Learning Labs in Libraries and Museum Grants

http://www.imls.gov/applicants/learning_labs_guidelines.aspx
Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums Grants – FY13 Guidelines
Application Deadline: June 15, 2012
(Projects must begin January 1, 2013)
Date Posted: April 13, 2012
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 45.312

Questions? See the Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums Web page for IMLS
contact info.
Teletype (TTY/TDD) (for persons with hearing difficulty): 202/653-4614
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Upon request, IMLS will provide an audio recording of this or any other
publication.

IMLS Information

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About the Institute of
Museum and Library
Services

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About our Learning Labs
Partners

Web Conferencing with Program Staff
Staff at ULC, ASTC and IMLS are available by phone and via e-mail to discuss
 National Initiatives
general issues relating to Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums grants. We
also invite you to participate in one of two pre-application Web conferences and
pre-application office hours to learn more about the program, ask questions, and Guideline Contents
listen to the questions and comments of other participants. See the Learning
1. Program Information
Labs in Libraries and Museums Web page for date/time information.
Equal Opportunity
IMLS-funded 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.
Office of Management and Budget Clearance Numbers
Guidelines: OMB No. 3137-0029; Expiration Date: August 31, 2013.
Forms: OMB No. 3137-0071; Expiration Date: August 31, 2013.

2.

Eligibility

3.

Registration Requirements

4.

Preparing and Submitting an
Application

5.

After You Apply

How long should it take me to complete this application?
We estimate the average amount of time needed for one applicant to complete the narrative portion of this application
to be 30 hours. This includes the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and writing and reviewing the answers.
We estimate that, in addition to the time needed for you to answer the narrative questions, it will take you an average
of 15 minutes per response for the Program information Sheet, 3 hours per response for the Detailed Budget and
Summary Budget, and 10 minutes per response for the Partnership Statement.
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 1800 M Street, NW, 9th
Floor, Washington, DC 20036-5802, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project
(3137-0029), Washington, DC 20503.

1. Program Information
What are Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums grants?
Grants for Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums will support planning and design activities for spaces that foster
experimentation and creativity for middle- and high-school youth in library- and museum-based, out-of-school-time
settings. The labs should be grounded in evidence-based research on youth, and should be designed to support

youth learning in such 21st century skills as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration, and
STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).
These grants will enable grantees to develop comprehensive plans for programs, space, staffing, and budgeting for
their Learning Labs. The awards may also be used to prototype certain lab activities or experiences. In addition, the
grants may be used to support emerging learning labs that are already in the process of serving middle- and highschool youth with innovative digital media and learning and need additional funds to enhance their efforts, provided
that they are aligned with the grant program criteria.
Each grant is expected to result in a feasible plan for implementing and sustaining the Learning Lab envisioned by
the applicant library or museum. All grantees will be expected to participate in a series of in-person and web-based
activities throughout the grant period in order to gain expertise and resources, stay informed about new research and
promising practice, learn from each other, and provide mutual support for planning, design, and eventual, post-grant,
implementation. This will require a strong institutional commitment over the course of the initiative. The goal is to
create a community of practice that will help place the nation's libraries and museums at the forefront of 21st century
learning for youth.
The primary goals for the Learning Labs grants are to

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promote museums and libraries as innovation hubs for middle- and high-school youth that facilitate 21st
century learning;
use current research, design, and programming principles to develop effective spaces for youth that
combine digital and traditional media;
use traditional and digital media tools for youth learning;
build the capacity of library and museum professionals as mentors and creators of effective youth programs
and learning environments;
increase use of museum and library resources as hubs of effective out-of-school time community networks
for learning; and
create a network of prototype projects that can provide new models that can be shared and iterated across
the museum and library sector.

