

Restrictions on Project Costs Included in Indirect Cost Calculations

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

If you do not have a current negotiated (including provisional) indirect cost rate and meet applicable requirements, you may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10 percent of the Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) in your indirect cost calculations.

If you have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement of less than 10 percent, you must use it rather than the de minimis rate in your indirect cost calculations.

Please see above section on this 10 percent rate as well as 2 C.F.R. § 200.414(f) and § 200.1.

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.

Appendix Four – IMLS Products Guidance

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

IMLS broadly defines digital products as any digital content, resources, assets, software, or datasets that you may create, collect, or develop during the course of your project.

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 Form (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 website.

Access to Work Products and Documents 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.

Copyright Information

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.

Appendix Five – Conflict of Interest Requirements

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.

OMB Control #: 3137-0110, Expiration Date x/xx/xxxx