WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 1 00:00:05.480 --> 00:00:10.372 Welcome to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, 2 00:00:10.372 --> 00:00:15.350 Office of Museum Services Information Video Museum Grants 3 00:00:15.350 --> 00:00:20.929 for African American History and Culture Grant Program Applicant 4 00:00:20.929 --> 00:00:26.164 Information Session. The goal of this video is to provide an 5 00:00:26.164 --> 00:00:31.571 overview of our Museum Grants for African American History and 6 00:00:31.571 --> 00:00:36.721 Culture Grant Program, which we call AAHC for short and the 7 00:00:36.721 --> 00:00:37.580 process of 8 00:00:38.120 --> 00:00:42.970 preparing an application for funding. This video is organized 9 00:00:42.970 --> 00:00:47.116 into six chapters. What is Museum Grants for African 10 00:00:47.116 --> 00:00:51.496 American History and Culture? This section explains the 11 00:00:51.496 --> 00:00:56.190 purpose and design of the AAHC grant program. What can AAHC 12 00:00:56.190 --> 00:01:00.649 Grants Fund? This section explains the types of projects 13 00:01:00.649 --> 00:01:05.577 that can be funded in AAHC and the amount of funds that can be 14 00:01:05.577 --> 00:01:06.360 requested. 15 00:01:07.740 --> 00:01:11.956 Application Components. This section describes the types of 16 00:01:11.956 --> 00:01:15.470 documents that are needed to create an AAHC grant 17 00:01:15.470 --> 00:01:19.546 application. Application Components - The Narrative. This 18 00:01:19.546 --> 00:01:23.833 section provides guidance on composing the narrative part of 19 00:01:23.833 --> 00:01:28.120 the application. Application Components Budget. This section 20 00:01:28.120 --> 00:01:31.986 provides details on the information to include in your 21 00:01:31.986 --> 00:01:35.500 project budget, Application tips, and next steps. 22 00:01:35.860 --> 00:01:39.467 The concluding section provides a few tips and next steps for 23 00:01:39.467 --> 00:01:43.249 preparing your application. The complete set of instructions for 24 00:01:43.249 --> 00:01:46.856 how to prepare and submit an AAHC grant application are found 25 00:01:46.856 --> 00:01:50.172 in the Notice of Funding Opportunity published on Grants 26 00:01:50.172 --> 00:01:53.721 dot Gov and also available on the IMLS website. Please refer 27 00:01:53.721 --> 00:01:56.630 to the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the most 28 00:01:56.630 --> 00:01:59.539 detailed information to prepare your application. 29 00:02:04.050 --> 00:02:07.465 To get the most out of this video, we recommend that you 30 00:02:07.465 --> 00:02:11.179 watch it in its entirety. This will give you an understanding 31 00:02:11.179 --> 00:02:14.834 of the AAHC grant program, the types of projects that can be 32 00:02:14.834 --> 00:02:18.309 funded, and the necessary application components. You may 33 00:02:18.309 --> 00:02:21.844 also want to review the AAHC Notice of Funding Opportunity 34 00:02:21.844 --> 00:02:25.319 before, during, and after you watch the video. Notices of 35 00:02:25.319 --> 00:02:28.794 Funding Opportunities, also known as NOFOs, are documents 36 00:02:28.794 --> 00:02:32.329 that detail the requirements of each of our grant programs 37 00:02:32.640 --> 00:02:36.971 for fiscal year 2024. All of our NOFOs can be found at 38 00:02:36.971 --> 00:02:42.169 imls.gov/grants. As you navigate the application process, you can 39 00:02:42.169 --> 00:02:47.130 use this video as a reference tool. If you'd like to skip to a 40 00:02:47.130 --> 00:02:52.170 specific section, please use the time bar below or the links in 41 00:02:52.170 --> 00:02:57.289 the description box to navigate the chapters. In this section we 42 00:02:57.289 --> 00:03:00.440 will answer the question, What is AAHC? 43 00:03:01.390 --> 00:03:06.145 Providing information on the purpose and intent of this grant 44 00:03:06.145 --> 00:03:10.900 program and who it is designed to serve. The same legislation 45 00:03:10.900 --> 00:03:15.348 that created the Smithsonian's National Museum of African 46 00:03:15.348 --> 00:03:20.027 American History and Culture directed IMLS to create a grant 47 00:03:20.027 --> 00:03:24.322 program. This program is designed to build the capacity 48 00:03:24.322 --> 00:03:26.470 of African American museums, 49 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:30.796 Nurture the growth and development of museum 50 00:03:30.796 --> 00:03:35.290 professionals at African American museums and increase 51 00:03:35.290 --> 00:03:40.356 access to museum and archival collections at African American 52 00:03:40.356 --> 00:03:45.504 museums and Historically Black colleges and universities, also 53 00:03:45.504 --> 00:03:50.407 known as HBCU's. AAHC is a grant program for museums whose 54 00:03:50.407 --> 00:03:55.800 primary purpose, as reflected in its mission, is African American 55 00:03:55.800 --> 00:03:58.660 life, art history, and or culture. 56 00:03:59.730 --> 00:04:04.001 To apply for federal funding at IMLS, all applicants must meet 57 00:04:04.001 --> 00:04:08.001 certain requirements. Your organization must be located in 58 00:04:08.001 --> 00:04:12.069 one of the United States 50 states, its territories, or the 59 00:04:12.069 --> 00:04:15.866 District of Columbia. Your organization could also be a 60 00:04:15.866 --> 00:04:19.663 unit of state, local or tribal government, or a private 61 00:04:19.663 --> 00:04:22.850 nonprofit organization with tax exempt status. 62 00:04:23.900 --> 00:04:27.755 If you meet those two requirements, then the next step 63 00:04:27.755 --> 00:04:32.242 is to consider what it means to be eligible for IMLS funding as 64 00:04:32.242 --> 00:04:36.098 a museum. To be eligible for funding as a museum, your 65 00:04:36.098 --> 00:04:40.304 organization must have at least one full time or equivalent 66 00:04:40.304 --> 00:04:44.861 professional staff person either paid or unpaid, have a physical 67 00:04:44.861 --> 00:04:48.857 location that it owns or operates, have been open to the 68 00:04:48.857 --> 00:04:50.820 public for at least 120 days 69 00:04:51.170 --> 00:04:57.342 in the year prior to the deadline of November 15th, 2023, 70 00:04:57.342 --> 00:05:03.407 and own or use tangible objects. Your museum may also be 71 00:05:03.407 --> 00:05:09.580 standalone organizations, or they may be part of a larger 72 00:05:09.580 --> 00:05:16.390 institution such as a college, university, tribe, or a state of 73 00:05:16.390 --> 00:05:18.200 local government. 74 00:05:19.810 --> 00:05:25.091 You could also qualify as a not-for-profit museum service 75 00:05:25.091 --> 00:05:29.918 organization or association whose primary purpose as 76 00:05:29.918 --> 00:05:35.018 reflected in its mission is to support African American 77 00:05:35.018 --> 00:05:40.118 museums. HBCU's are also eligible to apply whether they 78 00:05:40.118 --> 00:05:45.946 have a museum or museum studies program or not. In this section 79 00:05:45.946 --> 00:05:50.500 we will answer the question what can a AAHC fund? 80 00:05:51.060 --> 00:05:54.912 Providing details on the types of projects and associated goals 81 00:05:54.912 --> 00:05:58.585 within the AAHC grant program, as well as offer some summary 82 00:05:58.585 --> 00:06:02.377 data on the number and types of AAHC projects that were funded 83 00:06:02.377 --> 00:06:02.980 last year. 84 00:06:09.100 --> 00:06:12.492 AAHC grants are designed to support project based 85 00:06:12.492 --> 00:06:16.630 activities, so let's take time to consider just exactly what 86 00:06:16.630 --> 00:06:20.361 that means. The Project Management Institute defines a 87 00:06:20.361 --> 00:06:24.568 project as a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique 88 00:06:24.568 --> 00:06:28.978 product, service or result. They go on further to explain that a 89 00:06:28.978 --> 00:06:33.320 project is temporary because it has a defined beginning and end 90 00:06:33.320 --> 00:06:36.780 in time and therefore defined scope and resources, 91 00:06:37.920 --> 00:06:41.306 and the project is unique in that it is not a routine 92 00:06:41.306 --> 00:06:45.257 operation, but rather a specific set of operations designed to 93 00:06:45.257 --> 00:06:49.020 accomplish a singular goal. We recommend that you keep this 94 00:06:49.020 --> 00:06:52.720 definition in mind as you conceptualize your IMLS project. 