Form NLG-L FY21 1 NLG-L FY21 1 NLG-L FY21

Federal Awarding Agency:	Institute of Museum and Library Services
Funding Opportunity Title:	National Leadership Grants for Libraries
Announcement Type:	Notice of Funding Opportunity
Funding Opportunity Number:	NLG-Libraries-FY21
Catalog of Federal Financial Assistance (CFDA) Number:	45.312
Due Date:	Preliminary Proposals: Submit through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on October 2, 2020 Invited Full Proposals: Submit through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on March 26, 2021.
Anticipated Date of Notification of Award Decisions:	July, 2021 (subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion)
Beginning Date of Period of Performance:	Projects must begin on August 1 or September 1, 2021.

Equal Opportunity

IMLS-funded programs do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age. For further information, email the Civil Rights Officer at [email protected] or write to the Civil Rights Officer, Institute of Museum and Library Services, 955 L’Enfant Plaza North, SW, Suite 4000, Washington, DC, 20024-2135.

A. Program Description

A1. What is this grant program?

The National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program (NLG-L) supports projects that enhance the quality of library and archival services nationwide by advancing theory and practice. Successful proposals will generate results such as new tools, research findings, models, services, practices, or collaborative approaches that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend the benefits of federal investment.

To foster the adoption and spread of innovations and practices, IMLS encourages proposals at varying stages of maturity including the emergence of new ideas, validation of existing approaches, and practices for scaling up across library and archives communities. Successful proposals may generate new tools, research findings, models, services, practices, or alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend the benefits of federal investment. Each phase in a project’s life cycle offers opportunities to learn, discover, develop, and test new ideas, activities, software, services, etc.

The benefits of projects funded in this program must not be limited to the local community but must also advance national practice. Projects focused on preserving or providing access to a particular collection or set of collections cannot be supported. Similarly, the program cannot support the digitization of content or pre-digitization activities such as inventorying collections.

Note: Proposals that focus on education and training of library and archives professionals should be submitted to the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program.

A2. What are the indicators of successful projects?

Indicators (characteristics) of successful projects in the National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program projects are as follows:

National Impact: Successful projects address key needs, high priority gaps, and challenges or opportunities that face libraries or archives. They expand the boundaries within which libraries and archives operate, show the potential for far-reaching impact across size and complexity of institutions, and influence theory and practice.
Current Significance: Successful projects address a critical issue or opportunity for libraries and archives, and build on current strategic initiatives, knowledge, and agendas in these fields. They are based on a clear understanding of existing work and the broader environments (e.g., economic, demographic, technological, social) in which libraries and archives operate.
Strategic Collaborations: Successful projects involve key stakeholders and partners. These collaborations establish or deepen strategic relationships and partnerships or engage intermediaries, both inside and outside of the library and archival fields. Collaborations strengthen expertise, leverage resources and relationships, expand development or implementation of services, and strengthen, amplify, or complement the role of libraries and archives in achieving national impact for the field and within their communities.
Demonstrated Expertise: Successful projects demonstrate a thorough understanding of the current state of and gaps in relevant theory and practice. They establish how the team possesses the necessary skills, experience, and knowledge to realize significant shifts across the field. They also demonstrate a thorough understanding of the realities of implementation and user adoption of new services, practices, or perspectives.

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

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

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

Promote Lifelong Learning: IMLS supports learning and literacy for people of all ages through museums and libraries.
- Early, digital, information, health, financial, media, civic, and other literacies
- Cross-disciplinary and inquiry-based learning methods
- Continuous learning for families and individuals with diverse backgrounds and needs
- Distinctive role of museums and libraries as trusted sources of information
Build Capacity: IMLS strengthens the capacity of museums and libraries to improve the well-being of their communities.
- Recruitment, training, and development of library and museum workforces
- Share and adopt best practices and innovations
- Identify trends to help organizations make informed decisions
- Serve as trusted spaces for community engagement and dialogue
Increase Public Access: IMLS makes strategic investments that increase access to information, ideas, and networks through libraries and museums.
- Support stewardship of museum and library collections
- Tools, technology, and training enabling discovery and use of collections and resources by all
- Policies and partnerships to address access barriers to collections, programs, and information
- Increased access to knowledge through effective communications

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

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

A4. What are the funding and project categories?

A4a. What are the funding categories?

The funding categories and corresponding periods of performance are:

Funding Category	Period of Performance
Planning Grants	1 to 2 years
National Forum Grants	1 to 2 years
Project Grants	1 to 3 years
Research in Service to Practice Grants	1 to 3 years

Your application must designate one of these four funding categories. You may submit as many applications as you wish; however, the same proposal may not be submitted to IMLS under more than one funding category.

Planning Grants allow grantees to perform exploratory activities, such as analyzing needs and feasibility; solidifying partnerships; developing project work plans; or developing early prototypes, proofs of concept, and pilot studies. Methods used to assess the outcomes should be appropriate to the planning category. Applications are expected to provide a basic framework for planning activities that have the potential to lead to a future project. The period of performance for a Planning Grant is one to two years.

National Forum Grants provide the opportunity to convene qualified experts and key stakeholders, including those from adjacent fields as appropriate, to help explore current or emerging issues or opportunities that are important to libraries or archives across the nation as well as to their communities, partners, and stakeholders. National Forum Grants may consist of one or more meetings and related activities. Grantees are expected to produce reports or other deliverables for wide dissemination and are encouraged to consider leveraging technology to allow broad participation, such as virtual meetings or live-streaming. Additional mechanisms for engaging stakeholders and building awareness of the findings are encouraged. The period of performance for a National Forum Grant is one to two years.

Project Grants support the development, implementation, and evaluation of work that transforms how libraries and archives serve the nation. Projects may further pilot, test scalability or feasibility, expand existing products or services into new audiences or contexts, or enhance existing projects or initiatives. Proposals should not simply sustain current activities or represent incremental improvements in existing programs. Applicants should design their proposed work to ensure that new practices have the potential to be easily adoptable, sustainable, and widely implementable across the field. The period of performance for a Project Grant is one to three years.

Research in Service to Practice Grants involve the investigation of key questions relevant to library or archival tools and services. These proposals should build on prior empirical, theoretical, or exploratory work in libraries and archives or other disciplines (as they relate to libraries or library services). Proposals must include clearly articulated research questions and feature appropriate methods, including relevant theoretical or conceptual approaches, data collection, and analysis. Findings and their implications for library and archival practice should be shared broadly throughout the grant period, rather than exclusively at the end of the project. Dissemination activities should not be limited to publishing journal articles and presenting at academic conferences. Research projects should not be designed with a deterministic agenda or predetermined outcomes. Proposals focused on evaluation are not appropriate for the Research in Service to Practice Grants category and should be submitted to the Project Grants category above. The period of performance for a Research in Service to Practice Grant is one to three years. See Guidance for Research Applications.

A4b. What are the project categories?

The project categories are:

Lifelong Learning
Community Catalysts
National Digital Infrastructures and Initiatives

Your application must designate one of these three project categories. You may submit as many applications as you wish; however, the same proposal may not be submitted to IMLS under more than one project category.

Lifelong Learning: We are interested in proposals that will have a significant national impact on the capacity of libraries and archives to support cross-disciplinary and inquiry-based methods of learning, foster attitudes of discovery, and cultivate skills such as critical thinking, innovation, creativity, communication, and collaboration. Work in this category may include exploring, piloting, scaling, or enhancing programs, services, and partnerships to help users gain literacies and skills, and facilitate experiential and self-directed learning beyond the classroom. Work in this category may also address barriers that limit users’ access to information resources, competency-building opportunities, and formal and informal networks. Proposals should develop dynamic, relevant, and applied learning opportunities; demonstrate a thorough understanding of how library staff and resources can foster deeper learning; and include evaluation of user motivation, adoption, retention, and application of new skills and literacies. Proposals should leverage the distinct role of libraries as trusted sources of information, address substantial opportunities in library and archival practice, and ensure that proposed activities exemplify library principles and values.

Proposals in this category may focus on:

Fostering collaborations between libraries and formal or informal learning organizations to address issues of shared concern and reinforce libraries’ roles as essential community hubs for lifelong learning. Possible partner organizations might include, but are not limited to, museums, school systems, universities, extension programs, youth-serving organizations, departments of correction, and workforce or economic development organizations.
Exploring, piloting, scaling, or enhancing replicable library programming, models, and tools that provide opportunities for cross-disciplinary and inquiry-based learning for users of all ages. Topics addressed may include, but are not limited to, informal STEM or other types of participatory learning; community or citizen science; community and expert narratives; early learning; workforce development; and digital, information, health, financial, media, civic, and other types of literacies.
Investigating questions related to how library services impact user learning. They should be informed by current library and archival practice, demonstrate mutually beneficial relationships between researchers and practitioners, and communicate findings in ways that lead to demonstrable improvements to library services.
Facilitating opportunities for continuous learning for families and individuals of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and needs, including, but not limited to, young children and their families or caregivers; tweens and teens; un- and under-employed adults looking to make career transitions or re-enter the workforce; veterans; immigrants and refugees; individuals with disabilities; English language learners; and senior citizens.

