fy21-oms-cap-nofo.pdf

OMB Control #: 3137-0103, Expiration Date: 03/31/2024

COLLECTIONS ASSESSMENT

FOR PRESERVATION PROGRAM

FY 2021 NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Federal Awarding Agency Institute of Museum and Library Services

Funding Opportunity Title Collections Assessment for Preservation Program

Announcement Type New

Funding Opportunity Number CAP-FY21

Assistance Listing Number 45.312, see also 45.018

Application Due Date Submit through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on April 19, 2021.

Anticipated Date of Notification of Award Decisions

May 2021 (subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion)

Beginning Date of Period of Performance Projects must begin on June 1, 2021.

Table of Contents

A. Program Description B. Federal Award Information C. Eligibility Information D. Application and Submission Information E. Application Review Information F. Award Administration Information G. Contacts H. Other Information Appendix One – IMLS Assurances and Certifications Appendix Two – Required Federal Systems Appendix Three – Explanation of Forms for Reference Appendix Four – IMLS Products Guidance Appendix Five – Conflict of Interest Requirements

Collections Assessment for Preservation Program

A. Program Description A1. 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 o Objective 1.1: Advance shared knowledge and learning opportunities for all.

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

• Goal 2: Strengthen Community Engagement o Objective 2.1: Promote inclusive engagement across diverse audiences.

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

• Goal 3: Advance Collections Stewardship and Access o Objective 3.1: Support collections care and management.

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

The Collections Assessment for Preservation 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, § 9162 (National leadership grants) and § 9173 (Museum services activities)). The award that IMLS makes through the Collections Assessment for Preservation Program will align with Goal 3, Objective 3.1 and will contribute meaningfully to the achievement of both program and agency-level goals.

IMLS anticipates awarding a three-year cooperative agreement to administer the Collections Assessment for Preservation Program. Funding will be obligated annually with additional amounts subject to the availability of funds, IMLS discretion, and notification to the recipient.

Click here to search awards by program, state, city, and/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.

https://www.imls.gov/grants/awarded-grants

A2. Collections Assessment for Preservation Program Goals and Objectives

This program is designed to support an affordable and accessible collections assessment program for small to midsize museums of all kinds to help them care for and conserve their collections.

Reflecting IMLS’s agency-level goal of advancing collections stewardship and access, the goals and objectives for this program are:

• Goal 1: Increase the capacity of small to midsize museums to understand the conservation needs of their collections and the building environments in which the collections are housed.

o Objective 1.1: Engage with conservation professionals to establish parameters that support immediate and long-term collections care needs of museums of all types.

o Objective 1.2: Identify readily available support materials and develop new ones to fill gaps.

o Objective 1.3: Develop and implement a cost-effective technical assessment program to provide customized assessments of museum conservation needs each year to 100 small to midsize museums located within the United States, territories, and freely associated states.

• Goal 2: Strengthen the knowledge of museum personnel about the care and conservation of museum collections.

o Objective 2.1: Engage in targeted outreach to provide information to a broad range of collecting museums, including aquariums, arboretums, art museums, botanical gardens, children’s/youth museums, general museums (those having two or more significant disciplines), historic houses/sites, history museums, natural history/anthropology museums, nature centers, planetariums, science/technology centers, specialized museums (limited to a single distinct subject), and zoological parks.

o Objective 2.2: Collaborate in information sharing with other entities that address museum collections care and conservation, including but not limited to institutions of higher education, specialized membership organizations, and state, local, and tribal governments, through in-person and online means.

• Goal 3: Position museums to plan strategically for the long-term care and conservation of their collections under standard and emergency circumstances.

o Objective 3.1: Develop a mechanism for following up informally with program participants after the completion of the assessment to identify progress in and/or barriers to capacity building and to make recommendations for resolving problems.

o Objective 3.2: Identify strategies for offering immediate assessments to respond to emergency situations affecting program participants.

o Objective 3.3: Develop one or more mechanisms consistent with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. § 3501 et seq.) to evaluate the results as the basis for making future program improvements.

Substantial Federal Involvement: IMLS will work closely with the recipient in the implementation of project activities. This will include, but not be limited to, reviewing and approving draft documents and materials; participating in meetings of project-related committees; engaging in program promotion and publicity; and reviewing and submitting Federal Register notices and survey instruments to the Office of Management and Budget as part of Paperwork Reduction Act compliance.

A3. Performance Measurement The Collections Assessment for Preservation Program uses the following four performance measurements as a basis for understanding the level of performance by the program as a whole and by each award supported through it.

