Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services

2010
Native American/
Native Hawaiian
Museum Services
Grant Program Guidelines
CFDA No. 45.308

Application Deadline: April 1, 2010
Applicants must apply through Grants.gov
(see www.imls.gov/grantsgov for more information).

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL OR WRITE:
Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services program staff
Office of Museum Services
General phone: 202/653-4789

Sandra Narva, Senior Program Officer
Phone: 202/653-4634
E-mail: [email protected]

Institute of Museum and Library Services
1800 M Street, NW, 9th Floor
Washington, DC 20036-5802
General phone: 202/653-IMLS (4657)
General e-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.imls.gov

Tim Carrigan, Program Specialist
Phone: 202/653-4639
E-mail: [email protected]
Reagan Moore, Program Specialist
Phone: 202/653-4637
E-mail: [email protected]

TTY (for hearing-impaired persons)
202/653-4614

IMLS will provide visually impaired or learning-disabled persons with an audio recording of this
publication or any other grant publication upon request.

Office of Management and Budget Clearance Numbers
Guidelines: OMB No. 3137-0029 Expiration Date 7/31/2010
Forms: OMB No. 3137-0071; Expiration Date: 7/31/2010

Burden Estimates and Request for Public Comments
Public reporting burden for the collection of information per the guidelines’ instruction is
estimated to average 40 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions,
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing
and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or
any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden,
to the Institute of Museum and Library Services at the address above; and to the Office of
Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (3137-0029), Washington, DC 20503.
Public reporting burden is estimated to average 15 minutes per response for the Program
Information Sheet, and 3 hours per response for the Detailed Budget and Summary Budget,
including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send
comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Institute of Museum and Library Services,
Chief, Information Officer, 1800 M Street, NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20036-5802, and to
the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (3137-0071), Washington,
DC 20503.

IMLS programs do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or
age. For further information, write to the Civil Rights Officer, Institute of Museum and Library
Services, 1800 M Street, NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20036-5802.

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DEAR COLLEAGUES
I am pleased to present the 2010 guidelines for the Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum
Services program. These grants provide opportunities for Native American tribes and groups
that primarily serve native Hawaiians to strengthen programming, encourage professional
development, and sustain other museum services in museum and museum-related
organizations. Prospective grantees can apply within one of three categories – Programming,
Professional Development, or Enhancement of Museum Services – and are expected to
demonstrate how they will use their funding for museum programs and activities, which may
include collections management, staff training, public programming, strategic planning, and
exhibition development.
The Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services program was established in the
Museum and Library Services Act of 2003, which included, for the first time, the authority for
IMLS to provide assistance to “Native American tribes and organizations primarily serving and
representing Native Hawaiians provide museum services.” These guidelines were developed in
response to the legislation and with the advice of the tribal museum community and eligible
tribes. Since 2005 IMLS has made 132 awards in this program, which have helped tribes
preserve their cultures, protect their collections, and offer innovative programming to their
communities.
I invite you to read over these guidelines, contact IMLS staff with any questions you might have,
and consider applying for funding. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,

Anne-Imelda M. Radice, PhD
Director

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
General Information
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services ............................................................ 6
About Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services ................................................. 7
Outcomes-Based Planning and Evaluation (OBPE) .............................................................................. 8
Museums and Libraries Engaging America’s Youth............................................................................... 8
Museums and Libraries Strengthen 21st Century Skills ........................................................................ 8

Conference Calls with NANH Staff Members ......................................................................... 9
Institutional Eligibility .............................................................................................................10
Partnerships ............................................................................................................................11
Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S®), Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN),
and Employer Identification Number (EIN) ............................................................................12
Award Information ..................................................................................................................13
Project Start Date ................................................................................................................................. 13
Use of Funds ........................................................................................................................................ 13
Cost Sharing ......................................................................................................................................... 14
Maintenance of Effort ........................................................................................................................... 14
Copyright/Work Products ...................................................................................................................... 14
Project Evaluation ................................................................................................................................. 15
Announcement of Awards .................................................................................................................... 15

Application Review Process ..................................................................................................16
Guidance for Projects that Develop Digital Products...........................................................17
Information to Include in Proposal ........................................................................................................ 17
Interoperability ...................................................................................................................................... 17
Project Plans ......................................................................................................................................... 17
Resources for Projects Developing Digital Products ............................................................................ 17

Preparing and Submitting an Application
Grants.Gov information and instructions .............................................................................22
Find Grant Opportunities ...................................................................................................................... 22
Get Registered...................................................................................................................................... 22
Apply for Grants .................................................................................................................................... 23
Grants.gov Help .................................................................................................................................... 24

Preparing an application ........................................................................................................25
Attachments: Naming the Files and their Sequence ............................................................................ 26
SF-424S ................................................................................................................................................ 28
Abstract ................................................................................................................................................. 30
Program Information Sheet .................................................................................................................. 30

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Narrative ............................................................................................................................................... 32
Budget .................................................................................................................................................. 34
Schedule of Completion ....................................................................................................................... 37
Exhibition Summary (if applicable) ....................................................................................................... 38
Partnership Statement .......................................................................................................................... 38
Specifications for Projects That Develop Digital Products ................................................................... 39
Key Project Staff and Consultants and Resumes ................................................................................ 41
Letters of Commitment (if applicable) ................................................................................................... 41
Statement of Purpose/Mission Statement and History ......................................................................... 41
Proof of Eligibility .................................................................................................................................. 42
Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement ............................................................................ 42
Supporting Documents for NANH Applicants ....................................................................................... 42

IMLS Assurances and Certification
Assurances Statement ......................................................................................................................... 44
Certifications Required of All Applicants .............................................................................................. 44
Certifications Required of Some Applicants ......................................................................................... 46

Ten Tips to Work Successfully with Grants.gov ...................................................................48

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Section 1:
GENERAL INFORMATION

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ABOUT THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND
LIBRARY SERVICES
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the
nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong
libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the
national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture,
and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To
learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.
The Institute supports the full range of museums, including art, history, science and technology,
children’s, natural history, historic houses, nature centers, botanical gardens, and zoos; and all
types of libraries, including public, school, academic, research, and archival. Our robust
capacity for research, evaluation, policy analysis, grantmaking, and partnerships help make it
possible for libraries and museums to be leaders in their communities.
Museums and libraries are America’s leading public institutions, making knowledge available to
millions at little or no cost. As public institutions they must meet a very high threshold of mission
accountability and use resources wisely for public good.
Through grants and information resources, we annually reach thousands of museums and
libraries in myriad ways—from providing much-needed technical assistance for small institutions
to establishing national and replicable models, strengthening state networks, and supporting
professional development. To aid institutions in program design, we also provide tools for
strategic planning and evaluation. Funding from the Institute helps museums and libraries
operate effectively and give value to their communities. It also leverages additional public and
private support.
Collecting and disseminating results from funded projects, engaging in research, and publishing
reports enables the Institute of Museum and Library Services to make a significant contribution
to library, museum, and information policy and practice in the United States.

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ABOUT NATIVE AMERICAN/NATIVE HAWAIIAN
MUSEUM SERVICES
Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services (NANH) promotes enhanced learning and
innovation within museums and museum-related organizations, such as cultural centers
organized by Native American tribes and organizations that primarily serve Native Hawaiians.
The program provides opportunities to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge through
strengthened museum services in the areas of programming, professional development, and
enhancement of museum services. Projects will benefit their communities and audiences by
connecting people to ideas, information, and learning experiences.
For FY2010, the program invites applications that focus on activities in the following areas:
Programming: Services and activities that support the educational missions of museums and
museum-related organizations, including (but not limited to) activities such as
•
•
•
•

exhibits
research and interpretation
educational resources such as websites, curricula, digital content, and publications
educational demonstrations and performances, including workshops, classes and
presentations

Professional Development: Education or training that builds skills, knowledge, or other
professional capacity for individuals who provide or manage museum services activities.
Individuals can be paid or volunteer, and involved with museum services either currently or in
the future. Activities include (but are not limited to)
•
•
•
•
•

creation and offering of courses, workshops, in-person or distance learning offerings
enrollment in courses, workshops, in-person or distance learning offerings
attendance at conferences or other professional meetings
hiring of consultants or technical assistance to strengthen museum services and
activities
organizational support for internships and fellowships (awards are not made to
individuals)

Enhancement of Museum Services: Support for activities that enable or improve museum
services, including (but not limited to)
•
•
•
•

planning, including strategic planning, policy development, and disaster preparedness
and risk management
improvement implementation, including technology and other resources, equipment
purchases, security, public access (construction projects are not allowed)
heritage preservation, including collections care and management
hiring of temporary or permanent staff to support museum services

Applicants are required to focus their proposed activities within one of the categories listed
above.

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Outcomes-Based Planning and Evaluation (OBPE)
IMLS encourages the use of an approach called outcomes-based planning and evaluation
(OBPE) when it is appropriate for the type of project to be conducted. Any project that identifies
learning or education for any audience among its goals should plan to measure representative
outcomes for that aspect of its work. Information about evaluation is available on the IMLS Web
site at www.imls.gov/applicants/obe.shtm or on request from IMLS. IMLS encourages applicants
to consider participating in Shaping Outcomes, a Web-based course for which information is
available at www.shapingoutcomes.org, or a similar learning experience in advance of
application. Such programs are intended to help planners refine their purposes and evaluation
plans.

Museums and Libraries Engaging America’s Youth
Museums and libraries have a rich array of resources—collections, staff, programs—that
engage youth by inspiring curiosity and fostering learning. These cultural institutions also
provide safe and welcoming environments for kids. Libraries and museums are essential
community partners that have a significant role to play in helping youth succeed in school, work,
and life. Through its Museums and Libraries Engaging America’s Youth initiative, the Institute
looked back at the youth-oriented programs it funded to examine what works and to share
effective practices. A convening of practitioners, educators, and informal learning experts looked
at elements of successful programs – such as positive environment, institutional support,
professional development, and evaluation—and how museums and libraries can enhance their
role as community partners. If you are applying for a Museums for America grant for a program
that involves youth, please see these publications for tips and recommendations in designing
effective programs, as well as for valuable resources and bibliography.
Youth Resources (available at www.imls.gov/youth)
The Final Report shares the results of the year-long study on the impact of IMLS grants (19982003) though programs that served youth aged 9-19. Nearly 400 museum and library programs
were surveyed about their goals, strategies, content, audience, and structure, as well as about
their impact, effectiveness, and outcomes. The Practitioner’s Guide provides practitioners with
the information needed for planning and implementing effective youth programs. It includes a
variety of resources and references to critical works that have been gathered from the fields of
youth and community development, education, and informal learning.

