COLLECTIONS ASSESSMENT FOR PRESERVATION PROGRAM
FY 2025 NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
Federal Awarding Agency |
Institute of Museum and Library Services |
Funding Opportunity Title |
Collections Assessment for Preservation Program |
Announcement Type |
New |
Funding Opportunity Number |
CAP-FY25 |
Assistance Listing Number |
45.312, see also 45.018 |
Application Due Date |
Submit through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on November 1, 2024. |
Anticipated Date of Notification of Award Decisions |
December 2024 (subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion) |
Beginning Date of Period of Performance |
Projects must begin on January 1, 2025. |
A1. Agency Mission, Goals, and Objectives 3
A2. Collections Assessment for Preservation Program Goals and Objectives 4
A4. Authorizing Statute and Regulations 5
B. Federal Award Information 6
C3. Other Eligibility Information 8
D. Application and Submission Information 8
D2. Content and Forms of Application Submission 9
D2a. Table of Application Components 9
D2b. Format, Name, and Sequence of the Application Components 11
D2c. Instructions for Required Documents 12
D2d. Conditionally Required Documents 17
D3. Registration Requirements 18
D3a. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) 19
D3b. System for Award Management (SAM) 19
D4. Submission Dates and Times 19
D5. Intergovernmental Review 20
D6a. Allowable and Unallowable Costs 20
D6b. Costs for Third Parties 21
E. Application Review Information 21
E2. Review and Selection Process 22
E3. Designated Integrity and Performance System 22
E4. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates 23
F. Award Administration Information 23
F2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 23
H1. Acknowledging IMLS Support 24
H2. Disclosure of Information in Applications 24
H3. Conflict of Interest Requirements 25
H4. Additional Information about IMLS 25
H5. IMLS Obligations to Make Awards 25
H8. Application Completion Time 25
Appendix One – IMLS Assurances and Certifications 26
Appendix Two – Guidance for Required Registrations 30
Appendix Three – Guidance for Completing Forms and Other Application Components 31
Appendix Four – Guidance for Creating a Digital Products Plan 42
Collections Assessment for Preservation Program
The mission of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is to advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Guiding our grantmaking are three agency-level goals with two objectives each.
Goal 1: Champion Lifelong Learning
Objective 1.1: Advance shared knowledge and learning opportunities for all.
Objective 1.2: Support the training and professional development of the museum and library workforce.
Goal 2: Strengthen Community Engagement
Objective 2.1: Promote inclusive engagement across diverse audiences.
Objective 2.2: Support community collaboration and foster civic discourse.
Goal 3: Advance Collections Stewardship and Access
Objective 3.1: Support collections care and management.
Objective 3.2: Promote access to museum and library collections.
The Collections Assessment for Preservation Program is designed to support the achievement of these agency-level goals and to facilitate the delivery of significant results consistent with the IMLS federal authorizing legislation (20 U.S.C. § 9101 et seq.; in particular, § 9162 (National leadership grants) and § 9173 (Museum services activities)). The award that IMLS makes through the Collections Assessment for Preservation Program will align with Goal 3, Objective 3.1 and will contribute meaningfully to the achievement of both program and agency-level goals.
IMLS anticipates awarding a three-year cooperative agreement to administer the Collections Assessment for Preservation Program. Funding will be obligated annually with additional amounts subject to the availability of funds, IMLS discretion, and notification to the recipient.
Click here to search awards by program, state, city, and/or keyword.
Throughout its work, IMLS places importance on diversity, equity, and inclusion. This may be reflected in an IMLS-funded 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 for building or enhancing access to collections and information.
This program is designed to support an affordable and accessible collections assessment program for small to midsize museums of all types to help them care for and conserve their collections.
Reflecting IMLS’s agency-level goal of advancing collections stewardship and access, the goals and objectives for this program are:
Goal 1: Increase the capacity of small to midsize museums to understand the conservation needs of their collections and the building environments in which the collections are housed.
Objective 1.1: Engage with conservation professionals to establish guidance that support immediate and long-term collections care needs of museums of all types.
Objective 1.2: Identify readily available support materials and develop new ones to fill gaps.
Objective 1.3: Develop and implement a cost-effective technical assessment program to provide customized assessments of museum conservation needs each year to small to midsize museums located within the United States, territories, and freely associated states.
Goal 2: Strengthen the knowledge of museum personnel about the care and conservation of museum collections.
Objective 2.1: Engage in targeted outreach to provide information to a broad range of collecting museums, including aquariums, arboretums, art museums, botanical gardens, children’s/youth museums, general museums (those having two or more significant disciplines), historic houses/sites, history museums, natural history/anthropology museums, nature centers, planetariums, science/technology centers, specialized museums (limited to a single distinct subject), and zoological parks.
Objective 2.2: Collaborate in information sharing with other entities that address museum collections care and conservation, including but not limited to institutions of higher education, specialized membership organizations, and state, local, and tribal governments, through in-person and online means.
Goal 3: Position museums to plan strategically for the long-term care and conservation of their collections under standard and emergency circumstances.
Objective 3.1: Develop a mechanism for following up informally with program participants after the completion of the assessment to identify progress in and/or barriers to capacity building and to make recommendations for resolving problems.
Objective 3.2: Identify strategies for offering immediate assessments to respond to emergency situations affecting program participants.