Community Catalysts: We are interested in proposals that will have a significant national impact on the capacity of libraries and archives to serve as catalysts that contribute to the well-being of communities. In addition to directly providing programs and services, libraries and archives may also serve as partners or intermediaries that strengthen the work of collaborators, community members, and community networks by leveraging their expertise, relationships, networks, or infrastructures. Work in this category may include exploring, piloting, scaling, or enhancing approaches that strengthen civic and cultural engagement, foster community health, promote digital inclusion, increase equity and access, support economic vitality, or decrease social isolation. Proposals should address substantial opportunities in library and archival practice, ensure the proposed outcomes exemplify library principles and values, draw upon current approaches in collective impact and community development, and be community-driven.

Proposals in this category may focus on:

Enhancing methods for collaboration between libraries and stakeholders to address community needs and leverage community opportunities. Possible partner organizations might include, but are not limited to, museums, school systems, service organizations, workforce or community development groups, community colleges, or community associations.
Exploring and developing new, improved, or potentially scalable participatory library programming models that engage communities and individuals of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Identification of opportunities should be based on methods of analysis that may include asset mapping, public data mining, social network analysis, journey mapping, and generating impact indicators in collaboration with the community (see IMLS Community Catalyst and Community Salute Initiatives ).
Developing, implementing, assessing, and scaling programs, services, tools, and partnership models focused on enhancing opportunities and well-being in communities. Topics may include, but are not limited to, workforce and economic development; financial, health, or legal services; and increasing equity and access.
Assessing how libraries and archives create, develop, implement, and sustain collective impact approaches in communities. These may include, but are not limited to, areas that are rural, isolated, or experiencing economic distress. Some factors to consider may be social and economic conditions, types of anchor institutions, infrastructure, transportation, and geographic and physical barriers.
Exploring widespread community challenges and opportunities for growth and collaboration that are informed by or build on current library and archival practice and feature mutually beneficial relationships between researchers and practitioners. Findings should be communicated in ways that could lead to demonstrable and responsive improvements in library services, sustained community engagement, enhanced commitment of partners to collective efforts, and increased reach to new and existing library and archives users and underserved audiences.

National Digital Infrastructures and Initiatives: We are interested in proposals that will have a significant national impact on the capacity of libraries and archives to provide access to diverse digital content, collections, and services to a wide range of users. Work in this category may include exploring, piloting, scaling, or enhancing open source digital library infrastructures, efforts to engage communities with digital library content and collections, and other activities related to leveraging shared tools and services. Proposals should address substantial opportunities in library and archival practice and ensure that the proposed outcomes exemplify library principles and values.

Applicants are encouraged to reference National Digital Infrastructures and Initiatives: A Report on the 2017 NDP at Three Forum (PDF, 140KB) when developing their proposals.

Proposals in this category may focus on:

Leveraging intersections between digital challenges in libraries and the work of experts in other fields to advance theory and practice.
Exploring methods, tools, and techniques for sustainably and efficiently providing access to digital content and collections at scale for users of all interests and skill levels.
Assessing barriers to the adoption of tools and services, developing realistic and scalable solutions to those barriers, and increasing the accessibility of content and collections to a wide range of users through effective communications.
Integrating shared resources and collaborative networks for public access to and preservation of digital library content and collections at institutions of all types and sizes.
Enhancing the sustainability, interoperability, and accessibility of digital content and collections to provide long-term impact to and value for diverse and evolving user communities.
Fostering community memory and identity through the development, enhancement, and long-term maintenance of digital collections and community collaborations.
Advancing realistic and sustainable approaches for the stewardship of new or complex content types or digital formats.
Enabling the ethical stewardship of diverse or culturally sensitive digital content and collections through inclusive collaborations, tools, interpretation, and co-developed best practices.
Enhancing information literacy and digital inclusion efforts through expanded broadband connectivity, data privacy and security, innovative collaborations, or civic data use.
Exploring new approaches for engaging communities in the co-creation, interpretation, and stewardship of digital library content and collections, while keeping in mind broader applicability to other contexts and future sustainability.

A4c. Where can I find examples of projects funded by this program?

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

A5. Where can I find the authorizing statute and regulations for this funding opportunity?

Statute: 20 U.S.C. § 9101 et seq.; in particular, § 9162 (National Leadership Grants).

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

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

Note: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance on Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) can be found at 2 C.F.R. pt. 200. With certain IMLS-specific additions, IMLS regulations at 2 C.F.R. pt. 3187 formally adopt the 2 C.F.R. pt. 200 Uniform Guidance.

B. Federal Award Information

Total amount of funding expected to be awarded through this announcement	$9,000,000
Anticipated number of awards	40
Expected amount of individual awards	Planning Grants	Up to $100,000
	National Forum Grants	Up to $150,000
	Project Grants	Up to $1,000,000
	Research in Service to Practice Grants	Up to $750,000
Average amount of funding per award experienced in previous years	$257,850
Anticipated start dates for new awards	Projects must begin on August 1 or September 1, 2021.
Anticipated period of performance	August 1, 2021– August 31, 2024. Project activities may be carried out for one to three years based on the selected funding category. See Section A4.
Type of assistance instrument	Grant

The funding in the above Federal Award Information table is subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion. IMLS is not bound by any estimates in this announcement.

If your request for federal funding, including all direct and indirect costs, is outside the applicable funding level range, your application will be rejected from consideration for funding in this program.

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

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

C. Eligibility Information

C1. What are the eligibility requirements for this program?

To be eligible the National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program, you must:

be either a unit of State or local government or be a private, nonprofit organization that has nonprofit status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, and
be located in one of the 50 States of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau.

In addition, you must qualify as one of the following six types of organizations:

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:
1. Public libraries
2. Public elementary and secondary school libraries
3. College (including community college) and university libraries
4. 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 available. Research libraries must be under the supervision of at least one permanent professional staff librarian and 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.
5. Private or other special library, but only if the State in which such private or special library is located determines that the library should be considered a library for purposes of Library Services and Technology (see 20 U.S.C. § 9121-9165)
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;
A digital library, if it makes library materials publicly available and provides library services, including selection, organization, description, reference, and preservation, under the supervision of at least one permanent professional staff librarian;
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.

We recognize the potential for valuable contributions to the overall goals of the NLG-L 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. Consult with us about any eligibility questions before submitting an application.

C2. What are the cost sharing requirements for this program?

Cost sharing is an eligibility criterion for certain NLG-L projects, as follows.

NLG-L Funding Category	Award Amount	Cost Share Requirement
Planning Grants	Up to $100,000	No cost share required
National Forum Grants	Up to $150,000	No cost share required
Project Grants	Up to $1,000,000	Projects requesting more than $249,999 in IMLS funds require at least 1:1 cost share from non-federal sources.
Research in Service to Practice Grants	Up to $750,000	No cost share required

Cost sharing is an eligibility criterion and is not considered in the peer review of applications. Cost sharing that appears in your project budget should be carefully calculated. Grantees are expected to meet their cost share commitments. Click here for further information on cost sharing.

C3. Other Information

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

There is no limit to the number of applications you may submit under this announcement. Individual project directors may be named on multiple applications under this announcement. However, the same proposal may not be submitted to IMLS under more than one funding or project category listed in Sections A4a and A4b.

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

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

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

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

C3d. Additional Eligibility Information

The application process for the NLG-L program consists of two phases. For Phase I, all applicants must submit two-page Preliminary Proposals (see Section D2). For Phase II, selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals (Invited Full Proposals) (see Section D3). For both phases, applicants must submit their materials by the deadlines indicated on page 2 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity. Only Invited Full Proposals will be considered for funding.

D. Application and Submission Information

D1. How can we find the application package?

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

CFDA No. 45.312, or
Funding Opportunity Number: NLG-Libraries-FY21

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

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

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

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

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

D2. What content and forms are required to make a complete application for Phase I: Preliminary Proposals?

The Table of Application Components for Preliminary Proposals below will help you prepare a complete Preliminary Proposal application.

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

D2a. Table of Application Components for Preliminary Proposals

Component	Format	File name to use
Required Documents
The Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form (SF-424S)	Grants.gov form	n/a
IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract)	Grants.gov form	n/a
IMLS Library - Discretionary Program Information Form	IMLS PDF form	Programinfo.pdf
Preliminary Proposal Narrative (two pages max.)	PDF document	Preliminaryproposal.pdf

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

Document format: The SF-424S and the IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract) are created in Grants.gov Workspace. The IMLS Library - Discretionary Program Information Form and the Preliminary Proposal Narrative must be submitted as PDF documents.

