Justification for Change Request 2018 NOFO

Justification for Change

3137-0107 Museums Empowered – Notice of Funding Opportunity

IMLS is requesting a change to a previously approved clearance in order to make non-substantive changes for the grant program Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff – A Museums for America Special Initiative. The forms associated with this Notice of Funding Opportunity have already been approved for the FY18 cycle as OMB#3137-0092. Museums Empowered is requesting the same expiration date of 02-29-2020.

Request abstract:

The information collections in this package include the guidelines and instructions to apply for IMLS support in the following grant program: Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff – A Museums for America Special Initiative.

Justification for Museums Empowered

The Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff – A Museums for America Special Initiative supports projects that strengthens the ability of an individual museum to serve its public through professional development activities that cross-cut various departments to generate systemic change within the museum.

IMLS has continued to bring its Notice of Funding Opportunity templates into close conformity with the standards set forth in the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 C.F.R. part 200, in particular Appendix I – Full Text of Funding Opportunity). The attached draft reflects those efforts.

The attached draft also contains a few minor language clarifications to reduce applicant confusion in several sections of the NOFO; removes a few errors introduced during the agency standardization of NOFOs; and responds to requests from both internal staff, as well as the applicant community, to better align the grant program language with other museum grant programs. It also reflects the current IMLS font and branding changes for ease of use by applicants.

The respondent burden should remain the same.