Background
In 2010, the Obama Administration launched the "Educate to Innovate" campaign, a nationwide effort to bring
American students to the forefront in science and math achievement, making the improvement of science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education a national priority in order to ensure that the workers of
tomorrow are learning the skills they need today. In order to make this campaign a reality, President Obama called for
public-private partnerships, in addition to federal leadership. To that end, on September 16, 2010, IMLS and the John
D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced a national partnership to create a network of up to 30 Learning
Labs in libraries and museums. The national partners are working via a cooperative agreement with the Urban
Libraries Council (ULC), in collaboration with the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) to implement
this program.
In 2006, the MacArthur Foundation launched its digital media and learning initiative and supported research by such
experts as Professors Henry Jenkins and Mizuko Ito regarding the literacies needed by youth to participate in a new
media culture, how those literacies are gained, and the ways that youth use digital media. The design and activities in
YOUmedia (www.youmedia.org) are based on research that examines how youth participate and learn using digital
media. In a MacArthur Foundation supported study, Mizuko Ito and colleagues identify three distinct types of interestdriven activities that engage youth in both physical and online spaces: "Hanging out" activities are more social and
build awareness of new media; "messing around" activities are more immersive, as youths tinker with and share
media; and "geeking out" activities represent the deepest level of immersion, during which youth develop higher
levels of technical and artistic skills. Often call "HOMAGO," this research forms the foundation for the Learning Labs
project, and underpinned the Chicago Public Library’s innovative YOUmedia space for youth (see
www.youmedia.org) and the Smithsonian Institution’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (see
www.artlabplus.smithsonian.edu.)
This body of research is continuing and has informed a set of "connected learning" principles which are anchored in
research, robust theories of learning, and the best of traditional standards, but also designed to mine the learning
potential of the new social- and digital media domain. Connected learning is interest-powered, peer-supported, and
academically oriented, harnessing and integrating the different kinds of learning that students pursue
(www.connectedlearning.tv).

What is the deadline for applying for a Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums grant?
The FY2013 deadline for Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums grants is June 15, 2012.
What is the period of time in which my library or museum can conduct activities funded by a FY13 Learning
Labs grant?
Projects must begin on January 1, 2013. Projects must begin on the first day of the month and end on the last day of
the final month of the project. Generally, project activities supported by Learning Labs grants may be carried out for
up to 18 months.
How much money can my institution apply for?
Learning Labs grant awards are available up to $100,000, subject to the availability of funds and agency discretion.
Do we have to provide funds from other sources in order to be eligible for a Learning Labs grant?
You are not required to provide funds from non-federal sources as cost share in order to receive a Learning Labs
grant. However, cost sharing of at least one-third is encouraged. Click here for further information on cost sharing.
What types of activities can be funded with a Learning Labs grant?

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Planning and design activities
Prototyping lab activities or experiences
Enhancing existing or emerging labs

How many applications can we submit to this program?
A museum or library may submit one application per cycle to this program. A museum or library may receive one
Learning Labs grant.
Acknowledgement and Copyright/Work Products
Read more about Acknowledgement and Copyright/Work Products
What requirements govern the use of IMLS funds?
You may only use IMLS funds for allowable costs as found in IMLS and government-wide cost principle rules,
including OMB Circulars and regulations.
What expenses are allowable with Learning Labs funds?
Examples of allowable costs for Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums grants include the following:

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salaries, wages, and fringe benefits for project personnel (contract or in-house), whose time is necessary for
the proper and efficient execution of the project
consultant fees
purchase of equipment, materials, supplies, or services
travel expenses for key project staff and consultants
publication design and printing
services (e.g. design, technical support, printing, non-construction labor)
staff and volunteer training
costs related to strengthening of project partnerships
internships/fellowships

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indirect or overhead costs

You must explain all proposed expenses in the Budget Justification component of your application.
What expenses are not allowable with Learning Labs funds?
Examples of unallowable costs for Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums grants include the following:

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general museum fundraising costs, such as development office staff or other staff time devoted to general
fundraising
contributions to endowments
general museum or library operating support
acquisition of collections
general advertising or public relations costs designed solely to promote activities other than those related to
the specific project
construction and renovation of museum or library 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
social activities, ceremonies, receptions, or entertainment
pre-award costs

(Note: If you have questions about the allowability or unallowability of specific activities, please call us for guidance.)
Are Partnerships Required for Learning Labs?
Partnerships may strengthen a Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums application, if they are appropriate to the
project. While partnerships are not required in this program, showing collaborative relationships with one or more
related community organization will help to support an application, and may add a critical element for sustainability of
a Learning Lab. 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 project activities.
Read more about partnerships.

