fy27-oms-me-NOFO.pdf

Dear Colleague -

The Office of Museum Services (OMS) is pleased that you are considering seeking support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for the important work that you do for your communities. As the 250th anniversary year of our nation’s independence comes to a close, IMLS looks forward to working with you to keep the spirit of this celebration alive for years to come.

Now more than ever, we are thrilled to support America’s museums, which have a crucial role to play as custodians and promoters of America’s rich historical and cultural heritage, for the benefit of all generations. It is our hope that the momentum built by museums’ active participation in our shared national celebration will create solid ground on which to teach citizens about what makes our country the greatest in the world for years to come.

We encourage you to carefully read the Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) for the museum grant programs and shape your proposal in a way that responds to the Goals and Objectives of the program you choose.

In addition to the requirements set forth in the NOFOs, OMS encourages you to consider how your proposal might build upon, or relate to, OMS’s field-wide programs and initiatives. OMS particularly welcomes projects that:

• Preserve America’s history and make its museums the best in the world, fittingly extending commemorating the 250th anniversary of American Independence.

Applicants are encouraged to read and consider Executive Order (EO) 14344, “Making Federal Architecture Beautiful Again,” as they develop related proposals.

• Foster in all generations a greater appreciation for our country’s great natural beauty, military victories and acts of heroism, religious history, scientific accomplishments, regional narratives, and artistic traditions through uplifting and positive narratives of our shared American experience. Applicants are encouraged to read and consider EO 14253, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” as they develop related proposals.

• Creatively and effectively use new technologies, including artificial intelligence

(AI), to improve visitor experience, modernize curatorship, and improve the quality and resilience of collections. Applicants are encouraged to read and consider EO 14277, “Advancing AI Education for American Youth,” as they develop related proposals.

• In his inaugural address, President Trump said, “We will stand bravely, we will live proudly, we will dream boldly, and nothing will stand in our way because we are Americans.” We welcome projects that refocus cultural institutions on what unites us by fostering respectful civil dialogue. In doing so, we acknowledge our core https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/09/03/2025-16928/making-federal-architecture-beautiful-again https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/04/03/2025-05838/restoring-truth-and-sanity-to-american-history https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/04/28/2025-07368/advancing-artificial-intelligence-education-for-american-youth https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/04/28/2025-07368/advancing-artificial-intelligence-education-for-american-youth

Constitutional rights, including Free Exercise of Religion. Applicants may find it helpful to review and consider EO 14188, “Additional Measures to Combat Anti- Semitism,” and EO 14202, “Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias,” as they develop related proposals to strengthen American civil society.

Upon reviewing the NOFOs, you will see that there are several programs within OMS.

If you decide to apply to the grant program listed below, we provide the following additional information about topics and priorities that we seek to emphasize in this funding cycle.

• Museums Empowered: OMS is interested in building the capacity of individual museums to grow their own professional development programs using apprenticeships and other alternative pathways to upskill early-career professionals and provide opportunities for non-traditional applicants to enter the museum workforce. Applicants are encouraged to consider EO 14277, “Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth,” and EO 14278, “Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future,” to determine how proposals may be aligned with the purposes of those executive orders.

To fulfill the President’s promise that “the forgotten man and woman will be forgotten no longer,” we enthusiastically welcome institutions that serve rural and remote communities to apply, as well as those that have not traditionally been recipients of federal funding.

Thank you for your interest in working with IMLS to preserve America’s histories and keep the spirit of 1776 alive for years to come. We look forward to partnering with your institution to share our nation’s tremendous heritage with all our fellow citizens!

Sincerely, Lisa Solomson Senior Official Performing the Duties of IMLS Director https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/03/2025-02230/additional-measures-to-combat-anti-semitism https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/12/2025-02611/eradicating-anti-christian-bias https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/04/28/2025-07368/advancing-artificial-intelligence-education-for-american-youth https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/04/28/2025-07369/preparing-americans-for-high-paying-skilled-trade-jobs-of-the-future

FY 2027 Notice of Funding Opportunity Applications Due November 13, 2026

Museums Empowered Funding Opportunity Number: ME-FY27 Assistance Listing Number: 45.301

OMB Control No.: 3137-0107 Expiration date: 8/31/2027

Table of Contents Museums Empowered Table of Contents Before You Begin Review the Opportunity

1. Basic Information

2. Eligibility

3. Program Description

Prepare and Submit Your Application

4. Application Contents and Format

5. Submission Requirements and Deadline

Learn About Application Review

6. Application Review Information

7. Award Notices

Find Post-Award Information

8. Post-Award Requirements and Administration

Other Information

9. Other Important Information

Additional Guidance

10.Guidance for Required Registrations

11. Guidance for Completing Forms and Other Application Components

Before You Begin If you believe you’re a good candidate for this funding opportunity, carefully review and follow these application instructions, and leave plenty of time to prepare.