95 00:06:53.520 --> 00:06:59.072 Think of it as a temporary, non routine set of activities which 96 00:06:59.072 --> 00:07:04.538 collectively have a beginning and end in time, a defined scope 97 00:07:04.538 --> 00:07:09.396 requiring specific resources, and which are designed to 98 00:07:09.396 --> 00:07:14.428 accomplish a specific singular goal. With that concept of 99 00:07:14.428 --> 00:07:19.460 project in mind, let's turn to project goals. The type of 100 00:07:19.460 --> 00:07:25.186 project activity you are seeking to fund should align with one of 101 00:07:25.186 --> 00:07:30.738 these goals listed on the slide. As you can see here, there are 102 00:07:30.738 --> 00:07:31.780 two options: 103 00:07:32.170 --> 00:07:35.417 Building capacity and professional development. Why is 104 00:07:35.417 --> 00:07:38.487 your decision about which project goal to choose so 105 00:07:38.487 --> 00:07:42.207 important? For one thing, your application will be reviewed by 106 00:07:42.207 --> 00:07:45.631 museum professionals who have experience and expertise in 107 00:07:45.631 --> 00:07:49.174 these general categories, and for another, your application 108 00:07:49.174 --> 00:07:52.598 will be competing against others who have chosen the same 109 00:07:52.598 --> 00:07:53.130 category. 110 00:07:53.750 --> 00:07:57.484 In short, the entire review process incorporates an 111 00:07:57.484 --> 00:08:01.578 assumption that your project aligns with the goal you've 112 00:08:01.578 --> 00:08:06.247 identified, so it's an important choice. So let's take a look at 113 00:08:06.247 --> 00:08:10.628 what kinds of project activities might fit within these goal 114 00:08:10.628 --> 00:08:14.866 areas. The listed objectives provides some of the types of 115 00:08:14.866 --> 00:08:17.380 projects that fit within the goal. 116 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:22.938 Projects designed to build the capacity of African American 117 00:08:22.938 --> 00:08:26.351 museums may involve increasing the number of museum 118 00:08:26.351 --> 00:08:30.551 professionals working at African American museums to enable the 119 00:08:30.551 --> 00:08:34.555 museum to expand educational programs, engage the community, 120 00:08:34.555 --> 00:08:38.822 enhance professional management, or provide for improved care of 121 00:08:38.822 --> 00:08:42.760 collections. Some examples of the kinds of projects project 122 00:08:42.760 --> 00:08:45.320 activities that you may apply for are: 123 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:50.586 Exhibition development, design and fabrication, interpretive 124 00:08:50.586 --> 00:08:54.181 and educational programs, product development and 125 00:08:54.181 --> 00:08:58.567 delivery, developing collection plans, interpretive plans or 126 00:08:58.567 --> 00:09:02.306 strategic plans using consultants, researchers, and 127 00:09:02.306 --> 00:09:06.189 other sources of professional expertise, implementing 128 00:09:06.189 --> 00:09:10.360 recommendations or action plans from planning activities, 129 00:09:11.420 --> 00:09:15.829 cataloging, inventorying, documenting, and registering 130 00:09:15.829 --> 00:09:20.158 collections, and finally, digitization of collections 131 00:09:20.158 --> 00:09:24.728 designed to enhance outreach, expand, access, or improve 132 00:09:24.728 --> 00:09:29.619 collections management. Projects designed to address Goal 2: 133 00:09:29.619 --> 00:09:33.467 Supporting the growth and development of museum 134 00:09:33.467 --> 00:09:37.797 professionals at African American museums may involve 135 00:09:37.797 --> 00:09:42.286 developing and implementing internship, fellowship, and 136 00:09:42.286 --> 00:09:43.730 mentoring programs 137 00:09:44.090 --> 00:09:47.119 to support emerging professionals entering the 138 00:09:47.119 --> 00:09:50.729 museum field. They can involve developing equitable and 139 00:09:50.729 --> 00:09:54.790 inclusive staff recruitment and retention programs, as well as 140 00:09:54.790 --> 00:09:58.465 creating growth opportunities for staff to build skills, 141 00:09:58.465 --> 00:10:02.333 enhance their knowledge, and share expertise. Some examples 142 00:10:02.333 --> 00:10:05.814 of the kinds of project activities that you may apply 143 00:10:05.814 --> 00:10:06.330 for are: 144 00:10:07.130 --> 00:10:10.883 Working with consultants and training providers to develop 145 00:10:10.883 --> 00:10:15.082 and offer workshops and training for museum staff, leadership and 146 00:10:15.082 --> 00:10:18.708 volunteers. Creating and supporting paid internships and 147 00:10:18.708 --> 00:10:21.825 fellowships, including recruitment, supervision, 148 00:10:21.825 --> 00:10:25.897 mentoring and training for those interns and fellows. Providing 149 00:10:25.897 --> 00:10:29.778 professional development and career growth opportunities for 150 00:10:29.778 --> 00:10:32.450 museum staff, leadership, and volunteers. 151 00:10:37.880 --> 00:10:41.202 Before we close our discussion of project goals, we want to 152 00:10:41.202 --> 00:10:44.413 again mention our guidance for projects that could belong 153 00:10:44.413 --> 00:10:47.736 logically in more than one. Sometimes it's tough to choose, 154 00:10:47.736 --> 00:10:50.892 and you might be tempted to think that the best strategy 155 00:10:50.892 --> 00:10:54.436 would be to align with both. We advise against that for several 156 00:10:54.436 --> 00:10:57.869 reasons. We expect that projects aligned with a specific goal 157 00:10:57.869 --> 00:11:01.357 will address different problems, use different approaches, and 158 00:11:01.357 --> 00:11:04.403 will measure success in achieving the intended results 159 00:11:04.403 --> 00:11:05.399 in different ways. 160 00:11:06.010 --> 00:11:09.898 So how can you choose the best category for your project? Here 161 00:11:09.898 --> 00:11:13.848 are three things we suggest you try. Think carefully about what 162 00:11:13.848 --> 00:11:17.428 is in the center of your project. Is it the visitor? Will 163 00:11:17.428 --> 00:11:21.254 people who engage with you as a result of your project, let's 164 00:11:21.254 --> 00:11:25.204 say to create a new exhibition and related programming, acquire 165 00:11:25.204 --> 00:11:28.722 new knowledge, develop a skill or experience a change in 166 00:11:28.722 --> 00:11:32.240 attitude about the subject of your exhibit? Or is it the 167 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:35.450 museum staff that's in the center of your thinking? 168 00:11:36.230 --> 00:11:39.699 Or is your project about preparing the next generation of 169 00:11:39.699 --> 00:11:43.349 the museum workforce? A second way to go at this might be to 170 00:11:43.349 --> 00:11:46.938 think about who you want to review your application. If you 171 00:11:46.938 --> 00:11:50.707 apply under building capacity, we will put your application in 172 00:11:50.707 --> 00:11:53.818 front of museum educators, exhibits, professionals, 173 00:11:53.818 --> 00:11:57.049 interpretive specialists, and professionals with deep 174 00:11:57.049 --> 00:12:00.639 experience and understanding what is needed for a museum to 175 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:03.749 reach its full performance level and be successful. 