Museums and Libraries Strengthen 21st Century Skills
IMLS published Museums and Libraries and 21st Century Skills, a policy report and assessment
tool to advance the role of libraries and museums in the development of such 21st century skills
as information, communications, and technology literacy, creativity and problem solving, civic
literacy, and global awareness. The report establishes the essential role libraries and museums
play in creating an engaged citizenry and competitive workforce.
The report provides a framework for assessing readiness to deliver 21st century skills, case
studies, and resources to help public libraries and museums work with their communities to
identify and integrate 21st century skills into their programs. Native American/Native Hawaiian
Museum Services applicants will find this tool useful in program development for a wide range
of projects. IMLS welcomes proposals that promote the skills necessary to develop 21st century
communities, citizens, and workers. The full report is available at
www.imls.gov/pdf/21stCenturySkills.pdf.

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CONFERENCE CALLS WITH NANH STAFF MEMBERS
IMLS offers an opportunity to discuss general issues about the NANH program with program
staff. We do this through a conference call. We invite anyone who wishes to join the call to listen
to comments made by IMLS and to those of other callers, as well as ask any questions you may
have.
The conference call schedule for this program is:
Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 3:00 pm Eastern Time
Visit www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/nativeServices.shtm closer to the date of the call for
updates or additional information on this call.

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INSTITUTIONAL ELIGIBILITY
Museums are not eligible to apply for this grant program. Entities such as museums, libraries,
schools, tribal colleges, or departments of education are not eligible applicants, although they
may be involved in the administration of this program and their staff may serve as project
directors, in partnership with an eligible applicant. Eligible applicants are:
•
•

Indian tribes or
Organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians

For the purpose of funding under this program, “Indian tribe” means any tribe, band, nation, or
other organized group or community, including any Alaska native village, regional corporation,
or village corporation (as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. Section 1601 et seq.)) which is recognized by the Secretary of the
Interior as eligible for special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians
because of their status as Indians. A list of eligible entities is available from the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, except for the recognized Alaska native villages, regional corporations, and village
corporations (Alaskan entities should refer to applicable provisions in the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act, referenced above).
The same population cannot be served by more than one grant.
For the purposes of funding under this program, “organizations that primarily serve and
represent Native Hawaiians” means any nonprofit organization that primarily serves and
represents Native Hawaiians, as the term is defined in 20 U.S.C. Section 7517, is also eligible
for funding. The term “Native Hawaiian” means (a) any individual who is a citizen of the United
States, and (b) a descendant of the aboriginal people who, prior to 1778, occupied and
exercised sovereignty in the area that now comprises the state of Hawaii, as evidenced by
genealogical records; Kapuna (elders) or Kamaaina (long term community residents)
verification; or certified birth records.
IMLS recognizes the potential for valuable contributions to the overall goals of the Native
American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services program by entities that do not meet the eligibility
requirements above. Although such entities may not serve as the official applicants, they are
encouraged to participate in projects as partners. Federally operated libraries and museums
may not apply for the Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services grants, but they may
serve as nonessential partners to applicants if they do not receive IMLS grant funds as a result
of the project. Contact IMLS before submitting a proposal involving a federal agency or federal
collection. Consult with IMLS about any eligibility questions before submitting an application.

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PARTNERSHIPS
Partnerships may strengthen applications submitted to this program, if they are appropriate to
the project. Partnerships are not required in this program, however.
An application may include one or more partners. The lead applicant in a partnership must be
eligible to apply as an individual entity, and all members of a partnership should be active
contributors to and beneficiaries of project activities.
The members of the partnership shall designate one member of the partnership to apply for the
grant. Any group application must contain a Partnership Statement that details the activities that
each member of the partnership plans to perform and binds each member of the partnership to
every statement and all assurances made by the applicant in the application. The applicant shall
submit the Partnership Statement with the application.
By submitting the Partnership Statement with the application, the applicant affirms that (1) the
partner is available and has agreed to participate, and (2) the Partnership Statement is true,
complete, and accurate to the best of the applicant’s authorized representative’s knowledge.
The applicant will ensure that each partner also provides a signed original version of the
Partnership Statement to the applicant, and that this form will be made available to IMLS upon
request.
If IMLS makes a grant to a partnership, the lead applicant for the partnership is the grantee and
is legally responsible for the use of all grant funds and for ensuring that the project is carried out
by the partnership in accordance with the terms of the grant and all applicable federal laws,
regulations, and requirements. The lead applicant must be the fiscal agent, but may subcontract
with partners for other specific activities or services. Each member of the partnership is legally
responsible for carrying out the activities it agrees to perform and using the funds it receives in
accordance with the terms of the grant and all applicable federal laws, regulations, and
requirements.

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DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (D-U-N-S®),
TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (TIN), AND EMPLOYER
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (EIN)
To improve the statistical reporting of federal grants and cooperative agreements, the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) has directed all federal agencies to require all applicants for
federal grants to provide a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S®)
Number when applying for federal grants or cooperative agreements on or after October 1,
2003.
Organizations should verify that they have a D-U-N-S® Number or take steps to obtain one.
Organizations can receive a D-U-N-S® Number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free D-UN-S® Number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or by visiting www.dnb.com/us. Individuals who
would personally receive a grant or cooperative agreement award from the federal government
apart from any business or nonprofit organization they may operate are exempt from this
requirement.
The Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) is an identification number used by the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) in the administration of tax laws. It is issued either by the Social Security
Administration (SSA) or by the IRS. A Social Security number is issued by the SSA, whereas all
other TINs are issued by the IRS. An Employer Identification Number (EIN), also known as a
federal tax identification number, is a nine-digit number that the IRS assigns to business
entities. The IRS uses this number to identify taxpayers that are required to file various business
tax returns.
If an organization does not have D-U-N-S® and TIN numbers, its application will be rejected.

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AWARD INFORMATION
Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services grants range from $5,000 to $50,000.
Project activities supported by these grants may be carried out for up to two years.

Project Start Date
Projects may begin no earlier than October 1 and no later than December 1, 2010. Projects
must begin on the first day of the month and end on the last day of the month.

Use of Funds
IMLS and government-wide uniform administrative, cost, and audit rules and requirements
apply, including appropriate OMB circulars and regulations.
Allowable Expenses include such items as
• Project personnel, contract, or in-house staff time necessary for the proper and efficient
execution of the project
• Project consultants and their travel
• Costs related to planning and maintenance of project partnerships
• Purchase of equipment, materials, supplies, or services
• Staff training
• Program development and implementation
• Exhibition design and fabrication (but see unallowable exhibit fabrication expenses
below)
• Integration of technology into exhibition or educational programs
• Costs associated with evaluation of grant programs or activities
• Research
• Planning and policy development
• Publications
• Indirect or overhead costs
• Activities aimed at achieving intellectual control over the collection, including: inventory,
• daily maintenance, registration, planning, and cataloguing
• Collection conservation activities including the purchase of storage equipment (shelving,
cabinets), installation of HVAC systems, treatment of objects/specimens, or collections
surveys
All proposed expenses must be justified in the application budget.
Unallowable Expenses include such items as
• General museum fundraising costs, such as development office expenditures or other
staff time devoted to general fundraising
• General advertising or public relations costs designed solely to promote the organization
and not a specific project
• Construction and renovation of museum facilities. (Generally any activity involving
contract labor in the construction trades is not an allowable cost.)
• Exhibit fabrication that includes creation of large-scale permanent structures for animals
or objects that would involve contract labor of the construction trades. (Note: Applicants

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•
•
•
•

with questions about the eligibility of exhibition activities should call IMLS staff
immediately.)
Acquisition of collections
Contributions to endowments
Social activities, ceremonies, receptions, or entertainment
Pre-grant costs

Cost Sharing
Cost sharing is encouraged but not required in this program. IMLS does not allow federal funds
to be used for cost sharing.
All cost-sharing expenses must be incurred during the grant period, not before or after. Tribes
must maintain documentation of cost sharing for reporting purposes to IMLS. In-kind
contributions may be used for cost sharing if they specifically relate to the project. If any funds
are to be contributed as cost share by sources other than the applicant or its official partners,
the applicant must identify whether the commitment of funds is assured or pending. If the funds
are assured, the applicant should include a letter from the source affirming its commitment. If
the funds are not assured, the applicant should describe its plan for meeting the promised cost
share from other sources in the event that the pending funds are not received. IMLS and
government-wide uniform administrative, cost, and audit rules and requirements apply, including
appropriate OMB circulars. Your cost sharing may consist of:
•
•

cash contributions (funds allocated directly to the project by the applicant or a third
party), and
in-kind contributions (the value of noncash contributions provided by the applicant or a
third party, e.g., staff time [if salaries are not paid with federal funds], volunteer time,
materials and supplies, and services).

The limitation on using federal funding as cost share applies to salaries, equipment, services,
etc., funded by federal dollars. Costs such as rent (if space is owned by the tribe), utilities, and
insurance are considered to be part of indirect costs and will not be accepted as direct costs
requested from IMLS, or as part of direct cost in-kind contributions if an indirect cost rate or the
15 percent administrative fee is charged to the project. If personnel or resources funded by
federal dollars are a part of the project design and/or management plan, their role may be
described in the application narrative. Indirect costs may be used as cost sharing. Indirect costs,
often referred to as overhead costs, are not attributable to a specific project or activity of an
organization.

