Institute of Museum and Library Services
Published on AidPage by
IDILOGIC on Jun 24, 2005
Purpose of this program:
To support the efforts of museums to conserve the Nation's historic, scientific, and cultural heritage; to maintain and expand museums and libraries educational roles; and to ease the financial burden borne by museums and libraries as a result of their increasing use by the public.
Possible uses and use restrictions...
Museums may use the funds for projects that strengthen their ability to serve the public more effectively by supporting high priority activities that advance the institution? 's mission and strategic goals. The program funds ongoing or new activities and projects to support the role of museums with three program categories: sustaining cultural heritage, supporting lifelong learning, or serving as centers of community.
Who is eligible to apply...
A museum located in the 50 States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands, Guam, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, The Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, or the District of Columbia may apply for a grant under the Act. A public or private nonprofit organization, such as a municipality, college, or university which is responsible for the operation of a museum may, if necessary, apply on behalf of the museum. A museum operated by a department or agency of the federal government is not eligible to apply. Under the IMLS definition, a museum is a public or private nonprofit institution which is organized on a permanent basis for essentially educational or aesthetic purposes and which, using a professional staff: (1) Owns or uses tangible objects, whether animate or inanimate; (2) cares for these objects; and (3) exhibits them to the general public on a regular basis. A museum must have at least one staff member, paid or unpaid, who devotes his or her time primarily to the acquisition, care or exhibition of objects. The definition makes clear that the term "museum" includes aquariums and zoological parks; botanical gardens and arboretums; nature centers; art, history, (including historic buildings and sites), natural history, children's, general and specialized museums, science and technology centers and planetariums.
Credentials/Documentation
Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments. OMB Circular No. A-21 for educational institutions and other nonprofit organizations also applies.
Note:This is a brief description of the credentials or documentation required prior to, or along with, an application for assistance.
About this section:
This section indicates who can apply to the Federal government for assistance and the criteria the potential applicant must satisfy.
For example, individuals may be eligible for research grants, and the criteria to be satisfied may be that they have a professional or scientific degree,
3 years of research experience, and be a citizen of the United States. Universities, medical schools, hospitals, or State and local governments may also be eligible.
Where State governments are eligible, the type of State agency will be indicated (State welfare agency or State agency on aging) and the criteria that they
must satisfy.
Certain federal programs (e.g., the Pell Grant program which provides grants to students) involve intermediate levels of application processing, i.e., applications
are transmitted through colleges or universities that are neither the direct applicant nor the ultimate beneficiary. For these programs,
the criteria that the intermediaries must satisfy are also indicated, along with intermediaries who are not eligible.
How to apply...
Application Procedure:
Applications are submitted directly to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Room 609, Washington, DC 20506. Telephone: (202) 606-8539. An application requesting support should include the following materials organized in the order listed: Face sheet with signature; statement of purpose/mission statement; institutional strategic plan summary; institutional financial statements; narrative; schedule of completion; budget; proof of nonprofit status, if applicable; specifications for projects involving digitization, if applicable; list of key project staff and consultants; resumes for key project personnel; other attachments; grants processing information sheet; and signed assurances form. This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110.
Note: Each program will indicate whether applications are to be submitted to the Federal headquarters, regional or local office, or to a State or local government office.
Award Procedure:
Proposals are reviewed by field reviewers, panels of experts, and the Director to determine the grants awarded by IMLS to eligible applicants.
Note: Grant payments may be made by a letter of credit, advance by Treasury check, or reimbursement by Treasury check.
Awards may be made by the headquarters office directly to the applicant, an agency field office, a regional office,
or by an authorized county office. The assistance may pass through the initial applicant for further distribution by
intermediate level applicants to groups or individuals in the private sector.
Deadlines and process...
Deadlines
Contact the Institute of Museum and Library Services for deadlines at (202) 606-8539 or imlsinfo@imls.gov.
Note:
When available, this section indicates the deadlines for applications to the funding agency which will
be stated in terms of the date(s) or between what dates the application should be received.
When not available, applicants should contact the funding agency for deadline information.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
From 7 months.
Preapplication Coordination
The standard application forms as furnished by the Federal agency and required by OMB Circular No. A-102 must be used for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Note:
This section indicates whether any prior coordination or approval is required with governmental or nongovernmental units
prior to the submission of a formal application to the federal funding agency.
