fy23-ols-nlgl-nofo.pdf

From the IMLS Director:

As we enter a new phase of our national life, with the pandemic receding (please!) and our economic and societal landscape coming with new opportunities and challenges for our nation’s libraries and museums, I offer these thoughts about the importance and focus of our grantmaking.

Museums significantly funded by grants and earned revenue have by and large survived by making very hard decisions, presenting themselves ever more significantly online and joining local partners to respond in every way to community need. Libraries similarly have renewed, redefined, and deepened what it means to be an anchor institution, called on to be what can be described as the Swiss army knife of community, an answer, sometimes THE answer to every community problem.

With the exception of our largest institutions, all of the wonderful activity in our museums and libraries is intensely local and community driven, community inspired. But our grantmaking, while it recognizes the individuality of our institutions, stresses best practices, angles of impact, preservation and promotion of heritage, civilizational value, and being a part of the recognition of and reckoning with equity in its largest sense, the sense of justice and fairness.

To that end I want to stress the following.

Our strategic emphasis on lifelong learning must encourage shared knowledge, the development of various literacies, including digital, economic, environmental, health, social, and historical but always remembering the fundamental literacy is reading. The most essential skill and the most important place to challenge the gaps and divides in our country is with fundamental literacy and the support for that through equitable cultural literacy unites our cultural institutions with our educational institutions in the only cultural war we should all be engaged in: the war on illiteracy.

Professional education and development is a key part of this. And to advance equity in the professional ranks, which is obviously also to advance it for patrons and the community, we need more resources to support diversity in its many forms and in all ranks of our institutions. We should reflect the country we live in through mind and heart (as well as class and color). Paid internships, scholarships, fellowships in all levels of professional development should be encouraged.

Community engagement should seek out the diversity of our history, our local stories, the stories of those communities within larger community, and let all the voices be heard, preferably together. Civil discourse is very much needed today, and our most trusted institutions must play a central role. Debates and discussions, convenings and presentations of curated information with face-to-face engagement about what constitutes fact and what constitutes opinion, and to learn through that not only what we disagree about, but also on that with which we agree. Modeling civic discourse is of first importance.

Increasingly, museums and libraries are working to bring community voices into our collections, archives, and storytelling to make sure we match the preservation of history, the presentation of knowledge and culture, to community need. Community needs must also therefore be in dialogue with a world of knowledge made ever more accessible to the widest range of patrons. Cultural literacy is necessary for the kind of literacy and the kind of skills that define real equity.

Finally, the Museum and the Library are portals to enlightenment and delight: we should share the best of what has been, what we know today, and what we think about the future with all our citizens, family, and friends. We should make sure these are their stories too so that we all belong to the institution of enlightenment and the institution belongs to us.

Crosby Kemper

OMB Control No. 3137-0091, Expiration Date: 6/30/2024

NATIONAL LEADERSHIP GRANTS

FOR LIBRARIES

FY 2023 NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Federal Awarding Agency Institute of Museum and Library Services

Funding Opportunity Title National Leadership Grants for Libraries

Announcement Type Modification of FY2022 Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Number NLG-Libraries-FY23

Assistance Listing Number 45.312

Application Deadline

Preliminary Proposals: Submit through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. U.S.

Eastern Time on September 21, 2022.

Invited Full Proposals: Submit through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. U.S.

Eastern Time on March 17, 2023.

Anticipated Date of Notification of

Award Decisions July 2023 (subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion)

Beginning Date of Period of

Performance Projects must begin on August 1, 2023.

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 – Guidance for Required Registrations

Appendix Three – Guidance for Completing Forms and Other Application Components

Appendix Four – Guidance for Creating a Digital Products Plan

Appendix Five – Guidance for Research Applications

Appendix Six – Conflict of Interest Requirements

Appendix Seven – Keywords

National Leadership Grants for Libraries

A. Program Description

A1. Agency Mission, Goals, and Objectives

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 National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program is designed to support the achievement of these agency-level goals and to facilitate the delivery of significant results consistent with the IMLS federal authorizing legislation (20 U.S.C. § 9101 et seq.; in particular, § 9162 (National leadership grants)). Each award that IMLS makes through the National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program will align with one agency-level goal and one associated objective and will thus contribute meaningfully to the achievement of both program and agency-level goals.

