PKG00263084-instructions.pdf

OMB Control #: 3137-0095, Expiration Date: 8/31/2021

MUSEUM GRANTS FOR

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY

AND CULTURE

FY 2021 NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Table of Contents

A. Program Description

B. Federal Award Information

C. Eligibility Information

D. Application and Submission Information

E. Application Review Information

F. Award Administration Information

G. Contacts

H. Other Information

Appendix One – IMLS Assurances and Certifications

Appendix Two – Required Federal Systems

Appendix Three – Explanation of Forms for Reference

Appendix Four – IMLS Products Guidance

Appendix Five – Conflict of Interest Requirements

Museum Grants for African American History and Culture

FY 2021 NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Federal Awarding Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services

Funding Opportunity Title: Museum Grants for African American History and Culture

Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Number: AAHC-FY21

Catalog of Federal Financial Assistance (CFDA) Number:

45.309

Due Date:

Submit through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on November 16, 2020

Anticipated Date of Notification of Award Decisions:

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

Beginning Date of Period of Performance:

Projects must begin on July 1, 2021.

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.

A. Program Description A1. What is this grant program?

The goals of the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture program (AAHC program) are to build the capacity of African American museums and support the growth and development of museum professionals at African American museums.

The AAHC program supports projects that nurture museum professionals, build institutional capacity, and increase access to museum and archival collections at African American museums and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). IMLS welcomes applications from museums of all sizes and geographic areas whose primary purpose, as reflected in their mission, is African American art, life, history, and culture.

mailto:CivilRights@imls.gov

A2. What are indicators of successful projects?

Indicators (characteristics) of successful projects in the AAHC program are as follows:

• Institutional Impact: The project builds the capacity of a museum and/or supports the growth and development of museum professionals at African American museums and/or HBCUs.

• In-depth Knowledge: The project design reflects a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about the subject matter.

• Project-based Design: The work plan consists of a set of logical, interrelated activities tied directly to addressing the key need or challenge identified in the application.

• Demonstrable Results: The project generates measurable results that tie directly to the need or challenge it was designed to address.

A3. What are the IMLS Agency-Level Goals and Objectives?

The mission of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. We provide leadership through research, policy development, and grant making.

In FY2018-2022, each award funded under this program will support one of the following three goals and an associated objective from the IMLS strategic plan, Transforming Communities:

• Promote Lifelong Learning: IMLS supports learning and literacy for people of all ages through museums and libraries.

o Early, digital, information, health, financial, media, civic, and other literacies o Cross-disciplinary and inquiry-based learning methods o Continuous learning for families and individuals with diverse backgrounds and needs o Distinctive role of museums and libraries as trusted sources of information

• Build Capacity: IMLS strengthens the capacity of museums and libraries to improve the wellbeing of their communities.

o Recruitment, training, and development of library and museum workforces o Share and adopt best practices and innovations o Identify trends to help organizations make informed decisions o Serve as trusted spaces for community engagement and dialogue

• Increase Public Access: IMLS makes strategic investments that increase access to information, ideas, and networks through libraries and museums.

o Support stewardship of museum and library collections o Tools, technology, and training enabling discovery and use of collections and resources by all o Policies and partnerships to address access barriers to collections, programs, and information o Increased access to knowledge through effective communications https://www.imls.gov/about-us/strategic-plan https://www.imls.gov/about-us/strategic-plan

These agency goals and objectives focus on achieving positive public outcomes for communities and individuals; supporting the unique role of museums and libraries in preserving and providing access to collections and content; and promoting library, museum, and information service policies that ensure access to information for all Americans.

IMLS places importance on diversity, equity, and inclusion. This may be reflected in a project in a wide range of ways, including efforts to serve individuals of diverse geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds; persons with disabilities; persons with limited functional literacy or information skills; individuals having difficulty using a library or museum; underserved urban and rural communities; and children from families with incomes below the poverty level. This may also be reflected in efforts to recruit future professionals in the library or museum fields as well as strategies for building or enhancing access to collections and information.

A4. What are the project categories?

Applicants are not required to select a project category in the AAHC program. Projects meeting the goals of the AAHC program may include, but are not limited to, the activities described in this section.