Maintenance of Effort
Although matching or cost sharing is not required in this program, IMLS requires that
organizations maintain their previous funding efforts and demonstrate that federal funds will
enhance, rather than replace, tribal funding for museum services. Applicants are encouraged,
when possible, to contribute financially or through in-kind services to proposed projects in order
to promote community interest and involvement.

Copyright/Work Products
IMLS requires acknowledgment of IMLS assistance in all publications and other products
resulting from the project. Products should be distributed for free or at cost unless the recipient

14

has received written approval from IMLS for another arrangement. With written permission, the
recipient may copyright any work that is subject to copyright and was developed under an award
or for which ownership was purchased. IMLS reserves, for federal government purposes, a
royalty-free, worldwide, nonexclusive, and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, or
otherwise use the work and authorize others to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work.
IMLS requires that grantees provide three copies of any products produced with IMLS funds to
IMLS with their final reports. Generally, a beta version of software developed on an IMLSfunded project must be provided to IMLS as a product of the grant. Consult with IMLS regarding
software development projects.

Project Evaluation
At the end of the project all grantees are required to submit a final performance report that
documents project goals and project design, and that provides an analysis of the project. The
report requires quantitative information on project activities and audiences reached. It also
requires quantitative and qualitative data that documents project achievements, summarizes
lessons learned, and documents outcomes (changes in individual’s knowledge, skills, attitudes,
behaviors, etc.) and, if applicable, large-scale or long-term results that affect one or more
institutions, communities, or fields.
Applicants should include information in the application narrative that demonstrates that the
project plan and evaluation design will enable the grantee to provide the data and analysis
necessary to meet the requirements of the final report. See the final report form at
www.imls.gov/docs/rptInstructions.doc and a glossary of key reporting terms at
www.imls.gov/pdf/Glossary.pdf.
IMLS encourages applicants to consider participating in Shaping Outcomes, a Web-based
course for which information is available at www.shapingoutcomes.org, or a similar learning
experience in advance of application. Such programs are intended to help planners refine their
purposes and evaluation plans.
All applicants are expected to include the costs or evaluation, reporting, and dissemination in
their project budget. Associated costs may be for consultants or staff, development of
instruments, information collection, and analysis. Any of these may be budgeted as direct costs
or cost share.
Applicants are required to request travel funds to attend IMLS-designated meetings to
share project information. Applicants should budget $2,000 per year of the project for
this IMLS designated travel.

Announcement of Awards
No information about the status of an application will be released until the applications have
been reviewed and all deliberations are concluded. IMLS will notify applicants of final decisions
in mid-September 2010, with projects to begin no earlier than October 1, 2010.

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APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS
IMLS staff determines whether an applicant is eligible and whether an application is complete. If
an applicant is determined to be ineligible as an official applicant, the application is rejected
without evaluation (see “Institutional Eligibility”), and the applicant is notified by IMLS. Applicants
are encouraged to call IMLS Senior Program Officer Sandra Narva prior to submission of their
proposals to discuss their applications.
All eligible and complete applications for NANH grants are evaluated by peer review. Reviewers
will have professional experience in, or relating to, Native American and/or Native Hawaiian
history and culture as well as experience with general museum operations. The IMLS Director
makes the final funding decisions on the basis of the peer evaluations and the appropriateness
of the projects to the goals of the NANH Grant program and the overall goals of IMLS.

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GUIDANCE FOR PROJECTS THAT DEVELOP DIGITAL
PRODUCTS
Information to Include in Proposal
Digital products can include digitized collections, software, information systems, data sets and
other technology tools or digital assets. In the proposal narrative, include a description of the
subject matter and nature of the digital product. If it is a digital collection, explain its significance,
including relationships to topically related digital content. Explain how the material to be
included in the project was or will be selected. If the project requires conversion or repurposing
of existing digital content, describe the additional value this process will bring to the materials,
such as enabling innovative new uses or attracting new audiences. If the project builds or
repurposes software, tools, or other technology products, describe how the code will be
documented and distributed; if the digital product is a data set, please describe its data format.
Describe how potential users will discover and have access to any new digital products. Also,
the Specifications for Projects That Develop Digital Products form must be completed and
submitted as part of the project application.

Interoperability
Project design should demonstrate the use of existing standards and best practices for digital
material where applicable; products should be interoperable with other digital content or
information systems where appropriate.
National Leadership Grantees creating digital collections are expected to participate in the IMLS
Digital Collection Registry currently operated by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The Grainger Library has created a registry and a metadata repository of collections digitized
with IMLS funding. (See the project site at http://imlsdcc.grainger.uiuc.edu.)

Project Plans
Projects that include digital conversion are strongly encouraged to develop a digitization plan
before writing the grant application.
Projects developing technology tools (software, widgets, plug-ins, etc.) should include plans for
creating technical documentation on project product’s construction, implementation, and use.

Resources for Projects Developing Digital Products
IMLS has published A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections as a
resource for applicants planning digital projects. This document is now maintained by the
National Information Standards Organization (NISO) and is available at
http://framework.niso.org. The third edition of this document contains links to many Web sites
with useful information for planning and implementing digital projects. IMLS offers a wealth of
information, including lists of funded digital projects, on our Web site at www.imls.gov.
The list of resources below, provided to help you learn more about digital projects, is neither
exhaustive nor an endorsement by IMLS of any particular resource.

17

Training
Many universities, organizations, and businesses provide training in digitization and related
topics. TFhe following are examples only—check the general resource lists for leads to more
training opportunities and the topic lists below for training resources in specific subject areas.
•
•
•
•
•

www.library.cornell.edu/preservation/tutorial/contents.html—Moving Theory into Practice:
Digital Imaging Tutorial, by Cornell University Department of Preservation and Collections
Maintenance.
www.lyrasis.org—offers training in digital imaging, copyright, digital preservation, and other
related topics.
www.oclc.org/us/en/community/education/regional/usa/—OCLC (Online Computer Library
Center) provides seminars, workshops, and online training in digital projects, preservation,
copyright, and other topics related to digitization.
www.nedcc.org/education/introduction.php—Northeast Document Conservation Center.
www.imagepermanenceinstitute.org/shtml_sub/education.asp—Image Permanence
Institute.

General
• www.bcr.org/cdp/best/index.html—Bibliographical Center for Research’s Collaborative
Digitization Program offers many digitization resources that include information about
copyright, metadata, digitization standards, and administrative concerns.
• http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/about/techIn.html—Building Digital Collections: A Technical
Overview, Library of Congress American Memory Project.
• www.archives.gov/preservation/technical/guidelines.html—Technical Guidelines for
Digitizing Archival Materials for Electronic Access: Creation of Production Master Files–
Raster Images, by Steven Puglia, Jeffrey Reed, and Erin Rhodes, U.S. National Archives
and Records Administration.
• http://sunsite3.berkeley.edu/imaging—Digitizing Images and Text, the Berkeley Digital
Library portal links to resources on digitization projects, resources, and tools.
• www.mainememory.net/cp/cp_resources.shtml—The Maine Memory Network provides
guidance and resources for its contributing cultural institutions such as libraries, museums,
archives, and historical societies.
• http://images.library.uiuc.edu/resources/links.htm—The University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign Digital Imaging Media Technology Initiative provides resources about many
digitization topics, including a listing of current imaging programs, organizations, and
committees.
• http://chnm.gmu.edu/labs/mobile-for-museums/—George Mason University’s Center for
History and New Media provides a brief overview of what is being done with mobile
technologies in the museum world and offers suggestions based on this research on how to
economically provide mobile users with a positive experience.
• www.chin.gc.ca/English—The Canadian Heritage Information Network has information on
creating and managing digital content, with a focus on museum collections.
• www.nedcc.org/resources/digitalhandbook/tofc.htm—the Handbook for Digital Projects: A
Management Tool for Preservation and Access, a Northeast Document Conservation Center
site, offers nine chapters from a handbook on project management, scanning, copyright
issues, technical topics, best practices, vendor relations, and longevity. Includes many links
to related sites.
• www.diglib.org/publications.htm—The Digital Library Federation has publications on a range
of topics, including digital image management and preservation.

18

•
•
•
•
•

http://wiki.bibalex.org/DAFWiki/index.php/Main_Page—Bibliotheca Alexandrina provides
Digital Assets Factory (DAF) digitization workflow tools.
www.asis.org/Bulletin/Jun-04—The Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science
and Technology, vol. 30, no. 5, June/July 2004, contains a special section about online
museum information.
http://bcr-lists.org/mailman/listinfo/digistates—DigiStates online discussion list for people
working on collaborative statewide projects for the digitization of cultural heritage resources.
www.gdfr.info/—Global Digital Format Registry.
www.clir.org/pubs/reports/index.html—Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR)
has published more than 125 reports on topics relating to preservation, digital libraries,
economics of information, trends in information use, international developments, and the
changing role of the library.

Metadata
• www.niso.org/standards/resources/Metadata_Demystified.pdf—Metadata Demystified, by
Amy Brand, Frank Daly, and Barbara Meyers (Sheridan Press and NISO Press, 2003).
• www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/standards—Data Standards and Guidelines,
Getty Standards and Digital Resource Management Program, Getty Research Institute.
• www.oclc.org/programs/ourwork/past/culturalmaterials/RLG_desc_metadata.pdf—
Descriptive Metadata Guidelines for RLG Cultural Materials, by the OCLC Research Library
Group.
• http://webservices.itcs.umich.edu/mediawiki/oaibp/?PublicTOC—Best Practices for OAI
Data Provider Implementations and Shareable Metadata, by the Digital Library Federation
and the National Science Digital Library.
• www.pbcore.utah.edu/PBCore—PBCore: Public Broadcasting Metadata Dictionary, for
public broadcasters’ television, radio, and Web activities.
• www.digitizationguidelines.gov—collaborative effort by federal agencies formed as a group
in 2007 to define common guidelines, methods, and practices to digitize historical content in
a sustainable manner. Detailed information for still and moving image digitization.
• www.loc.gov/standards—Library of Congress Digital Library Standards.
• www.diglib.org/standards.htm—Digital Library Standards and Practices, Digital Library
Federation.
• www.bcr.org/cdp/digitaltbl—digital toolbox for the Bibliographic Center for Research’s (BCR)
Collaborative Digitization Program (CDP).
• www.openarchives.org—Open Archives Initiative, OAI-PMH and OAI-ORE.
Preservation of Digital Material
• www.icpsr.umich.edu/dpm—Digital Preservation Management: Implementing Short-term
Strategies for Long-term Problems, a tutorial by the Cornell University Department of
Preservation and Collections Maintenance.
• www.dlib.org—D-Lib Magazine has many articles on preservation of digital materials.
• www.imls.gov/collections/resources/care_dig.htm—Care for Collections: Digital Materials,
Connecting to Collections Guide to Online Resources, Institute of Museum and Library
Services.
• www.dcc.ac.uk—Digital Curation Centre.
• www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue50/pennock-rvw—Review by Maureen Pennock of Digital
Preservation, edited by Marilyn Deegan and Simon Tanner, Ariadne, Issue 50, 30 January
2007.
• www.digitalpreservation.gov—digital preservation Web site of the Library of Congress.

