WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 1 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:06.782 Hello and welcome to the Institute of Museum and Library 2 00:00:06.782 --> 00:00:10.524 Services, Office of Museum Services Informational Video, 3 00:00:10.524 --> 00:00:14.463 the Museums for America Grant Program Applicant Information 4 00:00:14.463 --> 00:00:17.942 Session. My name is Mark Isaksen, one of the program 5 00:00:17.942 --> 00:00:21.881 staff in the Office of Museum Services at IMLS, and I'll be 6 00:00:21.881 --> 00:00:23.719 narrating this presentation. 7 00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:32.599 The goal of this video is to provide an overview of our 8 00:00:32.599 --> 00:00:36.832 Museums for America grant program, which we call MFA for 9 00:00:36.832 --> 00:00:40.620 short, and also review the process of preparing an 10 00:00:40.620 --> 00:00:44.928 application for funding. This video is organized into six 11 00:00:44.928 --> 00:00:49.458 chapters. First is, What is Museums for America? The section 12 00:00:49.458 --> 00:00:54.286 explains the purpose and design of the Museums for America grant 13 00:00:54.286 --> 00:00:56.960 program. What can MFA grants fund? 14 00:00:57.390 --> 00:01:01.328 This section explains the types of projects that can be funded 15 00:01:01.328 --> 00:01:05.267 in MFA and the amount of funds that can be requested. Next is, 16 00:01:05.267 --> 00:01:08.956 Application Components and Introduction, where we describe 17 00:01:08.956 --> 00:01:12.832 the types of documents that are needed to create an MFA grant 18 00:01:12.832 --> 00:01:16.458 application. Following that is the Application Components 19 00:01:16.458 --> 00:01:20.522 Narrative section, which focuses on composing the narrative part 20 00:01:20.522 --> 00:01:21.710 of the application. 21 00:01:22.880 --> 00:01:26.118 And next is a section that provides details on the 22 00:01:26.118 --> 00:01:29.674 information to include in your budget. And finally, the 23 00:01:29.674 --> 00:01:33.421 concluding section provides a few tips and next steps. The 24 00:01:33.421 --> 00:01:37.612 complete set of instructions for how to prepare and submit an MFA 25 00:01:37.612 --> 00:01:40.978 grant application are found in the Notice of Funding 26 00:01:40.978 --> 00:01:44.598 Opportunity published on Grants.gov and available on the 27 00:01:44.598 --> 00:01:47.900 IMLS website. Please refer to the Notice of Funding 28 00:01:47.900 --> 00:01:51.520 Opportunity for the most detailed information to prepare 29 00:01:51.520 --> 00:01:52.599 your application. 30 00:01:56.290 --> 00:02:00.136 To get the most out of this video, we recommend that you 31 00:02:00.136 --> 00:02:04.320 watch it in its entirety. This will give you an understanding 32 00:02:04.320 --> 00:02:08.369 of the MFA grant program, the types of projects that can be 33 00:02:08.369 --> 00:02:12.284 funded, and the necessary application components. You may 34 00:02:12.284 --> 00:02:16.198 also want to review the MFA Notice of Funding Opportunity 35 00:02:16.198 --> 00:02:19.370 before, during, and after you watch the video. 36 00:02:19.960 --> 00:02:23.200 Notices of Funding Opportunities, also known as 37 00:02:23.200 --> 00:02:27.588 NOFOs, are documents that detail the requirements of each of our 38 00:02:27.588 --> 00:02:31.773 grant programs for fiscal year 2024, and all of the NOFOs can 39 00:02:31.773 --> 00:02:35.891 be found at imls.gov/grants. As you navigate the application 40 00:02:35.891 --> 00:02:39.941 process, you can use this video as a reference tool; and if 41 00:02:39.941 --> 00:02:44.397 you'd like to skip to a specific section, please use the time bar 42 00:02:44.397 --> 00:02:48.312 below or the links in the description box to navigate the 43 00:02:48.312 --> 00:02:48.920 chapters. 44 00:02:51.800 --> 00:02:55.358 What is MFA? In this question, we're going to provide 45 00:02:55.358 --> 00:02:59.576 information on the purpose and intent of this grant program and 46 00:02:59.576 --> 00:03:03.267 who it is designed to serve. Museums for America is our 47 00:03:03.267 --> 00:03:06.892 largest grant program, receiving the largest number of 48 00:03:06.892 --> 00:03:10.912 applications each year and the one through which we make the 49 00:03:10.912 --> 00:03:12.560 largest number of awards. 50 00:03:13.140 --> 00:03:17.133 The overall goal of the program is to support activities that 51 00:03:17.133 --> 00:03:20.740 strengthen the abilities of individual museums to serve 52 00:03:20.740 --> 00:03:24.669 their publics. This might be through activities that reflect 53 00:03:24.669 --> 00:03:28.147 museums as active resources for lifelong learning, as 54 00:03:28.147 --> 00:03:31.947 institutions important in improving the wellbeing of their 55 00:03:31.947 --> 00:03:36.198 communities, or as good stewards of the nation's collections. MFA 56 00:03:36.198 --> 00:03:40.127 is all about what your museum needs in order to better serve 57 00:03:40.127 --> 00:03:40.899 your public. 58 00:03:41.710 --> 00:03:45.849 And it may well be exactly the same as what the museum across 59 00:03:45.849 --> 00:03:49.788 town or in a neighboring state needs, And that's okay. The 60 00:03:49.788 --> 00:03:54.060 important thing here is that our support should help you make a 61 00:03:54.060 --> 00:03:57.932 local impact. MFA projects are expected to focus on a key 62 00:03:57.932 --> 00:04:01.604 component of your museum strategic plan. IMLS wants to 63 00:04:01.604 --> 00:04:05.810 help advance something that is a priority for your museum and, 64 00:04:05.810 --> 00:04:09.482 hopefully, something that will ultimately benefit your 65 00:04:09.482 --> 00:04:10.150 community. 