176 00:12:05.270 --> 00:12:08.701 Would you rather we put it in front of a combination of 177 00:12:08.701 --> 00:12:12.255 experts who specialize in developing and executing a wide 178 00:12:12.255 --> 00:12:15.931 range of museum training? If that sounds right, then it may 179 00:12:15.931 --> 00:12:19.608 push you toward professional development. A third option is 180 00:12:19.608 --> 00:12:23.591 to list the activities you plan to carry out and think about the 181 00:12:23.591 --> 00:12:26.899 project budget. To which category are the majority of 182 00:12:26.899 --> 00:12:30.208 project time and resources allocated? Again, our most 183 00:12:30.208 --> 00:12:33.150 important advice is to choose one project goal, 184 00:12:33.620 --> 00:12:38.904 and write your proposal accordingly. As always, if you 185 00:12:38.904 --> 00:12:45.149 have questions, contact the IMLS staff to discuss them. Our next 186 00:12:45.149 --> 00:12:51.011 topic has to do with how much funding your project requires, 187 00:12:51.011 --> 00:12:56.872 the size of your project, and how much you are requesting in 188 00:12:56.872 --> 00:13:02.637 IMLS funds which will determine the cost share requirement. 189 00:13:02.637 --> 00:13:05.999 There are two options to consider. 190 00:13:07.140 --> 00:13:12.157 For small projects requesting an amount of federal funds less 191 00:13:12.157 --> 00:13:17.094 than $100,000, you do not need to provide a cost share. This 192 00:13:17.094 --> 00:13:21.787 option is designed for smaller scale projects. For larger 193 00:13:21.787 --> 00:13:26.967 projects that are requesting an amount of federal funds greater 194 00:13:26.967 --> 00:13:31.984 than 100,000 and one dollars up to a maximum of $500,000, you 195 00:13:31.984 --> 00:13:35.059 must provide a one to one cost share. 196 00:13:35.970 --> 00:13:41.674 Cost share can take a number of forms. Among them are cash, 197 00:13:41.674 --> 00:13:46.903 staff time, volunteer time, third party contributions, 198 00:13:46.903 --> 00:13:52.323 grants from foundations, and support from state or local 199 00:13:52.323 --> 00:13:58.312 government. Cost share cannot come from other federal sources. 200 00:13:58.312 --> 00:14:03.446 The amount of applications received and the amount of 201 00:14:03.446 --> 00:14:07.249 awards made can vary from year to year. 202 00:14:08.130 --> 00:14:13.654 Here's a snapshot of our most recent application and award 203 00:14:13.654 --> 00:14:19.178 cycle. In FY23 IMLS made 34 AAHC awards with a total of $6 204 00:14:19.178 --> 00:14:24.702 million in federal funds. We received 66 AAHC applications 205 00:14:24.702 --> 00:14:30.694 last year, resulting in 52% of those applications being funded. 206 00:14:30.694 --> 00:14:36.218 About 38% of the AAHC awards were for large projects, with 207 00:14:36.218 --> 00:14:37.810 the remaining 62% 208 00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:43.262 being small projects. The average amount of federal funds 209 00:14:43.262 --> 00:14:48.176 for each project was about $171,000. Here you will see 210 00:14:48.176 --> 00:14:53.626 different ways that cost share could be applied to a funding 211 00:14:53.626 --> 00:14:59.166 request of $100,000 or less. While cost share is not required 212 00:14:59.166 --> 00:15:04.527 at this funding level, you may elect to identify cost share 213 00:15:04.527 --> 00:15:08.280 anyway and it does not have to be 1 to 1. 214 00:15:09.350 --> 00:15:13.384 Please note that it is not advised to commit to a cost 215 00:15:13.384 --> 00:15:17.785 share larger than your IMLS funding request and it will not 216 00:15:17.785 --> 00:15:22.113 be seen as a competitive edge over the other applications. 217 00:15:22.113 --> 00:15:26.881 Here you will see the one to one cost share applied for projects 218 00:15:26.881 --> 00:15:30.989 requesting 100,000 and one dollars up to the maximum of 219 00:15:30.989 --> 00:15:35.244 $500,000. For these projects the one to one cost share is 220 00:15:35.244 --> 00:15:39.719 required and again it is not advised that you over commit to 221 00:15:39.719 --> 00:15:43.020 a cost share larger than your grant request. 222 00:15:49.470 --> 00:15:53.836 In this section, we will introduce the components of an 223 00:15:53.836 --> 00:15:58.280 AAHC grant application and provide an overview about the 224 00:15:58.280 --> 00:16:03.193 Required, Conditionally Required and Supporting documents. The 225 00:16:03.193 --> 00:16:07.013 AAHC Notice of Funding Opportunity, or the NOFO, 226 00:16:07.013 --> 00:16:12.081 includes a complete list of all the application components. Most 227 00:16:12.081 --> 00:16:17.150 of these components are created by applicants and saved as a PDF 228 00:16:17.450 --> 00:16:20.915 for uploading as part of your application package in 229 00:16:20.915 --> 00:16:24.642 grants.gov. The table of application components starting 230 00:16:24.642 --> 00:16:28.891 on page eight of the NOFO lists which application components are 231 00:16:28.891 --> 00:16:33.011 required as well as those that are conditionally required. For 232 00:16:33.011 --> 00:16:36.737 example, some components are included in the application 233 00:16:36.737 --> 00:16:40.006 depending on the type of applicant or the type of 234 00:16:40.006 --> 00:16:40.530 project. 235 00:16:41.290 --> 00:16:47.640 Aside from the SF424S and the IMLS Museum Program Information 236 00:16:47.640 --> 00:16:53.684 Form, which are completed in the grants.gov workspace, all 237 00:16:53.684 --> 00:16:59.728 application components must be submitted as PDF documents. 238 00:16:59.728 --> 00:17:05.464 These are the required documents. All applications must 239 00:17:05.464 --> 00:17:09.050 include the documents listed here. 240 00:17:09.910 --> 00:17:13.808 Omission of even just one might result in your application's 241 00:17:13.808 --> 00:17:17.579 rejection. Also important to note, there is a 7 page limit 242 00:17:17.579 --> 00:17:21.733 for the narrative. If you exceed the page limit specified in the 243 00:17:21.733 --> 00:17:25.823 Notice of Funding Opportunity, we must remove the extras before 244 00:17:25.823 --> 00:17:29.849 your application goes out for review. That means your reviewer 245 00:17:29.849 --> 00:17:33.811 may see a paragraph or sentence end in midair and will wonder 246 00:17:33.811 --> 00:17:37.582 about your organizational skills and your attentiveness to 247 00:17:37.582 --> 00:17:38.029 detail. 248 00:17:38.870 --> 00:17:43.869 So make sure your content fits into the page limits specified, 249 00:17:43.869 --> 00:17:48.392 and make sure the number of pages holds when you convert 250 00:17:48.392 --> 00:17:53.073 your document to a PDF. The second category of application 251 00:17:53.073 --> 00:17:56.644 components is that of conditionally required 252 00:17:56.644 --> 00:18:01.326 documents. Some applications must include 1, 2 or even all 253 00:18:01.326 --> 00:18:06.563 four of these, and it's your job to figure out which are required 254 00:18:06.563 --> 00:18:08.229 for your application. 