Set up your SAM.gov (including Unique Entity Identifier) and Grants.gov registrations now. If you’re already registered, check to make sure that your registrations are active, and that all your listed information is accurate. u

Register in SAM.gov (registration can take several weeks):

Your organization must have an active SAM.gov account and a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) before you apply.

See Registration Requirements and Guidance for Required Registrations.

Register in Grants.gov (registration can take several days):

You must have an active Grants.gov registration. You’ll need an active SAM.gov account and a Login.gov account to register and access Grants.gov.

See Registration Requirements and Guidance for Required Registrations.

Apply by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on November 13, 2026.

Bookmark these resources for important information:

eCFR: Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) 2 CFR Part 200 (2 C.F.R. §

200) -- Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards

General Terms and Conditions for IMLS Discretionary Awards. IMLS may update the General Terms and Conditions before making awards for this program.

Museums Empowered Program page (IMLS.gov)

This NOFO has internal links to help you quickly find what you need.

In Adobe Reader, you can go back to where you were by pressing Alt + Left Arrow (Windows) or Command + Left Arrow (Mac) on your keyboard.

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://imls.gov/grants/manage-your-grant/grant-administration https://www.imls.gov/find-funding/funding-opportunities/grant-programs/museums-empowered

Jump to a step

Review Opportunity Prepare and Submit Learn About Review Post-Award Other Information Additional Guidance

Review the Opportunity

In this step:

1. Basic Information

Opportunity Overview Award Overview Executive Summary Agency Contact Information

2. Eligibility

Eligible Applicants Other Eligibility Information Cost Share Requirements

3. Program Description

Agency Mission, Goals, and Objectives Museums Empowered Program Goals and Objectives Performance Measures Funding Restrictions Authorizing Statute and Regulations Equal Opportunity

Opportunity Overview 5

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1. Basic Information

Opportunity Overview

Federal Awarding Agency Institute of Museum and Library Services

Funding Opportunity Title Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff

Announcement Type Modification of fiscal year (FY) 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Number ME-FY27

Assistance Listing Number 45.301

Type of Assistance Instrument Grant

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

Eastern Time on November 13, 2026.

Award Overview 6

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Award Overview

Key Dates

Anticipated date of notification of award decisions

August 2027 (subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion)

Anticipated start dates for new awards Projects must begin on September 1, 2027

Anticipated period of performance September 1, 2027– August 31, 2030.

Project activities may be carried out for one to three years

Funding Details

Total amount of funding IMLS expects to award through this announcement

$4,299,000

Expected performance indicators, targets, baseline data, and data collection

See Performance Measures.

Anticipated number of awards 20

Expected amount of individual awards $5,000 - $350,000

Average amount of funding per award in previous years $214,950

The funding in the above Award Overview is subject to the availability of funds and the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ (IMLS’s) discretion. We are not bound by any estimates in this announcement.

Executive Summary 7

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

Executive Summary Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff is a special initiative of the Museums for America grant program, designed to support projects that use learning and training to generate change and growth within museums of all types and sizes.

Museums Empowered supports projects that strengthen museum staff through professional development in three key areas:

• digital technology,

• evaluation, and

• organizational management.

The program aims to build staff skills in creatively and effectively using digital tools, communication platforms, and new and emerging technologies that expand access to collections; improve staff ability to apply evaluation methods, use data effectively, and tailor evaluation approaches to specific audiences or needs; and enhance organizational resilience by offering learning opportunities that address emerging institutional priorities and support staff identified growth needs.

Strengthening museum staff includes building the capacity of individual museums to grow their own professional development programs using apprenticeships and other alternative pathways to upskill early-career professionals and provide opportunities for non-traditional applicants to enter the museum workforce.