66 00:04:11.140 --> 00:04:13.999 To help demonstrate that connection in your grant 67 00:04:13.999 --> 00:04:17.317 application, we ask for a summary of your strategic plan, 68 00:04:17.317 --> 00:04:20.920 usually no more than two pages, so that reviewers will be able 69 00:04:20.920 --> 00:04:24.638 to understand how your proposed projects activities will further 70 00:04:24.638 --> 00:04:28.069 your institutional goals and objectives. The strategic plan 71 00:04:28.069 --> 00:04:31.101 summary is your opportunity to make a thoughtful and 72 00:04:31.101 --> 00:04:34.590 well-constructed connection between the proposed project and 73 00:04:34.590 --> 00:04:36.019 your museum's priorities. 74 00:04:37.450 --> 00:04:41.653 The priorities in your strategic plan may connect to a range of 75 00:04:41.653 --> 00:04:45.660 activities from exhibitions and educational and interpretive 76 00:04:45.660 --> 00:04:49.009 programs, digital learning resources, professional 77 00:04:49.009 --> 00:04:52.950 development or community debate, dialogue, audience focused 78 00:04:52.950 --> 00:04:56.431 studies, broad collections management activities, or 79 00:04:56.431 --> 00:05:00.700 curation care, and conservation of the collection. These are the 80 00:05:00.700 --> 00:05:04.969 kinds of activities that can be funded in the MFA grant program. 81 00:05:06.340 --> 00:05:10.562 Characteristic of a successful MFA grant application is making 82 00:05:10.562 --> 00:05:14.584 that connection between the proposed project and a key need 83 00:05:14.584 --> 00:05:18.606 or challenge that faces your museum and whose resolution is 84 00:05:18.606 --> 00:05:22.762 identified in your strategic plan. Now, keep in mind that MFA 85 00:05:22.762 --> 00:05:27.119 is a grant program for museums, and as a museum, you should keep 86 00:05:27.119 --> 00:05:31.476 in mind that all applicants must meet certain requirements to be 87 00:05:31.476 --> 00:05:33.420 eligible for federal funding. 88 00:05:34.990 --> 00:05:38.478 Your organization must be located in one of the United 89 00:05:38.478 --> 00:05:41.966 States' 50 states, its territories, or the District of 90 00:05:41.966 --> 00:05:45.836 Columbia; and your organization must be a private, nonprofit 91 00:05:45.836 --> 00:05:49.514 organization with tax exempt status or a unit of state or 92 00:05:49.514 --> 00:05:53.003 local or tribal government. Now, if you meet these two 93 00:05:53.003 --> 00:05:57.126 requirements, then the next step is to consider what it means to 94 00:05:57.126 --> 00:05:59.789 be eligible for IMLS funding as a museum. 95 00:06:01.150 --> 00:06:05.217 And museums must: have at least one full-time or equivalent 96 00:06:05.217 --> 00:06:09.081 professional staff person, either paid or unpaid; have a 97 00:06:09.081 --> 00:06:13.216 physical location that you own or operate; have been open to 98 00:06:13.216 --> 00:06:17.555 the public for at least 120 days in the year prior to the grant 99 00:06:17.555 --> 00:06:20.470 application, which is November 15th, 2023; 100 00:06:21.630 --> 00:06:25.966 and, also, you should own or use tangible objects. Now, museums 101 00:06:25.966 --> 00:06:29.490 can also be a standalone organizations or part of a 102 00:06:29.490 --> 00:06:33.555 larger institution such as a college or university or tribe 103 00:06:33.555 --> 00:06:37.756 or state or local government. If you have any questions about 104 00:06:37.756 --> 00:06:41.957 these categories, please feel free to reach out to one of our 105 00:06:41.957 --> 00:06:45.752 Office of Museum Services program staff to discuss your 106 00:06:45.752 --> 00:06:46.430 situation. 107 00:06:49.810 --> 00:06:53.894 And of course, MFA is a grant program for all types of 108 00:06:53.894 --> 00:06:58.722 museums. And here's a brief list of some of the types of museums 109 00:06:58.722 --> 00:07:03.178 that routinely apply to this grant program. Many do and, in 110 00:07:03.178 --> 00:07:07.857 many ways, apply each year, so please consider yourself one of 111 00:07:07.857 --> 00:07:11.794 these types. Now in this section, we will answer the 112 00:07:11.794 --> 00:07:16.473 question, "what can MFA fund?", providing details on the types 113 00:07:16.473 --> 00:07:18.850 of projects and associated goals 114 00:07:19.710 --> 00:07:23.966 within the MFA grant program as well as offer some summary data 115 00:07:23.966 --> 00:07:28.023 on the number and type of MFA projects that were funded last 116 00:07:28.023 --> 00:07:31.016 year. So, MFA grants are designed to support 117 00:07:31.016 --> 00:07:35.139 project-based activities. So, let's take a minute to consider 118 00:07:35.139 --> 00:07:39.063 just what that means. The Project Management Institute has 119 00:07:39.063 --> 00:07:43.320 a good definition which is, "A temporary endeavor undertaken to 120 00:07:43.320 --> 00:07:46.977 create a unique product, service, or result." That's a 121 00:07:46.977 --> 00:07:47.509 project. 122 00:07:48.710 --> 00:07:52.274 And they go on further to explain that a project is 123 00:07:52.274 --> 00:07:56.251 temporary because it has a defined beginning and end, and 124 00:07:56.251 --> 00:08:00.501 therefore a defined scope and needed resources. And a project 125 00:08:00.501 --> 00:08:04.752 is unique in that it is not a routine operation, but rather a 126 00:08:04.752 --> 00:08:08.317 specific set of operations designed to accomplish a 127 00:08:08.317 --> 00:08:12.842 singular goal. We recommend that you keep this definition in mind 128 00:08:12.842 --> 00:08:16.750 as you conceptualize your IMLS project. Think of it as a 129 00:08:17.370 --> 00:08:22.128 temporary, non-routine set of activities which collectively 130 00:08:22.128 --> 00:08:27.204 have a beginning and an end, a defined scope requiring specific 131 00:08:27.204 --> 00:08:32.281 resources, which are designed to accomplish a specific singular 132 00:08:32.281 --> 00:08:37.357 goal. Now, keeping our focus on project-based activities, let's 133 00:08:37.357 --> 00:08:42.195 look a little further at what characteristics are most often 134 00:08:42.195 --> 00:08:45.130 seen in successful MFA applications. 