19

•

www.digitalpreservation.gov/partners/resources/tools—a list of tools and services designed,
developed, or used by National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program
(NDIIPP) partners during their projects, on the digital preservation Web site of the Library of
Congress.

Intellectual Property/Open Access Tools
• www.umuc.edu/distance/odell/cip/cip.shtml—Center for Intellectual Property, University of
Maryland University College.
• www.copyright.cornell.edu—Cornell University’s Copyright Information Center.
• http://librarycopyright.net/digitalslider—a digital slider for determining copyright protection.
• www.dfc.org—Digital Future Coalition.
• www.digitalpreservation.gov/library/resources/pubs/docs/digital_preservation_final_report20
08.pdf—International Study on the Impact of Copyright Law on Digital Preservation, a joint
report of the Library of Congress National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation
Program, the Joint Information Systems Committee, the Open Access to Knowledge (OAK)
Law Project, and the SURFfoundation.
• http://creativecommons.org/choose—Creative Commons licensing tools.
• www.arl.org/sparc/author—SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources
Coalition) author addendum to agreements with publishers.
• http://opensource.org/licenses—Open Source Initiative approved software licenses.
• www.archivists.org/standards/OWBP-V4.pdf—Society of American Archivists report that
provides methods to use when attempting to identify and locate copyright holders.
Universal Access
• www.w3.org/WAI—The World Wide Web Consortium’s guidance and resources on Web
accessibility for people with disabilities.
• http://trace.wisc.edu/world/web—The Trace Center’s Designing More Usable Web Sites
presents resources on universally accessible Web guidelines, compliance with Section 508,
and forums for discussing accessibility issues.
• http://webaim.org—WebAIM is a nonprofit organization within the Center for Persons with
Disabilities at Utah State University.
• www.daisy.org—the DAISY (Digital Accessible Information SYstem) Consortium is a
membership organization of talking book libraries formed to lead the worldwide transition
from analog to digital talking books and set technology standards and best practices in this
area.

20

PREPARING AND SUBMITTING
AN APPLICATION

21

GRANTS.GOV INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS
Organizations that are applying under the April 1, 2010, deadline for the Native American/Native
Hawaiian Museum Services grants program must submit their applications through Grants.gov,
the federal government’s online application system. The Grants.gov system will accept
applications through 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on April 1, 2010.
All applicants must register with Grants.gov before submitting their application. While the
deadline is April 1, 2010, IMLS recommends strongly that applicants REGISTER EARLY
and COMPLETE AND SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION EARLY. The multi-step registration
process generally cannot be completed in a single day. Applicants who are not already
registered should allow at least two weeks to complete this process. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE
WEEK OF THE APPLICATION DEADLINE TO REGISTER.

Find Grant Opportunities
www.grants.gov/applicants/find_grant_opportunities.jsp

•

Search opportunities
o Basic search
o Browse by category
o Browse by agency
o Advanced search

•

Email subscription
o All grants
o Advanced criteria
o Specific Funding Opportunity Number (FON)
o Unsubscribe

Get Registered
www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp

•

Step 1: Register your organization
o Request a D-U-N-S® Number
o Register with CCR
o Organization registration checklist

•

Step 2: Register yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR)

•

Step 3: Get authorized as an AOR by your organization

22

Apply for Grants
www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp
Step 1: Download a grant application package
Use one of the following identifiers to locate the
Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services package:
CFDA No: 45.308
Funding Opportunity Number: NANH-FY10
IMLS applicants must download two packages to get all of the necessary forms and instructions:
1. Download Application Instructions: This package contains the grant application
guidelines (which include instructions for completing the application) and the IMLS forms
for budget, program information, and any others related to this specific program.
2. Download Application Package: This package has the face sheet (SF-424S, “Application
for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form”), Abstract, and the
Attachments form.
Step 2: Complete the grant application package
Step 3: Submit the completed grant application package
Important deadline information: Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on
April 1, 2010 in the Grants.gov system. Within 48 hours of submitting a grant application,
applicants will receive two email messages from Grants.gov:
• The first will confirm receipt of the application by the Grants.gov system.
• The second will indicate that the application has either been successfully validated by the
system prior to transmission to the grantor agency OR has been rejected due to errors.
Only applications validated by the Grants.gov system will be available to IMLS for the grant
review process.
Applicants are encouraged to not wait until the final hours prior to the deadline to submit their
applications. Submitting early may enable an applicant to deal with unexpected problems.
Step 4: Track the status of a submitted grant application package

23

Grants.gov Help
For direct assistance with Grants.gov, contact the Grants.gov Help Desk via e-mail at
[email protected], or call them at 1-800-518-4726 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Grants.gov help desk will assign a case number to each inquiry. This number only
documents the inquiry to the help desk and is in no way related to the tracking number that
Grants.gov will assign an application once it has been successfully submitted.
Help is also available on the Grants.gov website: www.grants.gov/help/help.jsp

•

User manual for applicants: www.grants.gov/assets/GDG_AppUserGuide_0207.pdf

•

Frequently asked questions (FAQs): www.grants.gov/help/faq.jsp
o General FAQs
o Applicant FAQs
o Submit application FAQs
o Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® FAQs

•

How to convert documents to PDF: www.imls.gov/pdf/PDFConversion.pdf

•

Download Adobe® Acrobat® software: Step 1 in
www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp

•

Glossary: www.grants.gov/help/glossary.jsp

•

D-U-N-S® Help: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

•

D-U-N-S® FAQs: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayFAQPage.do

•

CCR help:
o Central Contractor Registration Handbook: www.ccr.gov/doc/CCR_Handbook.pdf
o CCR FAQs: www.ccr.gov/FAQ.aspx

NOTE: Once an organization has registered with the CCR, the registration must be renewed
each year. Go to: www.ccr.gov/Renew.aspx.

For additional hints on working with Grants.gov, see the last two pages of these
Grant Program Guidelines.
Need more help with Grants.gov? Try this link to the IMLS Web site for additional
guidance and suggestions: www.imls.gov/applicants/applicants.shtm.

24

PREPARING AN APPLICATION
Application Components
An application requesting funding from the NANH grant program must include the materials
listed below. Each component is in one of the following formats:

•
•

•

Grants.gov form: These forms are available only in the package downloaded from
Grants.gov. Applicants will need the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® to fill out these forms.
IMLS form: These forms are available in both Microsoft® Word document and Fill-in
PDF formats, and are located in both the downloaded Grants.gov file and the IMLS Web
site. While the Word versions of the forms are provided for convenience, please note
that completed forms must be submitted as PDF’s. For assistance in converting
documents to PDF, visit www.imls.gov/pdf/PDFConversion.pdf.
Text document: Applicants should create these documents using their own word
processing or other software. Again, they must be attached to the application as
PDF’s.

Component:
1. Face sheet: the Application for Federal Domestic
Assistance/Short Organizational Form (SF-424S)
2. Abstract
3. Program Information Sheet
4. Narrative (not to exceed 5 pages)
5. Detailed Budget, replicated for each year of the project
6. Summary Budget
7. Budget Justification, a narrative of up to 2 pages to
describe expenses as listed in the budget forms
8. Schedule of Completion
9. Exhibition Summary (if applicable)
10. Partnership Statement (if applicable)
11. Specifications for projects that develop digital products
(if applicable)
12. List of key project staff and consultants and brief (no
more than 2 pages per person) résumés for key project
personnel
13. Letters of commitment (if applicable)
14. Statement of purpose/mission statement and history
15. Proof of eligibility (Native Hawaiian organizations only)
16. Current federally negotiated rate for indirect costs
(if applicable)
17. Supporting Documents (not to exceed 20 pages)

25

Format:
Grants.gov form
Grants.gov form
IMLS form
Text document
IMLS form
IMLS form
Text document
Text document
Text document
IMLS form
IMLS form
Text document

Text document
Text document
Text document
Text document
Text document

Attachments: Naming the Files and their Sequence
The IMLS forms and text documents that are part of the application must each be saved as a
PDF that is named according to the list below. Note: IMLS will not convert files for applicants
and will not accept file formats other than PDF. For assistance in converting documents to PDF,
visit www.imls.gov/pdf/PDFConversion.pdf.
Append all of the documents to the Attachments Form in the prescribed sequence. If there are
more attachments than will fit in the “Mandatory Documents for Submission” box on Grants.gov,
please use the “Optional Documents for Submission” box for the remaining ones, following the
same naming convention.
The Face Sheet (SF 424S) and the Abstract are Grants.gov forms that will automatically
be saved as PDF’s. See page 28 for further instructions on how to compose and submit
the Abstract. The table below is for all of the other application components that are appended
to the Attachment form.
NOTE: The third column below is for sequencing purposes only. If a document is not required
for your particular application, do not skip a space on the Attachments Form; rather, insert the
subsequent document for your application into the next numbered space. For example, a one
year project will only require a Detailed Budget for Year 1; some applications may not require a
Partnership statement; etc.