Click here to search awards made through the National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program by year, log number, 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.

A2. National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program

Goals and Objectives

This program is designed to support projects of national impact that address critical needs of the library and archives fields and have the potential to advance practice in these professions to strengthen library and archival services for the American public. Projects are expected to:

• propose far-reaching impact to influence practice across one or more disciplines within the libraries and archives fields;

https://www.imls.gov/grants/awarded-grants?field_states=All&field_city=&field_program_categories_text=National+Leadership+Grants+-+Libraries&field_institution=&fulltext_search= https://www.imls.gov/grants/awarded-grants?field_states=All&field_city=&field_program_categories_text=National+Leadership+Grants+-+Libraries&field_institution=&fulltext_search=

• reflect a thorough understanding of current practice, knowledge about the subject matter, and an awareness of and support for current strategic priorities in the field;

• use collaboration to demonstrate broad need, field-wide buy-in and input, and access to appropriate expertise; and

• generate results such as new models, new tools, research findings, services, practices, and/or alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend and leverage the benefits of federal investment.

As a result, National Leadership Grants for Libraries have significant potential to generate positive societal impact through project activities undertaken as part of the grant-funded work, activities that may be complementary to the project, and through applied research designed specifically for this purpose. IMLS does not prescribe the type, focus, reach, or scale of societal impact required for each project, but the questions to be addressed in the application Narrative and the review criteria reflect the agency’s commitment to both advancing knowledge and understanding and to ensuring that the federal investment made through grants generates benefits to society. Applicants should keep these two agency commitments in mind when they conceptualize their projects, identify the target group(s) they propose to reach, prepare their work plans, and formulate their intended results.

Reflecting IMLS’s agency-level goals, the National Leadership Grants Program for Libraries has five program goals and two or three objectives associated with each goal. Each applicant should align their proposed project with one of these five program goals and one or more of the associated objectives. Goal and objective choices should be identified clearly in the Narrative (see Section D2c for Preliminary Proposals and Section D3c for Invited Full Proposals).

• Goal 1: Build the workforce and institutional capacity for managing the national information infrastructure and serving the information and education needs of the public.

o Objective 1.1: Develop or enhance replicable library and archives programs, models, and tools that provide opportunities to support all types of learning. Topics addressed may include, but are not limited to, informal STEM or other types of participatory learning; community or citizen science; community and expert narratives; early learning; workforce development; and digital, information, health, financial, media, civic, and other types of literacies.

o Objective 1.2: Collaborate with formal and/or informal learning organizations to incorporate promising practices from allied domains into library and archives services. Partners may include, but are not limited to, museums, school systems, universities, extension programs, youth-serving organizations, departments of correction, and workforce or economic development organizations.

o Objective 1.3: Create and/or facilitate opportunities for continuous learning for families, groups, and individuals of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and needs including, but not limited to, young children and their caregivers, tweens and teens, un- and under-employed adults looking to make career transitions or re-enter the workforce, veterans, immigrants and refugees, individuals with disabilities, English-language learners, and senior citizens.

• Goal 2: Build the capacity of libraries and archives to lead and contribute to efforts that improve community well-being and strengthen civic engagement.

o Objective 2.1: Develop or enhance replicable library programming, models, and tools that engage communities and individuals of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Topics may include, but are not limited to, workforce and economic development; financial, health, social, or legal services; or efforts that increase equity and access.

o Objective 2.2: Develop or enhance collaborations between libraries and stakeholders, and leverage opportunities to address community needs. Partners may include, but are not limited to, museums, school systems, service organizations, workforce or community development groups, government agencies, departments of correction, community colleges, and community associations.

o Objective 2.3: Establish or refine approaches that equip libraries and archives to contribute to the well-being of communities. Approaches may include, but are not limited to, asset mapping, public data mining, social network analysis, journey mapping, and generating impact indicators in collaboration with the community to better understand social and economic conditions, infrastructure challenges, and geographic or cultural barriers.