135 00:08:48.050 --> 00:08:52.655 First is, Institutional Impact. The project should address a key 136 00:08:52.655 --> 00:08:56.410 goal identified in the institution's strategic plan. 137 00:08:56.410 --> 00:09:00.520 Next is, In-depth Knowledge. The project should reflect a 138 00:09:00.520 --> 00:09:04.558 thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge 139 00:09:04.558 --> 00:09:06.330 about the subject matter. 140 00:09:08.130 --> 00:09:12.297 Next is, Project-based Design. The work plan should consist of 141 00:09:12.297 --> 00:09:16.135 a set of logical interrelated activities tied directly to 142 00:09:16.135 --> 00:09:20.104 addressing the key need or challenge. Finally, Demonstrable 143 00:09:20.104 --> 00:09:24.140 Results. The project should generate measurable results that 144 00:09:24.140 --> 00:09:27.911 tie directly to the need or challenge it was designed to 145 00:09:27.911 --> 00:09:31.682 address. Again, successful projects most often exemplify 146 00:09:31.682 --> 00:09:35.651 all of these characteristics, and will most likely fit well 147 00:09:35.651 --> 00:09:37.570 within the MFA grant program. 148 00:09:38.660 --> 00:09:43.335 And it's been our experience that unfunded applications 149 00:09:43.335 --> 00:09:47.342 usually fail to deliver on one or more of these 150 00:09:47.342 --> 00:09:51.433 characteristics. So, if project-based design and 151 00:09:51.433 --> 00:09:56.610 institutional impact are core elements of your idea, then now 152 00:09:56.610 --> 00:10:01.536 it's time to consider how your application aligns with the 153 00:10:01.536 --> 00:10:05.459 grant program polls and associated objectives. 154 00:10:07.040 --> 00:10:11.356 The type of project activity you are seeking to fund should align 155 00:10:11.356 --> 00:10:15.411 with one of these three options: Lifelong Learning, Community 156 00:10:15.411 --> 00:10:19.334 Engagement, and Collection Stewardship and Access. Now, why 157 00:10:19.334 --> 00:10:22.931 is your decision about which project goal to choose so 158 00:10:22.931 --> 00:10:27.051 important? For one thing, your application will be reviewed by 159 00:10:27.051 --> 00:10:30.845 museum professionals who have experience and expertise in 160 00:10:30.845 --> 00:10:32.480 these general categories. 161 00:10:33.250 --> 00:10:36.841 And for another, your application will be competing 162 00:10:36.841 --> 00:10:41.123 against others who have chosen the same category or goal. So, 163 00:10:41.123 --> 00:10:45.267 in short, the entire review process sort of incorporates an 164 00:10:45.267 --> 00:10:49.480 assumption that your project aligns with one of these goals, 165 00:10:49.480 --> 00:10:53.831 the one that you identified. So, it's an important choice. So, 166 00:10:53.831 --> 00:10:57.975 let's take a look at the kinds of activities that might fit 167 00:10:57.975 --> 00:11:02.395 within these goal areas and in this one and the two slides that 168 00:11:02.395 --> 00:11:02.810 follow 169 00:11:03.230 --> 00:11:07.556 the objectives provide some of the types of projects that fit 170 00:11:07.556 --> 00:11:11.673 within the goal. Now, a project in Lifelong Learning might 171 00:11:11.673 --> 00:11:15.930 include, but is not limited to: design and fabrication of an 172 00:11:15.930 --> 00:11:20.256 exhibit program development for all types of audiences; maybe 173 00:11:20.256 --> 00:11:24.304 creating interpretive plans or new media; or training for 174 00:11:24.304 --> 00:11:28.212 teachers; or partnerships with schools or out of school 175 00:11:28.212 --> 00:11:28.909 audiences; 176 00:11:30.500 --> 00:11:34.187 professional development opportunities for museum staff; 177 00:11:34.187 --> 00:11:37.874 or some sort of program evaluation. And as you plan your 178 00:11:37.874 --> 00:11:42.079 project in the Lifelong Learning category, we strongly recommend 179 00:11:42.079 --> 00:11:45.702 starting with the concept of putting the learner at the 180 00:11:45.702 --> 00:11:49.131 center, build around that concept. Spend time really 181 00:11:49.131 --> 00:11:52.948 thinking through who your learners are in this project and 182 00:11:52.948 --> 00:11:56.829 what are their needs. And it's not like they're going to be 183 00:11:56.829 --> 00:11:58.900 everybody. So, who is it really? 184 00:11:59.390 --> 00:12:03.426 Name that audience and think about what they want to learn 185 00:12:03.426 --> 00:12:07.668 and what do you want them to learn and what's the best way to 186 00:12:07.668 --> 00:12:11.978 achieve that goal, and we'll get to the whole idea of problems 187 00:12:11.978 --> 00:12:16.357 and needs in a few minutes. But a major take away here is to be 188 00:12:16.357 --> 00:12:20.462 focused on identifying your audience and thinking about how 189 00:12:20.462 --> 00:12:22.310 you're going to serve them. 190 00:12:28.470 --> 00:12:32.486 Now, in the next goal, under Community Engagement, these 191 00:12:32.486 --> 00:12:36.572 projects are likely to include activities that contribute 192 00:12:36.572 --> 00:12:41.011 directly to your institution's role as an essential partner in 193 00:12:41.011 --> 00:12:45.520 addressing community needs. So, successful community engagement 194 00:12:45.520 --> 00:12:49.607 projects strive to create a better quality of life within 195 00:12:49.607 --> 00:12:53.975 and also with