Objective 3.3: Develop one or more mechanisms consistent with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. § 3501 et seq.) to evaluate the results as the basis for making future program improvements.
Substantial Federal Involvement: IMLS will work closely with the recipient in the implementation of project activities. This will include, but not be limited to, reviewing and approving draft documents and materials; participating in meetings of project-related committees; engaging in program promotion and publicity; and reviewing and submitting Federal Register notices and survey instruments to the Office of Management and Budget as part of Paperwork Reduction Act compliance.
The Collections Assessment for Preservation Program uses the following four performance measurements as a basis for understanding the level of performance by the program as a whole and by each award supported through it.
Effectiveness: Are the activities being supported by the program contributing to (a) increasing the capacity of small and midsize museums to understand the conservation needs of their collections and the building environments in which the collections are housed; (b) strengthening the knowledge of museum personnel about the care and conservation of museum collections; and (c) positioning museums to plan strategically for the long-term care and conservation of their collections under standard and emergency circumstances?
Efficiency: Are the activities minimizing resource costs while generating maximum value for program participants?
Quality: Do the activities undertaken meet the requirements and expectations of the program participants?
Timeliness: Is each activity being completed on time and as proposed?
In the Narrative of each application, the applicant must identify what data they will collect, how often, and from what source in order to produce these measurements (see Section D2c).
Statute: 20 U.S.C. § 9101 et seq.; in particular, § 9162 (National leadership grants) and § 9173 (Museum services activities).
Regulations: 45 C.F.R. Chapter XI and 2 C.F.R. Chapter XXXI
You are required to follow the IMLS regulations that are in effect at the time of the award.
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. part 200. With certain IMLS-specific additions, IMLS regulations at 2 C.F.R. part 3187 formally adopt the 2 C.F.R. part 200 Uniform Guidance.
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.
Total amount of funding expected to be awarded through this announcement |
Up to $3,000,000 over a three-year period |
Expected performance measurements |
|
Anticipated number of awards |
1 |
Expected amount of individual awards |
Up to $3,000,000 over a three-year period |
Average amount of funding per award experienced in previous years |
Up to $1,000,000 per year for each of three years |
Anticipated start dates for new awards |
Projects must begin on January 1, 2025. |
Anticipated period of performance |
January 1, 2025-December 31, 2028. Project activities may be carried out for three years. |
Type of assistance instrument |
Cooperative Agreement |
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 may be rejected from consideration for funding in this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds, the quality of applications, and IMLS discretion, IMLS may make additional awards from the pool of unfunded applications from this competition.
To be eligible for an award under this Collections Assessment for Preservation Program Notice of Funding Opportunity, your organization must meet all three of the following criteria:
Must be either a unit of State, local, or tribal government or be a private, nonprofit organization that has tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code;
Must 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; and
Must qualify as one of the following:
A museum that, using a professional staff, is organized on a permanent basis for essentially educational, cultural heritage, or aesthetic purposes; owns or uses tangible objects, either animate or inanimate; cares for these objects; and exhibits these objects to the general public on a regular basis through facilities that it owns or operates.
What types of institutions are included in the term “museum”? If they otherwise meet these requirements, “museums” include, but are not limited to, aquariums, arboretums, art museums, botanical gardens, children’s/youth museums, general museums (those having two or more significant disciplines), historic houses/sites, history museums, natural history/anthropology museums, nature centers, planetariums, science/technology centers, specialized museums (limited to a single distinct subject), and zoological parks.
What does it mean to be “using a professional staff”? An institution uses a professional staff if it employs at least one staff member, or the full-time equivalent, whether paid or unpaid, primarily engaged in the acquisition, care, or exhibition to the public of objects owned or used by the institution.
What does it mean to “exhibit the objects to the general public”? An institution exhibits objects to the general public if such exhibition is a primary purpose of the institution. An institution that exhibits objects to the general public for at least 120 days a year is deemed to exhibit objects to the general public on a regular basis.
An institution which does not have the exhibition of objects as a primary purpose and/or does not exhibit objects to the public for at least 120 days a year may be determined to be eligible as a museum under certain circumstances. For more information, please see 2 C.F.R. § 3187.3.
An organization or association that engages in activities designed to advance the wellbeing of museums and the museum profession;
An institution of higher education, including public and nonprofit universities; or
A public or private nonprofit agency that is responsible for the operation of a museum that meets the eligibility criteria in 1, 2, and 3(a) above, applying on behalf of the museum.
Eligibility of Museums Located within Parent Organizations
A museum located within a parent organization that is a State, local, or tribal government or multipurpose nonprofit entity, such as a municipality, university, historical society, foundation, or cultural center, may apply on its own behalf if the museum:
is able to independently fulfill all the eligibility requirements listed in the above three criteria;
functions as a discrete unit within the parent organization;
has its own fully segregated and itemized operating budget; and
has the authority to make the application on its own.
When any of the last three conditions cannot be met, a museum may only apply through its parent organization.
Eligibility of Nonprofit Organizations Affiliated with Museums
IMLS may determine that a nonprofit organization that is affiliated with a museum is eligible for this program where the organization can demonstrate that it has the ability to administer the project and can ensure compliance with the terms of this Notice of Funding Opportunity and the applicable law, including the IMLS Assurances and Certifications. The applicant organization must submit an agreement from the museum that details the activities that the applicant and museum will perform and binds the museum to the statements and assurances made in the grant application.