• Goal 3: Improve the ability of libraries and archives to provide broad access to and use of information and collections with emphasis on collaboration to avoid duplication and maximize reach.

o Objective 3.1: Advance digital inclusion, broadly defined. Approaches may include, but are not limited to, enhancing digital infrastructures, platforms, technologies, online services, connectivity, digital literacy, privacy, and security, as well as creating new processes and procedures needed to sustain a robust online environment.

o Objective 3.2: Support innovative approaches to digital collection management including, but not limited to, preservation and access to information and resources through retrospective and born-digital content; digital preservation strategies;

community archives; web archiving; and improving cataloging and inventory practices.

o Objective 3.3: Support the design and development of online library and archives services that meet user expectations for operating in an online environment.

• Goal 4: Strengthen the ability of libraries to provide services to affected communities in the event of an emergency or disaster.

o Objective 4.1. Support the development of model national, regional, statewide, or local emergency and disaster management plans employing new and emerging technologies, where appropriate, and the widespread dissemination of information derived from them.

o Objective 4.2. Support the implementation of such emergency and disaster management plans or otherwise enable libraries to provide appropriate services to affected communities in the event of emergencies or disasters.

• Goal 5: Strengthen the ability of libraries, archives, and museums to work collaboratively for the benefit of the communities they serve.

o Objective 5.1. Support the development of replicable systems that leverage institutional expertise and experience to maximize public access to and use of knowledge resources. Issues addressed may include, but are not limited to, practicing effective communication and conflict resolution, sharing decision-making, recognizing and accommodating different values, building a collective set of goals, establishing shared vocabularies and common practices, formalizing workflow processes or protocols, establishing guidelines and standards, building broad infrastructures, creating or customizing project technology, and cross-training staff and volunteers.

o Objective 5.2. Support joint projects designed to address a shared problem and structured to use the expertise, experience, and perspective of each partner institution in its solution. Collaborating partners should include at least one museum, broadly defined. Projects may address, but are not limited to, innovative programming; literacy skill-building; object- and primary source-based learning through exhibitions and programs; curriculum development; collections management, care, and conservation; enhancing online discoverability; and improving online user experience.

A3. Project Types

The National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program has four project types, and applicants must designate one of them for each application they submit. Applicants may submit more than one application to the National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program; however, they may not submit the same proposal under more than one project type.

The project types and corresponding periods of performance are:

Project Type Period of Performance

Planning 1 to 2 years

Forum 1 to 2 years

Implementation 1 to 3 years

Applied Research 1 to 3 years

Planning projects support exploratory activities, such as analyzing needs and feasibility; solidifying partnerships; developing project work plans; or developing prototypes, proofs of concept, and pilot studies. Applications should identify planning activities that have the potential to lead to future implementation. The period of performance for a Planning project is one to two years.

Forum projects support convening qualified experts and key stakeholders, including those from adjacent fields as appropriate, to help explore current or emerging issues or opportunities that are important to libraries and archives across the nation. Reports and other deliverables should be prepared for wide dissemination. Convenings should leverage technology, such as virtual meetings or live streaming, to allow broad participation. Additional mechanisms for engaging stakeholders and building awareness of the findings are encouraged. The period of performance for a Forum project is one to two years.

Implementation projects support the development, execution, and evaluation of work that transforms how libraries and archives serve the nation. Implementation projects may develop new tools and resources or expand existing products or services for new audiences or in new contexts.

Applicants should design their proposed work to ensure that new practices have the potential to be easily adoptable, sustainable, and widely implementable across the field. The period of performance for an Implementation project is one to three years.