The primary audiences for this program are museums and museum professionals.

Eligibility is restricted to organizations that are:

• Located in the United States or any U.S. Territories or Freely Associated States; AND

• A unit of a State, local or Tribal government or a private, nonprofit organization; AND

• A museum or a parent entity that operates a qualifying museum.

Agency Contact Information IMLS staff are available by phone and/or email to answer programmatic and administrative questions relating to this grant program.

Eligible Applicants 8

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2. Eligibility

Eligible Applicants To be eligible for an award under the Museums Empowered (ME) program, your organization must meet all three of the following eligibility criteria.

Your organization must be:

a unit of a State, local, or Tribal government; or a private, nonprofit organization that has tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended (you will need to include proof of this if applicable to your organization. See Conditionally Required Documents for more information);

and:

Your organization 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.

Eligible Applicants 9

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Your organization must qualify as one of the following:

3(a) A museum that:

uses a professional staff;

is organized on a permanent basis for essentially educational, cultural heritage, or aesthetic purposes;

owns or uses tangible objects, and/or living collections;

cares for these objects; and exhibits these objects to the general public on a regular basis through facilities that it owns or operates.

What types of institutions are included in the term “museum”?

If they otherwise meet these requirements, “museums” include, but are not limited to:

• anthropology museums

• 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 museums

• nature centers

• planetariums

• science/technology centers

• specialized museums (limited to a single distinct subject), and

• zoological parks.

What does it mean to “use a professional staff”?

An institution uses a professional staff if it employs at least one full-time staff member, or the equivalent, whether paid or unpaid, primarily engaged in the acquisition, care, or exhibition to the public of objects owned or used by the institution.

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 through facilities it owns or operates is deemed to exhibit objects to the general public on a regular basis.

Eligible Applicants 10

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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 Definition of a museum; or

3(b) A public or private nonprofit entity that is responsible for the operation of an eligible museum that meets the criteria listed above under 1, 2, and 3(a), applying on behalf of the eligible museum.

Native American Tribal organizations are encouraged to apply if they otherwise meet the above eligibility requirements.

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 university, historical society, foundation, or cultural center, may apply on its own behalf if the museum:

• can 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 as an organizational unit through its parent organization, and the museum must still meet the eligibility criteria listed under 1, 2, and 3(a) above.

Eligibility of Nonprofit Organization Affiliated with a Museum

We may determine that a nonprofit organization affiliated with an eligible museum may apply for this program if:

• its sole mission is to support the specified museum;

• it has the ability to administer the project; and

• it can ensure compliance with the terms of this Notice of Funding Opportunity and the applicable law, including the IMLS Assurances and Certifications.

We require that you provide an agreement from the museum that details the activities the applicant and museum will perform and binds the museum to the statements and assurances in the application.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-3187.3 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-3187.3 https://imls.gov/grants/assurances-certifications

Other Eligibility Information 11

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Other Eligibility Information Application Limits

We will not consider applications proposing to renew or add funding to active IMLS awards.

If eligible, you may submit multiple applications for support of separate and distinct projects under this announcement and/or through other IMLS grant programs.

Partnerships and Collaborations Applications involving partnerships or collaborations are welcome.

When two or more 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 we fund the project, the lead applicant will be programmatically, fiscally, and legally responsible for the award.

Ineligible Applicants We will not review applications from or make awards to ineligible applicants. We will notify you if your application will not be reviewed because your organization is determined to be ineligible.

To receive an IMLS award, your organization must be determined to be eligible and must comply with all applicable IMLS, administrative and national policy requirements.

Application Deadlines, Funding Range and Completeness You must submit your application by the deadline in accordance with the Submission Dates and Times section in this NOFO. IMLS generally will reject applications received after the deadline. At its discretion and in rare circumstances, IMLS may consider a late application. IMLS retains the sole discretion to determine whether to accept a late application, and such determinations are final.

If your request for federal funding as shown on the IMLS Budget Form, including all direct and indirect costs, is outside the funding range (less than $5,000 or more than $350,000), we may reject your application from consideration.

Cost Share Requirements 12

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Your application must be complete, and your project and budget must adhere to the program’s guidance and funding restrictions.

