fy24-oms-nlgm-nofo.pdf

OMB Control No. 3137-0094, Expiration Date: 07/31/2024

NATIONAL LEADERSHIP GRANTS

FOR MUSEUMS

FY 2024 NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Federal Awarding Agency Institute of Museum and Library Services

Funding Opportunity Title National Leadership Grants for Museums

Announcement Type Modification of FY2023 Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Number NLG-M-FY24

Assistance Listing Number 45.312

Application Deadline Submit through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on

November 15, 2023.

Anticipated Date of Notification of

Award Decisions

August 2024 (subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion)

Beginning Date of Period of

Performance Projects must begin on September 1, 2024.

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 Museums

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 Museums 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)) and § 9173 (Museum services activities)). Each award that IMLS makes through National

Leadership Grants for Museums will align with one of these agency-level goals 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 Museums Program by year, log number, state, city, and/or 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.

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

A2. National Leadership Grants for Museums Program

Goals and Objectives

This program is designed to support projects that address critical needs of the museum field and that have the potential to advance practice in the profession to strengthen museum services for the

American public. Projects are expected to:

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

• reflect a thorough understanding of current practice and 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;

• articulate intentional impact across one or more disciplines within the museum field; and

• employ novel approaches to the project area, as may be appropriate.

As a result, National Leadership Grants for Museums 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, National Leadership Grants for Museums has three program goals and four objectives associated with each goal. Each applicant should align their proposed project with one of these three goals and one or more of the associated objectives. Goal and objective choices should be identified clearly in the Narrative (see Section D2c of this Notice of

Funding Opportunity).

• Goal 1: Advance the museum field’s ability to empower people of all ages and backgrounds through experiential and cross-disciplinary learning and discovery.

o Objective 1.1: Support the development, implementation, and dissemination of model programs that facilitate adoption by museums across the field.

o Objective 1.2: Support training and professional development programs, tools, or resources that build the knowledge, skills and abilities of museum staff and/or volunteers in multiple institutions.

o Objective 1.3: Support research focusing on the role of museums in engaging learners of all types.

o Objective 1.4: Support forums that convene experts and stakeholders, including those from adjacent fields as appropriate, to explore current and emerging issues and inform the field.

• Goal 2: Advance the museum field’s ability to maximize the use of museum resources to address community needs through partnerships and collaborations.

o Objective 2.1: Support the development of new and innovative methods for addressing community challenges through partnerships, services, processes, or practices for use across the museum field.

o Objective 2.2: Support the development and implementation of training and professional development programs, tools, or resources that build the knowledge, skills and abilities of museum staff and/or volunteers in multiple institutions to meet the needs of their communities.

o Objective 2.3: Support research focusing on museums’ roles in engaging diverse audiences and fostering civic discourse.

o Objective 2.4: Support forums that convene experts and stakeholders, including those from adjacent fields as appropriate, to explore current and emerging issues and inform the field.

• Goal 3: Advance the museum field’s ability to identify new solutions that address high priority and widespread collections care or conservation issues.

o Objective 3.1: Support the development, implementation, and dissemination of new tools or services that facilitate access, management, preservation, sharing, and use of museum collections.

o Objective 3.2: Support the development and implementation of training and professional development programs, tools, or resources that impact the ability of museum staff and/or volunteers in multiple institutions to improve the stewardship of collections.

o Objective 3.3: Support research focusing on any broadly relevant aspect of the management, conservation, and preservation of collections.

o Objective 3.4: Support forums that convene experts and stakeholders, including those from adjacent fields as appropriate, to explore current and emerging issues and inform the field.

Click here for samples of recently funded applications.

A3. Project Types

The National Leadership Grants for Museums Program has three 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 Museums Program; however, they may not submit the same proposal under more than one type.

Project Type Period of Performance Award Amount Cost Share Requirement

Non-research 1 to 3 years $50,000-$750,000 1:1 cost share required

Research 1 to 3 years $50,000-$750,000 No cost share required

Non-research projects address critical needs of the museum field and have the potential to advance practice in the profession so that museums can improve services for the American public. These may test scalability or expand and enhance existing products or initiatives.

Research projects investigate key questions important to museum practice and result in findings that have the potential to advance the profession so that museums can improve services for the

American public. Proposals should include clearly articulated research questions and feature https://www.imls.gov/grants/apply-grant/sample-applications#nlgm appropriate methods, including relevant theoretical or conceptual approaches, data collection, and analysis. Applications submitted for 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 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity for Guidance for Research

Applications, Data Management Plan. Findings and their implications for museum service and practice should be shared broadly throughout the grant period, rather than exclusively at the conclusion of the project. Proposals focused on evaluation are not appropriate for the Research project type and should be submitted to the Non-research grant project type described above.

