Justification for Change 3137-0092 Generic Clearance IMLS Grant Forms - Budget, PIS Digital

Justification for Change

3137-0092 Generic Clearance for IMLS Grant Forms: Budget Form, Program Information Sheet, and Digital Product Form and instructions

IMLS is requesting a change to a previously approved clearance in order to change the grant program information sheet, digital product form, and budget product form. This updated grant submission expiration date of 07/31/2018, remains the same.

Request abstract:

In this clearance submission (3137-0092) and justification, IMLS is requesting a change to a previously approved clearance for the forms used in the applications to its grant programs. A separate clearance submission includes the guidelines and instructions to apply for IMLS support in the Laura Bush 21^st Century Librarian Program and the National Leadership Grants for Libraries program.

Forms:

1) The IMLS Program Information Sheet (PIS) form is used to gather information from applicants among all IMLS grant programs. The information gathered relates to the applicant's institution and additional information specific to a grant application.

Justification for changing data elements:

Change 1f: Add box to accommodate identifying “Other” organizational unit type.

Change Item 3: Remove “Information” from title (Grant Program Information): Redundant

Change Item 3:

Library programs:

• Sparks! Ignition Grants (Libraries): Incorporate into National Leadership Grants for Libraries.

• Project categories were added to the Laura Bush 21^st Century Librarian program (Community Anchors, National Digital Platform, and Curating Collections) and the same project categories were added to the National Leadership Grants for Libraries.

• Required selection from among choices for Laura Bush 21^st Century Librarian, National Leadership Grants for Libraries, and Native American/Native Hawaiian Library Services: Add leading numbers (i.e. 1, 2) choices to make it easier to identify where choices must be made.

• Native American/Native Hawaiian Library Services: Corrected Native Hawaiian Library Services (erroneously Native American in previous version).

Museum programs:

• Sparks! Ignition Grants (Museum): Incorporate into National Leadership Grants for Museums as a funding level.

• Numbering for Museums for America, National Leadership Grants for Museums, Museum Grants for African American History and Culture, and Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services: adjust to accommodate deletion of Sparks! Ignition Grants as a separate program.

• Required selection from among choices for Museums for America, National Leadership Grants for Museums, and Museum Grants for African American History and Culture: Add leading numbers (i.e. 1, 2) choices to make it easier to identify where choices must be made.

• National Leadership Grants for Museums: Add descriptions of three funding levels/project types to accommodate inclusion of Sparks! Ignition Grants (Museum) and to make it easier to distinguish research from non-research projects.

Change Item 5: Remove “Information” from title (Funding Request Information): Redundant

Change Item 7: Formatting changes to make the questions clearer for applicants.

Change Item 8: Formatting changes to make the questions clearer for applicants. Updated Collections Stewardship Primary Elements: Add element choices relating to Access and Use (i.e. Database Management, Digitization, Software Applications, and Website Development).

2) The IMLS Digital Product Form is used to gather information from applicants proposing to create digital products (i.e. digital content, resources, assets, software, and datasets). The information gathered relates to the applicant's proposed plan for creating and managing digital products in order to expand public access. The information is specific to a particular grant application.

Justification for changing data elements:

Change Form Title: The simpler “Digital Product Form” will be easier to understand and define.

Change Introduction: Edit to reference new form title and specify examples.

Change Check Boxes: Replace check boxes with narrative instructions to clarify for applicants.

Change Part I: Formatting changes to make the questions clearer for applicants. Add narrative instructions to clarify for applicants.

Change Part IIA: Expand title to reference definition of digital products and clarify for applicants.

Change Part IIB Title: Shorten to remove unnecessary word and clarify for applicants.

Change Part III Title: Shorten to remove unnecessary words and clarify for applicants.

Change Part IV: Make bulleting parallel to bullet use in other sections.

Change Part IV, A.1: Edit question to clarify for applicants.

3) The IMLS Budget Form is used to gather information from applicants among all IMLS grant programs. The information gathered relates to how the applicants will spend the grant funds they are requesting from IMLS. The information is specific to a particular grant program.

Justification for changing data elements:

Change Item 9: Change “negotiated” to “finalized: “Indirect cost rate proposal not yet finalized.” Change clarifies that all negotiations must be final in order to utilize the rate; rates that are still in the negotiation stage will not be allowed.

The respondent burden should remain the same.