Appeals
Appeals may be made in writing to the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Note:
In some cases, there are no provisions for appeal. Where applicable, this section discusses appeal procedures or allowable rework time for resubmission
of applications to be processed by the funding agency. Appeal procedures vary with individual programs and are either listed in this section or
applicants are referred to appeal procedures documented in the relevant Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Renewals
The Institute of Museum and Library Services may extend particular grants at the discretion of the Director.
Note:
In some instances, renewal procedures may be the same as for the application procedure, e.g., for projects of a non-continuing nature renewals will be treated as new, competing applications; for projects of an ongoing nature, renewals may be given annually.
Who can benefit...
Public nonprofit museums and private nonprofit museums.
Beneficiaries
About this section:
This section lists the ultimate beneficiaries of a program, the criteria they must satisfy and who specifically is not eligible. The applicant and beneficiary will generally be the same for programs that provide assistance directly from a Federal agency. However, financial assistance that passes through State or local governments will have different applicants and beneficiaries since the assistance is transmitted to private sector beneficiaries who are not obligated to request or apply for the assistance.
What types of assistance...
Project Grants
The funding, for fixed or known periods, of specific projects. Project grants can include fellowships, scholarships, research grants, training grants, traineeships, experimental and demonstration grants, evaluation grants, planning grants, technical assistance grants, survey grants, and construction grants.
Direct Payments for Specified Use
Financial assistance from the Federal government provided directly to individuals, private firms, and other private institutions to encourage or subsidize a particular activity by conditioning the receipt of the assistance on a particular performance by the recipient. This does not include solicited contracts for the procurement of goods and services for the Federal government.
How much financial aid...
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
$5,000 to $150,000
Note:
This section lists the representative range (smallest to largest) of the amount of financial assistance available. These figures are based upon funds awarded in the past fiscal year and the current fiscal year to date. Also indicated is an approximate average amount of awards which were made in the past and current fiscal years.
Obligations
(Grants) FY 03 $15,381,000; FY 04 $16,342,000; and FY 05 not available.
Note:
The dollar amounts listed in this section represent obligations for the past fiscal year (PY), estimates for the current fiscal year (CY), and estimates for the budget fiscal year (BY) as reported by the Federal agencies. Obligations for non-financial assistance programs indicate the administrative expenses involved in the operation of a program.
Account Identification
59-0300-0-1-503.
Note:
Note: This 11-digit budget account identification code represents the account which funds a particular program.
This code should be consistent with the code given for the program area as specified in Appendix III of the Budget of the United States Government.
Examples of funded projects...
Museums for America grants will fund projects activities that sustaining cultural heritage, supporting lifeling learning, and serving as centers of community engagement.
About this section
This section indicates the different types of projects which have been funded in the past. Only projects funded under Project Grants or Direct Payments for Specified Use should be listed here. The examples give potential applicants an idea of the types of projects that may be accepted for funding. The agency should list at least five examples of the most recently funded projects.
Program accomplishments...
For fiscal year 2003, Learning Opportunities Grants received 932 applications and 169 were awarded funding.
Criteria for selecting proposals...
The following criteria apply to the evaluation of all applications for Museums for America Grants: 1. PROJECT DESIGN: Describe the project and its overall goals. Review Criteria: Extent to which the project proposes efficient, effective, and successful approaches to accomplish clear goals and objectives. If technology purchase is requested, extent to which it will support the project or activity goals, and further the institution's strategic plan. If partnerships are supported by the grant, evidence that all partners are active contributors to and beneficiaries of the partnership activities. 2. GRANT PROGRAM GOALS Describe which one of the three goals of Museums for America the project addresses: Sustaining cultural heritage; Supporting lifelong learning; Serving as centers of community engagement; Describe how your proposal fits into that category. You must choose only one category to address. Your project will not be more favorably reviewed if you try to address all three categories. While many projects fit into one or more of these broad categories, every project will emphasize one of these areas over the others. Review Criteria: Degree to which the project or program addresses the programmatic strategic goal the institution has identified on the face sheet as its chosen category. 3. HOW THE PROJECT FITS IN TO STRATEGIC PLAN AND MISSION Describe how your proposal relates to your mission statement and strategic plan. A two-page summary is a required part of the application. Describe how the project will serve as an investment in institutional capacity. Discuss the long-term impact of this project after IMLS funding ends. Review Criteria: Evidence that the project or activities fit into and further the institution's strategic plan and mission. Extent to which the project is of sufficient scope to effect systemic change within the organization and/or expand institutional capacity to carry out the above strategic goals. 