• Effectiveness: Are the activities being supported by the program contributing to (a) increasing the capacity of small and midsize museums to understand the conservation needs of their collections and the building environments in which the collections are housed; (b) strengthening the knowledge of museum personnel about the care and conservation of museum collections; and (c) positioning museums to plan strategically for the long-term care and conservation of their collections under standard and emergency circumstances?

• Efficiency: Are the activities minimizing resource costs while generating maximum value for program participants?

• Quality: Do the activities undertaken meet the requirements and expectations of the program participants?

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

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

A4. Authorizing Statute and Regulations Statute: 20 U.S.C. § 9101 et seq.; in particular, § 9162 (National leadership grants) and § 9173 (Museum services activities).

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

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

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 expected to be awarded through this announcement Up to $3,000,000 over a three-year period mailto:CivilRights@imls.gov

Expected performance measurements See Section A3.

Anticipated number of awards 1

Expected amount of individual awards Up to $3,000,000 over a three-year period

Average amount of funding per award experienced in previous years

Up to $1,000,000 per year for each of three years

Anticipated start dates for new awards Projects must begin on June 1, 2021.

Anticipated period of performance June 1, 2021-May 31, 2024. Project activities may be carried out for three years.

Type of assistance instrument Cooperative Agreement

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

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

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

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

C. Eligibility Information C1. Eligible Applicants To be eligible for an award under this Collections Assessment for Preservation Program Notice of Funding Opportunity, you must be an organization that meets all three of the following criteria:

1. You must be either a unit of State, local, or tribal government or be a private, nonprofit organization that has tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code;

2. You must be located in one of the 50 States of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau; and

3. You must qualify as one of the following:

(a) A museum that, using a professional staff, is organized on a permanent basis for essentially educational, cultural heritage, or aesthetic purposes; owns or uses tangible objects, either animate or inanimate; cares for these objects; and exhibits these objects to the general public on a regular basis through facilities that it owns or operates.

1) What types of institutions are included in the term “museum”? If they otherwise meet these requirements, “museums” include, but are not limited to, aquariums, arboretums, art museums, botanical gardens, children’s/youth museums, general museums (those having two or more significant disciplines), historic houses/sites, history museums, natural history/anthropology museums, nature centers, planetariums, science/technology centers, specialized museums (limited to a single distinct subject), and zoological parks.

2) What does it mean to be “using a professional staff”? An institution uses a professional staff if it employs at least one staff member, or the full-time equivalent, whether paid or unpaid, primarily engaged in the acquisition, care, or exhibition to the public of objects owned or used by the institution.

3) What does it mean to “exhibit the objects to the general public”? An institution exhibits objects to the general public if such exhibition is a primary purpose of the institution. An institution that exhibits objects to the general public for at least 120 days a year is deemed to exhibit objects to the general public on a regular basis.

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

(b) An organization or association that engages in activities designed to advance the wellbeing of museums and the museum profession;

(c) An institution of higher education, including public and nonprofit universities; or

(d) A public or private nonprofit agency that is responsible for the operation of a museum that meets the eligibility criteria in 1, 2, and 3(a) above may apply on behalf of the museum.

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

Eligibility of Museums Located within Parent Organizations

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

• is able to independently fulfill all the eligibility requirements listed in the above three criteria;

• functions as a discrete unit within the parent organization;

• has its own fully segregated and itemized operating budget; and

• has the authority to make the application on its own.

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

Eligibility of Nonprofit Organizations Affiliated with Museums

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

C2. Cost Sharing For the Collections Assessment for Preservation Program, you must provide funds from non-federal sources in an amount that is equal to or greater than the amount of the federal award.

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

Click here for further information on cost sharing.

C3. Other Eligibility Information An eligible applicant organization may submit only one application under this announcement.

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.

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: CAP-FY21

• Assistance Listing Number: 45.312, see also 45.018

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-museumgrants@imls.gov.

Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing (TTY Users) can contact IMLS at 202-207-7858 via 711 for TTY-Based Telecommunications Relay Service.

D2. Content and Forms 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 mailto:imls-museumgrants@imls.gov

Required Documents Please see the guidance in Section D2c for more information.

The Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form

(SF-424S)

Grants.gov form n/a

IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract) Grants.gov form n/a

IMLS Museum Program Information Form IMLS PDF form Programinfo.pdf

Organizational Profile (one page max.) PDF document Organizationalprofile.pdf

Narrative (ten pages max.) PDF document Narrative.pdf

Schedule of Completion (one page per year max.) PDF document Scheduleofcompletion.pdf

IMLS Budget Form IMLS PDF form Budget.pdf

Budget Justification PDF document Budgetjustification.pdf

List of Key Project Staff and Consultants (one page max.) PDF document Projectstaff.pdf

Resumes of Key Project Staff and Consultants (two pages each max.) PDF document Resumes.pdf

Conditionally Required Documents Please see the guidance in Section D2d for more information.

Proof of Private, Nonprofit Status PDF document Proofnonprofit.pdf

Final Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement PDF document Indirectcostrate.pdf

Digital Product Form IMLS PDF form Digitalproduct.pdf

Supporting Documents Please see the guidance in Section D2e for more information.

Information that supplements the Narrative and supports the project description provided in the application

PDF document Supportingdoc1.pdf Supportingdoc2.pdf Supportingdoc3.pdf

D2b. Format, Name, and Sequence of the Application Components Document format: Aside from the SF-424S, the IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract) and the IMLS Museum Program Information Form, which are created in Grants.gov Workspace, all application components must be submitted as PDF documents.

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

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

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

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

D2c. Instructions for Required Documents

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 Museum Program Information Form

The IMLS Museum Program Information Form is a fillable PDF (PDF, 409KB) that can be downloaded from the IMLS website. 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 organization’s governance structure if your organization is a museum located within a parent organization or if your organization is a nonprofit affiliated with a museum.

https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/oms_cap_program_information_form.pdf

• Your service area (i.e., communities and/or audiences served, including size, demographic characteristics, and geographic area).

• A brief history of your organization, focusing on the unit that will be directly involved in carrying out the work.

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

5. Proposal Narrative

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

• Limit the Narrative to ten numbered pages. We will remove any additional pages, and we will not send them to reviewers as part of your application.

• Consider each Narrative question and be mindful of each section’s review criteria.

• Be clear and concise with a minimum of technical jargon and acronyms.

• Include references throughout your Narrative to any Supporting Documents that help make your case.

• Make sure your organization’s name appears at the top of each page.

• Use at least 0.5-inch margins on all sides and a font size of at least twelve points.

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

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

Project Justification

• How do you characterize collections care and conservation needs in small to midsize museums today, and what information sources do you draw upon in doing so?

• How are individual museums and the museum field at large likely to benefit from your proposed work?

• Have potential beneficiaries been involved in your planning, and if so, how?

Review Criteria:

• Is the characterization of collections care and conservation needs in small to midsize museums clearly described and supported by relevant evidence?

• Does the proposed work hold promise for positively affecting participant museums with potential for influencing practice on a broader scale?

• Are those who will benefit from the work clearly identified, and have they been involved meaningfully in planning the work?

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?

• 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 as described in Section A3?

• How and with whom will you share your general findings and/or lessons learned?

Review Criteria:

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

• Do the identified staff, partners, 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

• To what degree do you expect to increase the capacity of participant museums to understand the conservation needs of their collections and the building environments in which the collections are housed?

• How will the personnel of participant museums experience change in knowledge, skills, behaviors, and/or attitudes about the care and conservation of museum collections as a result of your work?

• How will participant museums be positioned to sustain the benefits of their participation in the work you are proposing?

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, and/or attitudes of the intended audience?

• Is there a reasonable and practical plan for museums to sustain the benefits of their participation in the project?

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 this document as a PDF.

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

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

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.

9. List of Key Project Staff and Consultants Write a one-page list of only those staff and consultants whose expertise is essential to the success of the project and save it as a PDF. Do not list all staff involved in the project. If you cannot identify key project staff by the application deadline, then list the position title(s) instead.

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

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

(Back to Table of Application Components) https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/budgetform.pdf https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/budgetform.pdf

D2d. Conditionally Required Documents These are documents that may be required, depending upon the circumstances. Please see the table below.

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

If you are: Then you must provide: Notes:

Applying as a private, nonprofit institution, as indicated by choosing “M” as the Applicant Type code in 5d of the SF-424S form

A copy of the IRS letter indicating your eligibility for nonprofit status under the applicable provision of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.

You must submit this letter with each application whether or not you have submitted it with other applications in the current year or in previous years.

We will not accept a letter of State sales tax exemption as proof of nonprofit status.

Using a federally negotiated indirect cost rate in your budget

A current copy of your Final Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.