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

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

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

D2c. Instructions for Required Documents

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

The SF-424S is part of the application package that you compete in Grants.gov Workspace. Click here for instructions on completing the SF-424S.

2. IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract)

The IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract) is part of the application package that you complete in Grants.gov Workspace. Preliminary proposal applications do not require a one-page abstract and applicants are encouraged to reuse the “Project Description” (about 120 words) entered into the SF-424S form. Click here for instructions on completion.

3. IMLS Library - Discretionary Program Information Form

Download the current IMLS Library - Discretionary Program Information Form (PDF, XX MB). Click here for instructions on completing it.

Applicants submitting a Preliminary Proposal may skip Section 1 but should complete Sections 2 and 3 of this form.

4. Preliminary Proposal Narrative

Write a Narrative that includes the elements described below, and save it as a PDF.

Limit the Narrative to two (2) numbered pages. We will remove any additional pages, and we will not send them to reviewers as part of your application.
Be clear and concise with a minimum of technical jargon and acronyms.
Make sure your organization’s name appears at the top of each page.
Use at least 0.5-inch margins on all sides and a font size of at least twelve points.
Include a project title at the top of the first page.
If your proposal is selected for funding, the Preliminary Proposal Narrative may be published online, or otherwise shared, by IMLS. As such, it must not include any sensitive, proprietary, or confidential information.

Your Preliminary Proposal Narrative must be no longer than two pages and should follow the general sections of an Invited Full Proposal Narrative: Statement of National Need, Project Design, Diversity Plan (if applicable), and National Impact. Briefly describe the national need for the project and its relevance to the selected project category. Lay out the project’s proposed work plan and projected national impact, including specific goals and outcomes. Consider the indicators of successful projects as you develop your Narrative (see Section A2).

Research in Service to Practice Preliminary Proposals must also include clearly defined research questions. See Guidance for Research Applications.

You must conclude the Preliminary Proposal Narrative with a budget summary. Preliminary Proposals that do not include a budget summary paragraph will be rejected from further consideration. The budget summary must include a breakdown by category of how both IMLS funds and cost share (if required) would be allocated, and the total anticipated costs of the project. Preliminary Proposal Narratives that do not clearly demonstrate that cost share requirements will be met will be rejected from further consideration.

D2e. Whom should we contact if we have questions while developing our proposal?

Prior to submitting a Preliminary Proposal, applicants are encouraged to contact IMLS program officers, who can offer general information about the Notice of Funding Opportunity and the review process. Contact information is available on the National Leadership Grants for Libraries program page.

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

D3. What content and forms are required to make a complete application for Phase II: Invited Full Proposals?

If you are asked to submit an Invited Full Proposal, you must submit a complete application by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on March 26, 2021. We make grants only to eligible applicants that submit complete Invited Full Proposal applications through Grants.gov on or before this deadline. Complete applications will be accepted only from applicants who have submitted Preliminary Proposals and have been invited to submit a full proposal.

The Table of Application Components for Invited Full Proposals below will help you prepare a complete Invited Full Proposal application. Applications missing any Required Documents or Conditionally Required Documents from this list will be considered incomplete and may be rejected from further consideration. (See 2 C.F.R. §3187.9.)

The Conditionally Required documents are those which you must include only if your organization meets the situation described for that document.

D3a. Table of Application Components for Invited Full Proposals

Component	Format	File name to use
Required Documents
The Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form (SF-424S)	Grants.gov form	n/a
IMLS Supplementary Information Form	Grants.gov form	n/a
IMLS Library - Discretionary Program Information Form	IMLS PDF form	Programinfo.pdf
Organizational Profile	PDF document	Organizationalprofile.pdf
Narrative (ten pages max.)	PDF document	Narrative.pdf
Schedule of Completion (one page per year max.)	PDF document	Scheduleofcompletion.pdf
IMLS Budget Form	IMLS PDF form	Budget.pdf
Budget Justification	PDF document	Budgetjustification.pdf
List of Key Project Staff and Consultants (one page max.)	PDF document	Projectstaff.pdf
Resumes of Key Project Staff and Consultants (two pages each max.)	PDF document	Resumes.pdf
Digital Product Form	IMLS PDF form	Digitalproduct.pdf
Conditionally Required Documents Please see the guidance in Section D3d for more information.
Proof of Private, Nonprofit Status	PDF document	Proofnonprofit.pdf
Final Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement	PDF document	Indirectcostrate.pdf
Supporting Documents Please see the guidance in Section D3e for more information.
Information that supplements the Narrative and supports the project description provided in the application	PDF document	Supportingdoc1.pdf Supportingdoc2.pdf Supportingdoc3.pdf

D3b. How should we format, name, and sequence the application components?

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

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

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

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

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

D3c. Instructions for Required Documents

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

The SF-424S is part of the application package that you complete in Grants.gov Workspace. Click here for instructions on completing the SF-424S.

2. IMLS Supplementary Information Form (including Abstract)

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

3. IMLS Library - Discretionary Program Information Form

Download and complete the current IMLS Library - Discretionary Program Information Form (PDF, XX MB). Click here for instructions on completing it.

Applicants submitting an Invited Full Proposal should complete Sections 1, 2, and 3 of this form.

4. Organizational Profile

Create an Organizational Profile for the legal applicant (as identified on the SF-424S), addressing Sections A, B, and C, and save it as a PDF.

Organizational Description

Provide a brief description of your organization. This can include your organization’s statement of purpose, a description of your service area, or a brief history of your organization.

B. External Funding

Proposed Project: Provide a table listing any previous, current, or pending support from any federal or non-federal sources (of more than $10,000 and within the past three years) for the proposed project. Include the source, dates, amount of funds, and time commitment per year devoted to the project by any key staff overlapping between existing projects and the project proposed in this application (even if they receive no salary support). If there is no additional external funding, indicate N/A in this section of the Organizational Profile.
Proposed Project Director: Provide a table listing any current or pending support for the Project Director (as identified on the SF-424S) not yet listed above, that will overlap with the proposed project’s period of performance. If the Project Director listed on the SF-424S is not actually the person running or leading the project, please include information for both the Project Director and this leader. Include the sources, dates, amount of funds, and time commitment per year devoted to the project (even if they receive no salary support). If there is no additional external funding, indicate N/A in this section of the Organizational Profile.

C. External Partnerships

List and briefly describe key institutional partners, subrecipients, contractors, and/or expert consultants participating in this proposed project. Include only those partnerships that will be in place during the project period of performance. You may describe potential future beneficiaries and advisory board members in the Narrative. If the proposed project does not include any external partners, indicate N/A in this section of the Organizational Profile.

5. Invited Full Proposal Narrative

Write a Narrative that includes the elements described below, and save it as a PDF.

Limit the Narrative to ten (10) numbered pages. We will remove any additional pages, and we will not send them to reviewers as part of your application.
Be clear and concise with a minimum of technical jargon and acronyms.
Make sure your organization’s name appears at the top of each page.
Use at least 0.5-inch margins on all sides and a font size of at least twelve points.
Include a project title at the top of the first page.
Use Supporting Documents to provide supplementary material. Bibliographies or works cited should be included as an appendix and not included as part of the Narrative.

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

Invited Full Proposal Outline

Your Narrative should include sections with the following titles: Statement of National Need, Project Design, Diversity Plan (if applicable), and National Impact. Each section should address questions listed in the Invited Full Proposal Outline below. Throughout the Narrative, you should also address the indicators of successful NLG-L projects as described in Section A2, the IMLS agency-level goal selected on the IMLS Library - Discretionary Program Information Form and described in Section A3, and the selected funding category and project category as described in Section A4.

The Narrative for an Invited Full Proposal for a Research in Service to Practice application must also include clearly defined research questions. See Guidance for Research Applications.

A. Statement of National Need

Provide a justification for the proposed project as it relates to a national challenge or opportunity for libraries or archives. Questions to consider may include:

What current, nationally significant challenge or opportunity does your proposal address, and how was it identified?
How does this proposed project differ from, complement, or build upon existing theory, scholarship, and practice?

B. Project Design

Provide a description of the proposed work plan. Questions to consider may include:

What are the goals of the project?
When and in what sequence will activities occur? What time, personnel, financial, project management, and other resources will you need to carry out the activities?
How will you ensure project success and national impact through engaging with collaborators (such as partners and intermediaries), individual experts, or advisory board members?
Who is the target community for the project and how will their perspectives and contributions be incorporated into the project design? How does the project design allow for external input, validation, and consensus building?
What are the indicators of success for your project? How will you include evaluation? How will you adapt your project’s design or outcomes to reflect the evaluation results over the course of the period of performance?
How and with whom will you share your project findings? How will results of the project be made available?