4 . STRATEGIC PLAN: PROCESS AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES: Describe briefly how the institution arrived at its strategic plan, including the planning process and the participants in that process. Describe how the institution's financial resources support its strategic plan and the long-term stability of the museum. Review Criteria: Evidence that the museum's strategic (institutional, long-range, master) plan had community, board, and staff involvement and supports the goals and needs of both the museum and its community. Evidence that the planning activities of the museum also ensure the long-term financial stability of the museum.(Please note: a required attachment is a financial statement for the applicant's two previous fiscal years prior to application.) 5. Appropriateness of project for institution, audience: Describe who the intended audience is for this proposal and how the project will serve this audience. Briefly describe your area's demographics and how this intended audience fits within the institutional strategic plan. Review Criteria: Evidence that the project designers have identified an audience, performed a formal or informal assessment of their needs, and have designed this project as the best solution to answer those needs. 6. PROJECT RESOURCES: TIME AND BUDGET Describe the specifics of the time allotted for major activities and how these activities fit within the overall activities of the museum. Discuss the budget allocated to accomplishing the proposed activities. Review Criteria: Evidence that the project activities will be effectively completed and that the applicant institution is capable of carrying out the project to its successful conclusion through the deployment and management of resources including money, facilities, equipment, and supplies. Appropriateness and cost efficiency of budget to complete project activities. 7. PROJECT RESOURCES: PERSONNEL AND TECHNOLOGY: Describe personnel who will
Assistance considerations...
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Projects may be carried out for a period of up to 36 months from the project start date.
Formula and Matching Requirements
45 CFR 1180. Awards will not exceed $150,000 and must be matched one-to-one, but may include in-kind contributions.
Note:
A formula may be based on population, per capita income, and other statistical factors. Applicants are informed whether there are any matching requirements to be met when participating in the cost of a project. In general, the matching share represents that portion of the project costs not borne by the Federal government. Attachment F of OMB Circular No. A-102 (Office of Management and Budget) sets forth the criteria and procedures for the evaluation of matching share requirements which may be cash or in-kind contributions made by State and local governments or other agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals to satisfy matching requirements of Federal grants or loans.
Cash contributions represent the grantees' cash outlay, including the outlay of money contributed to the grantee by other public agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals. When authorized by Federal regulation, Federal funds received from other grants may be considered as the grantees' cash contribution.
In-kind contributions represent the value of noncash contributions provided by the grantee, other public agencies and institutions, private organizations or individuals. In-kind contributions may consist of charges for real property and equipment, and value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the grant program. When authorized by Federal legislation, property purchased with Federal funds may be considered as grantees' in-kind contribution.
Maintenance of effort (MOE) is a requirement contained in certain legislation, regulations, or administrative policies stating that a grantee must maintain a specified level of financial effort in a specific area in order to receive Federal grant funds, and that the Federal grant funds may be used only to supplement, not supplant, the level of grantee funds.
Post assistance requirements...
Reports
The IMLS requires interim and final financial and narrative reports from Museums for America grant recipients.
Note:
This section indicates whether program reports, expenditure reports, cash reports or performance monitoring are required by the Federal funding agency, and specifies at what time intervals (monthly, annually, etc.) this must be accomplished.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Note:
This section discusses audits required by the Federal agency.
The procedures and requirements for State and local governments and nonprofit entities are set forth in OMB Circular No. A-133.
These requirements pertain to awards made within the respective State's fiscal year - not the Federal fiscal year,
as some State and local governments may use the calendar year or other variation of time span designated as the fiscal year period,
rather than that commonly known as the Federal fiscal year (from October 1st through September 30th).
Records
Grant and contract recipients will be required to maintain standard financial statements.
Note:
This section indicates the record retention requirements and the type of records the Federal agency may require.
Not included are the normally imposed requirements of the General Accounting Office.
For programs falling under the purview of OMB Circular No. A-102, record retention is set forth in Attachment C.
For other programs, record retention is governed by the funding agency's requirements.
Regulations...
Authorization
Museum and Library Services Act of 1996, Title II, Public Law 104-208.
Note:
This section lists the legal authority upon which a program is based (acts, amendments to acts, Public Law numbers, titles, sections, Statute Codes, citations to the U.S. Code, Executive Orders, Presidential Reorganization Plans, and Memoranda from an agency head).
Regulations, Guidelines, And Literature
Contact the website for the latest program data at www.imls.gov.