Applied Research projects support the investigation of key questions relevant to library or archival tools and services, building on prior empirical, theoretical, or exploratory work in libraries and archives or other relevant disciplines. Applicants must include clearly articulated research questions and feature appropriate methods, including relevant theoretical or conceptual approaches, data collection, and analysis. Findings and their implications for library and archival practice should be shared broadly throughout the grant period of performance, rather than exclusively at the end of the project. Dissemination activities should extend beyond publishing journal articles and presenting at academic conferences. Research projects should not be designed with a deterministic agenda or predetermined outcomes. Proposals focused on evaluation are not appropriate for the Applied

Research project category and should be submitted under the Implementation project category above. The period of performance for an Applied Research project is one to three years. See

Guidance for Research Applications.

Note: Phase II: Invited Full Proposals submitted for Applied Research projects will be considered incomplete if they do not include Data Management Plans that explain how the applicant will manage, share, preserve, document, and enable reuse of the information and research products created during the project. See Appendix Five for guidance on creating a Data Management Plan.

A4. Performance Measures

The National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program uses four performance measures as a basis for understanding (1) how well the grant program is meeting its goals and (2) how individual projects are being managed.

• Effectiveness: The extent to which activities contribute to achieving the intended results

• Efficiency: How well resources (e.g., funds, expertise, time) are used and costs are minimized while generating maximum value for the target group

• Quality: How well the activities meet the requirements and expectations of the target group

• Timeliness: The extent to which each task/activity is completed within the timeframe proposed

Each applicant preparing an Invited Full Proposal is asked to describe how they will monitor and assess their performance in carrying out their project as a whole, using these four measures (see

Section D3c, Item 7).

A5. Authorizing Statute and Regulations

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

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

Recipients must 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.

A6. 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.

mailto:CivilRights@imls.gov

B. Federal Award Information

Total amount of funding IMLS expects to award through this announcement $9,000,000

Expected performance indicators, targets, baseline data, and data collection See Section A4.

Anticipated number of awards 38

Expected amount of individual awards

Planning $50,000 - $150,000

Forum $50,000 - $150,000

Implementation $50,000 - $1,000,000

Applied Research $50,000 - $750,000

Average amount of funding per award experienced in previous years $318,606

Anticipated start dates for new awards Projects must begin on August 1, 2023.

Anticipated period of performance

August 1, 2023 – July 31, 2026. Project activities may be carried out for one to three years, based on the selected project type. See Section A3.

Type of assistance instrument Grant

The funding in the above Federal Award Information table is subject to the availability of funds and

IMLS discretion. IMLS is not bound by any estimates in this announcement.

If your request for federal funding, including all direct and indirect costs, is outside the applicable range as designated above, 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 pool of unfunded applications from this competition.

C. Eligibility Information

C1. Eligible Applicants

To be eligible for the National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program, you must:

1. be either a unit of State or local government or be a private, nonprofit organization that has nonprofit status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, and

2. 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.

In addition, you must qualify as one of the following six types of organizations:

1. A library or a parent organization, such as a school district, a municipality, a State agency, or an academic institution, that is responsible for the administration of a library. Eligible libraries include:

(a) Public libraries

(b) Public elementary and secondary school libraries

(c) College (including community college) and university libraries

(d) Research libraries and archives that are not an integral part of an institution of higher education and that make publicly available library services and materials that are suitable for scholarly research and not otherwise available. Research libraries must be under the supervision of at least one permanent professional staff librarian and must be either generally recognized as possessing unique, scholarly research materials and services that are made available to the public, or able to demonstrate that such is the case when submitting an application to IMLS.

(e) Private or other special library, but only if the State in which such private or special library is located determines that the library should be considered a library for purposes of Library Services and Technology (see 20 U.S.C. § 9121-9165)

2. An academic or administrative unit, such as a graduate school of library and information science that is part of an institution of higher education through which it would make application;

3. A digital library, if it makes library materials publicly available and provides library services, including selection, organization, description, reference, and preservation, under the supervision of at least one permanent professional staff librarian;

4. A library agency that is an official agency of a State or other unit of government and is charged by the law governing it with the extension and development of public library services within its jurisdiction;

5. A library consortium that is a local, statewide, regional, interstate, or international cooperative association of library entities that provides for the systematic and effective coordination of the resources of eligible libraries, as defined above, and information centers that work to improve the services delivered to the clientele of these libraries; or

6. A library association that exists on a permanent basis; serves libraries or library professionals on a national, regional, State, or local level; and engages in activities designed to advance the well-being of libraries and the library profession.