255 00:18:09.010 --> 00:18:12.591 If you are applying as a nonprofit, then you must include 256 00:18:12.591 --> 00:18:16.420 your proof of nonprofit status issued by the Internal Revenue 257 00:18:16.420 --> 00:18:20.002 Service. We will not accept the letter of State sales tax 258 00:18:20.002 --> 00:18:23.646 exemption as proof of nonprofit status. If you are using a 259 00:18:23.646 --> 00:18:27.413 federally negotiated indirect cost rate in your budget, then 260 00:18:27.413 --> 00:18:31.181 you must include a copy of your final rate agreement. If you 261 00:18:31.181 --> 00:18:34.577 will create digital projects during the course of your 262 00:18:34.577 --> 00:18:35.009 project 263 00:18:35.630 --> 00:18:40.568 then you must complete and submit a Digital Products Plan. 264 00:18:40.568 --> 00:18:45.841 If you are requesting support for conservation treatment, then 265 00:18:45.841 --> 00:18:50.695 you must include detailed condition reports and or formal 266 00:18:50.695 --> 00:18:54.713 conservation treatment proposals. Just like the 267 00:18:54.713 --> 00:18:59.902 required documents, omission of even one might result in your 268 00:18:59.902 --> 00:19:04.589 application's rejection. The third group of application 269 00:19:04.589 --> 00:19:05.510 components, 270 00:19:06.170 --> 00:19:09.712 is supporting documents, and here is a partial list of 271 00:19:09.712 --> 00:19:13.577 examples. Supporting documents are optional. You may submit 272 00:19:13.577 --> 00:19:17.764 some or none. Include only those items that will supplement your 273 00:19:17.764 --> 00:19:21.307 proposal. This is not the place to introduce brand new 274 00:19:21.307 --> 00:19:25.171 information. Rather, as the name suggests, they should lend 275 00:19:25.171 --> 00:19:28.650 support to your project justification, work plan, and 276 00:19:28.650 --> 00:19:32.192 intended results that you've already specified in your 277 00:19:32.192 --> 00:19:33.610 application narrative. 278 00:19:35.330 --> 00:19:39.426 For example, have you identified a partner whose involvement is 279 00:19:39.426 --> 00:19:43.266 key to the project's success? If so, a letter of support or 280 00:19:43.266 --> 00:19:47.106 commitment would go a long way to reassuring reviewers that 281 00:19:47.106 --> 00:19:50.754 they are on board and the project will succeed. Pictures 282 00:19:50.754 --> 00:19:54.466 can help give reviewers who may not be familiar with your 283 00:19:54.466 --> 00:19:57.730 institution, programs, collections, or community a 284 00:19:57.730 --> 00:20:00.930 better idea of what you're describing within your 285 00:20:00.930 --> 00:20:01.570 narrative. 286 00:20:03.180 --> 00:20:07.080 Vendor quotes or equipment specifications show you've done 287 00:20:07.080 --> 00:20:10.848 some of the legwork in getting appropriate estimates for 288 00:20:10.848 --> 00:20:14.748 project costs. We recommend that you be respectful of your 289 00:20:14.748 --> 00:20:18.714 reviewers time and avoid any temptation to include hundreds 290 00:20:18.714 --> 00:20:23.077 of pages of extraneous material. Being judicious really does work 291 00:20:23.077 --> 00:20:27.175 to your benefit, as supporting documents can make or break an 292 00:20:27.175 --> 00:20:29.819 application. Include what is important, 293 00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:35.506 helpful, and directly relevant to your project and stop there. 294 00:20:35.506 --> 00:20:40.493 In the following sections of this presentation, we will focus 295 00:20:40.493 --> 00:20:45.640 on these application components, the narrative, and the budget. 296 00:20:45.640 --> 00:20:50.466 Please go to the Notice of Funding Opportunity for complete 297 00:20:50.466 --> 00:20:54.890 instructions on how to prepare and complete all of the 298 00:20:54.890 --> 00:20:56.740 application components. 299 00:21:00.580 --> 00:21:05.268 In this section, we will go over the questions you will need to 300 00:21:05.268 --> 00:21:10.031 answer in your project narrative and offer details on the review 301 00:21:10.031 --> 00:21:14.500 criteria associated with each of the three sections: Project 302 00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:18.822 Justification, Project Work Plan, and Project Results. Now 303 00:21:18.822 --> 00:21:23.584 let's talk about the narrative. You have 7 pages to cover 3 very 304 00:21:23.584 --> 00:21:28.347 important issues, and the Notice of Funding Opportunity provides 305 00:21:28.347 --> 00:21:32.230 lengthy guidance on what the narrative should cover. 306 00:21:33.230 --> 00:21:36.530 First is the project justification. What need, 307 00:21:36.530 --> 00:21:40.885 problem or challenge will your project address and how was it 308 00:21:40.885 --> 00:21:44.467 identified? Describe how you have used demographic 309 00:21:44.467 --> 00:21:47.768 information, economic circumstances, condition 310 00:21:47.768 --> 00:21:52.052 assessments and other relevant data from reliable sources to 311 00:21:52.052 --> 00:21:56.266 define the need, problem or challenge and develop the scope 312 00:21:56.266 --> 00:21:57.389 for the project. 313 00:21:58.780 --> 00:22:03.142 Who is the target group for your project and how have they been 314 00:22:03.142 --> 00:22:07.505 involved in the planning? Target group refers to those who will 315 00:22:07.505 --> 00:22:11.050 be most immediately and positively affected by your 316 00:22:11.050 --> 00:22:15.413 project. Identify the number of individuals in the target group 317 00:22:15.413 --> 00:22:19.707 or in each target group if you identify more than one. Who are 318 00:22:19.707 --> 00:22:23.729 the ultimate beneficiaries for this project? Beneficiaries 319 00:22:23.729 --> 00:22:27.819 refers to those who are likely to be aided in the long term 320 00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:32.236 by your project. They may or may not be the same as your target 321 00:22:32.236 --> 00:22:35.994 group. Identify the number of individuals who will benefit 322 00:22:35.994 --> 00:22:40.008 from your project in the long term, if reliable and defensible 323 00:22:40.008 --> 00:22:44.084 counts are possible. Otherwise, describe the characteristics of 324 00:22:44.084 --> 00:22:47.970 the beneficiaries you expect to be served eventually by your 325 00:22:47.970 --> 00:22:48.480 project. 326 00:22:54.560 --> 00:22:57.878 In Section E of the Notice of Funding Opportunity, under 327 00:22:57.878 --> 00:23:01.720 Review Criteria, you will find a list of questions that reviewers 328 00:23:01.720 --> 00:23:05.330 are asked to consider when they review your proposal. It is a 329 00:23:05.330 --> 00:23:08.939 good idea to refer to these as you craft your narrative to be 330 00:23:08.939 --> 00:23:11.792 certain you are providing reviewers clear, solid 331 00:23:11.792 --> 00:23:15.459 information. You will see that they correspond fairly directly 332 00:23:15.459 --> 00:23:18.720 with the prompts you are given to write your narrative. 333 00:23:27.560 --> 00:23:31.277 One of the prompts in the project justification section of 334 00:23:31.277 --> 00:23:34.364 the narrative is the identification of the need, 335 00:23:34.364 --> 00:23:37.578 problem or challenge your project addresses. It is 336 00:23:37.578 --> 00:23:40.602 foundational in your application, so keep these 337 00:23:40.602 --> 00:23:44.382 points in mind. The federal government wants its investment 338 00:23:44.382 --> 00:23:46.840 to result in something getting better. 