For Research in Service to Practice grant proposals only:

What is your research question(s)? (Research questions are a required component of research proposal Narratives.)

What is your theoretical or conceptual framing?
What kind of data will you collect? How will you collect your data? How will you analyze your data?
Does your study require Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval? Have you taken steps to secure IRB approval?
How will your research be informed by current practice and have the potential to further professional practice?
How will you translate and publicly share research findings for practitioners?
How are the chosen research methods adequate and appropriate to answer the research questions? How was the feasibility and applicability of various approaches considered in the project design?
Will the research methods lead to generalizable findings? Are the questions appropriately constructed to successfully frame the project design, data collection, interpretation, and other aspects of the research process?

See Guidance for Research Applications.

C. Diversity Plan (if applicable)

If applicable, describe how the project engages diverse or underserved communities and their shared experiences, worldviews, and ways of learning. Questions to consider may include:

How will the project strengthen the field’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion?
How will you include a diversity of perspectives in the project?

How are the relevant participants and communities involved in defining the challenges or opportunities and creating and implementing the project?

D. National Impact

Describe the anticipated national impact of the proposed work. Questions to consider may include:

How might your project impact practice or otherwise lead to systemic change within the community and at the national level?
How will you ensure project deliverables are readily adaptable and usable by other institutions and communities?
Who is your primary community and how will your project findings, tools or established practices be disseminated to the appropriate community(-ies)?
How do you plan to sustain the results of the project beyond the funding period?

6. Schedule of Completion

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

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

7. IMLS Budget Form

Download and complete the current IMLS Budget Form (PDF, 1.1MB). Click here for instructions on completing it. Java Script must be enabled.

8. Budget Justification

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

9. List of Key Project Staff and Consultants

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

10. Resumes of Key Project Staff and Consultants

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

11. Digital Product Form

Download and complete the current IMLS Digital Product Form (PDF, 180KB; Word, 46KB). IMLS defines digital products very broadly (digital content, resources, assets, software, or datasets). You should review all questions in the Digital Product Form and complete the form by providing for each section the corresponding information or stating “Not applicable for this project” in each respective section. Your application will be considered incomplete if it does not include a completed Digital Product Form.

If your proposal is selected for funding, the Digital Product Form may be published online, or otherwise shared, by IMLS. As such, it must not include any sensitive, proprietary, or confidential information. Click here for Guidance for Projects that Develop Digital Products.

D3d. Conditionally Required Documents

These are documents which may be required depending upon the circumstances (“Conditionally Required Documents”). Please see the table below.

Failure to provide a Conditionally Required Document will result in your application being considered incomplete and may be rejected from further consideration.

If you are:

Then you must provide:

Notes:

Applying as a private, nonprofit institution, as indicated by choosing “M” as the Applicant Type code in 5d of the SF-424S form.

A copy of the IRS letter indicating your eligibility for nonprofit status under the applicable provision of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended

You must submit this letter with each application whether or not you have submitted it with other applications in the current year or in previous years.

We will not accept a letter or state sales tax exemption as proof of nonprofit status.

Using a federally negotiated indirect cost rate in your budget

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

If you are eligible for and are choosing the option of claiming an indirect cost rate of 10 percent of modified total direct costs (see 2 C.F.R. part 200, including 2 C.F.R. 200.68, 200.414(f), and 200.510(b)(6)), you do not need to provide any documentation.

D3e. Supporting Documents

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

Bibliography or references relevant to your proposed project design or evaluation strategy
Letters of commitment from partners or other groups who will work closely with you on your project, receive grant funds, or contribute funds to the completion of project activities
Letters of support from experts and stakeholders
Position descriptions for project staff (if not included with resumes for key personnel) to be supported by grant or cost share funds
Reports from planning activities
Contractor quotes
Equipment specifications
Needs assessments or asset maps developed specifically for this project or community

D4. What are the registration requirements for submitting an application?

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

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

D4a. What is a D-U-N-S® number and how do we get one?

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

D4b. What is the System for Award Management (SAM) and how do we register?

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

D4c. What is Grants.gov and how do we register?

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

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

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

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

D5. When and how must we submit our application?

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

For the National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program, Grants.gov will accept applications for Preliminary Proposals through 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on October 2, 2020, and Invited Full Proposals through 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on March 26, 2021.

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

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

D5a. What happens after we submit our application through Grants.gov?

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

D6. Is there an intergovernmental review?

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

D7. Are there funding restrictions?

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

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

personnel salaries, wages, and fringe benefits
travel expenses for key project staff and consultants
materials, supplies, software, and equipment related directly to project activities
third-party costs
publication design and printing
staff and volunteer training
student tuition and fees
internships/fellowships
indirect or overhead costs

You must explain all proposed expenses in your Budget Justification.

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

general fundraising costs, such as development office staff or other staff time devoted to general fundraising or project activities associated with advocacy
contributions to endowments
general operating support
acquisition of collections (See 2 C.F.R. §3187.15(b))
general advertising or public relations costs designed solely for promotional activities other than those related to the specific project
construction or renovation of facilities (generally, any activity involving the construction trades is not an allowable cost)
social activities, ceremonies, receptions, or entertainment
pre-award costs

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

D7a. How do we include costs for third parties?

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

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

D7b. What are our options for including indirect costs in our budget?

You can choose to:

use a rate not to exceed your current indirect cost rate already negotiated with a federal agency;
use an indirect cost rate proposed to a federal agency for negotiation, but not yet finalized, as long as it is finalized by the time of the award;
use a rate not to exceed 10% of the total modified direct costs if you have never had a federally negotiated indirect cost rate and you are otherwise eligible; or
not include any indirect costs.

Click here for further information on indirect costs.

E. Application Review Information

E1. What are the review criteria?

Reviewers are instructed to evaluate applications according to the review criteria in this section. Reviewers consider all Required, Conditionally Required, and Supporting Documents, as listed in Section D3.

E1a. Preliminary Proposals

Reviewers will be asked to evaluate preliminary proposals based on the following questions:

How well does the proposal address the indicators of successful projects (see Section A2)?
What components are, or are not, in place to ensure successful implementation of the proposed project? What recommendations do you have for improving the proposal?
Considering the topic, project category selections, amount of funds requested, and scope of potential impact, should the applicant be invited to submit a full proposal at this time? Why or why not?

E1b. Invited Full Proposals

Reviewers will be asked to evaluate Invited Full Proposals based on the following questions:

National Impact

Are the project’s benefits, outcomes and impact clearly stated?
Does the proposal make a compelling case for how it might ultimately scale, transform practice or otherwise lead to systemic change within the community and at the national level?
Are the project's intended findings or products clearly articulated, appropriate, and realistic, given the project’s selected funding categories?
Will the proposed project generate results that can extend beyond a single institution?
Does the proposal adequately describe how it will ensure that results and deliverables will be readily adaptable to other institutions and communities?
Is there a well-grounded and practical plan for sustaining the outputs or resources of the project beyond the conclusion of the award?
Will results have the potential to inform current and future work? Is there an effective plan for communicating results and sharing findings in a manner that has potential for national impact?
Are the proposed evaluation activities appropriate for the project? As appropriate, does the project design incorporate evaluation throughout the project and in the final deliverables?

For Research in Service to Practice grant proposals only:

Is the research informed by current practice and does it have the potential to produce generalizable results that could advance professional practice?
Is the dissemination and communication plan comprehensive in terms of national reach to practitioners and other communities of interest?

Current Significance

Does the proposal make a compelling case for the significance and timeliness of the proposed project?
How well does the proposed project address the goals of the NLG-L program and project categories (See Section A4)?
Is the proposed work well-grounded in current theory, scholarship, or practice drawn from inside or outside the library and archival fields? Does this evidence base support the proposed project goals or methods?
For Research in Service to Practice grant proposals only: Are the research questions of significant interest to the library and archival fields? Are the questions appropriately constructed to address the project design, data collection, interpretation, and other aspects of the research process?

Strategic Collaborations

Are appropriate collaborations, for example partners, individual experts, intermediaries, advisory boards, or other stakeholder engagements, used to ensure project success?
Have collaborators’ roles and contributions to the project been clearly described, and do they align with the needs of the project?
Does the project design allow for iteration, external input, or consensus building?
Does the project design account for relevant and appropriate outreach, engagement, or retention strategies?
As applicable, are plans to engage with specific communities clearly articulated and realistic?

Demonstrated Expertise

Do the project team members have the necessary expertise, background, and capacity to successfully plan, implement, and manage the proposed work?
Have subject matter experts and advisors been appropriately included in the project?
How well are the intended audiences defined and understood? Does the project team have knowledge about the needs and perspectives of the intended audiences?
Are the goals, projected outcomes and impact, and assumptions clearly stated? Will the activities achieve the stated outcomes and goals?
Are clear methods described for tracking the project's progress and adjusting course when necessary?
Are the identified time, personnel, financial, and other resources appropriate for the scope and scale of the project?
For Research in Service to Practice grant proposals only: Are the research methods adequate and appropriate to answer the research questions?