2. Eligibility
What are the eligibility criteria for libraries and archives?
To be eligible as a library applicant for a Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums, you must:

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be either a unit of State or local government or a private nonprofit organization that has tax-exempt status
under the Internal Revenue Code.
be located in one of the 50 States of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the
Republic of Palau; and
qualify as one of the following six types of organizations:
o a library or a parent organization, such as a school district, a municipality, a state agency, or an
academic institution, that is responsible for the administration of a library. Eligible libraries include
public libraries, public elementary and secondary school libraries, college and university libraries,
research libraries and archives that are not an integral part of an institution of higher education and
that make publicly available library services and materials that are suitable for scholarly research
and not otherwise available1. Private or special libraries that have been deemed eligible to
participate in this program by the State in which the library is located;
o an academic or administrative unit, such as a graduate school of library and information science
that is part of an institution of higher education through which it would make application;

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a library agency that is an official agency of a State or other unit of government and is charged by
the law governing it with the extension and development of public library services within its
jurisdiction;
a library consortium that is a local, statewide, regional, interstate, or international cooperative
association of library entities that provides for the systematic and effective coordination of the
resources of eligible libraries, as defined above, and information centers that work to improve the
services delivered to the clientele of these libraries; or
a library association that exists on a permanent basis, serves libraries or library professionals on a
national, regional, state, or local level, and engages in activities designed to advance the well-being
of libraries and the library profession.

What are the eligibility criteria for museums?
To be eligible for a Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums grant, you must:
1.

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

2.

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

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qualify as one of the following:

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a museum2 that, using a professional staff,3 is organized on a permanent basis for essentially
educational or aesthetic purposes; owns or uses tangible objects, either animate or inanimate;
cares for these objects; and exhibits these objects to the general public on a regular basis through
facilities that it owns or operates.4
a public or private nonprofit agency which is responsible for the operation of a museum may apply
on behalf of the museum.

Please note that a museum located within a parent organization that is a State or local government or multipurpose
not-for-profit entity, such as a municipality, university, historical society, foundation, or cultural center, may apply on
its own behalf if the museum
1.

is able to independently fulfill all the eligibility requirements listed above;

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functions as a discrete unit within the parent organization;

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has its own fully segregated and itemized operating budget; and

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has the authority to make the application on its own.

When any of the last three conditions cannot be met, a museum may only apply through its parent organization.
IMLS may determine that a non-profit organization affiliated with a museum is eligible to apply for Learning Labs in
Libraries and Museums where the organization can demonstrate that it has the ability to administer the project and
can ensure compliance with the terms of these guidelines and the applicable law, including the Assurances and
Certifications. The applicant organization must submit an agreement from the museum that details the activities that
the applicant and museum will perform and binds the museum to the statements and assurances made in the grant
application.

1. Research libraries, under the supervision of at least one permanent professional staff librarian, must be either
generally recognized as possessing unique scholarly research materials and services that are made available to the
public, or able to demonstrate that such is the case when submitting an application to IMLS.
2. Museums include, but are not limited to, aquariums, arboretums, art museums, botanical gardens, children/youth
museums, general museums (those having two or more significant disciplines), historic houses/sites, history

museums, natural history/anthropology museums, nature centers, planetariums, science/technology centers,
specialized museums (limited to a single distinct subject), and zoological parks.
3. An institution uses a professional staff if it employs at least one professional staff member, or the full-time
equivalent, whether paid or unpaid, primarily engaged in the acquisition, care, or exhibition to the public of objects
owned or used by the institution.
4. An institution exhibits objects to the general public if such exhibition is a primary purpose of the institution. An
institution that exhibits objects to the general public for at least 120 days a year is deemed to exhibit objects to the
general public on a regular basis.
An institution that exhibits objects by appointment may meet the requirement to exhibit objects to the general public
on a regular basis if it can establish, in light of the facts under all the relevant circumstances, that this method of
exhibition does not unreasonably restrict the accessibility of the institution’s exhibits to the general public.
An institution that does not have as a primary purpose the exhibition of objects to the general public but that can
demonstrate that it exhibits objects to the general public on a regular basis as a significant, separate, distinct, and
continuing portion of its activities, and that it otherwise meets the museum eligibility requirements, may be determined
to be eligible as a museum under these guidelines. For more information, please see 45 C.F.R. Chapter XI,
Subchapter E (Institute of Museum and Library Services).

3. Registration Requirements
Getting a D-U-N-S® Number
Read more about Getting a D-U-N-S® Number.
CCR Registration
Read more about CCR Registration.
Grants.gov Registration
Read more about Grants.gov Registration and Tips for Using Grants.gov.