Projects designed to build the capacity of African American museums may involve increasing the number of museum professionals working at African American museums to enable the museum to expand educational programs, engage the community, enhance organizational operations and resiliency, or provide for enhanced care of collections. IMLS encourages museum professionals and institutions to share and adopt best practices and innovations by creating skill-building and capacity-expanding programs that are applicable across all levels of museum staff to ensure the highest standards in all aspects of museum practices and operations. You may apply for support of projects including, but not limited to, the following activities:

• Cataloging, inventorying, documenting, and registering collections

• Digitization of collections designed to enhance outreach, expand access, or improve collections management

• Developing collection plans, interpretive plans, or strategic plans using consultants, researchers, and other sources of professional expertise

• Implementing recommendations or action plans from planning activities

• Exhibition development, design, and fabrication

• Interpretive and educational programs, product development, and delivery

• Design and printing of educational resources including training manuals, toolkits, and curricula that support educational programs and exhibitions

• Creating environments, approaches, and tools for increased community collaboration, learning, debate, and dialogue

• Audience research and evaluation, including utilizing an evaluation consultant to help develop achievable performance goals and measurable outcomes

• Gathering and incorporating collections information and relevant artifacts from stakeholders such as community members and scholars in order to capture and share multiple and dynamic perspectives on museum collections

Projects to support the growth and development of museum professionals at African American museums may involve hosting paid internships at African American museums; creating mentorship opportunities for emerging and mid-career staff to connect with, learn from and engage with senior leaders and founders in the African American museum community; creating learning and growth opportunities for museum staff to build skills, enhance knowledge and expertise in museum-related subjects and areas of need. You may apply for support of projects including, but not limited to, the following activities:

• Fostering partnerships among museums and institutions of higher education to address challenges facing the African American museum community

• Providing professional development opportunities for museum staff, leadership, and volunteers

• Developing and offering workshops and training for museum staff, leadership, and volunteers

• Creating and supporting internships and fellowships, including recruitment, supervision, mentoring, and training for interns and fellows and understanding the importance and role of cohorts of interns and fellows

• Focusing professional development to support museum staff in areas such as digital technology, evaluation and assessment, and collections stewardship

Click here for samples of recently funded applications in the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture program.

A5. How much money can I request from IMLS in this program?

Your total request for federal funding, including all direct and indirect costs, must be between $5,000 and $250,000.

If your total request for federal funding is between $5,000 and $50,000, then no cost-share is required.

If your request for federal funding is between $50,001 and $250,000, at least 1:1 cost share from non-federal sources is required.

A6. Where can I find examples of projects funded by this program?

Click here to search awarded grants by program, category, and/or key word.

A7. Where can I find the authorizing statute and regulations for this funding opportunity?

Statute: 20 U.S.C. § 9101 et seq.; in particular, § 9173 (Museum services activities); and 20 U.S.C. § 80r (National Museum of African American History and Culture), in particular 20 U.S.C. § 80r-5 (Educational and liaison programs).

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

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

Note: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance on Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) can be found at 2 C.F.R. pt. 200.

With certain IMLS-specific additions, IMLS regulations at 2 C.F.R. pt. 3187 formally adopt the 2 C.F.R. pt. 200 Uniform Guidance.

https://www.imls.gov/grants/apply-grant/sample-applications https://www.imls.gov/grants/apply-grant/sample-applications https://www.imls.gov/grants/awarded-grants https://www.imls.gov/grants/awarded-grants https://www.imls.gov/grants/awarded-grants

B. Federal Award Information Total amount of funding expected to be awarded through this announcement

$2,731,000

Anticipated number of awards 22

Expected amount of individual awards $5,000 - $250,000

Average amount of funding per award experienced in previous years

$124,000

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

Anticipated period of performance July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022, June 30, 2023, or June 30, 2024. 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, including all direct and indirect costs, is outside the applicable funding level range, your application will be rejected from consideration for funding in this program.

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

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

C. Eligibility Information C1. What are the eligibility requirements for this program?

To be eligible for an award under this AAHC Notice of Funding Opportunity, you must be an organization that meets all three of the following criteria:

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

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

3. You must qualify as one of the following:

(a) A museum whose primary purpose, as reflected in its mission, is African American life, art, history, and/or culture, encompassing: the period of slavery; the era of Reconstruction; the Harlem renaissance; the civil rights movement; and other periods of the African American diaspora; and using a professional staff, is organized on a permanent basis for essentially educational, cultural heritage or aesthetic purposes; owns or uses tangible objects, either animate or inanimate; cares for these objects; and exhibits these objects to the general public on a regular basis through facilities that it owns or operates.