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (if applicable)

Will the project strengthen the field’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion?
Does the project include a diversity of perspectives in the development and implementation of the work?
Are the relevant participants and communities involved in defining the challenges or opportunities and creating and implementing the project?

E1c. Is cost sharing considered in the review process?

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

E2. What is the review and selection process?

We use a peer review process to evaluate all eligible and complete applications. Reviewers are professionals in the field with relevant knowledge and expertise in the types of project activities identified in the applications. We instruct reviewers to evaluate applications according to the review criteria. Peer reviewers must comply with IMLS’s Federal ethics and conflicts of interest requirements.

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

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

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

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

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

E4. When will we be notified of funding decisions?

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

F. Award Administration Information

F1. How will we be notified of funding decisions?

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

F2. What are the administrative and national policy requirements?

Organizations that receive IMLS grants or cooperative agreements are subject to the IMLS General Terms and Conditions for IMLS Discretionary Grant and Cooperative Agreement Awards (PDF, 268KB) and the IMLS Assurances and Certifications. Organizations that receive IMLS funding must be familiar with these requirements and comply with applicable law.

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

F3. What are the reporting requirements?

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

Reports are due according to the reporting schedule that is part of your official award notification. Grantees must submit reports using the IMLS electronic grants management system, eGMS. In support of the agency’s commitment to open government, interim and final performance reports may be made accessible on the IMLS website to engage the public in communities of practice and to inform application development and grant making strategies.

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

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

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

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

G. Contacts

G1. Who should we contact if we have questions?

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

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

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

Program staff hosts webinars to introduce potential applicants to funding opportunities. Click here for a schedule of webinars and instructions for accessing them from your computer.

H. Other Information

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

Grantees must include an acknowledgement of IMLS support in all grant products, publications, websites, and presentations developed with IMLS funding. All work products should reference IMLS and include the associated grant award number(s). Click here for the Grantee Communications Kit, which provides guidance for fulfilling these requirements.

H2. What should we do if we are including confidential or proprietary information in our application?

IMLS may share grant applications, work products, and reports with grantees, potential grantees, and the general public to further the mission of the agency and the development of museum, library, and information services. These materials may be disseminated broadly and made available in a variety of ways and formats.

For the above reasons, you should not include in your application any information that you consider to be confidential or proprietary. However, if you do decide to provide information that you consider confidential or proprietary, you must clearly identify it as such. IMLS will handle confidential and proprietary information in accordance with applicable law (e.g., Freedom of Information Act [FOIA], Privacy Act).

H3. What do we need to know about sharing and copyright of IMLS-supported work products and managing digital products?

Read more about sharing and copyright of IMLS-supported work products and management of digital products (including research data and other digital content) produced with IMLS support.

H4. What conflict of interest requirements must we follow?

As a non-federal entity, you must follow IMLS conflict of interest policies for federal awards. Click here for more information about IMLS conflict of interest requirements.

H5. Where else can we find additional information about IMLS?

You can check the IMLS website for information on IMLS and IMLS activities.

H6. Is IMLS obligated to make an award as a result of this announcement?

IMLS is not obligated to make any Federal award or commitment as a result of this announcement.

H7. How can I become a peer reviewer?

If you are interested in serving as a peer reviewer, you may enter your contact information, identify your experience and expertise, and upload your resume through our online reviewer application at https://www.imls.gov/grants/peer-review. If you are identified as a potential reviewer, we will notify you by email prior to the next review period to confirm your availability.

H8. How long should it take us to complete an application?

Complete applications include the elements listed in the Table of Application Components in Section D. We estimate the average amount of time needed for one applicant to complete the Narrative portion of this application to be 40 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 it will take you an average of 15 minutes per response for the IMLS Supplementary Information Form and the IMLS Library - Discretionary Program Information Form and three hours per response for the IMLS Budget Form. We estimate that it will take you an average of 60 minutes per response for the Digital Product Form.

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 955 L’Enfant Plaza North, SW, Suite 4000, Washington, DC, 20024-2135, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (3137-0091), Washington, DC, 20503.

H10. PRA Clearance Number:

OMB Control #: 3137-0091, Expiration date: 8/31/2021

Appendix One - IMLS Assurances and Certifications

As a federal agency, IMLS is required to obtain from all applicants certifications, including those regarding Nondiscrimination, Debarment and Suspension, Federal Debt Status, and 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 SF-424S.

Assurances Statement

By signing the application form, the authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, assures and certifies that, should a Federal award be made, the applicant will comply with the statutes outlined below and all related IMLS regulations (for example, see 2 C.F.R. Chapter XXXI and 45 C.F.R. Chapter XI). 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 representative 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 non-Federal share of project costs) to ensure proper planning, management, reporting, recordkeeping, 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 applicable law. The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will comply with the provisions of applicable OMB Circulars and regulations.

Nondiscrimination

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will comply with the following nondiscrimination statutes and their implementing regulations:

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 (note: as clarified by Exec. Order No. 13166, the applicant must take reasonable steps to ensure that limited English proficient (LEP) persons have meaningful access to the applicant’s programs (see IMLS guidance at 68 Federal Register 17679, April 10, 2003));
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq., including § 794), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability (note: IMLS applies the regulations in 45 C.F.R. part 1170 in determining compliance with section 504 as it applies to recipients of federal assistance);
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (20 U.S.C. §§ 1681–1683, §§ 1685–1686), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs;
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; and
The requirements of any other nondiscrimination statute(s) which may apply to the application.

Debarment and Suspension

The applicant shall comply with 2 C.F.R. part 3185 and 2 C.F.R. part 180, as applicable. 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:

are presently excluded or disqualified;
have been convicted within the preceding three years of any of the offenses listed in 2 C.F.R. § 180.800(a) or had a civil judgment rendered against it or them for one of those offenses within that time period;
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 C.F.R. § 180.800(a); or
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, the authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, shall attach an explanation to the application.

The applicant, as a primary tier participant, is required to comply with 2 C.F.R. 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 C.F.R. 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.

As noted in the preceding paragraph, applicants who plan to use IMLS awards to fund contracts should be aware that they must comply with the communication and verification requirements set forth in the above Debarment and Suspension provisions.

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.

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 2 C.F.R. part 3186 (Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)). In particular, the recipient must comply with drug-free workplace requirements in Subpart B (or Subpart C, if the recipient is an individual) of 2 C.F.R. part 3186, which adopts the Government wide implementation (2 C.F.R. part 182) of Sections 5152-5158 of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-690, Title V, Subtitle D; 41 U.S.C. §§ 701–707). This includes, but is not limited to: 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 employees; taking actions concerning employees who are convicted of violating drug statutes in the workplace; and identifying (either at the time of application or upon award, or in documents kept on file in the recipient’s offices) all known workplaces under Federal awards.

Trafficking in Persons

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies, as a condition of the award, that the applicant will comply with the trafficking in persons requirements that are set out in the General Terms and Conditions for IMLS Discretionary Awards (2 C.F.R. § 175.15 (Award Term)).

Certification Regarding Lobbying Activities

(Applies to Applicants Requesting Funds in Excess of $100,000) (31 U.S.C. § 1352)

The authorized representative certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that:

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 an 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 any federal contract, the making of any federal grant, the making of any federal loan, the entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
If any funds other than federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person (other than a regularly employed officer or employee of the applicant, as provided in 31 U.S.C. § 1352) 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 complete and submit Standard Form LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,” in accordance with its instructions.
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 and contracts under grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients shall certify and disclose accordingly.

This certification is a material representation of fact upon which reliance is placed when the transaction is made or entered into. Submission of this certification is a prerequisite for making or entering into the transaction imposed by 31 U.S.C. § 1352. Any person who fails to file the required certification shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.

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.

Certifications Required for Certain Projects

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.

Subawards

Under IMLS regulations at 2 C.F.R. § 3187.14, a recipient may not make a subaward unless expressly authorized by IMLS. A recipient may contract for supplies, equipment, and services, subject to applicable law, including but not limited to applicable Office of Management and Budget Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards set forth in 2 C.F.R. part 200.

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, see 54 U.S.C. § 306108), Exec. Order No. 11593, and any related applicable preservation laws.

Environmental Protections

The authorized representative, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the project will comply with environmental standards, including the following:

institution of environmental quality control measures under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq.) and Exec. Order No. 11514;
notification of violating facilities pursuant to Exec. Order No. 11738;
protection of wetlands pursuant to Exec. Order No. 11990, as amended by Exec. Order No. 12608;
evaluation of flood hazards in floodplains in accordance with Exec. Order No. 11988, as amended (see Exec. Order No. 12148);
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.);
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.);
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
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 purchase 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, or as otherwise designated.