339 00:23:48.530 --> 00:23:51.841 As you define your need, problem, or challenge, 340 00:23:51.841 --> 00:23:56.187 articulate what will get better as a result of your project as 341 00:23:56.187 --> 00:24:00.602 precisely as possible. Will your museum be able to expand their 342 00:24:00.602 --> 00:24:04.120 services as a result of additional staff? Will new 343 00:24:04.120 --> 00:24:08.190 graduates be better prepared for the museum field with the 344 00:24:08.190 --> 00:24:12.330 requisite experience? Will collections be better cared for? 345 00:24:12.830 --> 00:24:17.768 Will their lifespan be extended? Will access to your collections 346 00:24:17.768 --> 00:24:22.554 and the information surrounding them be expanded? Identify why 347 00:24:22.554 --> 00:24:26.961 it is important that this particular change happens. Hone 348 00:24:26.961 --> 00:24:31.063 your problem definition carefully, in clear, succinct 349 00:24:31.063 --> 00:24:35.394 terms. Gather and present data that support your problem 350 00:24:35.394 --> 00:24:36.230 definition. 351 00:24:43.780 --> 00:24:48.024 Project Work Plan. If the Project Justification section 352 00:24:48.024 --> 00:24:52.269 was the Why, the Project Work Plan section is where you 353 00:24:52.269 --> 00:24:56.437 identify the who, what, when and how. Who will do what 354 00:24:56.437 --> 00:25:01.212 activities, when, and using what resources? You should explain 355 00:25:01.212 --> 00:25:06.063 how you will track your progress toward achieving your intended 356 00:25:06.063 --> 00:25:10.460 results and what you'll do if you need to correct course. 357 00:25:11.110 --> 00:25:15.632 We also ask that you think about risks that are inherent in your 358 00:25:15.632 --> 00:25:19.668 particular project and tell us how you've taken that into 359 00:25:19.668 --> 00:25:23.842 account in your planning. I'll say more about risk in a few 360 00:25:23.842 --> 00:25:28.156 minutes. Please note that in your budget, you are required to 361 00:25:28.156 --> 00:25:32.679 add $3000 per year for travel to an IMLS Designated Meeting. You 362 00:25:32.679 --> 00:25:36.784 will add this line item in the Travel section of your IMLS 363 00:25:36.784 --> 00:25:37.549 budget form 364 00:25:38.200 --> 00:25:43.310 on the federal Grants funds side of the budget. This expense is 365 00:25:43.310 --> 00:25:48.340 used to cover your participation in convening of grantees at a 366 00:25:48.340 --> 00:25:52.891 place and location to be determined by IMLS. Again, this 367 00:25:52.891 --> 00:25:57.282 is the list of questions in Section E of the Notice of 368 00:25:57.282 --> 00:26:01.833 Funding Opportunity that reviewers are asked to consider 369 00:26:01.833 --> 00:26:06.864 when they review your proposal, so make sure your narrative is 370 00:26:06.864 --> 00:26:09.020 answering them effectively. 371 00:26:16.950 --> 00:26:21.982 Your work plan will be built on activities, so it is important 372 00:26:21.982 --> 00:26:26.695 to be clear about just what an activity is. An activity is 373 00:26:26.695 --> 00:26:31.887 something that someone does. It has a beginning and an end, just 374 00:26:31.887 --> 00:26:36.520 like projects, and you know you've finished it because it 375 00:26:36.520 --> 00:26:41.472 doesn't need to be done anymore. An activity is not a goal, a 376 00:26:41.472 --> 00:26:43.150 result or an outcome. 377 00:26:44.180 --> 00:26:49.094 Rather, it is something you do as part of striving to achieve 378 00:26:49.094 --> 00:26:53.770 those. Aim for a reasonable level of detail in identifying 379 00:26:53.770 --> 00:26:58.764 your activities. We also ask you to think about risks that are 380 00:26:58.764 --> 00:27:03.124 inherent in your particular project and to tell us how 381 00:27:03.124 --> 00:27:08.196 you've taken that into account in your planning. Think of it as 382 00:27:08.196 --> 00:27:13.269 answering the question what if? There is no checklist of risks, 383 00:27:13.269 --> 00:27:15.410 but every project has them. 384 00:27:15.990 --> 00:27:20.018 The best proposals will show that you are aware of them and 385 00:27:20.018 --> 00:27:24.315 have thought through a plan for dealing with them. Look at your 386 00:27:24.315 --> 00:27:28.411 activities and think about what could go wrong. Focus on the 387 00:27:28.411 --> 00:27:32.842 ones where your experience, your own or that of your group, tells 388 00:27:32.842 --> 00:27:37.140 you yes, that could happen and identify steps you would take in 389 00:27:37.140 --> 00:27:41.235 response. IMLS knows things go differently than expected. We 390 00:27:41.235 --> 00:27:44.190 just want you to be prepared by identifying 391 00:27:44.700 --> 00:27:49.158 implementable options. Here are some examples of risk that might 392 00:27:49.158 --> 00:27:53.410 be part of a project for which you might seek AAHC funding. A 393 00:27:53.410 --> 00:27:57.731 project may be dependent upon fundraising to generate the cost 394 00:27:57.731 --> 00:28:01.915 share, but it is not complete by the time the application is 395 00:28:01.915 --> 00:28:05.824 submitted. What will the institution do if that money is 396 00:28:05.824 --> 00:28:09.460 not available by the time the project gets underway? 397 00:28:11.100 --> 00:28:15.156 A project may be structured around university interns, who 398 00:28:15.156 --> 00:28:19.213 will be selected and trained according to well thought out 399 00:28:19.213 --> 00:28:23.407 processes. What will happen if one or more interns drop out? 400 00:28:23.407 --> 00:28:27.395 What's the plan for replacing them mid project? A project 401 00:28:27.395 --> 00:28:31.245 involving rehousing collections into new museum quality 402 00:28:31.245 --> 00:28:34.958 collection storage furniture might run into delays in 403 00:28:34.958 --> 00:28:38.740 preparing the space or in the delivery of the cabinet. 404 00:28:39.560 --> 00:28:44.636 What happens to the collection items then? How will the 405 00:28:44.636 --> 00:28:49.622 institution ensure that they remain safe and secure? A 406 00:28:49.622 --> 00:28:54.518 project depends on your community partners to achieve 407 00:28:54.518 --> 00:29:00.229 success, but one partner drops out mid project. What do you do 408 00:29:00.229 --> 00:29:05.849 now? The third section of your narrative should be devoted to 409 00:29:05.849 --> 00:29:10.019 articulating your project's intended results. 410 00:29:11.270 --> 00:29:15.597 This section is your chance to convince the reviewers that your 411 00:29:15.597 --> 00:29:19.721 project will result in something getting better. The need or 412 00:29:19.721 --> 00:29:23.845 problem you identified in your project justification will be 413 00:29:23.845 --> 00:29:27.835 addressed directly and it will be diminished or eliminated 414 00:29:27.835 --> 00:29:31.959 altogether. We ask you to tell us what data you will collect 415 00:29:31.959 --> 00:29:36.218 and report in order to measure your project's success, if your 416 00:29:36.218 --> 00:29:39.870 project will generate tangible products, and most do. 417 00:29:40.440 --> 00:29:45.019 Here's the opportunity to describe them and make the case 418 00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:49.915 that they will be useful. And last but not least, we ask that 419 00:29:49.915 --> 00:29:55.048 you tell us how you will sustain the benefit of the project. How 420 00:29:55.048 --> 00:29:59.943 will this improvement that you proposed to make continue once 421 00:29:59.943 --> 00:30:04.128 your grant is over? Again, here's the list of review 422 00:30:04.128 --> 00:30:07.839 questions that reviewers are asked to consider 423 00:30:08.190 --> 00:30:12.588 when they read and score the Project Results section of your 424 00:30:12.588 --> 00:30:16.698 narrative. These are found in Section E of the Notice of 425 00:30:16.698 --> 00:30:21.385 Funding Opportunity. All of your results should tie back to your 426 00:30:21.385 --> 00:30:25.855 need problem or challenge. You may well experience tangential 427 00:30:25.855 --> 00:30:29.677 benefits and or positive outcomes, but make sure you 428 00:30:29.677 --> 00:30:34.364 identify them as in addition to and not instead of your original 429 00:30:34.364 --> 00:30:35.590 intended results. 