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

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

3) What does it mean to “exhibit the objects to the general public”? An institution exhibits objects to the general public if such exhibition is a primary purpose of the institution. An institution that exhibits objects to the general public for at least 120 days a year is deemed to exhibit objects to the general public on a regular basis. An institution which does not have the exhibition of objects as a primary purpose and/or does not exhibit objects to the public for at least 120 days a year may be determined to be eligible as a museum under certain circumstances. For more information, please see 2 C.F.R. § 3187.3.

(b) 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.

(c) A museum service organization or association whose primary purpose, as reflected in its mission, is to support museums whose primary purpose, as reflected in their mission, is African American life, art, history and/or culture; or

(d) A historically black college or university, as defined by the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. Section 1061, and pursuant to Executive Order 13256, dated February 12, 2002.

If my museum is located within a parent organization, can my museum apply on its own?

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.

Is a nonprofit organization eligible if it is 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. What are the cost-sharing requirements for this program?

The requirements to provide cost share from non-federal sources differ according to funding level requested in the AAHC program.

AAHC Funding Level Cost Share Requirement

$5,000 - $50,000 Cost share is not required.

$50,001 - $250,000 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.

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

Click here for further information on cost sharing.

C3. Other Information C3a. How many applications can we submit under this announcement?

An applicant organization is subject to the following under this announcement:

• If you submit an application at the $5,000–$50,000 funding level, you are limited to one application under this announcement.

• If you submit an application at the $50,001–$250,000 level, you may submit more than one application at this funding level under this announcement.

C3b. What if our organization fails to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of the application deadline?

IMLS will not review applications from ineligible applicants. We will notify you if your application will not be reviewed because your institution is determined to be ineligible.

C3c. What if our organization fails to meet an eligibility criterion at the time of award?

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

D. Application and Submission Information D1. How can we find the application package?

This announcement contains all application materials needed to apply. Use one of the following identifiers to locate the application package in Grants.gov:

• CFDA No. 45.309, or

• Funding Opportunity Number: AAHC-FY21

D1a. Can we request an audio recording of this announcement?

Yes, call 202-653-4744 to request it.

D1b. Can we request a paper copy of this announcement?

Yes, call 202-653-4744 to request it.

Persons with hearing difficulty are welcome to use Teletype (TTY/TDD) 202-653-4614.

D2. What content and forms are required to make a complete application?

The Table of Application Components below will help you prepare a complete application. You will find links to more information and instructions for each application component in the table.

Applications missing any Required Documents or Conditionally Required Documents from this list will be considered incomplete and may be rejected from further consideration. (See 2 C.F.R. § 3187.9.)

D2a. Table of Application Components

Component Format File name to use

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

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

Grants.gov form n/a

IMLS Supplementary Information Form (Including Abstract)

Grants.gov form n/a

IMLS Museum Program Information Form Grants.gov form n/a

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

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

Schedule of Completion (one page per year max.)

PDF document Scheduleofcompletion.pdf

IMLS Budget Form IMLS PDF form Budget.pdf

Budget Justification PDF document Budgetjustification.pdf

List of Key Project Staff and Consultants (one page max.)

PDF document Projectstaff.pdf

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

PDF document Resumes.pdf

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

Proof of Private, Nonprofit Status PDF document Proofnonprofit.pdf

Final Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

PDF document Indirectcostrate.pdf

Digital Product Form IMLS PDF form Digitalproduct.pdf

Detailed Condition Reports and/or Conservation Treatment Proposals

PDF document Treatment.pdf

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

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

PDF document Supportingdoc1.pdf Supportingdoc2.pdf Supportingdoc3.pdf

D2b. How should we format, name, and sequence the application components?

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

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

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

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

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

D2c. Instructions for Required Documents

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

The SF-424S is part of the application package that you complete in the Grants.gov Workspace.

Click here for instructions on completing the SF-424S.

2. IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract)

The IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract) is part of the application package that you complete in Grants.gov Workspace. Click here for instructions on completing it.

3. IMLS Museum Program Information Form

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

4. Organizational Profile

Create a one-page organizational profile, addressing the following, and save it as a PDF.

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

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

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

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

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

5. Proposal Narrative

Write a Narrative that addresses the questions listed below and save it as a PDF.

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

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

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

• Include references throughout your Narrative to any supporting documents that help make your case.

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

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

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

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

Project Justification

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

• Who or what will benefit from your project and how have they been involved in the planning?