communities. So, projects in this category will 196 00:12:53.975 --> 00:12:56.230 demonstrate a direct involvement 197 00:12:56.620 --> 00:13:00.943 by members of your community in planning your project, as well 198 00:13:00.943 --> 00:13:05.198 as direct involvement in the implementation of activities and 199 00:13:05.198 --> 00:13:09.247 the evaluation of results. Your application should clearly 200 00:13:09.247 --> 00:13:13.571 define who or what the community is that you are serving. Many 201 00:13:13.571 --> 00:13:17.414 museums regularly undertake activities that engage with 202 00:13:17.414 --> 00:13:21.463 their communities, such as exhibitions and public programs 203 00:13:21.463 --> 00:13:24.139 and audience development and outreach, 204 00:13:25.020 --> 00:13:29.364 and civic engagement and other kinds of things that we we've 205 00:13:29.364 --> 00:13:33.994 talked about. And so how do you know if your project is a better 206 00:13:33.994 --> 00:13:38.481 fit within Lifelong Learning the goal in the previous slide or 207 00:13:38.481 --> 00:13:42.470 Community Engagement, which we're talking about on this 208 00:13:42.470 --> 00:13:46.387 slide. So, if your project requires the involvement of 209 00:13:46.387 --> 00:13:50.660 community partners to co-create the content or to drive the 210 00:13:50.660 --> 00:13:52.940 programming in some in some way, 211 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:57.973 then it may be a strong fit for the Community Engagement goal. 212 00:13:57.973 --> 00:14:01.779 Now, if your project involves mostly museum staff working 213 00:14:01.779 --> 00:14:05.323 internally with within the museum to produce content, 214 00:14:05.323 --> 00:14:09.325 perhaps with some element of external input, then that might 215 00:14:09.325 --> 00:14:13.000 be a better fit within the Lifelong Learning goal. Now, 216 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:17.200 both approaches are allowable, and both are certainly fundable. 217 00:14:18.370 --> 00:14:22.983 Ultimately, it's your choice, and what's important is that you 218 00:14:22.983 --> 00:14:27.377 choose a goal and write your application to align with that 219 00:14:27.377 --> 00:14:31.478 program goal and associative objective. If you're still 220 00:14:31.478 --> 00:14:36.238 uncertain about this, if it's a great opportunity to talk to one 221 00:14:36.238 --> 00:14:40.998 of our program staff and really think through where your project 222 00:14:40.998 --> 00:14:45.245 might fit best. Our third category is that of Collections 223 00:14:45.245 --> 00:14:46.930 Stewardship and Access. 224 00:14:47.820 --> 00:14:51.725 And this includes just about anything you need to do for your 225 00:14:51.725 --> 00:14:55.315 collection and with your collection except acquire them. 226 00:14:55.315 --> 00:14:59.283 Now, we're very open to projects that have multiple components 227 00:14:59.283 --> 00:15:03.062 configured in ways that make sense for you. So, one project 228 00:15:03.062 --> 00:15:06.904 might consist of cataloging, taking digital photographs, and 229 00:15:06.904 --> 00:15:10.494 updating a database of records, while another my combine 230 00:15:10.494 --> 00:15:13.643 digitization activities with rehousing. We invite 231 00:15:13.643 --> 00:15:16.100 applications for projects that involve 232 00:15:16.530 --> 00:15:20.957 preparing to mitigate the impact of natural and man-made 233 00:15:20.957 --> 00:15:25.617 disasters on collections; as well as projects that might be 234 00:15:25.617 --> 00:15:30.510 focused on planning and training in emergency preparedness, or 235 00:15:30.510 --> 00:15:34.781 developing networks for response, executing strategies 236 00:15:34.781 --> 00:15:39.364 for recovery, or developing resilience and preparation for 237 00:15:39.364 --> 00:15:44.024 the next time. We also support conservation projects of all 238 00:15:44.024 --> 00:15:44.490 kinds. 239 00:15:45.200 --> 00:15:49.550 Both general, detailed and environmental surveys, as well 240 00:15:49.550 --> 00:15:54.425 as treatments and environmental improvements. And you're welcome 241 00:15:54.425 --> 00:15:58.250 to incorporate aspects of training and collections 242 00:15:58.250 --> 00:16:03.125 management into these projects, if doing so makes sense for your 243 00:16:03.125 --> 00:16:07.700 situation. It's important to note that this project category 244 00:16:07.700 --> 00:16:11.450 encourages a step-by-step progressive approach to 245 00:16:11.450 --> 00:16:14.600 collections work, including conservation. 246 00:16:15.250 --> 00:16:19.948 So, this means assessing needs, creating a prioritized list of 247 00:16:19.948 --> 00:16:24.199 activities, and then following through by doing the most 248 00:16:24.199 --> 00:16:28.674 important things first. Now, projects should fit within one 249 00:16:28.674 --> 00:16:33.372 of these three program goals, but sometimes there's an overlap 250 00:16:33.372 --> 00:16:38.145 in the kinds of activities you are proposing, which may make it 251 00:16:38.145 --> 00:16:42.546 difficult to select one goal. Now, we expect that projects 252 00:16:42.546 --> 00:16:47.170 aligned with a specific goal will address different problems, 253 00:16:47.680 --> 00:16:51.556 maybe use different approaches, and measure success in different 254 00:16:51.556 --> 00:16:55.372 ways. So, how are you going to choose which category, if you're 255 00:16:55.372 --> 00:16:59.249 confused about which one is the best to align with your project? 