Research on Human 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.

Research on Animal Subjects

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, 955 L’Enfant Plaza North, SW, Suite 4000, Washington, DC, 20024-2135. Or call 202-653-IMLS (4657).

Appendix Two – Required Federal Systems

Getting a D-U-N-S® Number

All non-federal entities are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S®) number (a unique entity identifier) in order to apply for, receive, and report on federal awards.

You should verify that your organization has a D-U-N-S® number. You can get one within two business days at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free D-U-N-S® number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or by visiting http://www.dnb.com/duns-number.html.

Registering for SAM

The System for Award Management (SAM) is a federal repository that centralizes information about grant applicants and recipients. You must be registered with SAM before you register with Grants.gov. There is no fee to register with SAM. Click here to find information about registering with SAM.

We recommend that you allow several weeks to complete your SAM registration.

You must renew your registration in SAM at least every 12 months—and sooner, if your information changes. An expired registration will prevent you from submitting applications via Grants.gov and receiving awards or payments. Grant payments will be made to the bank account that is associated with your SAM registration.

Registering for Grants.gov

You must register with Grants.gov before submitting your application to IMLS. Click here to learn more about the multistep registration process. Make sure your D-U-N-S® number and SAM registration are accurate, current, and active. We recommend that you allow at least two weeks to complete your Grants.gov registration.

After you register with Grants.gov, and create an Organizational Applicant Profile, the request for the organization’s Grants.gov roles and access is sent to the EBiz POC. The EBiz POC will then log into Grants.gov and assign the appropriate roles to individuals within the organization. This will include the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) which will give permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, please refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html.

Working with Grants.gov

Click here to learn more about Grants.gov resources, which include checklists, FAQs, and online tutorials to assist you in preparing your organization to submit applications.

Grants.gov applicants apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within a grant application. For each funding opportunity, you can create individual copies of a workspace to complete your application. Here is an overview of how to apply on Grants.gov. https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html.

Designate more than one Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) when you register in Grants.gov. This will help avoid last-minute crises in the event that your one AOR is unavailable when you are ready to submit your application.

Update the contact information and password in Grants.gov when the AOR at your organization changes.

Grants.gov offers online support regarding Adobe® software and browser compatibility. Contact Grants.gov at [email protected] or call the help line (1-800-518-4726) for technical assistance. The help line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for federal holidays.

Appendix Three – Explanation of Forms for Reference

Grants.gov SF-424S

The SF-424S is the “Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form,” which is part of the application package that you downloaded from Grants.gov.

Items 1 through 4

These items are automatically populated by Grants.gov.

Item 5. Applicant Information

Legal Name: Enter your organization’s legal name as it appears in your SAM registration. This is the organization with the authority to apply directly for funding in this program. If you have an organizational unit that will be carrying out the project, be sure that it is specified as the organizational unit on the IMLS Supplementary Information Form.
Address: Enter your legal applicant’s address as it appears in your SAM registration.
Web Address: Enter your web address.
Type of Applicant: Select the code that best characterizes your organization from the menu in the first dropdown box. Leave the other boxes blank.
Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN): Enter the EIN or TIN assigned to your organization by the Internal Revenue Service.
Organizational DUNS: Enter your organization’s D-U-N-S® number received from Dun and Bradstreet.
Congressional District: Enter your organization’s congressional district. Use the following format: two-letter state abbreviation, followed by a hyphen, followed by a zero, followed by the two-digit district number. For example, if the organization is located in the 5th Congressional District of California, enter “CA-005.” For the 12th Congressional 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., “VT-001.”

If your 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 your organization’s district, visit the House of Representatives website by clicking here and using the “Find Your Representative” tool.

Item 6. Project Information

Project Title: Enter a brief descriptive title for your project. IMLS may use this title for public information purposes.
Project Description: Enter a brief description (about 120 words) of your project. Tell us what your project will do, for whom or what, and why. Use clear language that can be understood by readers who might not be familiar with the discipline or subject area.
Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the start date and end date of the proposed period of performance in the format mm/dd/yyyy. The project period begins on the first day of the month in which project activities start and ends on the last day of the month in which these activities are completed. Refer to Section B of this Notice of Funding Opportunity to determine when your project can begin.

Item 7. Project Director

The Project Director is the person who will have primary responsibility for carrying out your project’s activities. Enter the requested information for this individual here.

IMLS requires that the Project Director be a different person than the Authorized Representative.

Item 8. Primary Contact/Grants Administrator

The Primary Contact/Grants Administrator is the person who has primary responsibility for administering the award. Enter the requested information for this individual here. If the Primary Contact/Grants Administrator is the same as the Authorized Representative, please still complete both Items 8 and 9.

In some organizations this individual may be the same as the Project Director. If this is the case, check the box and skip to Item 9.

Item 9. Authorized Representative

The Authorized Representative is the person who has the authority to legally bind your organization. Enter the requested information for this individual here. The Authorized Representative cannot 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 the IMLS Assurances and Certifications and any other relevant federal requirements.

The “Signature of Authorized Representative” and “Date Signed” boxes will be automatically populated by Grants.gov upon submission of the application. This will be the person whose name was listed as your organization’s authorized representative when you registered with Grants.gov. Please note that this name might not be the same as the name and other information you entered in Item 9 above; however, the person whose name appears in the “Signature of Authorized Representative” box must have authorization from your organization to submit this application on behalf of your organization.

Submission of the electronic application acknowledges that your organization certifies compliance with relevant federal requirements, including but not limited to the IMLS Assurances and Certifications, to the same extent as the signature does on a paper application.

IMLS Supplementary Information Form

This is a dynamic Grants.gov Workspace form, so your answers to certain questions will determine what questions you see next.

Applicant Information

The organizational unit performing the activities described in the application is the same as the legal applicant from the SF-424S. Check YES or NO, and provide the information requested in the blocks that appear next.

If your organization, on its own, meets the eligibility criteria for the grant program to which you are applying, check YES. Then select the institution type that most accurately describes you as the legal applicant.
If your library is part of a parent organization, such as a university or a unit of state or local government, or cannot apply for grants on its own behalf, check NO. Then provide your organization’s name and address, and select the institution type that most accurately describes the organizational unit that will perform the activities described in the application.

Funding Request

IMLS Funds Requested: Enter the amount in dollars sought from IMLS.

Cost share amount: Enter the amount of non-federal funding you are providing. Click here for further information on cost sharing.

Indirect Cost Rate

Select one option for calculating and including indirect costs in your project budget.

Population Served

Check the boxes that reflect the population(s) to be served by your project.

Abstract

Write an Abstract of no more than 3,000 characters in a concise narrative format for experts as well as a general audience and paste it into the block provided. If your proposal is selected for funding, the Abstract may be published online, or otherwise shared, by IMLS. As such, it must not include any sensitive, proprietary, or confidential information.

Address the following:

Who is the lead applicant and, if applicable, who are the collaborators?
What do you plan to accomplish and why?
What is the time frame for the project?
What library and community needs will the project address?
What will be the specific project activities, goals, outcomes, results, and tangible products?
What are the intended outcomes for the community in terms of measurable changes in knowledge, attitudes, or behavior?

IMLS Library - Discretionary Program Information Form

Section 1. Organizational Financial Information: Provide the information requested in a-d. If you named an organizational unit in the IMLS Supplementary Information Form, this information must pertain to that unit.

Applicants submitting a Preliminary Proposal may skip Section 1 but should complete Sections 2 and 3 of this form.
Applicants submitting an Invited Full Proposal should complete Sections 1, 2, and 3 of this form.

Section 2. Agency-Level Goals and Objectives: Select one of the three IMLS Agency-Level Goals with which your project best aligns. Once you have selected a goal, then select an associated objective.

Section 3. Grant Program: Select B. National Leadership Grants for Libraries

Select one funding category: Planning, National Forum, Project, or Research in Service to Practice
Select one project category: Lifelong Learning, Community Catalysts, or National Digital Infrastructure and Initiatives

IMLS Budget Form

Download the IMLS Budget Form (PDF, 1.1MB).

The IMLS Budget Form accommodates up to three years of project activities and expenses. Project timelines, allowable costs, and other budget details vary by program. Be sure to review the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the grant program/category to which you are applying and the cost principles in 2 C.F.R. pt. 200 and 2 C.F.R. pt. 3187.

The Year 1 columns should include costs for activities that begin on the project start date (as listed on 6c of the SF-424S) and end 12 months later. If the project timeline exceeds one year, list the costs for the next 12 months in the Year 2 columns. If the project extends beyond two years, list the costs for the next 12 months in the Year 3 columns. If the program/category to which you are applying permits a fourth year as part of the budget, enter Year 4 budget details on a second copy of the IMLS Budget Form.