• How will your project build the capacity of your institution?

• How will your project address the goals of the Museum Grants for African American

History and Culture program (as described above in Section A1) to build the capacity of African American museums and support the growth and development of museum professionals?

Review Criteria:

• Is the need, problem, or challenge to be addressed clearly identified and supported by relevant evidence?

• Are the stakeholders and/or people who will benefit from the project clearly identified, and have they been involved in planning the project in ways that are appropriate and likely to be effective?

• If applicable, are the collections and/or records that are the focus of the project and their current condition described and quantified in enough detail?

• Are the ways in which this project builds the capacity of the institution specific, actionable, and measurable?

Project Work Plan

• What specific activities, including evaluation, will you carry out?

• What are the risks to the project and are they accounted for in the work plan?

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

• When and in what sequence will your activities occur?

• What time, financial, personnel, and other resources will you need to carry out the activities? Note: You must include $3,000 per year in award funds for travel to attend IMLS-designated meetings.

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

• How and with whom will you share your project’s results?

Review Criteria:

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

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

• Are the proposed evaluation activities appropriate for the project? Will they result in valid, reliable, and generalizable findings?

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

• Is the schedule of work realistic and achievable?

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

• Is a clear methodology described for tracking the project’s progress and adjusting course when necessary?

• Is there an effective plan for communicating results and/or sharing discoveries?

Project Results

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

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

• What data will you collect and report to measure your project’s success?

• If applicable, how will the care, condition, management, access to, or use of the museum collections and/or records that are the focus of your project improve?

• What tangible products will result from your project?

• How will you sustain the benefit(s) of your project?

Review Criteria:

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

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

• Will the care, condition, management, access to, or use of the museum collections and/or records improve as a result of the project?

• Is the plan for collecting and reporting data well designed and feasible?

• Will the tangible products be useful?

• Is there a reasonable and practical plan for sustaining the benefits of the project beyond the conclusion of this award?

Please be advised that reviewers may also choose to visit your organization's website, as listed on the SF-424S form provided with your application.

6. Schedule of Completion

The schedule of completion should reflect each major activity identified in your application Narrative and the project dates identified on the SF-424S and the IMLS Budget Form. It should show when each major project activity will start and end. The schedule must be no longer than one page per project year. See the sample schedule of completion below. Save this document as a

PDF.

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

7. IMLS Budget Form

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

https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/budgetform.pdf

8. Budget Justification

Write a budget justification to identify each expense and show the method of cost computation used to determine each dollar amount, including any that you may have consolidated and summarized on the IMLS Budget Form. Save this document as a PDF. Click here for detailed instructions.

9. List of Key Project Staff and Consultants

Write a one-page list of only those staff and consultants whose expertise is essential to the success of the project and save it as a PDF. Do not list all staff involved in the project. If you cannot identify key project staff by the application deadline, then list the position title(s) instead. This list must include the Project Director listed in Item 7 of the SF-424S.

10. Resumes of Key Project Staff and Consultants

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

(Back to Table of Application Components)

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 or State sales tax exemption as proof of nonprofit status.

Using a federally negotiated indirect cost rate in your budget

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

If you are eligible for and are choosing the option of claiming an indirect cost rate of 10 percent of modified total direct costs (see 2 C.F.R. part 200, including 2 C.F.R.

200.68, 200.414(f), and 200.510(b)(6)), you do not need to provide any documentation.

Proposing to generate digital products, software, and/or research data

A completed Digital Product Form (PDF, 180 KB; Word, 46

KB).

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

Proposing to undertake conservation treatment as part of your project

A document that identifies your institution’s conservation priorities and describes how they were established.

Detailed condition reports and/or treatment proposals for each object, specimen, or group to be treated.

This document might be one or more of the following:

A Collections Assessment for Preservation (CAP) report

A Preservation Assistance Grant (PAG) report

A General Conservation Survey Report (funded by a prior IMLS grant)

A similar survey report funded by local, state, regional, or private entities

A current Long-range Conservation Plan approved by the organization’s administration and/or governing body

(Back to Table of Application Components)

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

• Letters of commitment from any third party that will receive grant funds or from entities that will contribute substantive funds to the completion of project activities https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/digitalproduct.pdf https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/digitalproduct.pdf https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/digitalproduct.docx

• Letters of commitment from partners or other groups who will work closely with you on your project