Document

File name to use

Attach in this order

Program Information Sheet

ProgramInfo.pdf

1st

Narrative

Narrative.pdf

2nd

Detailed budget form
[by year, as appropriate]

DetailedBudgetYear1.pdf
DetailedBudgetYear2.pdf

3rd
4th

Summary budget form

SummaryBudget.pdf

5th

Budget justification

BudgetJustification.pdf

6th

Schedule of completion

ScheduleOfCompletion.pdf

7th

Exhibition Summary [as
appropriate]

ExhibitionSummary.pdf

8th

Partnership Statement

PartnershipStatement.pdf

9th

Specifications for digital
products

DigitalProducts.pdf

10th

Project staff and resumes

ProjectStaff.pdf

11th

Letters of Commitment

LetterOfCommitment1.pdf
LetterOfCommitment2.pdf
etc.

12th
13th
etc.

StatementOfPurpose.pdf

14th

ProofOfEligibility.pdf

15th

Institutional Statement of
Purpose/Mission
Proof of Eligibility [for Native
Hawaiian organizations only]

26

Indirect Cost Rate form

IndirectCostRate.pdf

16th

Supporting documents
[numbered, as appropriate]

SupportingDocument1.pdf
SupportingDocument2.pdf
SupportingDocument3.pdf
etc.

17th
18th
19th
etc.

27

SF-424S
The IMLS Face Sheet is the equivalent of the “Application for Federal Domestic
Assistance/Short Organizational Form (SF-424S)” on Grants.gov.
Items 1 – 4 are automatically filled in by Grants.gov.
5. Applicant Information
a. Legal Name: Enter the legal name of the organization that is making the application. Please
see “Institutional Eligibility” for eligibility details. If the eligible entity does not have the authority
to apply directly to IMLS for funding, enter the name of the parent organization that is submitting
the application on behalf of the eligible entity. Enter the name of the eligible entity in the space
provided for “Organizational Unit” on the Program Information Sheet, Question 1b.
b. Address: Use Street1 for the organization’s street address or post office box number,
whichever is used for its U.S. Postal Service mailing address. Street2 is not a required field and
should be used only when a Suite or Room Number or other similar information is part of the
address.
In the Zip+4/Postal Code box, enter the full nine-digit Zip code assigned by the U.S. Postal
Service. An organization’s full Zip code can be retrieved at www.usps.com/zip4.
d. Type of Applicant: Select the one code that best characterizes the applicant organization from
the menu in the first dropdown box. Leave the other boxes blank. The following types of
applicants are not eligible to receive NANH Grants:
• Individuals
• Public/Indian Housing Authority
• For-profit organization
• Small business
• Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entity
e. EIN/TIN: Enter the nine-digit number assigned by the IRS; do not use a Social Security
number.
f. Organizational D-U-N-S®: All organizational applicants for federal funds must have a D-U-NS® Number . If applying through Grants.gov, ensure that the number entered here agrees with
the number (either 9 or 13 digits) that was used with the CCR (Central Contractor Registry) as
part of the Grants.gov registration.
g. Congressional District: Enter the number of the congressional district in which the applicant
organization is located. Use the following format: two-letter state abbreviation, followed by a
hyphen, followed by the three-digit district number. For example, if the organization is located in
the 5th Congressional District of California, enter “CA-005.” For the 12th district of North
Carolina, enter “NC-012.” For states and territories with "At Large" congressional districts--that
is, one representative or delegate represents the entire state or territory--use "001", e.g., "VT001."
If an organization does not have a congressional district (e.g., it is located in a U.S. territory that
does not have districts), enter 00-000. To determine an organization’s district, visit the House of
Representatives Web site at www.house.gov and use the “Find Your Representative” tool.

28

6. Project Information
a. Project Title: Provide a brief descriptive title.
b. Project Description: Briefly describe the specific project, not the applicant organization. Use
clear language that can be understood readily by readers who may not be familiar with the
discipline or subject area.
c. Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the beginning and ending dates for the
requested period of support, that is, the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and close out
the proposed project. NANH grant projects must begin between October 1, 2010 and December
1, 2010. Start dates must be the first day of a month and end dates must be the last day of a
month.
7. Project Director
Provide the requested information for the Project Director, who will be responsible for carrying
out the project and who will serve as the key contact person with IMLS regarding the progress
achieved under the grant. Leave the Social Security Number blank. Select a prefix (even though
this field is not required on Grants.gov).
8. Primary Contact/Grants Administrator
Provide the requested information for the individual who should be contacted on all matters
involving this application and the administration of any grant that may be awarded. For colleges
and universities, this person is often a sponsored research, sponsored programs, or contracts
and grants officer. In some museums, the person could be the development director. Leave the
Social Security Number blank. Select the appropriate prefix (even though this field is not
required on Grants.gov). In some organizations, particularly smaller ones, this individual may be
the same as the Project Director. If this is the case, check the “Same as Project Director” box. (If
the primary contact/grants administrator is the same as the Authorized Representative, please
complete all items under both 8 and 9 even though there will be some repetition.)
9. Authorized Representative
Enter the name and contact information of the person who has the authority to apply for federal
support of the applicant’s activities and enter into legal agreements in the name of the applicant.
The Authorized Representative should not be the same person as the Project Director. By
checking the “I Agree” box at the top of Item 9, this individual certifies the applicant’s
compliance with relevant federal requirements (the “IMLS Assurances and Certification”
section). All written correspondence will be addressed to the authorized representative.
For Grants.gov applications, the “Signature of Authorized Representative” and “Date Signed”
boxes will be populated upon submission of the application. Submission of the application by
the Authorized Representative certifies compliance with relevant federal requirements as the
signature does on a paper application.

29

Abstract
A Project Abstract not exceeding one single-spaced (660-word maximum) page. Insert the text
into the Abstract space provided in the package downloaded from Grants.gov.
Information in the abstract should cover the following areas as related to the proposed project:

•
•
•

Who is the lead applicant and who are the formal partners (if applicable)?
What is the time frame for the project?
What will be the project’s activities, outcomes, and tangible products?

This abstract may be used by IMLS for public information purposes, so it should be informative
to other persons working in the same or related fields and insofar as possible understandable to
a technically literate lay reader. The abstract must not include any proprietary or confidential
information.

Program Information Sheet
1. Applicant Information
a. Legal Name: Enter the legal name of the applicant.
b. and c. Organizational Unit and Address:
If the eligible entity cannot apply for grants on its own behalf, then enter the name and address
of the entity in these spaces. For example, if an applicant that is part of a parent organization,
such as a university, is applying, the university would be the legal applicant, and the museum
would be entered as the organizational unit. Be sure to include the four-digit extension on the
Zip code.
d. Web Address: If an organizational unit is listed, enter its Web address here. If not, enter the
Web site of the entity listed under Legal Name.
e. Type of Institution: Select the one that most accurately describes the applicant.
2. Grant Program or Grant Program Category
Select one project category listed under ‘k’ Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services.
3. Request Information
a. IMLS Funds Requested: Enter the amount sought from IMLS.
b. Cost Share Amount: This program does not require cost sharing. See section on cost sharing
(page 14) for details.
4. Museum Profile (Museum Applicants only)
Applicants with a museum/cultural center must answer all questions in this section.
5. Project Partners
List the names of any organizations that are official project partners (if applicable).

30

6. Native Hawaiian Organization Eligibility
Complete this section only if applicant is an organization servicing Native Hawaiians. If “yes” is
selected, proof of eligibility is required with submission of application—see section on Proof of
Eligibility (page 42) for details.
7-8. Do not complete

31

Narrative
Limit the narrative to five single-spaced, numbered pages. The applicant’s name must appear at
the top of each page.
All pages should have at least 0.5 inch margins on all sides, and the font size should be no
smaller than twelve point type. Use the Optional Attachments to provide supplementary
material.
The following pages provide guidance in preparing the narrative component of the NANH grant
application. There are four sections to the narrative. Applicants must address each section and
related review criteria separately, and in the same order in which they are listed below.
Review criteria are listed with each section of the narrative. These criteria describe what the
reviewers are instructed to consider as they evaluate the proposal. A well-designed proposal
narrative is thorough and succinct while addressing the bullet points under each section as well
as the review criteria.
IMLS reviewers base their evaluations only on the information presented in the application. This
makes it very important for applicants to prepare a clear, concise, well-organized document.
1. Statement of Need
Include a statement of need as it relates to the museum and the community. Include information
such as
• a description of the community
• current status of the museum
• how the proposal will improve museum services
• impact on the community from improved museum services
Review Criteria: Evidence that the applicant has performed a formal or informal assessment of
museum and community needs, and has developed the project and its goals as the best
solution to answer those needs.

2. Project Design
Include a description of the proposed project design. Include information such as
• project goals and objectives
• action steps and activities to implement the project evidence that the applicant is
capable of implementing the project plan
• evidence that the applicant is capable of successfully completing the project
Review Criteria: Evidence that the project proposes efficient, effective, and reasonable
approaches to accomplish its clear goals and objectives. Evidence that the methodology and
design are appropriate to the scope of the project. Evidence that the applicant will effectively
complete the project. Evidence that the project personnel possess appropriate experience and
will commit adequate time to accomplish project goals and activities.
3. Project Resources: Time, Personnel, Budget
Describe project resources, both those funded by the grant and those funded by the optional
institutional cost share. Include information such as

32

•
•
•
•

time allocated to complete project;
key staff and consultants involved in project, their qualifications, commitment to project
activities, and how they will balance project responsibilities with other ongoing duties;
budget allocated to accomplish project activities, including both the applicant’s
contributions and the optional cost share.