256 00:16:59.249 --> 00:17:02.767 So, here's a few things you might want to try. Think about 257 00:17:02.767 --> 00:17:06.524 what is in the center of your project. Is it the learner? Will 258 00:17:06.524 --> 00:17:10.341 people who engage with you as a result of your project -- let's 259 00:17:10.341 --> 00:17:13.800 say to create a new exhibition and related programming -- 260 00:17:14.910 --> 00:17:18.602 will they acquire new knowledge or develop a skill as a result 261 00:17:18.602 --> 00:17:22.178 of your exhibit? Or is it the community that's in the center 262 00:17:22.178 --> 00:17:25.636 of your thinking? Is your project one that will address an 263 00:17:25.636 --> 00:17:29.035 important community need and require engaging a number of 264 00:17:29.035 --> 00:17:32.787 community members or partners; and you're doing it because your 265 00:17:32.787 --> 00:17:36.597 museum can help to address that need? You have resources you can 266 00:17:36.597 --> 00:17:40.113 leverage to address that need. Or is your project about the 267 00:17:40.113 --> 00:17:43.572 collections? Will your project result in a better managed, 268 00:17:43.572 --> 00:17:44.510 better cared for 269 00:17:44.890 --> 00:17:48.282 and more accessible set of objects and associated data in 270 00:17:48.282 --> 00:17:52.085 your collection. A second way to go about this might be to think 271 00:17:52.085 --> 00:17:55.595 about who you want to review your application. If you apply 272 00:17:55.595 --> 00:17:59.280 in Lifelong Learning, we will put your application in front of 273 00:17:59.280 --> 00:18:02.673 museum educators, exhibit professionals, and interpretive 274 00:18:02.673 --> 00:18:06.476 specialists; people with a deep experience and understanding how 275 00:18:06.476 --> 00:18:09.401 people learn in museum environments. Or would you 276 00:18:09.401 --> 00:18:13.145 rather we put you in front of a combination of experts in civic 277 00:18:13.145 --> 00:18:13.730 engagement 278 00:18:14.010 --> 00:18:17.495 and social justice, community outreach. If that sounds right, 279 00:18:17.495 --> 00:18:21.093 then it might push you to into the Community Engagement aligned 280 00:18:21.093 --> 00:18:24.635 goal. Now, if you apply under Collections Stewardship, you can 281 00:18:24.635 --> 00:18:27.727 be confident that your application will be reviewed by 282 00:18:27.727 --> 00:18:31.100 some combination of registrars and collections managers and 283 00:18:31.100 --> 00:18:34.642 curators and conservators. And if that seems appropriate, then 284 00:18:34.642 --> 00:18:36.609 you found the right goal category. 285 00:18:39.300 --> 00:18:42.772 And you know, another option is really just list out the 286 00:18:42.772 --> 00:18:46.487 activities you plan to carry out and think about the project 287 00:18:46.487 --> 00:18:50.264 budget and where is most of the time and resources going, and 288 00:18:50.264 --> 00:18:54.040 pick the goal based on that. Again, our most important advice 289 00:18:54.040 --> 00:18:57.878 is to choose one goal and write your proposal accordingly. And 290 00:18:57.878 --> 00:19:01.472 of course, reach out to IMLS staff if you have any further 291 00:19:01.472 --> 00:19:04.883 questions. Now, MFA supports projects of all sizes, but 292 00:19:04.883 --> 00:19:08.172 there's a specific range of funding available in this 293 00:19:08.172 --> 00:19:08.659 program. 294 00:19:09.270 --> 00:19:13.098 Your project budget can request a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum 295 00:19:13.098 --> 00:19:16.574 of $250,000 in federal funds, and if you ask for less than 296 00:19:16.574 --> 00:19:20.344 $5,000 or more than $250,000 in federal funds, your application 297 00:19:20.344 --> 00:19:24.114 may be rejected, not reviewed. So, remember to keep your budget 298 00:19:24.114 --> 00:19:27.766 aligned to the scope and scale of your project, including all 299 00:19:27.766 --> 00:19:31.419 costs necessary to complete the proposed activities. So, here 300 00:19:31.419 --> 00:19:34.070 are some examples: In the MFA grant program, 301 00:19:34.850 --> 00:19:39.523 all project budgets are required to have a one-to-one non-federal 302 00:19:39.523 --> 00:19:43.984 cost share. So, say your total project budget for all the work 303 00:19:43.984 --> 00:19:48.304 you want to do is $100,000, then you could request 50,000 in 304 00:19:48.304 --> 00:19:52.340 federal funds and provide a cost-share at least $50,000. 305 00:19:52.340 --> 00:19:56.659 Thus, your total project budget of $100,000. Say, your total 306 00:19:56.659 --> 00:20:00.554 project budget was $300,000, then you would be able to 307 00:20:00.554 --> 00:20:01.050 request 308 00:20:01.700 --> 00:20:06.173 $150,000 in federal funds and provide cost share of $150,000. 309 00:20:06.173 --> 00:20:10.575 Or if your total project was $500,000, then you'd be able to 310 00:20:10.575 --> 00:20:14.472 request $250,000 in federal grant funds and provide a 311 00:20:14.472 --> 00:20:19.162 cost-share of at least $250,000. Cost-share can take a number of 312 00:20:19.162 --> 00:20:23.203 forms. Among them are cash, staff time, volunteer time, 313 00:20:23.203 --> 00:20:27.532 third party contributions, grants from foundations, support 314 00:20:27.532 --> 00:20:30.780 from state and local government. Cost-share. 315 00:20:31.310 --> 00:20:35.696 cannot come from other federal sources. The amount of 316 00:20:35.696 --> 00:20:40.651 applications received and the amount of awards made can vary 317 00:20:40.651 --> 00:20:45.525 from year to year, but here's a snapshot of the most recent 318 00:20:45.525 --> 00:20:50.398 cycle. In FY23 we made 122 MFA awards with a total of $24.3 319 00:20:50.398 --> 00:20:55.191 million in federal funds. We received 281 MFA applications 320 00:20:55.191 --> 00:21:00.390 last year, resulting in 43% of those applications being funded. 