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

• Letters of support from experts and stakeholders

• Relevant images to support your proposed project

• Exhibit design plans

• Reports from planning activities

• Contractor quotes

• Equipment specifications

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

• Collections, technology, or other departmental plans for the organization as applicable to the proposed project

• Web links to relevant online materials

• Needs assessments

Applications for projects that build organizational capacity by adding new staff may include the following types of Supporting Documents:

• Position description(s) for the new staff position, including assigned duties and required qualifications

• Estimated salary and benefits documentation for the new position that reflect industry standards and prevailing wages for the local area

• Organizational chart and/or a description of the leadership and supervisory structure of your organization, showing the new positions along with existing staff

Applications for projects that support the growth and development of museum staff or interns may include the following types of Supporting Documents:

• Position descriptions including expected duties and learning outcomes for interns

• Recruitment plans, including letters of support from HBCUs or other institutions of higher education

• Training needs assessment, identifying knowledge gaps and areas of growth for museum staff

• Curriculum and learning objectives from identified training programs or career development experiences

Applications for projects that build capacity to enhance care and increase access to museum collections may include the following types of Supporting Documents:

• Summary of the scope and scale of museum collections, including baseline information on the numbers, types, and quantities of items held by the museum

• Specific benchmarks on the quantity of collection items to be processed, cataloged, and/or digitized in the proposed project

• Description of the intended audience that will gain access to the museum collection, and how the improved access will meet the needs of that audience

• Museum collections management policy or similar type of document approved by the governing board and/or leadership of your museum

(Back to Table of Application Components)

D3. What are the registration requirements for submitting an application?

Before submitting an application, your organization must have a current and active D-U-N-S® number (a unique entity identifier), System for Award Management (SAM) registration, and Grants.gov registration. Check your materials and registrations well in advance of the application deadline to ensure that they are accurate, current, and active.

If your D-U-N-S® number and SAM registration are not active and current at the time of submission, your application will be rejected; if they are not active and current at the time an award is made, we may determine that you are not qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

D3a. What is a D-U-N-S® number and how do we get one?

A D-U-N-S® number is a unique nine-digit number assigned to all types of business organizations, including nonprofits and government entities. Click here to learn more about getting a D-U-N-S® number.

D3b. What is the System for Award Management (SAM) and how do we register?

The System for Award Management (SAM) is a federal repository that centralizes information about grant applicants and recipients. There is no fee to register with SAM. Click here to learn more about SAM registration.

D3c. What is Grants.gov and how do we register?

Grants.gov is the centralized location for grant seekers to find and apply for Federal funding opportunities.

You must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting your application package. The multistep registration process generally cannot be completed in a single day. If you are not already registered, you should allow several weeks before the grant program deadline to complete this one-time process.

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

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

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

D4. When and how must we submit our application?

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

For the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture program, Grants.gov will accept applications through 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on November 16, 2020.

We strongly recommend that you obtain a D-U-N-S® number, register with SAM and Grants.gov, and complete and submit the application early. We make grants only to eligible applicants that submit complete applications, including attachments, through Grants.gov, on or before the deadline, as indicated by the date stamp generated by Grants.gov.

Contact Grants.gov at support@grants.gov or call their help line at 1-800-518-4726 for technical assistance. The help line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for federal holidays.

D4a. What happens after we submit our application through Grants.gov?

Grants.gov will generate a series of emails confirming the status of your application. You can check the status of your application(s) in Grants.gov by using “Track My Application.” For further details, please consult Grants.gov.

D5. Is there an intergovernmental review?

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

D6. Are there funding restrictions?

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

The following list includes some examples of generally allowable costs, both for IMLS funds and for cost share (if applicable), under this announcement:

• personnel salaries, wages, and fringe benefits

• travel expenses for key project staff and consultants

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

• equipment to improve collections storage and exhibit environments

• third-party costs

• publication design and printing

• staff and volunteer training

• internships/fellowships

• indirect or overhead costs

You must explain all proposed expenses in your Budget Justification.

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

• general fundraising costs, such as development office staff or other staff time devoted to general fundraising

• contributions to endowments

• general operating support

• acquisition of collections (see 2 C.F.R. § 3187.15(b))

• general advertising or public relations costs designed solely for promotional activities other than those related to the specific project

• construction or renovation of facilities (generally, any activity involving the construction trades is not an allowable cost)

• social activities, ceremonies, receptions, or entertainment

• research projects (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.87)

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

D6a. How do we include costs for third parties?