Cost Share Requirements For the Museums Empowered program, awardees must provide funds from non-federal sources in an amount that is equal to or greater than the amount of the federal award.

Cost share is the portion of a project’s total costs that is not paid by IMLS funds. Common examples of cost share include cash outlays; contribution of property and services; and in-kind contributions, such as staff or volunteer time that support project activities.

Cost share is an eligibility criterion and is not considered in the peer review of applications.

Carefully calculate any cost share that you include in your project budget. If you receive an award, you must meet your cost share commitments. If you do not include at least 1:1 cost share on your IMLS Budget Form, we may reject your application from further consideration.

Learn more about Cost Sharing in the Budget

Agency Mission, Goals, and Objectives 13

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3. Program Description

Agency Mission, Goals, and Objectives The mission of IMLS is to advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. These goals guide our grantmaking.

Agency-Level Goal 1 Champion Lifelong Learning

Objective 1.1 Advance shared knowledge and learning opportunities for all.

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

Agency-Level Goal 2 Strengthen Community Engagement

Objective 2.1 Promote broad public engagement.

Objective 2.2 Support community collaboration and foster civic discourse.

Agency-Level Goal 3 Advance Collections Stewardship and Access

Objective 3.1 Support collections care and management.

Objective 3.2 Promote access to museum and library collections.

The Museums Empowered program supports the achievement of these agency-level goals to facilitate the delivery of significant results consistent with IMLS’s federal authorizing legislation (20 U.S.C. §9101 et seq.; in particular § 9173 (Museum services activities). Each award that we make through the Museums Empowered program will contribute meaningfully to the achievement of both program and agency-level goals.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title20/chapter72&edition=prelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title20-section9173&num=0&edition=prelim

Museums Empowered Program Goals and Objectives 14

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Museums Empowered Program Goals and Objectives Museums Empowered has three program goals and two objectives associated with each goal. You should align your proposed project with one of these goals and one of the associated objectives, and clearly identify your choices in your project Narrative.

ME Program Goal 1, Digital Technology

Provide museum staff with the skills to integrate digital technology into museum operations.

Objective 1.1 Support staff learning and integration of digital communication platforms and social media tools to enhance audience engagement and community outreach.

Objective 1.2 Objective 1.2: Support staff learning and integration of digital tools and services that enhance access to museum collections.

ME Program Goal 2, Evaluation

Strengthen the ability of museum staff to use evaluation as a tool to shape museum programs and improve outcomes.

Objective 2.1 Increase staff knowledge of program evaluation methods and the usefulness of evaluation reports, tools, data, and metrics.

Objective 2.2 Provide museum staff with the tools and strategies to adapt evaluation methods to address a specific audience or institutional need.

Museums Empowered Program Goals and Objectives 15

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ME Program Goal 3, Organizational Management

Strengthen and support museum staff as the essential part of a resilient organizational culture.

Objective 3.1 Develop comprehensive organizational learning opportunities that address one or more emerging priorities facing a museum.

Objective 3.2 Develop programs that address the specific learning and growth opportunities identified by staff needs assessments.

Performance Measures 16

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Performance Measures We use four performance measures as a basis for understanding how well the Museums Empowered program is meeting its goals and how awardees are managing individual projects.

Effectiveness: The extent to which activities contribute to achieving the intended results of the Museums Empowered program

Efficiency: How well resources (e.g., funds, expertise, time) are used while generating maximum value for the primary audience

Quality: How well the activities meet the requirements and expectations of the primary audience (This is different from evaluating the performance of your project)

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

You will need to provide a Performance Measurement Plan to describe how you will use these four performance measures to monitor and assess your performance in carrying out your project and meeting your selected program goal and objective.

Funding Restrictions

Allowable and Unallowable Costs You may use IMLS funds and cost share only for allowable costs as set forth in the OMB government-wide cost-principles and in IMLS’s supplemental regulations.

Please consult 2 C.F.R. § 200 and 2 C.F.R. § 3187 for additional guidance on allowable costs.

The following lists include some examples of generally allowable costs and unallowable costs, both for IMLS funds and for cost share funds under this announcement.