A4. Performance Measures

The National Leadership Grants for Museums 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 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 D2c Item 6 of this Notice of

Funding Opportunity).

A5. 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

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 $5,800,000

Expected performance indicators, targets, baseline data, and data collection See Section A4 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Anticipated number of awards 15

Expected amount of individual awards

Non-research $50,000-$750,000

Research $50,000-$750,000

Average amount of funding per award experienced in previous years $453,106

Anticipated start dates for new awards Projects must begin on September 1, 2024.

Anticipated period of performance September 1, 2024 - August 31, 2027. Project activities may be carried out for one to three years.

Type of assistance instrument Grant

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

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

If your request for federal funding as shown on the IMLS Budget Form, including all direct and indirect costs, is less than $50,000 or more than $750,000, your application may 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 an award under this National Leadership Grants for Museums Notice of Funding

Opportunity, your organization must meet all three of the following criteria:

1. 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. 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. 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 that 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 well-being 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), applying on behalf of the museum.

Eligibility of Museums Located within a Parent Organization

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 Organization Affiliated with a Museum

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

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

C2. Cost Share Requirements

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

Project Type Award Amount Cost Share Requirement

Non-research $50,000–$750,000

At least 1:1 cost share from non-federal sources is required.

Note: If you do not include at least 1:1 cost share in your project budget, your application will be rejected from further consideration.

Research $50,000–$750,000 No cost share required

Cost share that appears in the project budget should be carefully calculated. Awardees are expected to meet their cost share commitments.

Click here for further information on cost share.

C3. Other Eligibility Information

Eligible applicants may submit multiple applications for support of separate and distinct projects under this announcement. Submitting applications in this grant program does not preclude organizations from applying for support of separate and distinct projects through other IMLS grant programs for which they may be eligible.

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). 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.

All application materials must be received through Grants.gov by the application deadline, 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on November 15, 2023. Late applications will not be considered for funding under this notice.

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-M-FY24

• 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-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 Form of Application Submission

The Table of Application Components below will help you prepare a complete 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.)

D2a. Table of Application Components

Component Format File name to use

Required Documents

Please see the guidance in Section D2c of this Notice of Funding Opportunity for more information.

The Application for Federal Domestic

Assistance/Short Organizational Form

(SF-424S)

Grants.gov form n/a

IMLS Museum Program Information

Form Grants.gov form n/a

Organizational Profile (one page, recomm.)

PDF document Organizationalprofile.pdf

Narrative (ten 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-museumgrants@imls.gov

Schedule of Completion (one page per year, recomm.)

PDF document Scheduleofcompletion.pdf

Performance Measurement Plan (two pages, recomm.)

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, recomm.)

PDF document Projectstaff.pdf

Resumes of Key Project Staff and

Consultants (two pages each, recomm.)

PDF document Resumes.pdf

Conditionally Required Documents

Please see the guidance in Section D2d of this Notice of Funding Opportunity for more information.

Proof of Private, Nonprofit Status PDF document Proofnonprofit.pdf

Final Federally Negotiated Indirect

Cost Rate Agreement PDF document Indirectcostrate.pdf

Digital Products Plan (two pages, recomm.)

PDF document Digitalproduct.pdf

Data Management Plan (two pages, recomm.)

PDF document Datamanagement.pdf

Supporting Documents

Please see the guidance in Section D2e of this Notice of Funding Opportunity for more information.

Information that supplements the

Narrative and supports the project description provided in the application

PDF document

Supportingdoc1.pdf

Supportingdoc2.pdf

Supportingdoc3.pdf

D2b. Format, Name, and Sequence of the Application Components

Document format: Aside from the SF-424S and the IMLS 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 limit for the Narrative 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.

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 it.

2. IMLS Museum Program Information Form

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

3. Organizational Profile

Write a brief Organizational Profile for the lead applicant, addressing the following, and save it as a PDF. We recommend limiting the Organizational Profile to one page.

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

• Your organization’s governance structure. If your museum is located within a parent organization or if your organization is a nonprofit affiliated with a museum, explain the relationship.

• 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.

4. Proposal Narrative

Write a Narrative structured and formatted as described below 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.

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

• 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.

• Consider the review criteria as listed in Section E1 of this Notice of Funding

Opportunity.

• Organize your Narrative using the section headings of Project Justification, Project

Work Plan, and Project Results. Consider the National Leadership Grants for

Museums Program goal and objective(s) you have selected (Section A2 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity).

• A Narrative for a Research project must also include clearly defined research questions. See Appendix Five of this Notice of Funding Opportunity for Guidance for

Research Applications.

Project Justification

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

Museums will your project address? (See Section A2 of this Notice of Funding

Opportunity.)