4. Preparing and Submitting an Application
PLEASE REVIEW THESE GUIDELINES AND THE GRANTS.GOV REQUIREMENTS CAREFULLY. WE MAKE
GRANTS ONLY TO ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS THAT SUBMIT COMPLETE APPLICATIONS, INCLUDING
ATTACHMENTS, ON OR BEFORE THE DEADLINE.
For the FY13 Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums grants, Grants.gov will accept applications through 11:59 p.m.
Eastern Time on June 15, 2012.
We strongly recommend that you REGISTER EARLY and COMPLETE AND SUBMIT THE APPLICATION EARLY.
Apply for Grants: www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp
Use one of the following identifiers to locate the Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums grants package in
Grants.gov:
CFDA No: 45.312
Funding Opportunity Number: LLP-FY13

What documents are required and how should they be completed, formatted, named, and sequenced?
Please see the Table of Application Components below. Links to more information and instructions for completing
forms are provided in the table. Applications missing any Required Documents or applicable Conditionally Required
Documents from this list will be considered incomplete and will be rejected from further consideration. You should
also use this table to determine the format of each document, the name it must be given, and the sequence in which

the documents should be attached.
The Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums Grant Program is designed to serve as a model program to leverage
both federal and private support for the development of Learning Labs in libraries and museums through the country.
Accordingly, IMLS and its funding partner may disseminate applications submitted to this program. Some applications
may include confidential commercial information. Confidential commercial information is defined as information the
disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to cause substantial competitive harm. Upon submission, you
should identify, in a supporting document, any information contained in your application that you consider to be
confidential commercial information and the page on which it is located. Identifying proprietary information in your
application will help facilitate the dissemination process.
We will not accept file formats other than PDF and we will not convert files for you. For assistance in converting
documents to PDF, visit www.grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp#pdf_conversion_programs. Also, please do not send
secured PDFs because we cannot process these files.

Please note that, aside from the first two documents listed, all documents must be submitted as PDF documents,
regardless of how they were created. Documents listed as IMLS forms are available in both Microsoft® Word
document and fill-in PDF formats, and are located on the IMLS Web site. If you do not have Adobe® Pro, we suggest
using the Word document to complete the forms. Remember, the Word version must later be converted to and
submitted as a PDF.
Be sure to note the maximum page limits for certain components. We will remove any pages above the limit, and we
will not send them to reviewers as part of your application.
Append all the documents to the attachments form in the sequence used in the Table of Application Components.
Use all the available spaces in the "Mandatory Documents for Submission" box first. If there are more attachments
than will fit there, use the "Optional Documents for Submission" box for the remaining ones, following the same
naming convention and submitting them one at a time.
You may use this table as a checklist to ensure that you have created and attached all the documents that may be
necessary for a complete application. We suggest assembling and uploading your documents in this sequence to
assist you in confirming the inclusion of all required materials.
Table of Application Components
Component

Format

File name to use

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

Grants.gov
form

n/a

Abstract (to be uploaded through Grants.gov) (one page, max.)

Text
document that
you create

n/a

Program Information Sheet

IMLS PDF
form

Programinfo.pdf

Organizational Profile (one page, max.)

PDF
document

Organizationalprofile.pdf

Narrative (six pages, max.)

PDF
document

Narrative.pdf

Detailed Budget Form (by year, as appropriate)

IMLS PDF
form

Detailedbudgetyear1.pdf
Detailedbudgetyear2.pdf
Detailedbudgetyear3.pdf

Summary Budget Form

IMLS PDF
form

Summarybudget.pdf

Required Documents

Budget Justification (two pages, max.)

PDF
document

Budgetjustification.pdf

List of Key Project Staff and Consultants

PDF
document

Projectstaff.pdf

Resumes of Key Project Staff and Consultants that appear on the list above (two pages
each, max.)

PDF
document

Resumes.pdf

Proof of Nonprofit Status (if applicable)

PDF
document

Proofnonprofit.pdf

Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

PDF
document

Indirectcostrate.pdf

Partnership Statement Form(s) (if applicable)

IMLS PDF
form

Partners.pdf

PDF
document

Supportingdoc1.pdf
Supportingdoc2.pdf
Supportingdoc3.pdf
etc.

Conditionally Required Documents

Supporting Documents
Information that supplements the narrative and supports the project description provided
in the application. In addition, the identification and corresponding page number
of any confidential information in your application package should be submitted
as a supporting document (please see paragraph above regarding Learning Lab
leveraging and dissemination).