Native American tribal organizations may apply if they otherwise meet the above eligibility requirements.
For the Collections Assessment for Preservation Program, you must provide funds from non-federal sources in an amount that is equal to or greater than the amount of the federal award.
Cost share that appears in the project budget should be carefully calculated. Awardees are expected to meet their cost share commitments.
Click here for further information on cost share.
Eligible applicants may submit only one application under this announcement. Submitting applications in this grant program does not preclude organizations from applying for support of separate and distinct projects through other IMLS grant programs for which they may be eligible.
IMLS will not review applications from ineligible applicants. IMLS will notify each applicant whose application will not be reviewed because the organization is determined to be ineligible.
IMLS will not make awards to ineligible applicants. In order to receive an IMLS award, your organization must be eligible and be in compliance with applicable requirements.
Applicants must apply electronically through Grants.gov Workspace or a Grants.gov system-to-system solution. Use one of the following identifiers to locate the application package in Grants.gov:
Funding Opportunity Number: CAP-FY25
Assistance Listing Number: 45.312, see also 45.018
To request an audio recording of this announcement, call 202-653-4744. To request a paper copy of this announcement, call 202-653-4744 or email [email protected].
Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing (TTY Users) can contact IMLS at 202-207-7858 via 711 for TTY-Based Telecommunications Relay Service.
The Table of Application Components below will help you prepare a complete application. The links lead to more information and instructions for each application component.
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.)
Component |
Format |
File Name to Use |
Required Documents Please see the guidance in Section D2c of this Notice of Funding Opportunity for more information. |
||
The Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form (SF-424S) |
Grants.gov form |
n/a |
Grants.gov form |
n/a |
|
Organizational Profile (one page) |
PDF document |
Organizationalprofile.pdf |
Narrative (ten pages, max.) |
PDF document |
Narrative.pdf |
Schedule of Completion (one page per year) |
PDF document |
Scheduleofcompletion.pdf |
Performance Measurement Plan (two pages) |
PDF document |
Perfmeasurement.pdf |
|
IMLS PDF form |
Budget.pdf |
|
PDF document |
Budgetjustification.pdf |
List of Key Project Staff and Consultants (one page) |
PDF document |
Projectstaff.pdf |
Resumes of Key Project Staff and Consultants (two pages each) |
PDF document |
Resumes.pdf |
Conditionally Required Documents Please see the guidance in Section D2d for more information. |
||
PDF document |
Proofnonprofit.pdf |
|
PDF document |
Indirectcostrate.pdf |
|
Digital Products Plan (two pages) |
IMLS PDF form |
Digitalproduct.pdf |
Supporting Documents |
||
PDF document |
Supportingdoc1.pdf |
Document format: Aside from the SF-424S and the IMLS Supplementary Information Form, which are created in Grants.gov Workspace, all application components must be submitted as PDF documents.
Page limits: Note the page limit for the Narrative listed in the table above. IMLS will remove any additional pages, and we will not send them to reviewers as part of the application.
Naming convention: Use the naming conventions indicated in the table above. IMPORTANT: Attachment file names are limited to the following characters: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore (_), hyphen (-), space, period (.). If attachment file names use any other characters, the application may 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.
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.
The IMLS Supplementary Information Form is part of the application package that you complete in Grants.gov Workspace. Click here for instructions on completing it.
Write a brief Organizational Profile for the lead applicant, addressing the following, and save it as a PDF. IMLS recommends limiting the Organizational Profile to one page.
Your organization’s mission or statement of purpose, noting the source, approving body, and date of the official document in which it appears.
Your organization’s governance structure. If your organization is a museum located within a parent organization or if your organization is a nonprofit affiliated with a museum, explain the relationship.
Your service area (i.e., communities and/or audiences served, including size, characteristics, and geographic area).
A brief history of your organization, focusing on the unit that will be directly involved in carrying out the work.
Write a Narrative structured and formatted as described below and save it as a PDF.
Limit the Narrative to ten numbered pages. IMLS will remove any additional pages, and will not send them to reviewers as part of your application.
Use at least 0.5-inch margins on all sides and a font size of at least eleven points.
Be clear and concise with a minimum of technical jargon and acronyms.
Include references throughout your Narrative to any Supporting Documents that provide supplementary material.
Consider the review criteria as listed in Section E1 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Organize your Narrative using the section headings of Project Justification, Project Work Plan, and Project Results. Consider the Collections Assessment for Preservation Program goals and objectives (Section A2 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity) in your response.
Project Justification
How do you characterize collections care and conservation needs in small to midsize museums today, and what information sources ( economic circumstances, condition assessments, and/or other relevant data from reliable sources) do you draw upon in doing so?How are individual museums and the museum field at large likely to benefit from your proposed work? Identify the number of individuals who will benefit from your project in the long term, if reliable and defensible counts are possible.
Have potential beneficiaries been involved in your planning, and if so, how?
How does this proposed project differ from, complement, or build upon existing theory, scholarship, and/or practice?
Project Work Plan
What specific activities will you carry out and in what sequence?
Who will plan, implement, and manage your project?
What time, financial, personnel, and other resources will you need to carry out the activities?
What are the risks to the project and how will you mitigate them?
What data will you collect, how often, and from what source(s) in order to measure your performance as described in Section A3 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity?