321 00:21:02.070 --> 00:21:06.479 And you know, generally about 45% of the MFA awards went to 322 00:21:06.479 --> 00:21:10.522 the Lifelong Learning goal, about 35% into Collections 323 00:21:10.522 --> 00:21:14.858 Stewardship and about 20% to Community Engagement. And the 324 00:21:14.858 --> 00:21:19.636 average amount of each award was about $199,000. Now on the IMLS 325 00:21:19.636 --> 00:21:23.972 website, you can use the Search Awarded Grants function to 326 00:21:23.972 --> 00:21:28.309 explore our archive of grants that we have awarded in past 327 00:21:28.309 --> 00:21:28.749 years. 328 00:21:29.470 --> 00:21:33.100 All of the 122 MFA awards announced in August are listed 329 00:21:33.100 --> 00:21:36.985 here, along with those from prior years. You can search this 330 00:21:36.985 --> 00:21:40.679 database using a variety of criteria, such as institution 331 00:21:40.679 --> 00:21:44.564 name, location, and keyword. Your search will retrieve basic 332 00:21:44.564 --> 00:21:48.512 information about each award, including the amount of federal 333 00:21:48.512 --> 00:21:51.951 funds awarded and a brief description of the proposed 334 00:21:51.951 --> 00:21:53.990 activities and expected results. 335 00:21:58.260 --> 00:22:03.496 In this section, we will introduce the components of an 336 00:22:03.496 --> 00:22:08.732 MFA grant application and provide an overview about the 337 00:22:08.732 --> 00:22:14.622 Required, Conditionally Required and Supporting documents. The 338 00:22:14.622 --> 00:22:19.578 MFA Notice of Funding Opportunity or NOFO includes a 339 00:22:19.578 --> 00:22:24.908 complete list of all the application components and most 340 00:22:24.908 --> 00:22:30.985 of these components are created by applicants and saved as a PDF 341 00:22:30.985 --> 00:22:35.941 for uploading as part of your application package in 342 00:22:35.941 --> 00:22:36.970 Grants.gov. 343 00:22:38.080 --> 00:22:41.616 The table of application components starting on page 7 344 00:22:41.616 --> 00:22:45.217 lists which application components are required as well 345 00:22:45.217 --> 00:22:49.075 as those that are conditionally required. For example, some 346 00:22:49.075 --> 00:22:52.934 components are included in the application depending on the 347 00:22:52.934 --> 00:22:56.921 type of application or the type of project. So aside from the 348 00:22:56.921 --> 00:23:00.714 SF-424 and the IMLS Museum Program Information form, which 349 00:23:00.714 --> 00:23:03.480 are completed in the Grants.gov workspace, 350 00:23:04.360 --> 00:23:09.443 All application components must be submitted as PDF documents. 351 00:23:09.443 --> 00:23:13.962 These are the required documents. All applications must 352 00:23:13.962 --> 00:23:18.884 include the documents listed here. Omission of even just one 353 00:23:18.884 --> 00:23:22.999 might result in your application's rejection. Also 354 00:23:22.999 --> 00:23:27.357 important to note, there's a seven-page limit for the 355 00:23:27.357 --> 00:23:31.956 narrative. If you exceed the page limit specified in the 356 00:23:31.956 --> 00:23:32.360 NOFO, 357 00:23:32.810 --> 00:23:37.842 we must remove the extras before your application goes out for 358 00:23:37.842 --> 00:23:42.715 review. That means your reviewer may well see a paragraph or 359 00:23:42.715 --> 00:23:47.907 sentence and in midair. So, make sure your content fits into the 360 00:23:47.907 --> 00:23:52.700 page limit specified and make sure that the number of pages 361 00:23:52.700 --> 00:23:57.254 hold when you convert your document to a PDF. The second 362 00:23:57.254 --> 00:24:00.050 category of application components 363 00:24:00.690 --> 00:24:04.075 is that of conditionally required documents. Some 364 00:24:04.075 --> 00:24:08.273 applications must include one, two, or even all of these, and 365 00:24:08.273 --> 00:24:12.200 it's your job to figure out which are required for yours. 366 00:24:12.200 --> 00:24:16.397 Now, if you're applying as a nonprofit, then you must include 367 00:24:16.397 --> 00:24:20.324 your proof of nonprofit status and a determination letter 368 00:24:20.324 --> 00:24:24.319 that's issued by the Internal Revenue Service. We will not 369 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:28.178 accept a letter of state sales tax exemption as proof of 370 00:24:28.178 --> 00:24:29.330 nonprofit status. 371 00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:35.057 If you're using a federally negotiated indirect cost rate in 372 00:24:35.057 --> 00:24:38.781 your budget, then you must include a copy of your final 373 00:24:38.781 --> 00:24:42.971 rate agreement. And if you will create digital products during 374 00:24:42.971 --> 00:24:47.228 the course of your project, then you must complete and submit a 375 00:24:47.228 --> 00:24:51.218 Digital Products Plan. And if you're requesting support for 376 00:24:51.218 --> 00:24:55.009 conservation treatment, then you must include a detailed 377 00:24:55.009 --> 00:24:59.000 Condition Report or formal Conservation Treatment Proposal. 378 00:25:00.620 --> 00:25:05.469 Now, just like the required documents, omission of even one 379 00:25:05.469 --> 00:25:09.672 might result in your applications rejection. Please 380 00:25:09.672 --> 00:25:14.360 note that the term digital product includes digitized and 381 00:25:14.360 --> 00:25:19.453 born digital content, resources or assets as well as software. 382 00:25:19.453 --> 00:25:24.302 So, if you're creating any of these types of materials, you 383 00:25:24.302 --> 00:25:27.939 must include the form with your application. 384 00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:34.412 The third group of application components is Supporting 385 00:25:34.412 --> 00:25:38.415 Documents, and here is a partial list of a few examples. 