• What field-wide need, problem, or challenge will your project address, and how was it identified? Describe how you have used demographic information, economic circumstances, condition assessments, 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 and how have they been involved in the planning? “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 will the museum field benefit from your project?

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

Project Work Plan

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

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

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

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

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

Additional questions for Research proposals only: See Appendix Five of this Notice of

Funding Opportunity for Guidance for Research Applications.

• 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?

• How will you report and disseminate your findings?

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 the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and/or attitudes of the target group change as a result of your project?

• What models, tools, research findings, and/or services will result from your project?

How will you ensure that they are broadly adaptable and usable by other institutions and are widely disseminated to the field?

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

See Section E1 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity for the review criteria.

See Section H2 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity for guidance on disclosing information in your application.

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.

5. 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 should be no longer than one page per project year. See the sample Schedule of Completion below. Save this document as a PDF.

6. Performance Measurement Plan

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

Timeliness for your overall project (see Section A4 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity).

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. We recommend limiting this Performance Measurement Plan to two pages. Save this document as a PDF.

https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-08/imls-performance-measurement-plan.docx https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-08/imls-performance-measurement-plan.docx

7. IMLS Budget Form

Download and complete the current IMLS Budget Form (PDF, 1.7MB). Click here for instructions on completing it.

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 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. We recommend limiting this list to one page.

10. Resumes of Key Project Staff and Consultants

Provide a resume for each individual whose expertise is essential to the success of the project. We recommend limiting each resume to two pages. 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 instead of a resume, https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-05/imls-budget-form.pdf https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/budgetform.pdf provide position description(s) including the qualities, range of experience, and education necessary to successfully implement and complete project activities.

See Section H2 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity for guidance on disclosing information in your application.

(Back to Table of Application Components)

D2d. Conditionally Required Documents

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

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

If you are: Then you must provide: Notes:

Applying as a private, nonprofit institution, as indicated by choosing “M” as the Applicant

Type code in 5d of the SF-

424S form

A copy of the IRS letter indicating your eligibility for nonprofit status under the applicable provision of the

Internal Revenue Code of

1954, as amended.

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

We will not accept a letter of

State sales tax exemption as proof of nonprofit status.

Using a federally negotiated indirect cost rate in your budget

A copy of your current 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), you do not need to provide any documentation (see 2 C.F.R.

part 200, including 2 C.F.R. §§

200.1 and 200.414(f).

Proposing to generate digital content, resources, assets, or software

A Digital Products Plan (two pages, recomm.)

Describe the types of digital products you will create during your project and address issues relating to availability, access, and sustainability for each type.

See Appendix Four of this Notice of Funding Opportunity for

Guidance for Creating a Digital

Products Plan.

Submitting a Research project proposal

A Data Management Plan

Explain how you will manage, share, preserve, document, and enable reuse of the information and research products you will create during the project.

See Guidance for Research

Applications, Data Management

Plan.

(Back to Table of Application Components)

D2e. Supporting Documents

Applicants may submit a reasonable number of Supporting Documents that supplement the

Narrative in support of the project description. Supporting Documents should help IMLS staff and reviewers envision the 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 any third party that will receive funds or make substantial contributions toward the completion of project activities

• Bibliography or references relevant to your proposed project design or evaluation strategy

• Letters of support from experts and stakeholders

• Relevant images that support your proposed project

• Reports from planning activities

• Contractor quotes

• Equipment specifications

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

• Web links to relevant online materials

• Needs assessments

(Back to Table of Application Components)

D3. Registration Requirements

Before submitting an application, an applicant organization must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number; 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.

D3a. Unique Entity Identifier

The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number is a non-proprietary alphanumeric identifier assigned to all entities (public and private companies, individuals, institutions, or organizations) who register to do business with the Federal Government. The UEI has replaced the D-U-N-S® Number and is requested in, and assigned by, the System for Award Management (SAM). Awardees must inform any subrecipients that the awardee may not make a subaward unless the subrecipient has also obtained a UEI.

D3b. System for Award Management (SAM)

The System for Award Management (SAM) is a federal repository that centralizes information about grant applicants and awardees. 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.

Applicants must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application package. The multistep registration process generally cannot be completed in a single day. If your organization is not already registered, 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.

The Grants.gov user ID and password obtained during the registration process are required to submit an 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

All organizations must submit their applications for funding using Grants.gov Workspace. Do not submit through email or postal mail to IMLS.

For National Leadership Grants for Museums, Grants.gov will accept applications through 11:59 p.m.

U.S. Eastern Time on November 15, 2023.

Under certain circumstances, IMLS allows an extension of grant application deadlines for adversely affected applicant organizations that are located in counties listed in Emergency Declarations and/or

Major Disaster Declarations. See Application Deadlines for further information.