How and with whom will you share your general findings and/or lessons learned?
Project Results
To what degree do you expect to increase the capacity of participant museums to understand the conservation needs of their collections and the building environments in which the collections are housed?
How will the personnel of participant museums experience change in knowledge, skills, behaviors, and/or attitudes about the care and conservation of museum collections as a result of your work?
How will participant museums be positioned to sustain the benefits of their participation in the work you are proposing?
Please be advised that reviewers may also choose to visit your organization’s website, as listed on the SF-424S form provided with your application.
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 should be no longer than one page per project year. See the sample schedule of completion below. Save this document as a PDF.
The Performance Measurement Plan should show how you will monitor and assess your performance as an awardee from the perspectives of Effectiveness, Efficiency, Quality, and Timeliness for your overall project (see Section A3 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity).
For each measure, identify what data you will collect from what source, the method you will use to collect it, and according to what schedule. The chart below provides sample statements for each measure and a space to record your own. Click here for a fillable version of this chart (DOCX, 25KB), which you are welcome, but not required, to use. IMLS recommends limiting this Performance Measurement Plan to two pages. Save this document as a PDF.
IMLS Budget Form
Download and complete the current IMLS Budget Form (PDF, 1.7MB). Click here for instructions on completing it.
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.
Write a list of only those staff and consultants whose expertise is essential to the success of the project. You do not necessarily need to list all staff involved in the project. If you cannot identify key project staff by the application deadline, then list the position title(s) instead. This list must include the Project Director listed in Item 7 of the SF-424S. IMLS recommends limiting this list to one page. Save this document as a PDF.
Provide a resume for each individual whose expertise is essential to the success of the project. IMLS recommends limiting each resume to two pages. 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 instead of a resume, provide position description(s) including the qualities, range of experience, and education necessary to successfully implement and complete project activities.
See Section H2 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity for guidance on disclosing information in your application.
(Back to Table of Application Components)
These are documents that may be required, depending upon the circumstances. Please see the table below.
Failure to provide a Conditionally Required Document will result in your application’s being considered incomplete, and it 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. IMLS will not accept a letter of 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 do not have a current negotiated (including provisional) indirect cost rate and elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10 percent of Modified Total Direct Costs, you do not need to provide any documentation (see 2 C.F.R. part 200, including 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.1 and 200.414(f). . |
Proposing to generate digital content, resources, assets, software, and/or research data |
A Digital Products Plan (two pages) that describes the types of digital products you will create during the course of the project and addresses issues relating to availability, access, and sustainability for each type. |
See Appendix Four of this Notice of Funding Opportunity - Guidance for Creating a Digital Products Plan. |
(Back to Table of Application Components)
You may submit a reasonable number of Supporting Documents that supplement your Narrative. Supporting Documents should help IMLS staff and reviewers envision the 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: Letters of commitment from partners, consultants, or any third party that will receive funds or make substantial contributions toward the completion of project activities
Letters of support from experts and stakeholders, including museums who might benefit from the project activities
Bibliography or references relevant to the proposed project design or evaluation strategy
Reports from planning activities
Contractor quotes
Equipment specifications
Products or evaluations from previously completed or ongoing projects of a similar nature
Web links to relevant online materials
Needs assessments
(Back to Table of Application Components)
Before submitting an application, an applicant organization must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number; a current and active System for Award Management (SAM) registration; and an active Grants.gov registration with an approved Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). Check your materials and registrations well in advance of the application deadline to ensure they are accurate, current, and active.
The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number is a non-proprietary alphanumeric identifier assigned to all entities (public and private companies, individuals, institutions, or organizations) who register to do business with the Federal Government. The UEI has replaced the D-U-N-S® Number and is requested in, and assigned by, the System for Award Management (SAM). Awardees must inform any subrecipients that the awardee may not make a subaward unless the subrecipient has also obtained a UEI.
The System for Award Management (SAM) is a federal repository that centralizes information about grant applicants and awardees. There is no fee to register with SAM. Click here to learn more about SAM registration.
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 multistep registration process generally cannot be completed in a single day. If your organization is not already registered, allow several weeks before the application deadline to complete this one-time process. Do not wait until the day of the application deadline to register.
The Grants.gov user ID and password obtained during the registration process are required to submit an application when it is complete.
Click here to learn more about Grants.gov registration and tips for using Grants.gov.
All organizations must submit their applications for funding using the Grants.gov Workspace. Do not submit through email or postal mail to IMLS.
For the Collections Assessment for Preservation Program, Grants.gov will accept applications through 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on November 1, 2024.
IMLS strongly recommends that applicants obtain a UEI number, register with SAM and Grants.gov, and complete and submit the application early. IMLS makes grants only to eligible applicants that submit applications, including attachments, through Grants.gov, on or before the deadline, as indicated by the date stamp generated by Grants.gov.
Visit Grants.gov Support, email [email protected], or call Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800- 518-4726 for technical assistance. Grants.gov Applicant Support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for Federal holidays.
Grants.gov will generate a series of emails confirming the status of your application. Applicants can check the status of their application(s) in Grants.gov by using “Track My Application.” For further details, visit Check Application Status at Grants.gov.
This funding opportunity is not subject to intergovernmental review per Exec. Order No.12372.