If you 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 Digital Product Form (PDF, 180KB; Word, 46KB)

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

(Back to Table of Application Components)

D2e. Supporting Documents You may submit a reasonable number of Supporting Documents that supplement your Narrative and support the project description. Supporting Documents should help IMLS staff and reviewers envision your project in greater detail, but they should not be used to introduce new topics nor to continue answers to the Narrative questions. Give each document a clear, descriptive title at the top of the first page. You may wish to consider the following:

• Letters of commitment from partners, consultants, or others who will work closely with you on your project

• Letters of support from museums who might benefit from your project activities

• Bibliography or references relevant to your proposed project design or evaluation strategy https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/digitalproduct.pdf https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/digitalproduct.pdf https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/digitalproduct.docx

• Letters of support from experts and stakeholders

• Relevant images that support your proposed project

• Reports from planning activities

• Contractor quotes

• Equipment specifications

• Products or evaluations from previously completed or ongoing projects of a similar nature

• 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.

You must maintain current information in SAM, including information on your immediate and highest level owner and subsidiaries, as well as on all of your predecessors that have been awarded a Federal contract or Federal financial assistance within the last three years, if applicable. 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, https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/planned-uei-updates.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/planned-uei-updates.html you should allow several weeks before the application deadline to complete this one-time process.

Do not wait until the day of the application deadline to register.

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

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

D4. Submission Dates and Times You must submit your application through Grants.gov Workspace. Do not submit through email or postal mail to IMLS.

For the Collections Assessment for Preservation Program, Grants.gov will accept applications through 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on April 19, 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 D6a. Allowable and Unallowable Costs You may use IMLS funds, and your cost share, 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, both for IMLS funds and for cost share (if applicable), under this announcement:

• personnel salaries, wages, and fringe benefits

• travel expenses for key project staff and consultants

• materials, supplies, software, and equipment related directly to project activities

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

• third-party costs

• publication design and printing

• program evaluation https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/track-my-application.html https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/Applicants/CheckApplicationStatus/CheckApplicationStatus.htm

• 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

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

D6b. 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.

D6c. 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 an eligibility criterion and is not considered in the review of applications. Cost sharing requirements for this grant program are addressed in Section C2.

E2. Review and Selection Process We use a peer review process to evaluate the merit of all complete applications from eligible institutions. Reviewers are professionals in the field with relevant knowledge and expertise in the types of project activities identified in the applications. We instruct reviewers to evaluate applications according to the review criteria. Peer reviewers must comply with IMLS’s Federal ethics and conflicts of interest requirements.

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

E3. 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 May 2021.

F. Award Administration Information F1. How will we be notified of funding decisions?

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

F2. 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, 442KB) and the IMLS Assurances and Certifications. Organizations that receive IMLS funding must be familiar with these requirements and comply with applicable law.

Applicants for Federal funds must certify that they 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, applicants certify that they are in compliance with these requirements and that they will maintain records and submit any reports that are necessary to ensure compliance. Failure to comply with these statutory and regulatory requirements may result in the suspension or termination of an award and require that the recipient 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.

F3. Reporting Recipients 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 the official award notification. Grantees must submit reports 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.

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

Grantees 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 the award is more than $500,000 over the period of performance, recipients 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 The following IMLS staff are available by phone and email to answer programmatic and administrative questions relating to this grant program.

Mark Feitl Senior Museum Program Officer Office of Museum Services mfeitl@imls.gov 202-653-4635 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-01/gtc-after-december-21-2020.pdf https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-01/gtc-after-december-21-2020.pdf https://www.imls.gov/grants/manage-your-award https://www.imls.gov/grants/manage-your-award https://www.imls.gov/grants/manage-your-award https://www.imls.gov/grants/manage-your-award mailto:mfeitl@imls.gov

Christopher J. Reich Chief Administrator Office of Museum Services creich@imls.gov 202-653-4685

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.

mailto:creich@imls.gov https://www.fsd.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.imls.gov/grants/grant-recipients/grantee-communications-kit https://www.imls.gov/grants/grant-recipients/grantee-communications-kit https://www.imls.gov/grants/grant-recipients/grantee-communications-kit https://www.imls.gov/grants/grant-recipients/grantee-communications-kit https://www.imls.gov/

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 45 hours. This includes the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and writing and reviewing the answers.

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

Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Institute of Museum and Library Services at 955 L’Enfant Plaza North, SW, Suite 4000, Washington, DC, 20024-2135, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (3137-0103), Washington, DC, 20503.

H9. PRA Clearance Number:

OMB Control #: 3137-0103, Expiration date: 03/31/2024

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.