Review Criteria: Evidence that the applicant will effectively complete the project activities
through the deployment and management of resources, including money, facilities, equipment,
and supplies. Evidence of sound financial management, coupled with an appropriate and cost
efficient budget. Evidence that the project personnel demonstrate appropriate experience and
expertise and will commit adequate time to accomplish project goals and activities. For this
section of the application, reviewers will consider the Narrative, Budget Forms, Budget
Justification, and Resumes.
4. Impact
Describe how the project will impact the museum and what approach will be used for monitoring
and assessing the activities of the project. Include information such as
• specific outcomes that will result from the project
• plan to maintain and continue the positive changes after the period of federal funding
what information will be collected to document the extent to which the project met its
goals
Review criteria: Evidence that the project will create specific changes and benefits for the
applicant, and/or the community served. Evidence that the applicant has plans to sustain those
changes and benefits beyond the grant period. Evidence that the evaluation plan ties directly to
the project goals and is appropriate in determining project impact.

33

Budget
The application requires three elements to describe the costs of a proposed project:
• Detailed Budget
• Summary Budget
• Budget Justification
Detailed Budget
Applicants need to fill out a copy of the Detailed Budget Form for each year of the project. The
first copy of the Budget Form must begin on the project start date and end 12 months later.
Should the final year of the project include fewer than 12 months, a separate detailed budget
form must be completed for that time period. Applicants using the PDF can fill out the form for
one year, save it, then fill it out again for the remaining years. Applicants will notice that the
columns total automatically.
The budget should include the project costs that will be charged to grant funds as well as those
that will be supported by the applicant or third-party in-kind contributions (cost sharing). In-kind
contributions include the value of services or equipment that is donated to the project free of
charge. Remember to include costs for evaluation, which, like many costs, may fall under any or
all of these categories. All of the items listed, whether supported by grant funds or cost-sharing
contributions, must be reasonably necessary to accomplish project objectives, allowable in
terms of the applicable federal cost principles, auditable, and incurred during the grant period.
Charges to the project for items such as salaries, fringe benefits, travel, and contractual
services must conform to the written policies and established practices of the applicant
organization. When indirect costs are charged to the project, care should be taken to ensure
that expenses included in the organization’s indirect cost pool (see “Indirect Costs” below) are
not charged to the project as direct costs.
“Method of Cost Computation” refers to a percentage of a person’s time devoted to the project,
number of days, quantity of items, and so on. This column must identify how the applicant
arrived at the costs indicated.
1. Salaries and Wages: Indicate both temporary and permanent staff by noting “temp” or
“perm” in parentheses after each staff member listed.
2. Fringe Benefits: Fringe benefits may include contributions for Social Security,
employee insurance, pension plans, and so on. Only those benefits not included in an
organization’s indirect cost pool may be shown as direct costs. Fringe benefits may be
claimed only on the portion of Salaries and Wages identified for this project.
3. Consultant Fees: List the individuals or groups who will provide consultative services
on the grant and their fees, and explain the method of computation for the fees.
4. Travel: Applicants must include $2,000 per year for travel to attend IMLS-designated
meetings. The lowest available commercial fares for coach or equivalent
accommodations must be used, and foreign travel must be undertaken on U.S. flag
carriers when such services are available.
5. Supplies and Materials: In general, list the costs of material purchased specifically for
the proposed project. Permanent equipment is defined as nonexpendable personal

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property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or
more.
6. Services: List the costs of project activities to be undertaken by a third-party contractor,
including a partner, under this budget category as a single line item that shows the
amount that will be charged to IMLS grant funds and the cost sharing that will be
contributed by the third party. Attach a complete itemization of these costs to the IMLS
Budget Form. If there is more than one contractor, list the cost of each contract
separately on the IMLS Budget Form and include an attached itemization.
7. Student Support: Ignore this section. It does not apply to NANH.
8. Other Costs: Please do not use the “Other Costs” section to list items that did not fit in
the number of lines allotted for another section. If more lines are needed, the information
should be summarized in the Detailed Budget Form and further explained in the Budget
Justification.
9. Total Direct Costs: Add up the subtotal amounts from the previous sections.
10. Indirect Costs: Indirect costs are project costs that an organization incurs that cannot
be easily assigned to an individual project. They are also called “overhead” or
“administrative costs.” Examples of indirect cost type items are charges for utilities,
insurance, use of office space and equipment owned by the applicant, local telephone
service, and the salaries of the management and administrative personnel of the
organization.
11. Total Project Costs: Complete the first line; ignore the second line, which is specific to
another IMLS grant program.
Use of Indirect Cost Rates
If an organization applying for an IMLS grant already has an existing negotiated indirect cost
rate in effect with another federal agency, this rate may be used to calculate total project costs,
as long as the rate is applied in accordance with the terms of the negotiated agreement, and a
copy of the negotiated agreement is included as supporting documentation with the IMLS
application. IMLS will not accept an indirect cost rate that is scheduled to expire before an
award is issued.
If an organization is in the process of negotiating an indirect cost rate with another federal
agency, the proposed indirect cost rate may be used to estimate total project costs, as long as
the proposed rate is applied in accordance with the terms of the proposed agreement, and a
copy of the indirect cost proposal is included as supporting documentation with the IMLS
application. In such situations, if a grant is awarded, IMLS will not pay any indirect costs until a
final indirect cost rate is negotiated with another agency, and a copy of the final agreement is
submitted to the IMLS Office of Grants Administration. It is possible that the amount of the IMLS
award will be reduced if the final negotiated rate is less than the rate that was used for budget
estimates in the application budget. However, the amount of the IMLS award will not be
increased if the final negotiated indirect cost rate is higher than the rate that was used for
budget estimates in the application budget.
Organizations that do not have a negotiated indirect cost rate in effect with any federal agency,
and do not wish to negotiate one, may use an indirect cost rate of up to 15 percent to calculate

35

total project costs. If an applicant chooses to use this rate, it must be careful to exclude from the
budget all indirect-cost type items (administrative) such as but not limited to general telephone,
postage, office supplies, and office space expenses. The 15 percent rate may not be applied
to more than the first $5,000 of distorting costs such as equipment purchases and contracts.
An organization with an existing negotiated agreement or an organization currently in the
process of negotiating a rate agreement with another federal agency must calculate total project
costs using an indirect cost rate appropriate to the type of proposed project activity. For
example, an organization may only calculate total project costs using an existing negotiated rate
for research activity if the activity proposed to IMLS is a research project. Once an indirect cost
rate is accepted by IMLS, this rate shall be considered fixed for the duration of the award even
if, during the course of the award, the grantee negotiates a new indirect cost rate.
IMLS will pay indirect cost rates only on that portion of Total Direct Costs that the applicant is
requesting to be supported by IMLS funds. However, an applicant may also apply an
appropriate indirect cost rate to the Cost Share portion of a project’s Total Direct Costs, and use
this as part of the calculated cost sharing in the project budget.
The cost of student scholarships, fellowships, other stipends, and/or tuition may not be included
in the amount on which indirect costs are requested.
These instructions also apply to an organization that will function as a partner in undertaking
grant activities.
Summary Budget
The Summary Budget should clearly identify the amount requested from IMLS and the amount
provided as in-kind contributions by the applicant, by any partners, and from any other sources.
Budget Justification
The Budget Justification is a text document that explains all elements of the Detailed Budget.
For example, the Budget Justification should explain the role that each person listed in the
project budget will play. It should also provide justification for all proposed equipment, supplies,
travel, services, and other expenses. The application should provide specifications for all
hardware and software for which IMLS funding is requested. The text document must not
exceed two pages in length.
If IMLS funding is requested for salaries of permanent staff, the proposal should explain why
funds are requested for this purpose and how the regular duties of these individuals will be
performed during the grant period. The Budget Justification should explain the role of any
outside consultants and third-party vendors to be employed on the project and how each was
identified and selected. Costs for third-party service providers should be documented by bids or
otherwise justified. The cost of project activities to be undertaken by a third-party contractor, or
a partner, should be listed under “Services” on the Detailed Budget as a single line item that
shows the amount that will be charged to IMLS grant funds and the cost sharing that will be
provided by the third party. A complete itemization of these costs should be included as part of
the Budget Justification. If there is more than one contractor, the cost of each contract must be
listed separately on the IMLS Budget Form and an itemization must be included as part of the
Budget Justification.

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Schedule of Completion
The applicant must provide a Schedule of Completion that shows when each major project task
will be undertaken, marks the milestones for each grant activity, and designates how grant
funds are to be spent throughout the project. The Schedule of Completion must also correspond
to the activities described in the narrative and the project dates on the Face Sheet and Budget
Forms. One way to plot this information is in a graph or chart that lists project activities and the
corresponding months when these activities will take place during the project. This document
may be created as a narrative or spreadsheet, and should be no longer than one page per year.
See example below. Applicants may prepare theirs in a similar manner, but this format is not
required. Whatever format is selected, be sure to list each major project activity addressed in
the application narrative and the date each activity begins and ends. It is critical that the dates
on the Schedule of Completion correspond to the project dates on the Application for Federal
Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form (SF-424S; also known as the Face Sheet). If
the proposed activity is part of a larger project, make sure the IMLS-funded portion is clearly
identified.

37

Exhibition Summary (if applicable)
If applying for an exhibition-related activity (for example, exhibition development, public
programs, Web site or other digital content) a one-page maximum exhibition summary must be
included that addresses the exhibition theme, content, size, and any other pertinent details.

Partnership Statement
Complete a Partnership Statement for each formal partner involved in the proposed project.
Applicants should save each Partnership Statement with a distinct file name that includes the
word “Partner” and a short form of the partner’s name—e.g., PartnerCornell.pdf or
PartnerNOMA.pdf. Then add each document to the Attachments form, following the sequence in
the Application Checklist. At the top of the Partnership Statement, enter the legal name of the
applicant organization. This information should match that provided on the SF-424S and the
Program Information Sheet.
1–5 (if applicable)
Provide all of the information requested for the partner organization. If the partner organization
does not have a D-U-N-S® Number, refer the partner to page 12 within these guidelines for
information and instructions on how to secure one. To obtain a full Zip+4 postal code, visit
www.usps.com/zip4.
6. Governing Control of Partner (if applicable)
Check one box to indicate the partner’s governing control.
7–9.
Provide the information requested for each of these items. The limits on the amount of text
allowed are given in the item statement on the form. The applicant must ensure that each
partner also provides a signed original version of the Partnership Statement to the applicant,
and that the applicant will make this form available to IMLS if requested by IMLS.