Abstract
A project abstract should be no more than one page. Insert the text, which you generate through a word processing
program and save as a PDF, into the Abstract field in Grants.gov.
Information in the abstract should cover the following areas as related to the proposed project:

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Who is the lead applicant and what partnerships, if any, will be formed in order to establish the Learning
Lab?
Who is your leadership team for the Learning Lab?
What is the population (focus on middle- and/or high-school youth) served by your institution, and how will
the proposed Learning Lab meet the needs of the youth community in your area?
What are your institution’s goals for the proposed Learning Lab?
What will be accomplished during the planning and design period?

This abstract may be used for public information purposes, so it should be informative to other persons working in the
same or related fields, as well as to the 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 a museum/library that is applying is part of a parent organization, such as a university, then
the university would be the legal applicant, and the museum/library 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 in Section 1a above.

e. Type of Institution: Select the one that most accurately describes your organization.
2. Grant Program or Grant Program Category
Under "Grants for Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums," select the appropriate funding office:

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Museum
Library

3. Request Information
a. IMLS Funds Requested: Enter the amount in dollars sought from IMLS.
b. Enter the amount of non-federal funding you are providing. Cost sharing of at least one-third is encouraged but not
required. Read more about cost share.
4. Museum Profile (Museum applicants only)
Museum applicants must answer all questions (a - g) in this section.Library applicants should skip this section.
If you indicate a budget surplus or deficit for one or both of the two previous fiscal years on the Program Information
Sheet, you should provide an explanation in the application narrative, Section 4: Project Resources. This explanation
is intended to assist reviewers in evaluating the financial capacity of your institution to complete the project activities.

5. Project Partners
In the space provided, list all organizations that are partners for the project. Note: Each partner listed in this section is
required to complete and submit a Partnership Statement form to the lead applicant for submission with the
application.
6–8.
Applicants for Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums grants should skip these sections.
Download Program Information Sheet:
Adobe® PDF (318 KB)
Microsoft® Word Document (118 KB)
Narrative
Write a narrative that addresses the four components listed and explained below. Limit the narrative to six singlespaced, numbered pages. We will remove any pages above the six-page limit, and we will not send them to
reviewers as part of your application.
Make sure your organization’s name appears at the top of each page. Use at least 0.5-inch margins on all sides and
a font size of at least twelve point. Use Supporting Documents to provide supplementary material.
Reviewers with a variety of professional backgrounds will read these applications and advise us on their merits. They
will base their evaluations on the information presented in the application. Your project narrative should therefore be
clear, concise, and well-organized with a minimum of technical jargon.
Review criteria are listed below for each section of the narrative. These criteria describe what the reviewers are
instructed to consider as they evaluate proposals. Keep these application review criteria in mind when writing your
narrative. Be certain to address the bullet points under each of the four narrative sections as you write. Address the
four sections of the narrative separately and in the same order in which they are listed below.
Please be advised that reviewers may also choose to visit your organization’s Web site, as listed on the SF-424S
form provided with this application.
1. Statement of Need

Using available supporting evidence, describe your community and the role of your library or museum in serving its
middle- and high-school youth population. Include the following information:

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The needs that will be addressed by the proposed Learning Lab
How the proposed Learning Lab would address these needs including potential benefits to your institution
and community

Review Criteria:

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Proposal clearly describes the community served by the applicant library or museum and identifies specific
needs among the community’s youth population.
Proposal provides appropriate supporting evidence (e.g., demographic or economic data, local foundation
reports, etc.) of community youth’s needs.
Proposal explains how these needs would be addressed by the proposed Learning Lab.

2. Project Goals and Impact

Building upon the needs identified in your Statement of Need, describe the learning objectives and long-term
community goals that will guide your team’s planning and design process. Include the following information:

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What aspects of the proposed Learning Lab might be most useful or relevant to other communities
considering a museum or library-based digital media lab for youth?
Which desired community outcomes will help shape an ongoing evaluation plan for the proposed Learning
Lab, and what types of measurements would help your organization evaluate the success of the Learning
Lab?

Review Criteria:

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Proposal clearly explains the learning objectives of a Learning Lab for middle- and high-school youth, the
community, and the library or museum itself.
Proposal identifies long-term goals and outcomes that will shape the planning and design of the proposed
Lab.
Proposal explains the potential benefits of a Learning Lab for the community, and for informing other
institutions and communities considering building a lab.
Proposal explains how the identified goals and outcomes will help shape an appropriate and effective
evaluation plan for the proposed Lab.