Applicants may use IMLS funds and cost share only for allowable costs as found in IMLS and OMB government-wide cost-principle rules. Please consult 2 C.F.R. part 200 and 2 C.F.R. part 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 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
adaptive and/or assistive technologies and other resources and services to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities
third-party costs
publication design and printing
program evaluation
paid internships/fellowships
indirect or overhead costs
Applicants must explain all proposed expenses in the Budget Justification (see Section D2c Item #8 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity).
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 (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.442)
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 (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.421)
construction or renovation of facilities (generally, any activity involving the construction trades is not an allowable cost) (see 20 U.S.C. § 9109)
social activities, ceremonies, receptions, or entertainment (see 2 C. F. R § 200.438)
If you have questions about whether specific activities are allowable, call IMLS staff for guidance.
When a project requires the payment of federal funds to third parties (such as partners, consultants, collaborators, vendors, and/or service providers), it is the applicant organization’s 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. § 200.1 for definitions of contract, contractor, subaward, and subrecipient; see also 2 C.F.R. § 200.331 (Subrecipient and contractor determinations).) IMLS grant funds may not be provided to any federal agency serving as a third party.
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 percent of the Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) if the organization currently do not have a Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA) and is not subject to other requirements (e.g., for States and local governments); or
not include any indirect costs.
Click
here for further information on indirect costs.
IMLS instructs reviewers to evaluate applications according to the review criteria listed in this section and to consider all Required, Conditionally Required, and Supporting Documents, as listed in Section D2a of this Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Cost share is an eligibility criterion and is not considered in the review of applications. Cost share requirements for this cooperative agreement are addressed in Section C2 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Project Justification How well does the proposal align with the Collections Assessment for Preservation Program goals and objectives? (See Section A2 of this Notice of Funding Opportunity).
Is the characterization of collections care and conservation needs in small to midsize museums clearly described and supported by relevant evidence?
Does the proposed work hold promise for positively affecting participant museums with potential for influencing practice on a broader scale?
Are those who will benefit from the work clearly identified, and have they been involved meaningfully in planning the work?
Project Work Plan
Are the proposed activities informed by appropriate theory and practice?
Do the identified staff, partners, consultants, and service providers possess the experience and skills necessary to complete the work?
Are the time, financial, personnel, and other resources identified appropriate for the scope and scale of the project?
Are the risks clearly stated and is the plan for mitigating them reasonable and well thought out?
Is the methodology described for measuring performance likely to provide meaningful information? Is there an effective plan for communicating general findings and/or lessons learned?
Project Results
Are the project’s intended results clearly articulated, realistic, meaningful, actionable, and linked to the need, problem, or challenge addressed by the project?
Is there evidence that the project will effect meaningful change in knowledge, skills, behaviors, and/or attitudes of the intended audience? Is it clear that the federal investment made through this agreement will generate identifiable benefits to society?
Is there a reasonable and practical plan for museums to sustain the benefits of their participation in the project?
IMLS uses a peer review process to evaluate all complete applications from eligible institutions. Reviewers are professionals in the field with relevant knowledge and expertise in the types of project activities identified in the applications. IMLS instructs reviewers to evaluate applications according to the review criteria. Peer reviewers must comply with IMLS’s federal ethics and conflicts of interest requirements. Click here for more information about the IMLS peer review process for applications.
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.
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), IMLS is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (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. § 200.206.
IMLS will not release information about the status of an application until the applications have been reviewed and all deliberations are concluded. IMLS expects to notify both successful and unsuccessful applicants of the final decisions by email in December 2024.
IMLS will notify both successful and unsuccessful applicants of funding decisions by email.
Organizations that receive IMLS grants or cooperative agreements are subject to 2 C.F.R. part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, the IMLS General Terms and Conditions for IMLS Discretionary Grant and Cooperative Agreement Awards (PDF, 459KB) and the IMLS Assurances and Certifications. Organizations that receive IMLS funding must be familiar with these requirements and comply with applicable law.
Applicants for Federal funds must certify that they 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 submitting the application, which includes the IMLS Assurances and Certifications, applicants certify that they are in compliance with these requirements and that they will maintain records and submit any reports that are necessary to ensure compliance. Failure to comply with these statutory and regulatory requirements may result in the suspension or termination of an award and require that the recipient return funds to the government. For information about award termination, please see the IMLS General Terms and Conditions for IMLS Discretionary Grant and Cooperative Agreement Awards and 2 C.F.R. § 200.340.
Recipients must comply with the following reporting requirements.
Interim and final financial and performance reports are due according to the reporting schedule that is part of the official award notification. Awardees 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, please see the Manage Your Award: Grant Administration page on the IMLS website.
Awardees must also comply with 2 C.F.R. §§ 180.335 and 180.350 and 2 C.F.R. part 3185 with respect to providing information regarding all debarment, suspension, and related offenses information, as applicable.
If the federal share of the award is more than $500,000 over the period of performance, awardees should refer to the reporting requirements reflected in 2 C.F.R. part 200, Appendix XII – Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters (see also 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.113 (Mandatory disclosures) and 200.211(c)(1)(iii) (Information contained in a Federal award))..
Click here to visit the Collections Assessment for Preservation Program IMLS webpage. IMLS staff are available by phone and email to answer programmatic and administrative questions relating to this program.