38

Specifications for Projects That Develop Digital Products
For a list of resources that may help applicants complete this form, see pages 17 – 20. This list
is intended to assist applicants identify potentially helpful resources and is neither exhaustive
nor an endorsement by IMLS of any particular resource.
If there is not enough space on the form to provide complete answers to the questions, please
copy the questions to a separate document, answer them fully, and incorporate the document
(clearly named so as to be identifiable) into the supporting documentation portion of the
application.
Part I
Complete the appropriate sections. Select box A, B, C, or any combination of these boxes,
depending on the original material the applicant will be working with and the digital products that
will be developed.
Box A. Converting Non-Digital Material to Digital Format
A1 Explain the types of original non-digital materials to be selected for digitization, such as
text, photographs, three-dimensional art objects, archaeological artifacts, maps, motion
pictures, and video, and give the quantity of each type. For audio, video, and motion
picture materials, give the total number of minutes or hours to be digitized. Describe the
original format of each type of material to be digitized.
A2. Identify all use or access restrictions covering the original material to be digitized. Check
the intellectual property condition and give the corresponding percentage of the original
material to be digitized that is subject to restrictions.
A3. Describe the terms of access and use that will apply to the newly digitized material being
created by the project. Identify and explain any restrictions that will apply to the digitized
material, and specify what percentage if any of the total material will be subject to
restrictions. Examples are copyright, no downloading, and registration.
A4. Explain what equipment and software will be used and include specifications that are
relevant to the work of the project (e.g., cameras with zoom capability, scanners,
servers, motorized object rigs). Equipment and software must be described, whether the
digitization will be completed in-house or outsourced to a contractor or partner.
Box B. Repurposing Existing Digital Content
B1. Explain the original materials whose digital form will be repurposed, such as digital text
(e.g., oral history transcripts), photographs, video, audio, and Web files, and give the
number of each type. Describe the digital format and the amount of material to be
repurposed.
B2. Identify copyright and other potential restrictions with regard to the original digital
material. Check the intellectual property condition and give the corresponding
percentage of the digital material to be repurposed.
B3. Describe the terms of access and use of the repurposed digital material. Identify and
explain any restrictions that will apply to the repurposed digital material, and specify
what percentage if any of the total material will be subject to restrictions. Examples are
copyright, no downloading, and registration.

39

B4. Explain what equipment and software will be used and include specifications that are
relevant to the work of the project. Equipment must be described whether the
repurposing will be completed in-house or outsourced to a contractor or partner.
Box C. Creating New Digital Content
C1. Explain the types of digital content to be created, such as digital text (e.g., oral history
transcripts), photographs, video, audio, and Web files, and give the quantity of each
type.
C2. Describe the plan to obtain releases/permissions from project content creators (e.g.,
filmmakers) and subjects (e.g., oral history interviewees).
C3. Describe the disposition of ownership of the new product. Describe how the new product
will be made available to the public. Explain the terms of access and conditions of use.
Identify and explain any restrictions that will apply to the new product, and specify what
percentage if any of the total material will be subject to restrictions.
C4. Explain what equipment and software will be used and include specifications that are
relevant to the work of the project (e.g., camera, audio recording equipment, video
recording equipment, encoding software, server). Equipment must be described whether
the content will be created in-house or outsourced to a contractor or partner.
Box D. Creating New Software Applications, Information Systems, or Other
Technology-Based Tools
D1. Explain the type of software or other technology tool that will be created (e.g., browser
plug-in, software extension, search tool, presentation interface).
D2. List the programming languages, platforms, software, or other applications and their
specifications being used.
D3. Describe disposition of ownership and use rights of new product. Describe how the new
product will be made available to the public. Explain the terms of access and conditions
of use.
D4. Describe how the tool extends or interoperates with existing applications, if applicable.
D5. Describe the development documentation process and technical description of the final
product.
Part II
Answer all questions.
5. Specify the file formats to be produced and the anticipated quality of each format (e.g.,
minimum resolution, depth, tone, pixel dimensions, file size, sampling rate, compression
ratio, frames per second). If watermarks or other access restriction features will be used,
explain. If producing multiple versions of a digital image, please provide information for
each file type (Preservation Master, Access, and Thumbnail versions).
6. Describe the medium that will be used to deliver the digital material or tool (e.g., Internet
streaming or download, broadcast, DVD).

40

7. Describe the underlying software to manage and/or present the content or hardware/
software dependencies required to run the application or technology tool.
8. Describe the plan for ensuring the technical quality of the digital product.
9. Explain how metadata (e.g. technical, descriptive, administrative, preservation) will be
produced and used to describe and manage the content. Include the standards that will
be used for data structure, content (e.g., thesauri), protocols, preservation and
administrative information, and communication of the content (e.g., MARC, EAD, Dublin
Core®, PREMIS, PBCore, VRA Core Categories, or Categories for the Description of
Works of Art).
10. Describe plans for preserving and maintaining the digital files during and after the grant
period. The plan should cover storage systems, data standards, media to be used,
migration plans, data preservation plans, maintenance responsibilities, and commitment
of institutional funding support.
11. If content will be provided on the Internet, indicate agreement to submit collection level
records for digital products to the IMLS Digital Collection and Content Registry. State the
reasons for selecting alternative approaches.
12. Provide URL(s) for applicant’s previously digitized collections or other digital products, if
applicable. If the proposed digital collection will differ substantially in look and feel from
collections previously digitized, explain what the differences will be.

Key Project Staff and Consultants and Resumes
1. Provide a one-page list of the key project staff and the consultants who will be directly
involved in the project.
2. Add resumes or curriculum vitae of no more than two pages each for all key personnel
(both staff and consultants). Resumes that exceed the two-page limit will have the
remaining pages removed by IMLS staff. Add a page break at the end of the list of
personnel, and then add page breaks at the end of each of the resumes/vitae.
Note: If the key project personnel have not been selected by the application deadline date, then
submit position descriptions instead of resumes.

Letters of Commitment (if applicable)
Applicants must submit a letter of commitment for each project consultant. The letter should
include confirmation that the consultant will work on the project if funded, dates of service,
scope of work, and fee structure. The information in this letter must correspond to the
information in the application narrative.

Statement of Purpose/Mission Statement and History
The Statement of Purpose/Mission Statement should include the applicant organization’s
mission statement that must note the source, approving body, and date of the official document
in which it appears. The applicant may quote from or summarize to convey the essential points
of the statement, if the statement is too long to be quoted in full. It must accurately portray the
museum’s purpose or mission. Use the remaining space on the page to include a brief history of

41

the museum or applicant organization. This document must be one page or less.

Proof of Eligibility
Required for Native Hawaiian organizations only. If the applicant is not a Native Hawaiian
organization, do not include this information in application.
Applicants must submit proof that they are eligible not-for-profit organizations that primarily
serve and represent Native Hawaiians (as defined in 20 U.S.C. Section 7517). As proof of
eligibility, applicants must submit the organization’s charter documents, including the
organization’s articles of incorporation. Applicants may provide additional proof of eligibility.
In addition, eligible not-for-profit organizations that primarily serve and represent Native
Hawaiians must submit proof of not-for-profit status, which may be either
•
•

a copy of the IRS letter indicating the organization’s eligibility for not-for-profit status
under the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, or
an official document identifying the organization as a unit of state or local government or
other tax-exempt multipurpose organization. If prepared specifically for this application,
the certification must be on the parent organization’s letterhead and certified by an
official of the parent organization.

Note: IMLS will not accept a letter of sales tax exemption as proof of nonprofit status.

Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement
If your institution has a federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement that will be current at
the time of award, then the applicant may submit this document and claim the approved rate on
the IMLS budget forms. How this rate may be applied to the IMLS budget is determined by the
explanation on the rate form.

Supporting Documents for NANH Applicants
Supporting documents should specifically relate to the justification for the project. IMLS
encourages applicants to include only information that will supplement the narrative and support
the information provided in the application. Applicants should not use attachments to answer
narrative questions. IMLS strongly encourages inclusion of needs assessments (formal or
informal documentation used to evaluate and plan projects, which can include surveys, reports,
etc.); reports from planning activities; products or evaluations from previously completed or
ongoing projects of a similar nature; or other documents for the evaluation of the proposal.
Other attachments could include letters of support from partners or other groups that the
museum works closely with on this project, collections, technology, or other departmental plans
for the institution as applicable to the proposed project.
Note: When attaching these documents give each one a specific title that clearly identifies what
type of document it is. All supporting documentation should include dates of creation and
authorship. The total number of attachments must not exceed 20 pages in length. IMLS will
remove any supplemental materials above the 20-page limit. They will not be sent to field
reviewers as part of your application.

42

IMLS ASSURANCES AND CERTIFICATION

43

IMLS is required to obtain from all applicants certifications regarding federal debt status,
debarment and suspension, nondiscrimination, and a drug-free workplace. Applicants
requesting more than $100,000 in grant funds must also certify regarding lobbying activities and
may be required to submit a “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” form (Standard Form LLL).
Some applicants will be required to certify that they will comply with other federal statutes that
pertain to their particular situation. These requirements are incorporated in the Assurances
Statement below. The authorized representative must review the statement and provide the
certification in item 9 on the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational
Form (SF-424S).

Assurances Statement
By signing the application form, the authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant,
assures and certifies that, should a grant be awarded, the applicant will comply with the statutes
outlined below and all related IMLS regulations (see 45 CFR Chapter XI and 2 C.F.R. Chapter
XXXI). These assurances are given in connection with any and all financial assistance from
IMLS after the date this form is signed, but may include payments after this date for financial
assistance approved prior to this date. These assurances shall obligate the applicant for the
period during which the federal financial assistance is extended. The applicant recognizes and
agrees that any such assistance will be extended in reliance on the representations and
agreements made in these assurances, and that the United States government has the right to
seek judicial enforcement of these assurances, which are binding on the applicant, its
successors, transferees, and assignees, and on the authorized official whose signature appears
on the application form.