Resources for Evaluating a Project’s Impact
Click here for helpful information about project evaluation.

3. Project Design

Describe the proposed planning and design process that your institution will undertake to create the Learning Lab.
The description should address each of the following questions:

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How will the proposed Lab be informed by current, and ongoing, research and practice in the field of youth
and digital media learning?
How will you identify the facilities or environments (physical and/or virtual) for the proposed lab and the way
in which the Lab will be incorporated into existing facilities?
How will you incorporate planning for digital media and technology into your process?
How will you develop a staffing plan for the Lab, including the use and ongoing professional development of
mentors, new staff, and existing staff?
How will you work throughout the process with key partners and stakeholders in your community, including
youth, to develop your plan?

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How will you develop a feasible and sustainable plan for implementing the Lab?
What documents and agreements will be in place at the end of the planning and design process?
How will you evaluate the entire planning process?

Review Criteria:

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Proposal shows evidence that the project team understands and will continue to base its work on evolving
research and practice of youth, digital media, and learning.
Proposal describes the facilities or environments for the Learning Labs and explains how the design related
to its intended use.
Proposal describes the process used to determine how and why digital media will be used in the proposed
Lab.
Proposal demonstrates an understanding of the importance of mentors by planning for their professional
development.
Proposal demonstrates collaboration in the planning process by its inclusion of partners, stakeholders, and
Lab users.
Proposal articulates a plan that is feasible and sustainable.
Proposal clearly articulates the intended results of the planning process, including any documents,
agreements, or other products.
Proposal explains how the project team will determine if the intended results of the planning process have
been achieved.

4. Project Resources: Personnel, Time, Budget

Describe how you will manage the planning and design process for the Learning Lab. Supply supporting attachments
such as budget documents and staff resumes. Include the following information:

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The personnel and other resources that are required to complete the project
The members of the leadership team and other key staff (including consultants) who will complete project
activities, including their qualifications, roles, and commitment to the project, particularly if they have other
ongoing duties
The budget allocated to accomplish project activities, including cost sharing
How information will be shared and decisions will be made among partners

Review Criteria:

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Proposal provides a clear description of how the applicant will effectively complete the project activities
through the deployment and management of resources, including people, money and supplies.
Proposal clearly explains the roles, responsibilities, and time commitment of the leadership team and other
personnel assigned to the project, as well as their ability, based on expertise and experience, to achieve the
project goals
Proposal provides a cost-efficient, complete, and accurate budget that uses appropriate resources for the
proposed activity
Proposal clearly explains how information will be shared and decisions made with any proposed partners

For this section of the application, reviewers will consider information provided in the Narrative, Budget Forms,
Budget Justification, and Resumes.

Conditionally Required Documents
Proof of Nonprofit Status
If your organization is a private, nonprofit organization, you must submit a copy of the IRS letter indicating your
eligibility for nonprofit status under the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended. We
will not accept a letter of state sales tax exemption as proof of nonprofit status.

Please consult the table below to determine if any additional documents are required. If any of the conditions in the
left column apply to your project, then the documents described in the right column are required. If you do not provide
them, your application will be considered incomplete and will be rejected from further consideration.
If your project involves …

Then you must include …

A federally negotiated indirect cost rate

A current copy of your Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost
Rate Agreement

A partner who will receive grant funds or who will
contribute substantive funds to the completion of project
activities

An IMLS Partnership Statement form for each partner entity

Please note that if you are choosing the IMLS option of claiming a rate of 15% of indirect costs, you do not need to
provide any documentation.
Supporting Documents
You may submit other attachments of your choosing as part of your application package, but do not overload the
reviewers with too much information. These attachments should include only information that will supplement the
narrative and support the project description provided in the application. They should help reviewers envision your
project, but they should not be used to answer narrative questions. You may wish to consider the following:

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Floor plans
Equipment specifications
Letters of commitment from consultants, partners, or other groups that will work closely with the applicant on
this project
Letters of support from subject-matter experts who are familiar with your proposed project
Needs assessments (i.e. formal or informal documentation used to justify, evaluate, and plan projects)
Products or evaluations from previously completed or ongoing projects of a similar nature
Web links to relevant online materials and resources
Please note that the identification and corresponding page number of any confidential information in your
application package should be submitted as a supporting document.