Visit the Federal Service Desk or call 1-866-606-8220 for questions about registering or renewing your registration with Login.gov or SAM.gov. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
Visit Grants.gov Support, email [email protected], or call Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800- 518-4726 for assistance with software issues, registration issues, and technical problems.
Grants.gov Applicant Support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for federal holidays.
Be sure to obtain a case number when calling the Federal Service Desk or Grants.gov for support.
Awardees must include an acknowledgement of IMLS support in all products, publications, websites, and presentations developed with IMLS funding. All work products should reference IMLS and include the associated award number(s). Click here for the Grantee Communications Kit, which provides guidance for fulfilling these requirements.
IMLS may share grant applications, products, and reports to further the mission of the agency and the development of museum, library, and information services.
As a general practice, and except for information that is privacy-protected, information contained in IMLS applications that receive funding may be made public. Applicants should clearly identify any information they deem confidential and/or proprietary and seek to have protected.
As a non-federal entities, awardees must follow IMLS conflict of interest policies for federal awards. Click here for more information about IMLS conflict of interest requirements.
Visit the IMLS website for information about IMLS and IMLS activities.
IMLS is not obligated to make any Federal award or commitment as a result of this announcement.
Any individual who is interested in serving as a peer reviewer, is welcome to enter their contact information, identify their experience and expertise, and upload a resume through our online reviewer application portal. IMLS staff will notify the individuals who are identified as potential reviewers by email prior to the next review period to confirm availability.
Complete applications include the elements listed in the Table of Application Components in Section D2a of this Notice of Funding Opportunity. IMLS estimates the average amount of time needed for one applicant to complete the narrative portion of this application to be 45 hours. This includes the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and writing and reviewing the answers.
IMLS estimates that it will take an average of 30 minutes per response for the IMLS Supplementary Information Form, three hours per response for the IMLS Budget Form, and 60 minutes per response for the Digital Product Plan.
IMLS welcomes suggestions for improving this collection of information and for making it as easy to use as possible. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to [email protected]. Please note that applicants are not required to respond to any collection of information unless it displays a currently valid U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.
OMB Control No. 3137-0103, Expiration date: XX/XX/202X
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 submitting the application, 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 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, funerary objects, and/or cultural items, 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).
Acquiring a Unique Entity Identifier
The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) has replaced the D-U-N-S® Number and is requested in, and assigned by, the System for Award Management (SAM). Applicants with active SAM registrations can find their assigned UEI in their SAM records. Applicants without active SAM registrations will receive a UEI when they register in SAM. For more information about the UEI, visit gsa.gov/entityid.
The System for Award Management (SAM) is a federal repository that centralizes information about grant applicants and awardees and is free to all users. Applicants must be registered with SAM before registering with Grants.gov. Click here to learn how to check on an organizations’ registration status in SAM.
Representatives of organizations that must register with SAM for the first time must begin by creating a SAM user account through Login.gov. Click here to learn how to create a secure Login.gov account. Then proceed to the SAM registration process.
We recommend that you allow several weeks to complete your SAM.
Each applicant and awardee must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active award or an application under consideration by IMLS. IMLS may not make an award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable Unique Entity Identifier and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time IMLS is ready to make a federal award, IMLS may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.
Applicants and awardees must renew their registrations in SAM at least every 12 months—and sooner if their information changes. An expired registration will prevent an organization 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.
Grants.gov is a website owned and operated by the Federal Government and is free to all users. Applicants must register with Grants.gov before submitting an application to IMLS. Click here to learn more about the multistep registration process. Applicants should make sure that the information associated with institution’s SAM registration is current and active. Allow several weeks to complete the Grants.gov registration.
After an organization registers with Grants.gov and creates 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. Click here for more detailed instructions for creating a profile on Grants.gov.
Designating more than one Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) when registering in Grants.gov will help avoid last-minute crises in the event that a single AOR is unavailable when the organization is ready to submit the application. It is also important to update the contact information and password in Grants.gov whenever an AOR changes.
Visit Grants.gov Support, email [email protected], or call Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800- 518-4726 for technical assistance. Grants.gov Applicant Support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for Federal holidays. Click here for Grants.gov Applicant FAQs with links to additional applicant resources.
Working with Grants.gov Workspace
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 forms within an application. For each funding opportunity, applicants can create individual copies of a workspace to complete an application. Click here for an overview of Grants.gov Workspace with links to interactive graphics, videos, and Help Articles.
The SF-424S Form, or the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form, is part of the application package 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 UEI: Enter your organization’s Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). If your organization’s SAM registration is active, you can find your assigned UEI in your SAM record. If you cannot locate your UEI, contact the Federal Service Desk at www.fsd.gov or 1-866-606-8220.
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 with what expected outcomes. 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.
Note: Please be aware that IMLS uses Login.gov for user authentication in its electronic grants management system, eGMS Reach. Login.gov helps protect user identity through stronger passwords and two-factor authentication.
As part of the preparation for using eGMS Reach, applicants should make sure that the email addresses entered for the Project Director, Primary Contact/Grants Administrator, and Authorized Representatives in Items 7, 8, and 9 on the SF-424S Form are unique to those individuals. Email addresses used by more than one person within an organization are not acceptable.
Item 7. Project Director
The Project Director is the person who will have primary responsibility for carrying out the project 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 the organization’s authorized representative when registering with Grants.gov. Please note that this name might not be the same as the name and other information entered in Item 9 above; however, the person whose name appears in the “Signature of Authorized Representative” box must have authorization from the organization to submit this application on behalf of the organization.