430 00:30:36.390 --> 00:30:41.784 Reviewers are likely to see that as a disconnect. We often hear 431 00:30:41.784 --> 00:30:46.503 that defining intended results and success measures are 432 00:30:46.503 --> 00:30:51.560 challenging for applicants, so it's worth spending a bit of 433 00:30:51.560 --> 00:30:56.280 time on this here. Let's think back to the questions we 434 00:30:56.280 --> 00:31:01.421 referenced a couple slides ago when we talked about defining 435 00:31:01.421 --> 00:31:06.899 the need, problem, or challenge that your project is addressing. 436 00:31:07.820 --> 00:31:12.456 If you said someone will learn something, how will you know? If 437 00:31:12.456 --> 00:31:16.802 your problem is related to segments of your community being 438 00:31:16.802 --> 00:31:21.294 better able to work together, how will you know when that has 439 00:31:21.294 --> 00:31:25.640 been achieved? If collections will be better cared for, how 440 00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:30.059 will you be sure, and how will you measure better? If you're 441 00:31:30.059 --> 00:31:33.971 digitizing to expand accessibility, how will you know 442 00:31:33.971 --> 00:31:35.420 when you've done it? 443 00:31:36.750 --> 00:31:40.732 This focus on results and measuring success in meaningful 444 00:31:40.732 --> 00:31:45.194 ways is not new. There has been a tremendous amount of work done 445 00:31:45.194 --> 00:31:49.520 on ways to measure success. For you as an applicant, though we 446 00:31:49.520 --> 00:31:53.708 encourage you to consider using a logic model or an outcomes 447 00:31:53.708 --> 00:31:58.102 based evaluation tool to explain your intended results and your 448 00:31:58.102 --> 00:31:59.750 plan for achieving them. 449 00:32:08.800 --> 00:32:12.499 So to recap, your narrative has three sections, Project 450 00:32:12.499 --> 00:32:16.396 Justification, Project Work Plan, and Project Results, and 451 00:32:16.396 --> 00:32:19.963 you have 7 pages for it. The sections are all equally 452 00:32:19.963 --> 00:32:23.464 important. Write clearly, address what we ask you to 453 00:32:23.464 --> 00:32:27.229 address, and keep an eye on those review criteria. We're 454 00:32:27.229 --> 00:32:31.325 telling you here exactly what the reviewers will look for, so 455 00:32:31.325 --> 00:32:34.759 make it easy for them to find it and understand it. 456 00:32:40.260 --> 00:32:45.016 In this section, we will provide information on what to include 457 00:32:45.016 --> 00:32:49.475 in your project budget and budget justification and provide 458 00:32:49.475 --> 00:32:54.157 some examples of allowable and unallowable costs. An important 459 00:32:54.157 --> 00:32:58.988 component of your application is the budget. This is the part of 460 00:32:58.988 --> 00:33:03.373 the application where you specify all the costs associated 461 00:33:03.373 --> 00:33:05.380 with your proposed project. 462 00:33:06.210 --> 00:33:10.203 The budget consists of two required components, the IMLS 463 00:33:10.203 --> 00:33:14.266 budget form and the budget justification. The IMLS budget 464 00:33:14.266 --> 00:33:18.329 form shown here is a fillable PDF that accommodates up to 465 00:33:18.329 --> 00:33:21.972 three years of project activities and expenses. The 466 00:33:21.972 --> 00:33:25.615 budget should include the project cost that will be 467 00:33:25.615 --> 00:33:30.029 charged to grant funds as well as those that will be supported 468 00:33:30.029 --> 00:33:31.010 by cost share. 469 00:33:31.980 --> 00:33:36.410 In kind, contributions to cost share may include the value of 470 00:33:36.410 --> 00:33:40.626 services, such as donated volunteer or consultant time, or 471 00:33:40.626 --> 00:33:45.342 equipment donated to the project between the authorized start and 472 00:33:45.342 --> 00:33:49.415 end dates of your project. All the items listed, whether 473 00:33:49.415 --> 00:33:53.774 supported by grant funds or cost share, must be necessary to 474 00:33:53.774 --> 00:33:57.847 accomplish project objectives allowable according to the 475 00:33:57.847 --> 00:34:00.420 applicable federal cost principles, 476 00:34:01.150 --> 00:34:07.806 auditable, and incurred during the award period of performance. 477 00:34:07.806 --> 00:34:13.734 The IMLS budget form can be downloaded directly from the 478 00:34:13.734 --> 00:34:19.974 IMLS website. As you develop your budget, keep in mind that 479 00:34:19.974 --> 00:34:26.734 there are certain costs that are either allowable or unallowable 480 00:34:26.734 --> 00:34:32.350 according to federal regulations. The allowability of 481 00:34:32.350 --> 00:34:35.990 a cost item for all federal grants 482 00:34:36.380 --> 00:34:41.854 are specified in the Code of Federal Regulations, also known 483 00:34:41.854 --> 00:34:47.598 as the CFR, sometimes referred to as two CFR 200 for short, but 484 00:34:47.598 --> 00:34:52.894 the full title is Title 2, Subtitle A, Chapter 2, Part 200 485 00:34:52.894 --> 00:34:58.368 of the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, 486 00:34:58.368 --> 00:35:03.484 and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Using the two 487 00:35:03.484 --> 00:35:05.100 CFR 200 as a basis 488 00:35:05.520 --> 00:35:09.998 we've developed a short list of allowable costs that are most 489 00:35:09.998 --> 00:35:14.405 common to a AAHC projects. See page 19 of the AAHC Notice of 490 00:35:14.405 --> 00:35:18.595 Funding Opportunity, which includes a partial list of the 491 00:35:18.595 --> 00:35:22.713 most common examples of allowable costs. This short list 492 00:35:22.713 --> 00:35:27.047 of allowable costs are also shown here on this slide. These 493 00:35:27.047 --> 00:35:31.598 costs may be part of what you ask IMLS to pay for with federal 494 00:35:31.598 --> 00:35:31.960 funds 495 00:35:32.270 --> 00:35:37.863 or what you will pay for as part of your cost share. The rules 496 00:35:37.863 --> 00:35:43.545 about allowability apply equally to grant funds as well as cost 497 00:35:43.545 --> 00:35:48.961 share. When completing your project budget, be sure to check 498 00:35:48.961 --> 00:35:54.288 that all the costs you include, whether grant funds or cost 499 00:35:54.288 --> 00:35:58.550 share, are allowable. There are also some costs 500 00:35:59.050 --> 00:36:03.369 which are unallowable according to the federal regulations in 2 501 00:36:03.369 --> 00:36:07.689 CFR200. On page 19 of the AAHC Notice of Funding Opportunity we 502 00:36:07.689 --> 00:36:12.076 also provide an abbreviated list of unallowable costs. These are 503 00:36:12.076 --> 00:36:16.193 also listed on here on this slide. Unallowable costs may not 504 00:36:16.193 --> 00:36:20.512 be part of what you ask IMLS to pay for, nor can they be a part 505 00:36:20.512 --> 00:36:24.089 of what you will pay for as part of your cost share. 