Grant App Justification A Museums Empowered 2017

A. Justification: Notice of Funding Opportunity: Museums Empowered: Professional Development
and Capacity Building Opportunities for Museums – A Museums for America Special Initiative,
OMB Control Number 3137-XXXX
1. Necessity of the Information Collection
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is the primary source of federal support for the
nation's 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. IMLS' mission is to create strong libraries and
museums that connect people to information and ideas. IMLS works at the national level and in
coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance
learning and innovation; and support professional development.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is requesting a one-time clearance in an
existing collection in use without an OMB Control Number for the Museums Empowered:
Professional Development and Capacity Building Opportunities for Museums” – A Museums for
America Special Initiative under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The information collection in this
package includes a Museums Empowered Notice of Funding Opportunity and instructions necessary
to apply for IMLS support as part of the agency’s grant programs.
Museums for America (MFA) grants support projects that strengthen the ability of an individual
museum to serve its public. Museums Empowered: Professional Development and Capacity Building
Opportunities for Museums is a special MFA initiative to provide professional development and
capacity building opportunities for eligible museums.
To support and empower museums of all sizes and disciplines in responding to the evolving needs of
the museum profession and changes in their communities, this MFA special initiative has four areas
of focus for professional development and capacity building:
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Digital Technology
Diversity and Inclusion
Evaluation
Organizational Management

Potential projects will address one of these four priority areas and help strengthen the capability of an
individual museum to better serve its public. Projects will utilize comprehensive strategies and
frameworks to support professional development and capacity building. Projects should cross-cut
various departments and result in systemic change within the institutions.
Application Notices of Funding Opportunities: IMLS uses an iterative review process for each set
of Notices of Funding Opportunities in every fiscal year. The process is defined in IMLS’s Grants
Administration Manual and it is designed to ensure that key stakeholders and agency officials review
and authorize proposed Notices of Funding Opportunities. In FY 2007, text common to all of IMLS
grant program applications was rewritten to provide consistent information and language across all
these program documents. Beginning in FY2013, IMLS complied with the Plain Writing Act of 2010
to provide “clear government communication that the public can understand and use.” We at the
Institute of Museum and Library Services are committed to writing new documents in plain language,
using the Federal Plain Language Guidelines.
2. Purposes and Uses of the Data
The information collected by IMLS is used by the agency to carry out its grant programs. The

information is used by IMLS staff to validate applicant eligibility, identify and assign peer reviewers,
manage grant competitions, award discretionary and formula-based grants, and administer and
monitor its grants. It is also used by the agency for strategic planning, performance analysis, and to
provide information to the Administration and to Congress. Data elements subject to FOIA also
provide information about IMLS’s grant applications and programs to individuals outside the agency,
and may be used by applicants to validate their project ideas or application strategies, to follow trends
in their fields, and to identify effective practice that can be widely adapted to improve the quality of
museum and library services in the United States.
3. Use of Information Technology
IMLS is committed to the use of improved information technology to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of its programs, while reducing burden on potential applicants. Applicants can
download the Museums Empowered Notice of Funding Opportunity, and application instructions
online. IMLS requires all applicants to apply for IMLS awards online through Grants.gov.
4. Efforts to Identify Duplication
All IMLS grant application Notices of Funding Opportunities and publications are annually reviewed
through an internal clearance process, which requires review by several different offices within the
agency, including the program offices, the Office of General Counsel, and the Grants Administration
Office. This annual review process protects against duplication.
5. Method Used to Minimize Burden on Small Businesses
Participation is entirely voluntary. No small businesses are impacted, but some applicants for IMLS
funding are small non-profit organizations. Every effort has been made to streamline processes and
instructions and to simplify the application and reporting processes. The agency’s internal clearance
process ensures that no undue burden is placed on any applicant for IMLS funding.
6. Consequences of Less Frequent Data Collection
These collections of information are essential to IMLS in meeting its statutory mission to award
Federal financial assistance under the Museum and Library Act (20 U.S.C. Section 9101 et seq.), and
its obligation to identify needs and trends in museum, library and information services. The
information collections included in this package vary in frequency. Many are one time per
application, others are annual, and one is every five years.
7. Special Circumstances
None of the listed conditions applies.
8. Consultations Outside the Agency
The 60-day notice for this collection was published in the Federal Register Vol. 81, no. 198 (October
13, 2016), page 70707-70708. No public comments were received. A 30-day notice requesting
comment for this generic clearance was published in the Federal Register: Vol. 82, No. 11 (January
18, 2017), pages 5609-5610.
IMLS uses several different mechanisms to consult with persons outside the agency. Contact
information for program officers is widely distributed and easily accessible from the IMLS website,
and grantees and potential applicants are encouraged to communicate frequently with these experts.
In addition, program officers convene nationwide conference calls to answer questions and take input.
IMLS program staff also travel to national, regional, and local meetings of potential applicants to

discuss program requirements. Finally, agency staff consults informally with its communities
throughout the year, including regular meetings with the Chiefs of State Library Administrative
Agencies, semiannual information meetings hosted for representatives of key professional
associations, and through convening grantees at meetings organized by IMLS program staff.
During the grant application review process, outside experts are asked to review applications and
discuss the agency’s forms, instructions, and process. These experts are consulted by IMLS staff
regarding the clarity and value of the Notices of Funding Opportunities and informally comment on
the burden of response required by applicants.
IMLS notes and evaluates suggestions for revising Notices of Funding Opportunities and reporting
forms received from applicants responding to the invitation for comments found in the burden
statement contained in each information collection. Efforts are continually made to shorten and
simplify application instructions and forms in response to suggestions made by respondents.
9. Payments or Gifts to Respondents
No payments or gifts are provided to any of the respondents.
10. Assurance of Confidentiality
No assurance of confidentiality is provided. Grant files are subject to FOIA request and are handled
on a case-by-case basis. IMLS intends to make final grant reports available via its website and so
informs grantees.
11. Justification for Sensitive Questions
There are no questions of a sensitive nature.
12. Estimate of Hour Burden to Respondents
The estimated number of respondents is 100. This number was estimated based on an assessment of
the number of applicants for IMLS grants in FY 2016, the most recent year for which data is
available. The number of annual burden hours is estimated to be 4,000 based on estimates of the
average number of hours an applicant will need to review instructions, search existing data sources,
gather and maintain the data needed, and complete and review the narrative components of the
application.
13. Estimate of Cost Burden to Respondents
The estimated cost to applicants is $109,600. The average cost per hour is based on $27.40, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics average mean hourly wage of a museum employee. The estimated burden
hour cost per application is 40 hours (40 hours x $27.40).
Note: the cost for completion of forms associated with applications is accounted for in the ICR for
generic clearance for applications and reporting forms.
The two cost components for total capital/start-up and operation/maintenance/purchase of services are
not applicable.
14. Estimate of Costs to Federal Government
The annualized cost to IMLS is estimated at $18,997.44 based on an estimated 100 applications and
an estimated 32 grant award recipients (32 respondents x 4 forms, Discretionary interim performance

report, Discretionary final performance report SF-425 and SF-270) for a total of 428 responses this
year. Approximately 475 hours are spent by IMLS staff reviewing and processing each response at
an average wage of $41.12.
15. Explanation of Change in Burden
There is no change in burden.
16. Statistical Usage
Not applicable.
17. Request to Not Display Expiration Date
Not applicable. The expiration date will be displayed.
18. Exception to Certification Statement
Not applicable.