Submission of the electronic application acknowledges that the applicant 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 form, so your answers to certain questions will determine what questions you see next.
Section 1. Applicant Information
Refer to the entity listed in Item 5a of the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance – Short Organizational Form (SF-424S) to answer these questions.
Section 2. Financial Information
Provide the information requested in a-d, beginning with the most recently completed fiscal year. If you named an organizational unit in Section 1, then this information must pertain to that unit.
Section 3. Agency-Level Goal and Objective
Select one of the three IMLS Agency-Level Goals with which your project best aligns. Once you have selected a goal, then select one associated objective.
Section 4. Museum Profile
Museum applicants must answer all questions (a–k) in this section. If you named an organizational unit in Section 1, this information must pertain to that unit. Applicants representing Institutions of Higher Education or Museum Associations should skip this section.
Section 5. Funding Request
Refer to the Grant Fund and Cost Share totals in Section 10 of the IMLS Budget Form that you are submitting with your application. IMLS Funds Requested: Enter the amount in dollars sought from IMLS. Cost share/match amount: Enter the amount of non-federal funding you are providing. Click here for further information on cost share.
Section 6. Indirect Costs
Refer to Options for Calculating and Including Costs in a Project Budget. Then select one option and provide the information requested on the form. Your selection should match the choice you make on the IMLS Budget Form that you are submitting with your application.
Section 7. Abstract
Write an Abstract of no more than 3,000 characters (including spaces) 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:
• Identify the lead applicant and, if applicable, any collaborators.
• Describe the need, problem, or challenge your project will address, and how it was identified.
• List the high-level activities you will carry out and identify the associated time frame.
• Identify who or what will benefit from your project.
• Specify your project’s intended results.
• Describe how you will measure your success in achieving your intended results.
Section 8. Project Keywords
Select from one to eight keywords that best characterize your project from the options listed on the form. An identical list of keywords is provided in Appendix Six of this Notice of Funding Opportunity for your reference. IMLS may use these keywords as search terms in its compilations describing the agency's grantmaking and/or provide them as tools to help applicants, other awardees, and the public understand more about what IMLS supports.
Make sure that JavaScript is enabled in your web browser. Download the IMLS Budget Form (PDF, 1.7MB) to your computer and work on it outside your web browser. When it is complete, save it as a PDF and upload it as part of your application through Grants.gov. 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. part 200 and 2 C.F.R. part 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.
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. part 200. Use the Budget Justification to explain or describe these items in further detail.
Subawards and Contracts: 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 subaward or a contract 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. Indicate your organization’s indirect cost rate (in percent) and the base (in dollars) to which the rate is applied (e.g., 34% x $123,456.78). Click here for more information about indirect costs.
Total Project Costs: These amounts will total automatically.
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. §§ 200.1 and 200.306 for more information on cost share.
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. part 200 for additional guidance.
Options for Calculating and Including Indirect Costs in A 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 percent of Modified Total Direct Costs if you currently do not have 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.
Using a Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate
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.
Using a Proposed Indirect Cost Rate
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 issue an award, 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 issuing an award.
Using the 10 Percent De Minimis Indirect Cost Rate
Except for those non-federal entities described in Appendix VII to 2 C.F.R. part 200, you may choose to charge a rate not to exceed 10 percent of Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC), as long as you do not currently have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate and you meet the applicable requirements. See 2 C.F.R. part 200, including 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.1, 200.414(f), and 200.510(b)(6), for additional guidance.
Modified Total Direct Costs means all 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. §
for additional information.
If you are using the 10 percent indirect cost rate, check the box indicated on the IMLS Budget Form. No additional documentation is required.
Applying an Indirect Cost Rate to the Cost Share Portion of a Budget
You may, 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 costs 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).
Restrictions on Project Costs Included in Indirect Cost Calculations
If you have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, you must follow its conditions and requirements.
If you do not have a current negotiated (including provisional) indirect cost rate and meet applicable requirements, you may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10 percent of the Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) in your indirect cost calculations.
If you have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement of less than 10 percent, you must use it rather than the de minimis rate in your indirect cost calculations.
Please see above section on this 10 percent rate as well as 2 C.F.R. § 200.414(f) and § 200.1.
Student Support Costs in the Budget
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. (See 2 C.F.R. § 200.466 (Scholarships and student aid costs); see also 2 C.F.R. § 200.430 (Compensation – personal services)).
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.
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. Document the method of cost computation by including the base salary or wages for each person and the percentage of time each person is allocated to the project activities, which may be shown as a percentage of time, number of days or number of hours. 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.
Fringe Benefits
Identify your organization’s fringe benefit rate (in percent) and explain the base (in dollars) to which the rate is applied 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.
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 amounts.
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.
Subawards and Contracts
List the costs of project activities to be undertaken by third parties for the project. (Familiar terms for third parties can include partners, consultants, collaborators, vendors, and 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 (who receives a subaward) or a contractor (who receives a contract). Explain costs for third parties and provide relevant Supporting Documents with your application. IMLS 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 subaward or a contract. 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. § 200.331 (Subrecipient and contractor determinations)).
Student Support
Explain your method for calculating the costs listed 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.
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.