Note: When attaching these documents, give each one a specific title for clear identification. All Supporting
Documents must include dates of creation and authorship.
Assurances and Certifications
What Federal Laws Do I Agree to Comply With When I Submit My Application?
As an applicant for Federal funds, you must certify that you are responsible for complying with certain
nondiscrimination, debarment and suspension, drug-free workplace, and lobbying laws. These are outlined below and
are set out in more detail, along with other requirements, in the Assurances and Certifications. By signing the application
form, which includes the Assurances and Certifications, you certify that you are in compliance with these
requirements and that you will maintain records and submit any reports that are necessary to ensure compliance.
Your failure to comply with these statutory and regulatory requirements may result in the suspension or termination of
your grant and require you to return funds to the government.
1. Nondiscrimination Statutes: You certify that you do not discriminate:

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On the grounds of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency), in accordance with
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. §2000d et seq.);
On the grounds of disability, in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended
(29 U.S.C. §701 et seq., including §794);
On the basis of age, in accordance with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1975, as amended (42
U.S.C. §6101 et seq.); and
On the basis of sex, in any education program or activity, in accordance with Title IX of the Education
Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. §1681 et seq.)

2. Debarment and Suspension (2 C.F.R. Part 180 and 2 C.F.R. Part 3185):
You certify that neither you nor your principals: (a) are presently excluded or disqualified; (b) have been convicted
within the preceding three years of offenses listed in 2 C.F.R. §180.800 (including but not limited to: fraud, antitrust,
embezzlement, or offense indicating lack of business integrity) or have had a civil judgment rendered again you or
them for one of such 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 such offenses; or (d) have had
one or more public transactions (Federal, State, or local) terminated within the preceding three years for cause or
default. Where you are unable to certify to any of the above, you must attach an explanation to this application. You
must also comply with applicable sections of the OMB guidance in 2 C.F.R. part 180, and include a term or condition
in lower-tier transactions requiring lower-tier participants to comply with subpart C of the OMB guidance in 2 C.F.R.
part 180.
3. Federal Debt Status:
You certify that you are not delinquent in the repayment of any Federal debt. Examples include delinquent payroll or
other taxes, audit disallowances, and benefit overpayments.
4. Drug-Free Workplace:
You must provide a drug-free workplace by complying with the requirements of 2 C.F.R. part 3186. This includes:
making a good faith effort to maintain a drug-free workplace; publishing a drug-free workplace statement; establishing
a drug-free awareness program for your employees; taking actions concerning employees who are convicted of
violating drug statutes in the workplace; and identifying (either at the time of your application or upon award, or in
documents that you keep on file in your offices) all known workplaces under your Federal awards.
5. Lobbying Activities (31 U.S.C. §1352):
You are subject to various restrictions against lobbying or attempting to influence a Federal employee or a Member of
Congress or Congressional employees, in connection with legislation, appropriations, or the award or modification of
a Federal contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or loan. Certain additional restrictions apply if you are requesting
over $100,000 in Federal assistance.
The Assurances and Certifications contain other general requirements that may apply depending on the nature of your
grant activity (for example, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 and the National
Historic Preservation Act of 1966).

5. After You Apply
What is the application review process?
We use a two-tiered peer review process that includes individual field review and/or panel review to evaluate all
eligible and complete applications. Reviewers and panelists are professionals in the field with relevant knowledge and
expertise in the types of project activities identified in the applications. They are instructed to evaluate proposed
projects according to the criteria identified in the program guidelines. The Director takes into account the advice
provided by the review process and makes final funding decisions consistent with the purposes of the agency’s
programs.
How can I serve as a reviewer?
All competitive awards are reviewed by museum professionals who know the needs of communities, can share best
practices, and are well versed in the issues and concerns of museums today.
If you are interested in serving as a reviewer, you may submit your information through our online reviewer
application at www.imls.gov/reviewers/become.aspx. Please remember to attach your resume. Your information will be
considered, and if accepted, your name will be entered into our reviewer database. You will be contacted prior to the
next deadline regarding your availability to serve as a reviewer.
There are many benefits to reviewing applications, including enhancing your professional knowledge and serving the
museum and library communities. If you are selected to serve, you will be helping IMLS and strengthening our grant
review process.
When will we find out if we have been selected to receive a grant?
No information about the status of an application will be released until the applications have been reviewed and all
deliberations are concluded. IMLS expects to notify both funded and unfunded applicants of final decisions by late fall
2012. Funded projects may not begin earlier than January 1, 2013.