386 00:25:38.415 --> 00:25:42.488 Supporting documents are optional. You may submit some or 387 00:25:42.488 --> 00:25:46.490 none. Include only those items that will supplement your 388 00:25:46.490 --> 00:25:50.844 proposal. This is the place to provide documents that support 389 00:25:50.844 --> 00:25:55.198 your project justification, your work plan, and your intended 390 00:25:55.198 --> 00:25:55.760 results. 391 00:25:56.520 --> 00:26:00.355 Things that you've already spelled out in your application 392 00:26:00.355 --> 00:26:04.190 narrative. So, for example, if you've identified a partner 393 00:26:04.190 --> 00:26:08.285 whose involvement is key to the project success, then a letter 394 00:26:08.285 --> 00:26:12.120 of support or commitment would go a long way to reassuring 395 00:26:12.120 --> 00:26:15.630 reviewers that this project partner is on board. Now, 396 00:26:15.630 --> 00:26:19.270 pictures also can help give reviewers, who might not be 397 00:26:19.270 --> 00:26:23.040 familiar with your institutions, programs, or collections 398 00:26:23.600 --> 00:26:27.317 a better idea of what you're describing within your 399 00:26:27.317 --> 00:26:31.463 narrative. Vendor quotes or equipment specifications show 400 00:26:31.463 --> 00:26:36.110 you've done some of the legwork in getting appropriate estimates 401 00:26:36.110 --> 00:26:40.256 for projects. We recommend that you be respectful of your 402 00:26:40.256 --> 00:26:44.617 reviewer's time and avoid the temptation to include hundreds 403 00:26:44.617 --> 00:26:49.049 of pages of extraneous material. So, be judicious. It will be 404 00:26:49.049 --> 00:26:51.479 helpful to the reviewers as well. 405 00:26:52.340 --> 00:26:56.204 Include what is important, helpful, and directly relevant 406 00:26:56.204 --> 00:27:00.268 to your project and stop there. In the following sections of 407 00:27:00.268 --> 00:27:04.399 this presentation, we will focus on the following application 408 00:27:04.399 --> 00:27:08.331 components, the narrative, and the budget. Let's go to the 409 00:27:08.331 --> 00:27:12.528 notice of Funding Opportunity for complete instructions on how 410 00:27:12.528 --> 00:27:16.260 to prepare and complete all the application components. 411 00:27:19.870 --> 00:27:23.952 In this section, we'll go over the questions, you will need to 412 00:27:23.952 --> 00:27:28.165 answer in your project Narrative and offer details on the review 413 00:27:28.165 --> 00:27:32.183 criteria associated with each section, project justification, 414 00:27:32.183 --> 00:27:36.007 project work plan, and the project results. So, let's talk 415 00:27:36.007 --> 00:27:39.766 about the Narrative of your proposal. You have 7 pages to 416 00:27:39.766 --> 00:27:43.978 cover 3 very important issues in the NOFO. The Notice of Funding 417 00:27:43.978 --> 00:27:47.867 Opportunity provides lengthy guidance on what the Narrative 418 00:27:47.867 --> 00:27:48.710 should cover. 419 00:27:49.630 --> 00:27:54.331 First, Project Justification. What need, problem or challenge 420 00:27:54.331 --> 00:27:58.578 will your project address, and how did you identify it? 421 00:27:58.578 --> 00:28:02.900 Describe how you use demographic information or economic 422 00:28:02.900 --> 00:28:07.147 circumstances or condition assessments or other data to 423 00:28:07.147 --> 00:28:11.318 define the need, problem, or challenge. Here's another 424 00:28:11.318 --> 00:28:16.020 example. Who's the target group for your project and how have 425 00:28:16.020 --> 00:28:18.750 they been involved in the planning? 426 00:28:19.550 --> 00:28:24.032 For our purposes, "Target Group" refers to those who will be most 427 00:28:24.032 --> 00:28:27.904 immediately and positively affected by your project. So, 428 00:28:27.904 --> 00:28:31.640 identify the number of individuals in the target group 429 00:28:31.640 --> 00:28:35.308 or in each group, if you've identified more than one. 430 00:28:35.308 --> 00:28:39.451 Another example, who are the ultimate beneficiaries for this 431 00:28:39.451 --> 00:28:43.526 project. "Beneficiaries", for our purposes, refers to those 432 00:28:43.526 --> 00:28:47.670 who are likely to be aided in the long-term by your project. 433 00:28:50.540 --> 00:28:54.785 They may or may not be the same as your target group, so 434 00:28:54.785 --> 00:28:58.657 identify the number of individuals who will benefit 435 00:28:58.657 --> 00:29:02.604 from your project in the long-term; and describe the 436 00:29:02.604 --> 00:29:06.775 characteristics of those beneficiaries you expect to be 437 00:29:06.775 --> 00:29:11.094 served, eventually, by your project. Now, in Section E of 438 00:29:11.094 --> 00:29:14.669 the Notice of Funding Opportunity, under Review 439 00:29:14.669 --> 00:29:15.340 Criteria, 440 00:29:16.230 --> 00:29:19.826 you will find a list of questions that reviewers are 441 00:29:19.826 --> 00:29:23.627 asked to consider when they review your proposal. Those 442 00:29:23.627 --> 00:29:28.106 questions are listed here on the slide. It's a good idea to refer 443 00:29:28.106 --> 00:29:32.178 to these as you craft your narrative to be certain that you 444 00:29:32.178 --> 00:29:36.318 are providing reviewers clear, solid information. You'll see 445 00:29:36.318 --> 00:29:40.254 that they correspond fairly directly with the prompts you 446 00:29:40.254 --> 00:29:42.630 are given to write your Narrative. 