If you include indirect costs in your project budget, identify the indirect cost rate and the base (in dollars) to which the rate is applied. Click here for more information about indirect costs.
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.
Proof of Private, Nonprofit Status
An organization applying as a private, nonprofit institution must submit a copy of the letter from the Internal Revenue Service indicating its eligibility for nonprofit status under the applicable provision of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended. (See 2 C.F.R. § 3187.7(b)). IMLS will not accept a letter of state sales tax exemption as proof of nonprofit status.
IMLS is committed to expanding public access to digital products that are created using federal funds. The digital 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. IMLS also recognizes that technology is dynamic and does not want to inhibit innovation by prescribing set standards and practices that could become quickly outdated. Therefore, IMLS asks each applicant proposing to create digital products to prepare and submit a Digital Products Plan describing how they will address specific aspects of creating and managing digital products, employing practices and standards that are most appropriate for their specific project. Like all components of an IMLS application, your plan will be closely scrutinized by IMLS staff and by expert peer reviewers, and it will be important in determining whether your project will be funded. Organize your plan to address the following: Type, Availability, Access, and Sustainability.
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 does IMLS endorse any specific resource—applicants considering digital projects may find the information useful. Click here to access the FADGI website.
Type
What digital products will you create?
Most projects are likely to generate digital content, resources, or assets. They may be digitized or born-digital products created by individuals, project teams, or through community gatherings. Examples include, but are not limited to, still images, audio files, moving images, microfilm, object inventories, object catalogs, artworks, books, posters, curricula, field books, maps, notebooks, scientific labels, metadata schema, charts, tables, drawings, workflows, teacher resources, and software, including source code, algorithms, applications, and digital tools, plus accompanying documentation.
In your Digital Products Plan, describe the digital content, resources, or assets you will create or collect, the quantities of each type, the digital file format(s), the accompanying metadata, and any relevant standards you will use. If you are developing software, you should also specify the programming languages, platforms, frameworks, software, or other applications you will use to create your software and explain why you chose them.
Availability
How will you make your digital products openly available (as appropriate)?
IMLS encourages recipients to make works produced with IMLS support widely available, and to share their work products (including publications, datasets, educational resources, software, and digital content) whenever possible through free and open-access journals and repositories. Your project may involve making digital products available through public or access-controlled websites, kiosks, or live or recorded programs. IMLS expects applicants to ensure that publications produced under an award (including but not limited to 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.
In your Digital Products Plan, describe how you will make the digital content, resources, assets, software, and metadata available to the public. Include details such as the delivery strategy (e.g., openly available online, available to specified audiences) and underlying hardware/software platforms and infrastructure (e.g., specific digital repository software or leased services, accessibility via standard web browsers, requirements for special software tools to use the content, delivery enabled by IIIF specifications). Identify and explain the reasons for any limitations in your Digital Products Plan.
Access
What rights will you assert over your digital products, and what limitations, if any, will you place on their use? Will your products implicate privacy concerns or cultural sensitivities, and if so, how will you address them?
Recipients may copyright any work that is subject to copyright and that was developed under an award or for which ownership was purchased. However, IMLS reserves, 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.
IMLS expects applicants receiving federal funds for developing or creating digital products to release these files under open-source licenses to maximize access and promote reuse. All work products resulting from IMLS funding should be distributed for free or at cost unless IMLS has provided written approval for another arrangement.
In your Digital Products Plan, identify any licenses under which digital products will be shared (e.g., Creative Commons licenses, RightsStatements.org statements). Describe what intellectual property rights you will assert over your digital products and explain any limitations or conditions you will place on their use. If your products implicate privacy concerns or cultural sensitivities, describe these issues and how you plan to address them.
Sustainability
How will you address the sustainability of your digital products?
To the maximum extent possible, the digital products created with IMLS funding should be freely and readily available for use and reuse by libraries, archives, museums, and the public. Some digital products that are generated during a project should be long-lived, requiring permanent preservation, and others (e.g., preliminary analyses, drafts of papers, plans for future work, peer-review assessments, most social media communications, and communications with colleagues) should be retained and shared in the medium- or short-term.
In your Digital Products Plan, describe your plan for preserving and maintaining digital products during and after the period of performance and identify the appropriate length of time different digital products should be curated. Address storage systems, shared repositories, technical documentation, migration planning, and commitment of organizational funding for these purposes.
Note: You may charge the federal award before closeout for the costs of publication or sharing of results if the costs are not incurred during the period of performance of the federal award (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.461).
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 they have a real or apparent conflict of interest. Such a conflict of interest would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of their immediate family, their 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.
In Section 8 of the IMLS Museum Program Information Form, we ask you to select from one to eight keywords that best characterize your project from the options that appear alphabetically below. IMLS may use these keywords as search terms in its compilations describing the agency's grantmaking and/or provide them as tools to help applicants, other awardees, and the public understand more about what IMLS supports. Please make sure to select no more than eight.
A-B-C
D-E-F-G
H-I-J-K-L
M-N-O
|
P-Q-R-S
T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z |
OMB Control #: 3137-0103, Expiration Date: XX/XX/202X
File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
File Title | Collections Assessment for Preservation Program FY 2021 Notice of Funding Opportunity |
Subject | Collections Assessment for Preservation Program FY 2021 Notice of Funding Opportunity |
Author | Institute of Museum and Library Services |
File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
File Created | 2024-07-21 |