IMLS recognizes the potential for valuable contributions to the overall goals of the National

Leadership Grants for Libraries Program by entities that do not meet the eligibility requirements above. Although such entities may not serve as the legal applicants, they are encouraged to participate in projects. Consult with an IMLS Program Contact about any eligibility questions before submitting an application.

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

C2. Cost Share Requirements

For the National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program, the requirements to provide cost share from non-federal sources differ according to project type.

Project Type Award Amount Cost Share Requirement

Planning $50,000 - $150,000 No cost share required.

Forum $50,000 - $150,000 No cost share required.

Implementation $50,000 - $1,000,000

Requests of more than $249,999 in IMLS funds require at least 1:1 cost share from non-federal sources.

Applied Research $50,000 - $750,000 No cost share required.

Cost sharing is an eligibility criterion and is not considered in the peer review of applications. Cost share that appears in the project budget should be calculated carefully. Recipients are expected to meet their cost share commitments.

Click here for further information on cost share.

C3. Other Eligibility Information

There is no limit to the number of applications an eligible applicant may submit under this announcement. Individual Project Directors may be named on multiple applications under this announcement. However, the same proposal may not be submitted to IMLS under more than one project type listed in Section A3.

Applications involving partnerships or collaborations are welcome. When two or more eligible institutions or organizations work together on a project, one of them must meet all eligibility requirements, serve as the lead applicant, and administer the award on behalf of the other(s). The lead applicant must meet all eligibility requirements. If IMLS funds the project, the lead applicant will be programmatically, fiscally, and legally responsible for the award.

IMLS will not review applications from ineligible applicants. IMLS will notify each applicant whose application will not be reviewed because the organization is determined to be ineligible.

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

The application process for the National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program consists of two phases. For Phase I, all applicants must submit two-page Preliminary Proposals (see Section D2). For

Phase II, selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals (Invited Full Proposals) (see

Section D3). For both phases, applicants must submit their materials by the deadlines indicated on page 1 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity. Late applications will not be considered for funding under this notice. Only Invited Full Proposals will be considered for funding.

D. Application and Submission Information

D1. Application Package

Applicants must apply electronically through Grants.gov Workspace or a Grants.gov system-to-system solution. Use one of the following identifiers to locate the application package in Grants.gov:

• Funding Opportunity Number: NLG-Libraries-FY23

• Assistance Listing Number: 45.312

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 at 202-207-7858 via 711 for

TTY-Based Telecommunications Relay Service.

D2. Content and Form of Application Submission for Phase I

Preliminary Proposals

The Table of Application Components below will help you prepare a complete Preliminary Proposal application. The links lead to more information and instructions for each application component.

Applications missing any 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 for Phase I Preliminary Proposals

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 Grants.gov form n/a

Preliminary Proposal Narrative (two pages max.)

PDF document Narrative.pdf https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html mailto:imls-librarygrants@imls.gov

D2b. Format, Name, and Sequence of the Application Components for Phase I

Preliminary Proposals

Document format: The SF-424S, the IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract), and the IMLS Library - Discretionary Program Information Form are created in Grants.gov Workspace. The

Preliminary Proposal Narrative must be submitted as a PDF document.

Page limits: Note the page limit for the Preliminary Proposal Narrative. IMLS will remove any additional pages and will not send them to reviewers as part of the application.

Naming convention: Use the naming conventions indicated in the table above. IMPORTANT:

Attachment file names are limited to the following characters: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore (_), hyphen (-), space, period (.). If attachment file names use any other characters, the application may be rejected by Grants.gov.

Attachment order: In Grants.gov, attach all application components in the sequence listed in the table above.

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 for Phase I Preliminary Proposals

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. Preliminary Proposals do not require a full abstract. You may enter the “Project

Description” (about 120 words) from the SF-424S.