The budget should include the project costs that will be charged to grant funds as well as those that will be supported by cost sharing. In-kind contributions to cost sharing may include the value of services (e.g., donated volunteer or consultant time) or equipment donated to the project between the authorized start and end dates of your project. All the items listed, whether supported by grant funds or cost share, must be necessary to accomplish project objectives, allowable according to the applicable federal cost principles, auditable, and incurred during the award period of performance. 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 your organization. You must report all revenues generated with project funds during the award period of performance as program income.

If you need more lines for a specific section, summarize the information in the IMLS Budget Form and explain it further in the Budget Justification.

Salaries and Wages: Include both temporary and permanent staff as well as volunteers engaged in project activities. Document the method of cost computation (e.g., as percentage of a person’s time devoted to the project, number of days, number of hours) in your Budget Justification.
Fringe Benefits: Fringe benefits can only be claimed as a direct cost for those positions included in your direct cost pool. Fringe benefits may be claimed only on the portion of salaries and wages identified for this project.
Travel: Explain the method of cost computation for each travel cost, including subsistence, lodging, and transportation, in your Budget Justification.

You must use the lowest available commercial fares for coach or equivalent accommodations, and you must use U.S. flagged air carriers for foreign travel when such services are available, in accordance with applicable U.S. legal requirements.

Please refer to the Narrative section of this Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about special travel requirements, if any.

Supplies, Materials, and Equipment: List the costs of supplies, materials, and equipment purchased specifically for the proposed project. For definitions and other information, please see 2 C.F.R. pt. 200. Use the Budget Justification to explain or describe these items in further detail.
Contracts and Subawards: List each third party that will undertake project activities and their associated costs as an individual line item on your IMLS Budget Form. Designate each third party as either a contract or subaward using the drop-down menu on each line. To explain or describe these items in further detail, you may either
- itemize these third-party costs in your Budget Justification, or
- include a separate IMLS Budget Form as a Supporting Document and refer to it in the Budget Justification, for more complex projects.
Student Support: If your project includes student support costs, enter them in this section. Click here for a definition and examples of student support.
Other Costs: Use this section for costs that cannot be assigned to other categories. Do not use this section to list items that do not fit in the lines allotted for another section.
Total Direct Costs: These amounts will total automatically.
Indirect Costs: Indirect costs are expenses that are incurred for common or joint objectives that cannot be easily identified with a particular project. Click here for more information about indirect costs.
Total Project Costs: These amounts will total automatically.

Cost Share

Cost share is that portion of the project costs that is not paid by IMLS funds. Common examples of cost share include cash outlays; contribution of property and services; and in-kind contributions, such as staff or volunteer time that support project activities.

All expenses, including cost sharing, must be incurred during the award period of performance unless otherwise specified and allowed by law. Federal funds from other federal awards may not be used for cost sharing. All federal, IMLS, and program requirements regarding the use of funds apply to both requested IMLS funds and to cost sharing. See 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.29 and 200.306 for more information on cost share.

Budget Justification

To write your Budget Justification, follow the format of the IMLS Budget Form’s section headings and save it as a PDF. Address both grant funds and cost share.

1. Salaries and Wages

Identify each person whose salary or wages will be paid with IMLS funds or by cost share, provide their names, describe their role in the project, the percent of time to be devoted to the project, and their rate of pay. If cost share is being provided by unpaid volunteers, explain how you arrived at the dollar amount used to represent the value of their services.

If you are requesting IMLS funding for salaries of permanent staff, explain the reason for the request and how the regular duties of these individuals will be performed during the award period of performance.

2. Fringe Benefits

Identify your organization’s fringe benefit rate and explain the base for the calculation for each person. If you have consolidated several persons’ fringe benefits into a single line on the IMLS Budget Form, break out the detail here.

3. Travel

For each trip, explain the purpose of the trip and specify the points of origin and destination, the name of the traveler, and break out the costs of transportation, lodging, per diem, and any other expenses associated with the travel. Explain how you arrived at the dollar amount.

4. Supplies, Materials, and Equipment

List each type of supply, material, and equipment you propose to purchase or provide as cost share for the project. Detail the number and unit cost for each item and explain how you arrived at the dollar amounts. Provide vendor quotes or price lists as Supporting Documents with your application.

5. Contracts and Subawards

List the costs of project activities to be undertaken by third parties for the project. (Familiar terms for third parties can include partners, consultants, subgrantees, collaborators, vendors, or service providers.) Identify each third party by name, describe their role in the project, the activities they will carry out, and the cost. For each entry, designate the third party as either a subrecipient or a contractor. Explain costs for third parties and provide relevant Supporting Documents with your application. IMLS grant funds may generally not be provided to other U.S. government agencies.

You are responsible for making a case-by-case determination as to whether the agreement you make with a third party should be a contract or a subaward. That determination will depend upon the nature of your relationship with the third party with respect to the activities to be carried out. (See 2 C.F.R. § 200.330 (Subrecipient and contractor determinations).)

6. Student Support

Explain your method for calculating the costs listed in this section. Click here for a definition and examples of student support.

7. Other Costs

Use this section for costs that cannot be assigned to other categories.

8. Total Direct Costs

Indicate the total direct costs and specify how much you are asking from IMLS and how much you intend to provide as cost share.

9. Indirect Costs

If you include indirect costs in your project budget, identify the rate(s) and explain the base(s) on which you are calculating the costs. Click here for more information about indirect costs.

10. Total Project Costs

Indicate the total project costs here and specify how much you are asking from IMLS and how much you intend to provide as cost share.

Indirect Costs

What are indirect costs?

Indirect costs are expenses that are incurred for common or joint objectives that cannot be easily identified with a particular project. Some examples include utilities, general insurance, use of office space and equipment that you own, local telephone service, and the salaries of the management and administrative personnel of the organization. See 2 C.F.R. pt. 200 for additional guidance.

What are our options for calculating and including indirect costs in our project budget?

You can choose to:

Use a rate not to exceed your current indirect cost rate already negotiated with a federal agency;
Use an indirect cost rate proposed to a federal agency but not yet finalized (if the rate is not finalized by the time of award, it will not be allowed);
Use a rate not to exceed 10% of modified total direct costs if you have never had a federally negotiated indirect cost rate and you are not subject to other requirements (e.g., for States and local governments and Indian tribes); or
Not include any indirect costs.

What is a federally negotiated indirect cost rate, and how do we use one?

Federally negotiated indirect cost rates are negotiated agreements between federal agencies and non-federal entities. If your organization already has an existing negotiated indirect cost rate in effect with another federal agency, you may use this rate to calculate total project costs, as long as you apply the rate in accordance with the terms of the negotiated agreement and include a copy of the current negotiated agreement with your grant application. You may also choose to use a rate lower than your current federally negotiated indirect cost rate. We will only accept federally negotiated indirect cost rates that are current by the award date.

What if we use an indirect cost rate that we proposed to a federal agency but is not yet finalized?

If your organization is in the process of negotiating an indirect cost rate with a federal agency, you may use the indirect cost rate that was proposed to the federal agency to estimate total project costs. In such situations, if we award a grant, we will accept the rate only if the negotiations are final by the award date and a copy of the final agreement is submitted to us. IMLS staff will work with you to adjust your budget prior to awarding the grant.

How do we use the 10% indirect cost rate?

Except for those non-federal entities described in Appendix VII to 2 C.F.R. pt. 200, you may choose to charge a rate not to exceed 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC), as long you have never had a federally negotiated indirect cost rate and you meet the applicable requirements. See 2 C.F.R. part 200, including 2 C.F.R. sections 200.68, 200.414(f), and 200.510(b)(6), for additional guidance.

Modified total direct costs are direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each subaward. MTDC excludes several cost categories, including equipment, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs, and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.68 for additional information.

If you are using the 10% indirect cost rate, check the box indicated on the IMLS Budget Form. No additional documentation is required.

Can we apply our indirect cost rate to the cost share portion on our IMLS Budget Form?

Yes. You may, if done consistent with 2 C.F.R. part 200 (Uniform Guidance), apply your indirect cost rate to your total direct costs covered by cost share. But any you claim as cost share must be accounted for in the cost share column on the IMLS Budget Form. IMLS funds can be used for indirect costs, but only for the portion of the total direct costs for which you are requesting IMLS funds (the Grant Funds column).

Are there any other project costs that cannot be included in our indirect cost calculations?

If you have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, you must follow its conditions and requirements.

If you are eligible for and using a rate not to exceed 10%, you may include up to 10% of the modified total direct costs (MTDC) in your indirect cost calculations. (Please see above section on this 10% rate as well as 2 C.F.R. § 200.414(f) and § 200.68.)