Learn about creating a Performance Measurement Plan.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-XXXI/part-3187

Funding Restrictions 17

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Allowable Costs personnel salaries, wages, and fringe benefits, including annual cost of living increases 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 participant support costs third-party costs design and publication costs program evaluation staff and volunteer training paid internships/fellowships stipends or honoraria for project advisors and participants indirect or overhead costs pre-award costs, at the discretion of and with prior written approval from the agency.

Unallowable Costs general fundraising costs, such as development office staff or other staff time devoted to general fundraising contributions to endowments general operating support acquisition of collections general advertising or public relations costs designed solely for promotional activities other than those related to the specific project construction or renovation of facilities (generally, any activity involving the construction trades is not an allowable cost) social activities, receptions, or entertainment research projects.

You must explain all proposed expenses in the Budget Justification.

Funding Restrictions 18

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

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 your responsibility to determine whether you should characterize a third party as a subrecipient or a contractor and include that determination in your agreement with them.

IMLS grant funds cannot be provided to any federal agency serving as a third party.

Indirect Costs In your budget, you can decide to:

use a rate that does not exceed your current indirect cost rate already negotiated with a federal agency;

use a rate proposed to a federal agency for negotiation, but not yet finalized, as long as it is finalized by the time of the award. However, the rate must be finalized by the time your budget is approved before we make an award;

use a rate not to exceed 15 percent of the Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) if your organization currently does not have a Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and is not subject to other requirements; or not include any indirect costs.

See Indirect Costs in the Budget

Learn more:

2 C.F.R. § 200.1 for definitions of contract, contractor, subaward, and subrecipient;

2 C.F.R. § 200.331 (Subrecipient and contractor determinations).

https://www.imls.gov/find-funding/funding-opportunities/grant-programs/museums-empowered https://www.imls.gov/find-funding/funding-opportunities/grant-programs/museums-empowered https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Contract) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Contract) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Contract) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Contract) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.331 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.331 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.331

Authorizing Statute and Regulations 19

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Authorizing Statute and Regulations

Statute: 20 U.S.C. § 9101 et seq.; in particular, § 9173 (Museum services activities).

Regulations: 45 C.F.R. Chapter XI, 2 C.F.R. Chapter XXXI, and 2 C.F.R. § 200.

Award recipients must follow the regulations that are in effect at the time the award is made.

The OMB guidance on Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) is set forth at 2 C.F.R. § 200.

*Please note: OMB is in the process of updating the Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR § 200 (Uniform Guidance Revisions). For IMLS grant awards made on or after October 1, 2026, the Uniform Guidance Revisions will apply.

IMLS regulations at 2 C.F.R. § 3187 formally adopted the Uniform Guidance and include certain agency-specific provisions.

Equal Opportunity IMLS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age.

For further information, email ogc@imls.gov or write to the Office of the General Counsel, Institute of Museum and Library Services, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Suite N-3627, Washington, DC 20210.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title20/chapter72&edition=prelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title20-section9173&num=0&edition=prelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title20-section9173&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XI https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-XXXI https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200?toc=1 https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/29/2026-10817/regulation-for-federal-financial-assistance https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-XXXI/part-3187 mailto:ogc@imls.gov

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Prepare and Submit Your Application

4. Application Contents and Format

Get Ready to Apply Registration Requirements Application Package Readiness Checklist

Prepare Your Application Application Components Instructions for Required Documents Conditionally Required Documents Supporting Documents Application Checklist

Disclosure of Information in Applications

5. Submission Requirements and Deadline

Submission Instructions Programmatic, Administrative, and Technical Support Contacts

IMLS

Federal Service Desk Grants.gov

Submission Dates and Times Emergency Extensions Intergovernmental Review

Get Ready to Apply 21

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4. Application Contents and Format

Get Ready to Apply

Registration Requirements Before you apply, your 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 now to ensure that they are accurate, current, and active.

We strongly recommend that you obtain a UEI number and complete registration with SAM and Grants.gov well ahead of the application deadline.

Application Package You 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: ME-FY27

• Assistance Listing Number: 45.301

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.

See Guidance for Required Registrations for detailed information and resources to help you make sure your required registrations are complete and active by the time you’re ready to apply.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/search-grants mailto:imls-museumgrants@imls.gov

Get Ready to Apply 22

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Readiness Checklist Applying for an award takes time. Registering with SAM.gov can take several weeks. There are a few important things you’ll need to do before you can apply.