Certifications Required of All Applicants
Financial, Administrative, and Legal Accountability
The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant has legal
authority to apply for federal assistance and the institutional, managerial, and financial capability
(including funds sufficient to pay the nonfederal share of project costs) to ensure proper
planning, management, and completion of the project described in this application.
The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will cause
to be performed the required financial and compliance audits in accordance with the Single
Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 U.S.C. § 7501 et seq.) and OMB Circular No. A-133, “Audits
of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations.”
The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will comply
with the provisions of applicable OMB Circulars.
Federal Debt Status
The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies to the best of his or her
knowledge and belief that the applicant is not delinquent in the repayment of any federal debt.
Debarment and Suspension
The applicant shall comply with 2 CFR Part 3185. The authorized representative, on behalf of
the applicant, certifies to the best of his or her knowledge and belief that neither the applicant
nor any of its principals:
(a) are presently excluded or disqualified;

44

(b) have been convicted within the preceding three years of any of the offenses listed in 2
CFR § 180.800(a) or had a civil judgment rendered against it or them for one of those
offenses within that time period;
(c) are presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental
entity (federal, state, or local) with commission of any of the offenses listed in 2 CFR §
180.800(a); or
(d) have had one or more public transactions (federal, state, or local) terminated within the
preceding three years for cause or default.
Where the applicant is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, he or she
shall attach an explanation to this application.
The applicant, as a primary tier participant, is required to comply with 2 CFR Part 180 Subpart C
(Responsibilities of Participants Regarding Transactions Doing Business with Other Persons) as
a condition of participation in the award. The applicant is also required to communicate the
requirement to comply with 2 CFR Part 180 Subpart C (Responsibilities of Participants
Regarding Transactions Doing Business with Other Persons) to persons at the next lower tier
with whom the applicant enters into covered transactions.
Nondiscrimination
The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will comply
with the following nondiscrimination statutes and their implementing regulations:
(a) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 2000 et seq.), which
prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin;
(b) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.),
which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability;
(c) Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (20 U.S.C. §§ 1681–83,
1685–86), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs; and
(d) the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1975, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 6101 et
seq.), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age.
Drug-Free Workplace
The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies, as a condition of the award,
that the applicant will or will continue to provide a drug-free workplace by complying with the
requirements in Subpart B of 45 C.F.R. Part 1186.
This includes: making a good faith effort, on a continuing basis, to maintain a drug-free
workplace; publishing a drug-free workplace statement; establishing a drug-free awareness
program for its employees; taking actions concerning employees who are convicted of violating
drug statutes in the workplace; and identifying (either with this application or upon award, or in
documents kept on file in the applicant’s office) all known workplaces under the award.
[Note: IMLS Drug-Free Workplace regulations will shortly be relocated from 45 CFR Part 1186
to 2 CFR.]
Certification Regarding Lobbying Activities (Applies to Applicants Requesting Funds in
Excess of $100,000)
The authorized representative certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that:

45

(a)
no federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid by or on behalf of the
authorized representative to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or
employee of any agency, a member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an
employee of a member of Congress in connection with the awarding of a federal contract, the
making of a federal grant, the making of a federal loan, the entering into of a cooperative
agreement, or the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of a federal
contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement;
(b)
if any funds other than appropriated federal funds have been paid or will be paid to any
person (other than a regularly employed officer or employee of the applicant) for influencing or
attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, an officer
or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with this
federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement, the authorized representative shall
request, complete, and submit Standard Form LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,” in
accordance with its instructions; and
(c)
the authorized representative shall require that the language of this certification be
included in the award documents for all subawards at all tiers (including subcontracts,
subgrants, and contracts under grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all
subrecipients shall certify and disclose accordingly.
General Certification
The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will comply
with all applicable requirements of all other federal laws, executive orders, regulations, and
policies governing the program. IMLS grant regulations may be found at 45 C.F.R. Chapter XI
and 2 CFR Chapter XXXI.

Certifications Required of Some Applicants
The following certifications are required if applicable to the project for which an application is
being submitted. Applicants should be aware that additional federal certifications, not listed
below, might apply to a particular project.
Subcontracts
A grantee may not make a subgrant (for more details, see 45 C.F.R. Chapter XI, Subchapter E
[Institute of Museum and Library Services]). Applicants who plan to use awards to fund
contracts and subcontracts should be aware that they must comply with the communication and
verification requirements set forth in the above Debarment and Suspension provisions.
Native American Human Remains and Associated Funerary Objects
The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will comply
with the provisions of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (25
U.S.C. § 3001 et seq.), which applies to any organization that controls or possesses Native
American human remains and associated funerary objects, and which receives federal funding,
even for a purpose unrelated to the Act.
Historic Properties
The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will assist
the awarding agency in ensuring compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. § 470f), Executive Order (E.O.) 11593, and
the Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. § 469 et seq.).

46

Environmental Protections
The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the project will comply
with environmental standards, including the following:
(a)
institution of environmental quality control measures under the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq.) and E.O. 11514;
(b)
notification of violating facilities pursuant to E.O. 11738;
(c)
protection of wetlands pursuant to E.O. 11990, as amended by E.O. 12608;
(d)
evaluation of flood hazards in floodplains in accordance with E.O. 11988, as amended;
(e)
assurance of project consistency with the approved state management program
developed under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. § 1451 et
seq.);
(f )
conformity of federal actions to State (Clean Air) Implementation Plans under section
176(c) of the Clean Air Act of 1955, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq.);
(g)
protection of underground sources of drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act
of 1974, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq.); and
(h)
protection of endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (16 U.S.C. §§ 1531–1543).
The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the project will comply
with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, as amended (16 U.S.C. § 1271 et seq.), related to
protecting components or potential components of the national wild and scenic rivers system.
The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will comply
with the flood insurance requirements of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended
(42 U.S.C. § 4001 et seq.), which requires recipients in a special flood hazard area to participate
in the program and to purchase flood insurance if the total cost of insurable construction and
acquisition is $10,000 or more.
Research on Human and Animal Subjects
The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the project will comply
with 45 C.F.R. Part 46 regarding the protection of human subjects involved in research,
development, and related activities supported by this award of assistance.
The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the project will comply
with the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966, as amended (7 U.S.C. § 2131 et seq.)
pertaining to the care, handling, and treatment of warm-blooded animals held for research,
teaching, or other activities supported by this award of assistance.
●●●
For further information on these certifications, contact IMLS, 1800 M Street, NW, 9th Floor,
Washington, DC 20036. Or call 202/653-IMLS (4657).

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TEN TIPS TO WORK SUCCESSFULLY WITH GRANTS.GOV
1. Register early! Go to www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. This process may
take up to two weeks to complete, and may take longer if your organization does not
have a D-U-N-S® Number. You must have a D-U-N-S® Number to register with
Grants.gov. If you registered last year, please note that you must renew each year. Go
to www.ccr.gov/Renew.aspx.
2. You may wish to designate more than one Authorized Organization Representative
(AOR) for your organization when you register. This will help to avoid last minute crises
in the event that a single AOR is unavailable when you are ready to submit your
application. This person might not be the same person that you list as the Authorized
Representative for IMLS.
3. Log onto Grants.gov and start working on your grant application NOW. Do not wait
until the last week before the application deadline to begin the submission process,
particularly if you are not familiar with Grants.gov. It may take up to 48 hours to receive
notification that your application has been both received and validated after submission.
Give yourself enough time to make corrections, if necessary, and resubmit before the
grant deadline.
4. Download the most recent version of Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® onto your computer for
best results. Currently, Grants.gov only supports versions 8.1.1 and later. If you are
working with a “track changes” tool while writing your application, be sure to accept all
changes and save the document before submission to Grants.gov.
5. All documents must be submitted in PDF format. Follow the instructions in the IMLS
Grant Guidelines to convert your MS Office® documents like Word and Excel® to PDF:
www.imls.gov/pdf/PDFConversion.pdf. Start practicing the conversion of Word, Excel®
and other types of documents into the PDF format. If you are new to this process, you
may need time to learn how to do this smoothly and avoid frustration as the deadline
nears.
6. Avoid scanning your documents when possible—this creates a very large file that makes
your application more cumbersome to manage, and the large files may not be processed
properly. Whenever possible, use the “conversion to PDF” instructions noted above.
7. The following Web browsers are compatible with Grants.gov: Mozilla® Firefox® and
Internet Explorer® browsers on Windows systems; Mozilla® Firefox® and Safari on
Macintosh systems.
8. Do not email, fax, or mail applications or any part of an application to IMLS. We will only
accept application documents that are submitted and successfully validated by
Grants.gov.

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9. The IMLS Grant Program Guidelines contain extensive instructions and hints to help you
with this entire process. Please make time to read through these materials as well as the
information provided at www.grants.gov. You will be more likely to receive the
assistance you need, if you begin by taking the time to familiarize yourself with the basic
instructions and guidance provided through these sources.
10. Contact Grants.gov help (www.grants.gov/help/help.jsp or 1-800-518-4726) for
assistance with the following:
•
•
•

Hardware and software issues
Registration issues
Technical problems with attachments

Contact your IMLS Senior Program Officer (Sandra Narva: [email protected] or (202) 653-4634)
or Program Specialists (Reagan Moore: [email protected] or (202) 653-4637 and Tim Carrigan:
[email protected] or (202) 653-4639) for assistance with the following:
•
•
•

Guidelines
Eligibility questions
Content, budget, timeline (schedule of completion) questions

NOTE: Grants.gov help and IMLS Program staff assistance is not available on weekends or
Federal holidays.

49

1800 M Street, NW, 9th Floor
Washington, DC 20036-5802
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use, $300

Dated Material
OPEN IMMEDIATELY

2007
Conservation
Project Support
Grant Program Guidelines
and Application Forms
CFDA No. 45.303

Application Deadline: October 1, 2006
Online application available through Grants.gov
(see www.imls.gov/grantsgov for more information)