Student Support Costs

Students are understood to be:

Students enrolled in a community college, undergraduate, or graduate program of study.
Individuals participating in post-master’s or post-doctoral programs which are focused on supporting their career or professional development.
Library, archive, and museum staff participating in education and training activities focused on their career or professional development.

Examples of student support include:

Tuition support for students participating in the project.
Salaries or stipends for graduate assistant work, so long as their work is focused on research and teaching activities (therefore contributing to their education).
Pay and benefits for a resident or fellow to work in a position that is intended to support their learning outcomes or professional development.
Costs for travel and conference registration provided to support a student or participant’s learning outcomes or professional development.
Costs of supplies and equipment provided to students to support a student’s learning outcomes or professional development.

Activities not considered student support include:

Students employed in roles that are primarily administrative or clerical, doing work that is not primarily focused on their career or professional development. These costs should be listed in the salaries and wages section of the budget, and tuition paid on behalf of these students would not be considered student support.

Proof of Private, Nonprofit Status

If your organization is applying as a private, nonprofit institution, you must submit a copy of the letter from the Internal Revenue Service indicating your eligibility for nonprofit status under the applicable provision 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. (See 2 C.F.R. §3187.7(b).)

Appendix Four – IMLS Products Guidance

Guidance for Projects that Develop Digital Products

What are digital products?

IMLS broadly defines digital products as any digital content, resources, assets, software, or datasets that you may create, collect, or develop during the course of your project.

What are the IMLS requirements for projects that create, collect, or develop digital products?

IMLS is committed to expanding public access to digital products that are created using federal funds. This includes (1) digitized and born-digital content, resources, or assets; (2) software; and (3) research data. The products you create with IMLS funding require careful stewardship to protect and enhance their value, and they should be freely and readily available for use and re-use by libraries, archives, museums, and the public. Because technology is dynamic and because we do not want to inhibit innovation, we do not want to prescribe set standards and practices that could become quickly outdated. Instead, we ask that you answer questions that address specific aspects of creating and managing digital products in the Digital Product Form. Click here to access the Digital Product Form (PDF, 2MB; Word , 40.4KB).

Additionally, IMLS participates in the Federal Agencies Digital Guidelines Initiative (FADGI), a collaborative effort by federal agencies to define common standards, guidelines, methods, and best practices for creating digital collections. The FADGI website includes a growing list of links to relevant standards, recommendations, and other resources. While this list is not exhaustive—nor do we endorse any specific resource—applicants considering digital projects may find the information useful. Click here to access the FADGI websit e.

Access to Work Products and Documents from IMLS Supported Projects

How should we share our work products from IMLS-supported projects?

All work products resulting from IMLS funding should be distributed for free or at cost unless we have given you written approval for another arrangement. We encourage IMLS grant recipients to share their work products (including publications, datasets, educational resources, software, and digital content) whenever possible through free and open-access journals and repositories. We expect you to ensure that final peer-reviewed manuscripts resulting from research conducted under an award are made available in a manner that permits the public to access, read, download, and analyze the work without charge. Wide dissemination of the results of IMLS-funded projects advances the body of knowledge and professional practice in museum, library, and information services.

What project documents might IMLS make openly accessible?

We may share grant applications, work products, and reports with grantees, potential grantees, and the general public to further the mission of the agency and the development of museum, library, and information services. We require that your final report include one copy of each written product you create, unless otherwise instructed. These materials may be disseminated broadly and made available in a variety of ways and formats.

What do we need to know about copyright and works produced with IMLS support?

You may copyright any work that is subject to copyright and was developed under an award or for which ownership was purchased. However, we reserve, for federal government purposes, a royalty free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work and authorize others to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work. We encourage you to make your works produced with IMLS support widely available, including through the use of open licenses.

Guidance for Research Applications

Please note that research and information collection is subject to applicable law, including but not limited to 45 C.F.R. pt. 46 (Protection of Human Subjects); see also the IMLS Assurances and Certifications.

An effective research application should answer the following questions in the project Narrative.

What are the specific research questions your project will attempt to answer?

List the question or questions that will drive your proposed activities. Research questions should be clear and concise to help reviewers understand what you wish to learn.

What is your theoretical framing?

What are the concepts, assumptions, expectations, beliefs, and/or theories that support and inform your research and guide your approach to data collection and analysis? If you are proposing to conduct research that will build theory, explain why.

What is the relevance of your proposed research for current practice?

Discuss how your proposed work builds on existing projects or efforts, including those funded by IMLS. Provide information about how your research can lead to improved museum or library practice and demonstrate you are familiar with current scholarship, including empirical work, in your area of interest.

What research methods will you use to conduct the research?

Detail the methods you will use to collect and analyze data. Say why they are the most appropriate for addressing the question(s) at hand. Your methods must be replicable and based on current practices.

What type of data will you gather?

Describe the type of data you will collect and any measures you will take to ensure its validity and reliability. Detail the methods for collecting information along with any potential privacy or human subjects concerns that may arise. List potential challenges in gathering data and explain how you will address them. As noted above, research and information collection is subject to applicable law, including but not limited to privacy requirements and 45 C.F.R. pt. 46 (Protection of Human Subjects), see also the IMLS Assurances and Certifications.

How will you analyze and use the data?

Describe how you will analyze the results of your research and relate them to your research questions. If applicable, outline an analysis plan that links a set of testable hypotheses to the proposed research question(s). Identify the variables of interest that are key to the investigation, and explain how you will deal with alternative explanations for the observed phenomena.

How will you report the information?

Address how you will communicate the results to a variety of target audiences with different levels of expertise, especially practitioners.

How will you manage the research data and make it available for future use (as applicable)?

Explain how you will manage, share, preserve, and document the information and research products you will create during the project. To do this, complete the Digital Product For m (PDF, 2MB; Word , 40.4KB) and include it as part of the application to IMLS.

Data sharing is an essential component of research and expedites the translation of research results into new knowledge and practices. If your project involves the collection and analysis of data, we expect you to include, as part of your application, a data management plan (Section IV of the Digital Product For m (PDF, 2MB; Word , 40.4KB)) that provides for long-term preservation and access. We expect you to deposit data resulting from IMLS-funded research in a broadly accessible repository that allows the public to use the data without charge no later than the date upon which you submit your final report to IMLS. The data should be deposited in a machine-readable, non-proprietary digital format to maximize search, retrieval, and analysis.

Your project budget may include the costs of preparing the data for public release and for making the data publicly available. In your final report to IMLS, you will be required to identify where your data has been deposited and can be accessed by the public.

We recognize that data sharing may be complicated or limited in some cases by institutional policies; local Institutional Review Board (IRB) rules; and local, state, and federal laws and regulations, including those protecting confidentiality and personal privacy. The rights and privacy of people who participate in IMLS-supported research must be protected at all times. Thus, data intended for broader use should be free of anything that could lead to disclosure of the identity of individual participants. You should identify and explain the reasons for any limitations in your data management plan.

For the purposes of this section, “data” is defined consistent with OMB guidance (please see 2 C.F.R. § 200.315). We reserve a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to: (1) obtain, reproduce, publish or otherwise use the data first produced under a grant; and (2) authorize others to receive, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use such data for federal purposes.

Appendix Five – Conflict of Interest Requirements

Conflict of Interest Requirements

What conflict of interest requirements must we follow?

As a non-federal entity, you must follow IMLS conflict of interest policies for Federal awards. You must disclose in writing any potential conflict of interest to an IMLS Program Officer, or to the pass-through entity if you are a subrecipient or contractor. This disclosure must take place immediately whether you are an applicant or have an active IMLS award.

The IMLS conflict of interest policies apply to subawards as well as contracts, and are as follows:

As a non-federal entity, you must maintain written standards of conduct covering conflicts of interest and governing the performance of your employees engaged in the selection, award, and administration of subawards and contracts.
None of your employees may participate in the selection, award, or administration of a subaward or contract supported by a Federal award if he or she has a real or apparent conflict of interest. Such a conflict of interest would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of his or her immediate family, his or her partner, or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from an organization considered for a subaward or contract. The officers, employees, and agents of the non-federal entity must neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from subrecipients or contractors or parties to subawards or contracts.
If you have a parent, affiliate, or subsidiary organization that is not a state, local government, or Indian tribe, you must also maintain written standards of conduct covering organizational conflicts of interest. Organizational conflicts of interest means that because of relationships with a parent company, affiliate, or subsidiary organization, you are unable or appear to be unable to be impartial in conducting a subaward or procurement action involving a related organization.

OMB Control #: 3137-0091, Expiration Date: 8/31/2021

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File Title	FY20 Notice of Funding Opportunity National Leadership Grants for Libraries
Subject	National Leadership Grants for Libraries - FY 2020 NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
Author	Institute of Museum and Library Services
File Modified	0000-00-00
File Created	2021-01-14