Be sure to…

□ Carefully read through this NOFO to get a good understanding of how to craft your narrative, what documents we require, and how we review applications.

□ Review the eligibility requirements for this program and confirm that your organization is eligible.

1. Organization type

2. Organization location

3. Museum eligibility criteria

□ Review the Funding Restrictions and keep them in mind as you develop your application and budget.

□ Register in SAM.gov (or make sure your organization’s registration is current) as early as possible. Remember that SAM.gov registration can take several weeks.

To register, go to SAM.gov Entity Registration and click Get Started.

See the SAM.gov Entity Registration checklist for what you’ll need to register in SAM.

□ Get a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number. You’ll get your organization’s UEI when you register in SAM.gov.

□ Register in Grants.gov.

□ Make sure you understand the review criteria.

□ Review the post-award requirements to make sure you can meet them.

□ Find the application package. Go to Grants.gov and search for Funding Opportunity Number: ME-FY27 or Assistance Listing Number: 45.301

□ Get familiar with Grants.gov Workspace.

□ Contact an IMLS Program Officer to discuss your project ideas, or if you have questions related to the application process.

https://sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=82f480491b4dfd142fe5ed7ae54bcb0c https://sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://www.grants.gov/search-grants https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview

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Prepare Your Application This section outlines the components, format, and content requirements to help you prepare a complete application.

Application Components

Required Documents You must include all these components for your application to be considered complete.

Component File Requirements

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

Format: Grants.gov web form

IMLS Museum Program Information Form

Format: Grants.gov web form

Organizational Profile

File Format: PDF

Page Limit: 1 page (recommended).

File Name: OrganizationalProfile.pdf

Strategic Plan Summary

File Format: PDF

Page Limit: 2 pages (recommended).

File Name: StrategicPlan.pdf

Narrative

File Format: PDF

Page Limit: 7 pages max.

File Name: Narrative.pdf

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Component File Requirements

Schedule of Completion

File Format: PDF

Page Limit: 1 page per year (recommended)

File Name: Scheduleofcompletion.pdf

IMLS Budget Form File Format: IMLS PDF form

File Name: Budget.pdf

Budget Justification File Format: PDF

File Name: Budgetjustification.pdf

List of Key Project Staff and Consultants

File Format: PDF

Page Limit: 1 page (recommended)

File Name: Projectstaff.pdf

Resumes of Key Project Staff and Consultants

File Format: PDF

Page Limit: 2 pages each (recommended)

File Name: Resumes.pdf

Performance Measurement Plan

File Format: PDF

Page Limit: 2 pages (recommended)

File Name: Perfmeasurement.pdf

Conditionally Required Documents You must include these components if they are applicable to your institution or your project.

Refer to Conditionally Required Documents to determine which, if any, you need to include in your application.

Component File Requirements

Proof of Private, Nonprofit Status File Format: PDF

File Name: Proofnonprofit.pdf

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Component File Requirements

Final Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

File Format: PDF

File Name: Indirectcostrate.pdf

Digital Products Plan

File Format: PDF

Page Limit: 2 pages (recommended)

File Name: Digitalproduct.pdf

Supporting Documents You may include the following additional documents as needed to support your proposal.

Component File Requirements

Supporting Documents (Information that supplements the Narrative and supports your project description)

File Format: PDF

File Name(s):

Supportingdoc1.pdf Supportingdoc2.pdf Supportingdoc3.pdf

Format, Name, and Sequence of Application Components Document Format and File Size 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.

Use standard formatting and fonts in your application components and limit individual file sizes to 200mb or less.

Page Limits Note the page limits listed in the Table of Application Components. We will remove any pages over the stated limits and they will not be sent to peer review; any additional pages will not be considered part of your application.

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Naming Convention

Use the naming conventions indicated in the table of Application Components.

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 tables. Use all 15 fields in the “Attachments Form” first. If your application requires more than 15 attachments, select the “Other Attachments Form.” Note that if you select the “Other Attachments Form,” you will be required to upload the 16th attachment in the “Mandatory Other Attachment” field first; any subsequent attachments should be uploaded under the “Optional Other Attachments.”

Instructions for Required Documents

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. It collects basic information about your organization and your project.

IMLS Museum Program Information Form The IMLS Museum Program Information Form is part of the application package that you complete in Grants.gov Workspace. In this form, we collect details about your project, its goals, and financial information.