506 00:36:24.730 --> 00:36:28.796 In fact, unallowable expenses can't show up anywhere in your 507 00:36:28.796 --> 00:36:32.996 proposal. As you prepare your application, it's a good idea to 508 00:36:32.996 --> 00:36:37.130 compare your list of proposed expenses against these lists of 509 00:36:37.130 --> 00:36:41.463 allowable and unallowable costs, and against the appropriate set 510 00:36:41.463 --> 00:36:44.930 of cost principles. If after that you have specific 511 00:36:44.930 --> 00:36:48.730 questions, please contact us and we'll be happy to help. 512 00:36:54.490 --> 00:36:58.865 In addition to the IMLS budget form, you will also prepare a 513 00:36:58.865 --> 00:37:03.599 budget justification. This is an opportunity to provide in a more 514 00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:08.119 detailed narrative format, an explanation or justification for 515 00:37:08.119 --> 00:37:12.494 the project cost. The budget justification should be written 516 00:37:12.494 --> 00:37:16.942 to follow the cost categories in the IMLS budget form. In the 517 00:37:16.942 --> 00:37:20.170 justification you will identify each expense 518 00:37:20.550 --> 00:37:24.648 and show the method of cost computation used to determine 519 00:37:24.648 --> 00:37:28.322 each dollar amount, including any that you may have 520 00:37:28.322 --> 00:37:32.702 consolidated and summarized on the IMLS budget form. In other 521 00:37:32.702 --> 00:37:36.801 words, please show your math. For example, in the section 522 00:37:36.801 --> 00:37:40.899 Salaries and Wages, you should identify each person whose 523 00:37:40.899 --> 00:37:44.855 salary or wages will be paid with IMLS funds or by cost 524 00:37:44.855 --> 00:37:49.024 share, provide their names, and describe their role in the 525 00:37:49.024 --> 00:37:49.590 project. 526 00:37:50.280 --> 00:37:54.171 Document the method of cost computation by including the 527 00:37:54.171 --> 00:37:58.199 base salary or wages for each person and the percentage of 528 00:37:58.199 --> 00:38:02.568 time each person is allocating to the project activities, which 529 00:38:02.568 --> 00:38:06.938 may be shown as a percentage of time, number of days, or number 530 00:38:06.938 --> 00:38:11.307 of hours. If cost share is being provided by unpaid volunteers, 531 00:38:11.307 --> 00:38:15.608 explain how you arrived at the dollar amount used to represent 532 00:38:15.608 --> 00:38:17.519 the value of their services. 533 00:38:19.460 --> 00:38:23.525 In the section for Supplies, Materials, and equipment, you 534 00:38:23.525 --> 00:38:27.728 should list each type of supply, material, and equipment you 535 00:38:27.728 --> 00:38:32.001 propose to purchase or provide as cost share for the project. 536 00:38:32.001 --> 00:38:36.273 Detail the number and unit cost for each item and explain how 537 00:38:36.273 --> 00:38:40.131 you arrived at the dollar amounts. You may also provide 538 00:38:40.131 --> 00:38:44.473 vendor quotes or price lists as supporting documents with your 539 00:38:44.473 --> 00:38:45.299 application. 540 00:38:52.210 --> 00:38:56.492 In summary, considering all the components of your application, 541 00:38:56.492 --> 00:39:00.038 there are four general characteristics of successful 542 00:39:00.038 --> 00:39:04.253 AAHC applications that reviewers will look for. As you prepare 543 00:39:04.253 --> 00:39:08.268 your application keep these characteristics in mind. First, 544 00:39:08.268 --> 00:39:11.748 institutional impact. Your project should build the 545 00:39:11.748 --> 00:39:15.361 capacity of your museum and or support the growth and 546 00:39:15.361 --> 00:39:17.770 development of museum professionals 547 00:39:18.080 --> 00:39:22.563 at your museums or HBCU. Second, in-depth knowledge. Your 548 00:39:22.563 --> 00:39:26.583 proposal should reflect a thorough understanding of 549 00:39:26.583 --> 00:39:31.530 current practice and knowledge about the subject matter. Third, 550 00:39:31.530 --> 00:39:36.478 project based design. Your work plan should consist of a set of 551 00:39:36.478 --> 00:39:41.425 logical interrelated activities tied directly to addressing the 552 00:39:41.425 --> 00:39:45.599 key need or challenge, and 4th, demonstrable results. 553 00:39:46.410 --> 00:39:50.708 Your project should generate measurable results that tie 554 00:39:50.708 --> 00:39:54.704 directly to the need or challenge it was designed to 555 00:39:54.704 --> 00:39:58.550 address. An application that has all of these four 556 00:39:58.550 --> 00:40:03.300 characteristics will stand out in the review process, and will 557 00:40:03.300 --> 00:40:07.749 have the best chance of success for funding. In this final 558 00:40:07.749 --> 00:40:12.575 section of our presentation, we offer some application tips and 559 00:40:12.575 --> 00:40:13.330 next steps 560 00:40:18.290 --> 00:40:21.620 we want to share with you the places to look for more 561 00:40:21.620 --> 00:40:25.381 information, such as the IMLS website where you can find the 562 00:40:25.381 --> 00:40:29.205 awarded grant search to learn more about the projects we have 563 00:40:29.205 --> 00:40:31.610 funded through the AAHC Grant program. 564 00:40:32.500 --> 00:40:36.750 The awarded grant search gives you an opportunity to explore 565 00:40:36.750 --> 00:40:41.140 our archive of grants that we have awarded in past years using 566 00:40:41.140 --> 00:40:45.460 a variety of criteria such as institution name, location, and 567 00:40:45.460 --> 00:40:49.570 keywords. Your search will provide basic information about 568 00:40:49.570 --> 00:40:53.403 the award and a brief description of the project. This 569 00:40:53.403 --> 00:40:57.862 can be extremely helpful as you put ideas together for your own 570 00:40:57.862 --> 00:40:58.420 project. 571 00:41:03.820 --> 00:41:07.337 We have also posted the narrative and schedule of 572 00:41:07.337 --> 00:41:11.768 completion for a cross section of successful applications from 573 00:41:11.768 --> 00:41:16.199 2023. To find these examples, go to the sample applications on 574 00:41:16.199 --> 00:41:20.701 the IMLS website and scroll down the page to the AAHC examples. 575 00:41:20.701 --> 00:41:25.344 Looking at these proposals might help clarify your thinking about 576 00:41:25.344 --> 00:41:26.540 your own project. 577 00:41:31.350 --> 00:41:37.210 Each PDF contains a copy of the seven page narrative and also 578 00:41:37.210 --> 00:41:43.355 the schedule for completion. We can only make grants to eligible 579 00:41:43.355 --> 00:41:48.649 applicants that submit complete applications, including 580 00:41:48.649 --> 00:41:54.415 attachments on or before the deadline. So here are some tips 581 00:41:54.415 --> 00:42:00.465 to help you do just that. Start early. You've already done that 582 00:42:00.465 --> 00:42:03.680 by participating in this webinar. 583 00:42:04.910 --> 00:42:08.589 Become familiar with Grants dot Gov's workspace. It has many 584 00:42:08.589 --> 00:42:12.449 good features, including upfront validation which allows you to 585 00:42:12.449 --> 00:42:15.827 correct errors prior to submission, and the opportunity 586 00:42:15.827 --> 00:42:19.265 to collaborate with others in creating your application. 587 00:42:19.265 --> 00:42:22.884 Consider starting with the workspace overview and check out 588 00:42:22.884 --> 00:42:26.141 their tutorials. Do your background research, make it 589 00:42:26.141 --> 00:42:29.941 easy for the reviewers to see that you are up to date and know 590 00:42:29.941 --> 00:42:31.510 what you're talking about. 591 00:42:32.720 --> 00:42:36.455 Be sure your application is complete. Check it against the 592 00:42:36.455 --> 00:42:40.064 table of application components in the Notice of Funding 593 00:42:40.064 --> 00:42:43.673 Opportunity. Make sure all application components are in 594 00:42:43.673 --> 00:42:47.535 the proper format and follow the correct naming conventions. 595 00:42:47.535 --> 00:42:51.397 Submit to grants dot Gov early so you can correct any errors 596 00:42:51.397 --> 00:42:54.880 and avoid any trauma created by technology challenges. 597 00:43:01.300 --> 00:43:05.376 It's important to get your application submitted online 598 00:43:05.376 --> 00:43:09.962 through grants.gov before the deadline of November 15th, 2023. 