3. IMLS Library - Discretionary Program Information Form

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

4. Preliminary Proposal Narrative

Write a Narrative that includes the elements described below and save it as a PDF.

• Limit the Narrative to two (2) 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 as listed in Section E1a.

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

• 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 eleven points.

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

The Preliminary Proposal Narrative must be no longer than two pages and should be organized using the section headings of Project Justification, Project Work Plan, Diversity

Plan (if applicable), and Project Results. Begin by identifying the National Leadership Grants for Libraries grant program goal and objective(s) you have chosen (see Section A2). Then write a summary that includes the name of the lead applicant organization, the amount of

IMLS funds requested and the amount of funds provided as cost share (if any), the names of partner organizations, the overall need to be addressed, and the intended impact(s) of the project.

Then describe in greater detail the overall need that will serve as the focus of your project and its relevance to the project type you have selected. Consider the program goal and associated objective(s) as you develop the Project Justification. Lay out the Project Work Plan and the Diversity Plan (if applicable) and identify the Project Results you intend to achieve.

Preliminary Proposals for Applied Research projects must also include clearly defined research questions. See Guidance for Research Applications.

Conclude the Preliminary Proposal Narrative with a one-paragraph budget summary. A proposal with a Narrative that does not include a budget summary will be rejected from further consideration. The budget summary must include a breakdown by category (e.g., Salaries and Wages; Travel; Materials, Supplies, and Equipment; Student Support) of how both IMLS and cost share funds (if required) would be allocated and the total anticipated costs of the project. Implementation project proposals requesting more than $249,999 must include at least a 1:1 cost share from non-federal sources.

See Section E1a for the review criteria for Phase I Preliminary Proposals.

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.

D2d. Additional Information

Applicants may contact an IMLS Program Contact prior to submitting a Preliminary Proposal for general information regarding the application process. Contact information is available on the

National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program page.

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

D3. Content and Form of Application Submission for Phase II Invited

Full Proposals

Of those applicants who submit two-page Preliminary Proposals, IMLS will invite a subset to submit full proposals. An applicant who is asked to submit an Invited Full Proposal must submit an application by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on March 17, 2023. IMLS makes awards only to eligible applicants that submit Invited Full Proposal applications through Grants.gov on or before this deadline. Complete applications will be accepted only from applicants who have submitted

Preliminary Proposals and have been invited to submit full proposals.

The Table of Application Components for Invited Full Proposals below will help you prepare a complete Invited Full Proposal application. The links lead to more information and instructions for each application component.

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.)

https://www.imls.gov/grants/available/national-leadership-grants-libraries https://www.imls.gov/grants/available/national-leadership-grants-libraries http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html

D3a. Table of Application Components for Phase II Invited Full Proposals

Component Format File name to use

Required Documents

Please see the guidance in Section D3c 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 Grants.gov form n/a

Organizational Profile (one page max.)

PDF document Organizationalprofile.pdf

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

Schedule of Completion (one page per year max.)

PDF document Scheduleofcompletion.pdf

Performance Measurement Plan (two pages max.)

PDF document Perfmeasurement.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

Digital Products Plan (two pages max.)

PDF document Digitalproduct.pdf

Conditionally Required Documents

Please see the guidance in Section D3d for more information.

Proof of Private, Nonprofit Status PDF document Proofnonprofit.pdf

Final Federally Negotiated Indirect

Cost Rate Agreement PDF document Indirectcostrate.pdf

Data Management Plan (two pages max.)

PDF document Datamanagement.pdf

Supporting Documents

Please see the guidance in Section D3e 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

D3b. Format, Name, and Sequence of the Application Components for Phase II

Invited Full Proposals

Document format: Aside from the SF-424S, the IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including

Abstract), and the IMLS Library - Discretionary 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. IMLS will remove any additional pages and will not send them to reviewers as part of your application.

Naming convention: Use the naming conventions indicated in the table above. IMPORTANT:

Attachment file names are limited to the following characters: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore (_), hyphen (-), space, period (.). If attachment file names use any other characters, the 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.