Find detailed instructions to help you complete these Grants.gov forms:

Detailed instructions for completing the SF424S

Detailed instructions for completing the IMLS Museum Program Information Form

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

• 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 project.

Strategic Plan Summary Write a summary of your organization’s strategic plan as context for linking your project to your institutional goals and objectives. Please do not submit a copy of your organization’s entire strategic plan. We recommend limiting the Strategic Plan Summary to two pages.

Indicate who approved the plan and when. Save this document as a PDF.

Narrative Write a Narrative using the structure and format below and save it as a PDF. Be clear and concise and limit the use of technical jargon and acronyms. Include references throughout your Narrative to any Supporting Documents that provide supplementary material.

When writing your narrative, consider the review criteria and the program goal and objective you selected.

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Narrative - Required Format Page Limit: 7 numbered pages

We will remove any pages over this limit and will not send them to peer review; any additional pages will not be considered part of your application.

File Name: Narrative.pdf

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.

File Format: PDF

Font Size: 11-point or higher

Margins: 0.5 inches or greater

Components: Organize the Narrative using the following section headings, and respond to the question prompts in the Guidance for Narrative Sections:

• Project Justification

• Project Work Plan

• Project Results

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Guidance for Narrative Sections

Narrative Section Guidance

Project Justification o Which Museums Empowered program goal and associated objective will your project address?

o How will your project advance your museum’s strategic plan?

o What need, problem, or challenge will your project address, and how was it identified?

o Who is the primary audience for your project and how have they been involved in the planning? “Primary audience” refers to those who will be most immediately and positively affected by your project.

Identify the number of individuals in the primary audience or in each group, if you identify more than one.

o 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 “primary audience.”

Project Work Plan o What specific activities will you carry out?

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

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

o How will you organize and structure the project team to support engagement of all participants?

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

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

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Narrative Section Guidance

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

o How will the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and/or attitudes of the primary audience change because of your project?

o How will the proposed activities result in organizational growth or change for the museum?

o What products will result from your project, and how will you make them accessible to the primary audience?

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

Refer to the Evaluation Resources on the IMLS website for program planning tools, evaluation definitions, and methodologies.

Refer to our guidance on disclosing information in your application.

Reviewers may also visit your organization's website, as listed on the SF-424S form provided with your application.

https://www.imls.gov/research-evaluation/evaluation-resources

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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. We recommend that the schedule should not exceed one page per project year. See the sample Schedule of Completion below. Save your document as a PDF.

IMLS Budget Form Download and complete the current IMLS Budget Form (PDF, 1.67MB).

Budget Justification Write a Budget Justification to identify how each expense supports your proposed activities, detail how you calculated all costs, and provide supporting documentation including any dollar amounts that you may have consolidated and summarized on the IMLS Budget Form. It is

Find detailed instructions to help you complete an IMLS Budget Form and write a Budget Justification:

Detailed instructions for completing the IMLS Budget Form

Detailed instructions for writing a Budget Justification https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2024-07/imls-budget-form.pdf https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2024-07/imls-budget-form.pdf

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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 instead list the position title(s).

This list must include the Project Director listed in Item 7 of the SF-424S. We recommend limiting this list to one page.

Resumes of Key Project Staff and Consultants Provide a resume for each person whose expertise is essential to the success of the project.

We recommend limiting each resume to two pages. Use standard fonts and formatting, and save all resumes as 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, provide position description(s) including the qualities, range of experience, and education necessary to successfully implement and complete all proposed project activities.

Performance Measurement Plan Your Performance Measurement Plan should show how you will monitor and assess your performance as an award recipient from the perspectives of Effectiveness, Efficiency, Quality, and Timeliness for your overall project.

For each performance 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. A fillable version of this chart is provided. (DOCX, 25KB), which you may but are not required to use. We recommend limiting your Performance Measurement Plan to two pages. Save your 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

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(Back to Table of Application Components)

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Conditionally Required Documents These documents may be required for your application, depending on specific program requirements. Refer to the table below to determine which, if any, Conditionally Required Documents you need to provide.

If you fail to provide a Conditionally Required Document, we will consider your application incomplete and reject it 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 even if you have previously submitted it with other applications.

We…