599 00:43:09.962 --> 00:43:13.821 IMLS does not accept applications by mail or e-mail. 600 00:43:13.821 --> 00:43:17.825 In order to register with grants.gov, you must have an 601 00:43:17.825 --> 00:43:22.556 active sam.gov registration and Unique Entity Identifier number, 602 00:43:22.556 --> 00:43:26.924 so make sure your registrations for both of these sites are 603 00:43:26.924 --> 00:43:27.580 complete, 604 00:43:27.940 --> 00:43:32.021 your accounts are active, and that any necessary passwords are 605 00:43:32.021 --> 00:43:35.909 current. Those registrations expire periodically, so do not 606 00:43:35.909 --> 00:43:40.121 wait until it is time to hit the submit button to check on them. 607 00:43:40.121 --> 00:43:44.008 You should coordinate with any other staff members, such as 608 00:43:44.008 --> 00:43:48.025 your authorized organization representative, who may hold the 609 00:43:48.025 --> 00:43:52.107 accounts and passwords you'll need to submit. Both the sam.gov 610 00:43:52.107 --> 00:43:56.060 and grants.gov websites have robust help features and FAQ's. 611 00:43:56.750 --> 00:44:00.835 If you run into technical issues with either of these sites, you 612 00:44:00.835 --> 00:44:04.670 should reach out to their help desks and request a tracking, 613 00:44:04.670 --> 00:44:08.315 case or ticket number in order to document your issue and 614 00:44:08.315 --> 00:44:11.898 attempts at resolving it. Failure to have active sam.gov 615 00:44:11.898 --> 00:44:15.858 or grants.gov registrations by the application deadline is not 616 00:44:15.858 --> 00:44:19.692 an excuse for submitting a late application, so again, start 617 00:44:19.692 --> 00:44:20.070 early. 618 00:44:24.630 --> 00:44:28.611 There are many components to the application and the narrative is 619 00:44:28.611 --> 00:44:32.412 an essential and critical part of the package. Peer reviewers, 620 00:44:32.412 --> 00:44:36.092 who are museum professionals from all types of museums, will 621 00:44:36.092 --> 00:44:39.531 be selected by IMLS to read each application and provide 622 00:44:39.531 --> 00:44:42.910 constructive and critical comments on the strengths and 623 00:44:42.910 --> 00:44:46.409 weaknesses of the proposed projects. They also base their 624 00:44:46.409 --> 00:44:50.150 reviews only on the information contained in the application. 625 00:44:50.690 --> 00:44:54.680 So don't assume that a reviewer or IMLS will know something 626 00:44:54.680 --> 00:44:58.472 about your museum or your proposed project. To help make 627 00:44:58.472 --> 00:45:02.330 sure your narrative is as clear and complete as possible, 628 00:45:02.330 --> 00:45:06.121 revisit the Notice of Funding Opportunity and follow the 629 00:45:06.121 --> 00:45:10.245 narrative outline it provides. Be sure to consider the review 630 00:45:10.245 --> 00:45:13.970 criteria associated with each section of the narrative. 631 00:45:14.890 --> 00:45:18.402 Use headings, subheadings, or numbered sections in your 632 00:45:18.402 --> 00:45:21.852 narrative to make it easy for reviewers to read. Avoid 633 00:45:21.852 --> 00:45:25.365 generalities, acronyms, and jargon. The people who will 634 00:45:25.365 --> 00:45:29.065 review your application are museum professionals, but they 635 00:45:29.065 --> 00:45:32.641 may not be totally familiar with your particular field's 636 00:45:32.641 --> 00:45:36.529 shorthand. Make it easy for them to understand what you mean. 637 00:45:37.640 --> 00:45:42.413 An advantage to starting your application early is that you 638 00:45:42.413 --> 00:45:46.949 can ask a colleague to review everything with fresh eyes 639 00:45:46.949 --> 00:45:52.041 before you submit. Ask them to act like a reviewer who's seeing 640 00:45:52.041 --> 00:45:56.895 this for the very first time. Here are a few important dates 641 00:45:56.895 --> 00:46:01.669 relating to your application. Applications must be received 642 00:46:01.669 --> 00:46:06.602 through grants.gov by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on November 15th, 643 00:46:06.602 --> 00:46:06.999 2023. 644 00:46:07.590 --> 00:46:11.895 The date is non negotiable. The timestamp is auto generated by 645 00:46:11.895 --> 00:46:16.063 the grants.gov system and we have no ability to override it. 646 00:46:16.063 --> 00:46:20.095 We will say this repeatedly to start early and submit your 647 00:46:20.095 --> 00:46:24.264 application early. That way if you encounter a difficulty of 648 00:46:24.264 --> 00:46:28.501 any kind when submitting your proposal, you'll have some time 649 00:46:28.501 --> 00:46:31.029 to resolve the problem and resubmit. 650 00:46:32.880 --> 00:46:36.624 After the application deadline, IMLS staff will review your 651 00:46:36.624 --> 00:46:40.618 application for completeness and eligibility, and you will hear 652 00:46:40.618 --> 00:46:44.363 from us via e-mail if there are any problems. Next, we will 653 00:46:44.363 --> 00:46:47.796 select experienced and knowledgeable peer reviewers to 654 00:46:47.796 --> 00:46:51.228 read your applications and provide scores and comments 655 00:46:51.228 --> 00:46:55.035 based on the criteria outlined in the AAHC Notice of Funding 656 00:46:55.035 --> 00:46:58.468 Opportunity. IMLS staff will examine your budget, your 657 00:46:58.468 --> 00:47:01.963 financials, and your track record with past and current 658 00:47:01.963 --> 00:47:02.399 grants. 659 00:47:02.990 --> 00:47:07.392 We then prepare materials for the IMLS Deputy Director for 660 00:47:07.392 --> 00:47:11.869 Museums and the IMLS Director. By law, the IMLS Director is 661 00:47:11.869 --> 00:47:16.346 charged with the authority and responsibility to make final 662 00:47:16.346 --> 00:47:20.450 award decisions, and this typically happens in May. In 663 00:47:20.450 --> 00:47:24.852 early June 2024, we will notify you by e-mail of the award 664 00:47:24.852 --> 00:47:29.403 decisions and provide the scores and comments created by the 665 00:47:29.403 --> 00:47:30.150 reviewers. 666 00:47:31.480 --> 00:47:36.083 AAHC projects must be scheduled to start on the first day of 667 00:47:36.083 --> 00:47:40.385 July 2024. As you read through the NOFO and prepare your 668 00:47:40.385 --> 00:47:44.536 application, additional questions may arise before the 669 00:47:44.536 --> 00:47:48.838 application deadline. We can help you with learning more 670 00:47:48.838 --> 00:47:53.517 about the AAHC grant program or other grant programs at IMLS, 671 00:47:53.517 --> 00:47:57.969 address any specific concerns with the various application 672 00:47:57.969 --> 00:47:58.800 components, 673 00:47:59.340 --> 00:48:03.243 or help you understand the review process. You may contact 674 00:48:03.243 --> 00:48:07.346 IMLS Program staff by e-mail or phone. Contact information is 675 00:48:07.346 --> 00:48:10.853 listed on the Grant Program landing page on the IMLS 676 00:48:10.853 --> 00:48:14.955 website, which is also linked here on the slide. You may also 677 00:48:14.955 --> 00:48:18.727 schedule a counseling call to meet directly with program 678 00:48:18.727 --> 00:48:22.763 staff. Use the links found on the Grant Program landing page 679 00:48:22.763 --> 00:48:25.940 to find an available time slot on our calendar. 680 00:48:26.490 --> 00:48:32.068 You will then receive an e-mail with a calendar invite and 681 00:48:32.068 --> 00:48:37.647 Microsoft Teams meeting link. Thank you for attending this 682 00:48:37.647 --> 00:48:43.320 webinar. Please reach out to IMLS if you have any questions 683 00:48:43.320 --> 00:48:47.670 about submitting your application. Thank you.