IMLS strongly recommends that applicants obtain a UEI number, register with SAM and Grants.gov, and complete and submit applications early. IMLS makes grants only to eligible applicants that submit 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. Grants.gov Applicant Support 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 each application. Applicants can check the status of their 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.

https://www.imls.gov/grants/apply-grant/notices-funding-opportunities/application-deadlines 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

D6. Funding Restrictions

D6a. Allowable and Unallowable Costs

Applicants may use IMLS funds and 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 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

• staff and volunteer training

• paid internships/fellowships

• indirect or overhead costs

Applicants must explain all proposed expenses in the Budget Justification.

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

• general fundraising costs, such as development office staff or other staff time devoted to general fundraising (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.442)

• 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 (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.421)

• construction or renovation of facilities (generally, any activity involving the construction trades is not an allowable cost) (see 20 U.S.C. § 9109)

• social activities, receptions, or entertainment (see 2 C. F. R § 200.438)

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

D6b. Costs for Third Parties

When a project requires the payment of federal funds to third parties (such as partners, consultants, collaborators, vendors, and/or service providers), it is the applicant organization’s 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 made 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

An applicant can choose to:

• use a rate not to exceed their 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 the organization currently does not have a Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate

Agreement (NICRA) and is not subject to other requirements (e.g., for States and local governments); 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 listed in this section and to consider all Required, Conditionally Required, and Supporting Documents as listed in Section

D2a of this Notice of Funding Opportunity.

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

Opportunity.

Project Justification

• How well does the proposal align with the selected National Leadership Grants for

Museums goal and objective(s)? (See Section A2 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity?

• How well has the applicant used relevant data and best practices to describe the need, problem, or challenge to be addressed?

• Has the applicant appropriately defined the target group(s) and beneficiaries, as applicable, for this work?

• Have the target group and other project stakeholders been involved appropriately in planning the project?

• Does the project address current needs of the museum field and/or have the potential to advance practice in the museum profession?

• Does the applicant clearly articulate how the proposed work differs from, complements, or builds upon existing theory, scholarship, and practice?

Project Work Plan

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

• Are the goals, assumptions, and risks clearly stated?

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

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

• Is the proposed Performance Measurement Plan likely to generate the required measures of Effectiveness, Efficiency, Quality, and Timeliness?

• If present, does the Digital Products Plan reflect an adequate understanding of appropriate practices and standards for creating and managing the types of digital products proposed?

• Will the proposed methods for tracking the project’s progress toward achieving the intended results allow course adjustments when necessary, and result in reliable and measurable information about the results of the project?

Additional questions for Research project proposals only. See Appendix Five of this Notice of

Funding Opportunity for Guidance for Research Applications.

• Are the proposed research questions, methods, and theoretical framing appropriate for addressing the identified need, problem, or challenge?

• Is the research informed by current practice and does it have the potential to produce generalizable results that could advance professional practice?

• Are the selected methods for data collection, analysis, and use appropriate for the project?

• Is the approach to securing Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval appropriate?

• Is the Data Management Plan for managing, sharing, preserving, documenting, and enabling reuse of the information and research products created during this project appropriate?

• Is the dissemination and communication plan comprehensive in terms of broad reach to practitioners and other communities of interest?

Project Results

• Are the project’s intended results clearly articulated, realistic, meaningful, and linked to the need, problem, or challenge addressed by the project?

• Is the plan to effect meaningful change in knowledge, skills, behaviors, and/or attitudes solidly grounded and appropriately structured?

• Is it clear that the federal investment made through this grant will generate identifiable benefits to society?

• Is the plan for ensuring that the proposed models, tools, research findings and/or services will be broadly adaptable and usable by other institutions and widely disseminated to the field likely to be effective?

• Is the plan to sustain the benefits of the project beyond the conclusion of the period of performance reasonable and practical?

E2. Review and Selection Process

IMLS uses a peer review process to evaluate all complete applications from eligible institutions.

Reviewers are professionals in the field with relevant knowledge and expertise in the types of project activities identified in the applications. IMLS instructs reviewers to evaluate applications according to the review criteria. Peer reviewers must comply with IMLS’s federal ethics and conflicts of interest requirements. Click here for more information about the IMLS peer review process for grant applications.

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

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), IMLS is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (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

IMLS will not release information about the status of an application until the applications have been reviewed and all deliberations are concluded. IMLS expects to notify both successful and unsuccessful applicants of the final decisions by email in August 2024.

F. Award Administration Information

F1. Federal Award Notices

IMLS 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, 2

C.F.R. part 3187, the IMLS General Terms and Conditions for IMLS Discretionary Grant…