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/track-my-application.html

Your project may require you to provide federal funds to third parties (such as partners, consultants, collaborators, subgrantees, subawardees, vendors, and/or service providers). It is your responsibility to determine whether a third party should be designated as a subrecipient or a contractor. The designation must be reflected in the terms of each agreement you make with each third party.

(See 2 C.F.R. § 200.330 (Subrecipient and contractor determinations)). IMLS grant funds may not be provided to any federal agency serving as a third party.

D6b. What are our options for including indirect costs in our budget?

You can choose to:

• use a rate not to exceed your current indirect cost rate already negotiated with a federal agency;

• use an indirect cost rate proposed to a federal agency 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% of the total modified direct costs if you have never had a federally negotiated indirect cost rate and you are otherwise eligible; or

• not include any indirect costs.

Click here for further information on indirect costs.

E. Application Review Information E1. What are the review criteria?

Reviewers are instructed to evaluate applications according to the review criteria included within the Narrative instructions in Section D2 of this document. Reviewers consider all Required, Conditionally Required, and Supporting Documents, as listed in Section D2.

E1a. Is cost sharing considered in the review process?

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

E2. What is the review and selection process?

We use 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. We instruct reviewers to evaluate applications according to the review criteria. Peer reviewers must comply with IMLS’s Federal ethics and conflicts of interest requirements.

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

E3. What is the designated integrity and performance system and how does IMLS comply with its requirements?

IMLS, prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $ 250,000 but periodically adjusted), is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently FAPIIS) (see 41 U.S.C. § 2313 and 41 U.S.C. § 134).

An applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered.

IMLS will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in considering the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.205 (Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants).

E4. When will we be notified of funding decisions?

We will not release information about the status of an application until the applications have been reviewed and all deliberations are concluded. We expect to notify both successful and unsuccessful applicants of the final decisions by June 2021.

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

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

F2. What are the administrative and national policy requirements?

Organizations that receive IMLS grants or cooperative agreements are subject to the IMLS General Terms and Conditions for IMLS Discretionary Grant and Cooperative Agreement Awards (PDF, 370KB) and the IMLS Assurances and Certifications. Organizations that receive IMLS funding must be familiar with these requirements and comply with applicable law.

As an applicant for Federal funds, you must certify that you are responsible for complying with certain nondiscrimination, debarment and suspension, drug-free workplace, and lobbying laws. These are set out in more detail, along with other requirements, in the IMLS Assurances and Certifications. By signing the application form, which includes the Assurances and Certifications, you certify that you are in compliance with these requirements and that you will maintain records and submit any reports that are necessary to ensure compliance. Your failure to comply with these statutory and regulatory requirements may result in the suspension or termination of your award and require you to return funds to the government.

https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/gtc-after-july-1-2020.pdf https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/gtc-after-july-1-2020.pdf

F3. What are the reporting requirements?

At a minimum, you will be required to submit a performance report and financial report annually.

Reports are due according to the reporting schedule that is part of your official award notification.

Grantees must submit reports using the IMLS electronic grants management system, eGMS. In support of the agency’s commitment to open government, interim and final performance reports may be made accessible on the IMLS website to engage the public in communities of practice and to inform application development and grant making strategies.

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

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

F3a. What do we need to know if the Federal share of our award is more than $500,000 over the period of performance?

If the Federal share of your award is more than $500,000 over the period of performance, you should refer to the post-award reporting requirements reflected in 2 C.F.R. pt. 200, Appendix XII – Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.

G. Contacts G1. Whom should we contact if we have questions?

Click here for IMLS staff contact information for this program. IMLS staff are available by phone and email to answer programmatic and administrative questions relating to this grant program.

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

G2. How can we participate in a webinar for this IMLS funding opportunity?

Program staff provide pre-recorded webinars to introduce potential applicants to funding opportunities. Click here for a list of pre-recorded webinars and instructions for accessing them from your computer.

H. Other Information H1. What do we need to know about acknowledging IMLS support?

Grantees must include an acknowledgement of IMLS support in all grant products, publications, websites, and presentations developed with IMLS funding. All work products should reference IMLS https://www.imls.gov/grants/manage-your-award https://www.imls.gov/grants/manage-your-award https://www.imls.gov/grants/manage-your-award https://www.imls.gov/grants/available/museum-grants-african-american-history-and-culture https://www.imls.gov/grants/available/museum-grants-african-american-history-and-culture…