D3c. Instructions for Required Documents for Phase II Invited Full Proposals

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

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

4. Organizational Profile

Create a one-page Organizational Profile for the lead applicant, 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 library is located within a parent organization or if your organization is a nonprofit affiliated with a library

• 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 organizational 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. Invited Full 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 as listed in Section E1b.

• Be clear and concise with minimal use of technical jargon and acronyms.

• Include references throughout your Narrative to any Supporting Documents that provide supplementary material.

• 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 eleven 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 of Project Justification, Project Work Plan, Diversity Plan (if applicable), and Project Results. Consider the National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program goals and objectives (Section A2) as you develop the Invited Full

Proposal Narrative.

Narratives for Applied Research projects must also include clearly defined research questions. See Guidance for Research Applications.

Project Justification

• Which program goal and associated objective(s) of the National Leadership Grants for

Libraries Program will your project address (see Section A2)?

• What current, broadly significant need, problem, or challenge does your proposal address, and how was it identified? Describe how you have used demographic information, economic circumstances, and other relevant data from reliable sources to define the need, problem, or challenge and develop the scope for the project.

• Who is the target group for your project? “Target group” refers to those who will be most immediately and positively affected by your project. Identify the number of individuals in the target group or in each target group, if you identify more than one.

• Who are the ultimate beneficiaries for this project? “Beneficiaries” refers to those who are likely to be aided in the long-term by your project. They may or may not be the same as your “target group.” Identify the number of individuals who will benefit from your project in the long term, if reliable and defensible counts are possible. Otherwise describe the characteristics of the beneficiaries you expect to be served eventually by your project.

• How does this proposed project differ from, complement, or build upon existing theory, scholarship, and practice?

Project Work Plan

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

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

• What time, financial, personnel, and other resources will you need to carry out the activities?

• How have the perspectives and contributions of the target group(s) been incorporated into the Project Work Plan and how will ongoing external input, validation, and consensus building be accommodated in the project? Have you included evaluation or an iterative design, where appropriate?

• How will you track your progress toward achieving your intended results?

• How and with whom will you disseminate your project findings?

Additional questions for Applied Research proposals only. See Guidance for Research

Applications for further details.

• What are your research questions, methods, and theoretical framing?

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

• What type of data will you gather for your research (separate from that identified in your

Performance Measurement Plan)?

• How will you collect, analyze, and use the data?

• Does your study require Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval? If so, what steps have you taken to secure IRB approval?

Diversity Plan (if applicable)

• How will you include a diversity of perspectives and practices in the project?

• How will the relevant participants and communities be involved in defining the challenges or opportunities and creating and implementing the project?

• How will the project strengthen the field’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion practices?

Project Results

• What are your project’s intended results, and how will they address the need, problem, or challenge you have identified? Be sure to address this question from the dual perspectives of advancing knowledge and understanding and ensuring that the federal investment made through this grant generates benefits to society.

• How will you ensure project deliverables are readily adaptable, generalizable, and usable by other institutions and communities nationally?

• How will you sustain the benefit(s) of your project beyond the conclusion of the period of performance?

See Section E1b for the review criteria for Phase II Invited Full Proposals.

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. Performance Measurement Plan

The Performance Measurement Plan should show how you will monitor and assess your performance as a grantee from the perspectives of Effectiveness, Efficiency, Quality, and

Timeliness for your overall project (see Section A4).

For each measure, identify what data you will collect from what source, the method you will use to collect it, and according to what schedule. The chart below provides sample statements for each measure and a space to record your own. Click here for a fillable version of this chart

(DOCX, 25KB) which you are welcome, but not required, to use. Limit your Performance

Measurement Plan to two pages and save your document as a PDF.

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

8. IMLS Budget Form

Download and complete the current IMLS Budget Form (PDF, 1.1MB). Click here for instructions on completing it.

http://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/ols-performance-measurement-plan.docx https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-05/imls-budget-form.pdf https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/budgetform.pdf

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.