447 00:29:47.380 --> 00:29:51.081 One of the prompts in the Project Justification section of 448 00:29:51.081 --> 00:29:54.155 the Narrative is the identification of the need, 449 00:29:54.155 --> 00:29:58.170 problem or challenge the project addresses. It's a foundational 450 00:29:58.170 --> 00:30:01.997 part of your application. So, here's a few points to keep in 451 00:30:01.997 --> 00:30:05.761 mind. The federal government wants its investment to result 452 00:30:05.761 --> 00:30:09.399 in something getting better. So, as you define your need, 453 00:30:09.399 --> 00:30:10.780 problem, or challenge, 454 00:30:11.750 --> 00:30:15.878 articulate what will get better as a result of your project; and 455 00:30:15.878 --> 00:30:19.626 be as precise as possible. Will someone learn something or 456 00:30:19.626 --> 00:30:23.818 develop a skill? Will members of your community be better able to 457 00:30:23.818 --> 00:30:28.010 work together to solve problems? Will collections be better cared 458 00:30:28.010 --> 00:30:32.075 for, or will their lifespan be extended? Or will access to your 459 00:30:32.075 --> 00:30:35.950 collection and the information surrounding them be expanded? 460 00:30:37.080 --> 00:30:42.110 Again, identify why it's important that this particular 461 00:30:42.110 --> 00:30:47.140 change happens. Hone your problem definition carefully, 462 00:30:47.140 --> 00:30:52.349 using as clear and succinct terms as possible; and gather 463 00:30:52.349 --> 00:30:58.008 and present data that support your problem definition. Now, if 464 00:30:58.008 --> 00:31:02.320 the Project Justification section is the "why", 465 00:31:02.930 --> 00:31:07.376 the Project Work Plan section is where you identify the "who, 466 00:31:07.376 --> 00:31:11.750 what, when, and how". Who will do what activities, when will 467 00:31:11.750 --> 00:31:15.981 they do that, and using what resources. You should explain 468 00:31:15.981 --> 00:31:20.570 how you will track your progress toward achieving your intended 469 00:31:20.570 --> 00:31:24.944 results and what you'll do if you need to correct course. We 470 00:31:24.944 --> 00:31:29.247 also ask you to think about risks that are inherent in your 471 00:31:29.247 --> 00:31:30.610 particular project, 472 00:31:31.460 --> 00:31:35.353 and to tell us how you've taken that into account in your 473 00:31:35.353 --> 00:31:39.180 planning, I'll say more about that in a few minutes. Now 474 00:31:39.180 --> 00:31:43.141 again, here's a list of the questions the review criteria. 475 00:31:43.141 --> 00:31:46.699 These are also in Section E of the Notice of Funding 476 00:31:46.699 --> 00:31:50.392 Opportunity. These are the criteria that reviewers are 477 00:31:50.392 --> 00:31:54.353 asked to consider when they review your proposal. So, make 478 00:31:54.353 --> 00:31:58.180 sure that your narrative is answering these effectively. 479 00:32:04.270 --> 00:32:08.203 Now, your work plan is going to be built on a set of activities, 480 00:32:08.203 --> 00:32:11.894 and so it's important to be clear about what is an activity. 481 00:32:11.894 --> 00:32:15.343 An activity is something that someone does, and it has a 482 00:32:15.343 --> 00:32:19.216 beginning and an end, just like projects. And you know when you 483 00:32:19.216 --> 00:32:22.786 finished it because it doesn't need to be done anymore. An 484 00:32:22.786 --> 00:32:26.236 activity is not a goal or a result or an outcome. Rather 485 00:32:26.236 --> 00:32:27.870 it's just something you do, 486 00:32:28.380 --> 00:32:32.654 as part of trying to achieve all those goals, results and 487 00:32:32.654 --> 00:32:36.929 outcomes. We also asked you to think about risks that are 488 00:32:36.929 --> 00:32:41.425 inherent in your particular project and to tell us about how 489 00:32:41.425 --> 00:32:45.994 you've taken that into account when you're planning. And this 490 00:32:45.994 --> 00:32:50.711 is sort of the question, "What if?" So, there's no checklist of 491 00:32:50.711 --> 00:32:54.322 risks, and every project probably has some risks 492 00:32:54.322 --> 00:32:55.060 somewhere. 493 00:32:55.900 --> 00:32:59.689 Now, the best proposals will show that you're aware of them 494 00:32:59.689 --> 00:33:03.795 and thought them through and you have some plan for dealing with 495 00:33:03.795 --> 00:33:07.269 them. So, look at your activities and think about what 496 00:33:07.269 --> 00:33:11.311 could go wrong and focus on the ones where, in your experience, 497 00:33:11.311 --> 00:33:15.227 well that probably could happen; and identify steps you would 498 00:33:15.227 --> 00:33:18.575 take in response. We just want you to be prepared by 499 00:33:18.575 --> 00:33:22.112 identifying implementable options if there's some major 500 00:33:22.112 --> 00:33:24.259 risk. So, here are some examples. 501 00:33:25.900 --> 00:33:29.827 A project may be dependent upon fundraising to generate the 502 00:33:29.827 --> 00:33:33.166 cost-share, but it is not complete by the time the 503 00:33:33.166 --> 00:33:37.225 application is submitted. So, what will the institution do if 504 00:33:37.225 --> 00:33:41.480 that money is unavailable by the time the project gets underway? 505 00:33:41.480 --> 00:33:45.211 Or maybe a project depends on your community partners to 506 00:33:45.211 --> 00:33:49.270 achieve success, but what if one partner becomes unavailable? 507 00:33:49.270 --> 00:33:50.579 Then what do you do? 508 00:33:51.810 --> 00:33:55.921 Or maybe a project involves rehousing collections into new 509 00:33:55.921 --> 00:33:59.684 museum quality storage furniture. You might have some 510 00:33:59.684 --> 00:34:04.075 delays in the delivery of the cabinet. So, what happens to the 511 00:34:04.075 --> 00:34:08.604 collection items then? How will the institution ensure that they 512 00:34:08.604 --> 00:34:12.716 remain safe and secure? The final section of the Narrative 513 00:34:12.716 --> 00:34:16.061 is about results, and this should be devoted to 514 00:34:16.061 --> 00:34:18.570 articulating your intended results. 515 00:34:19.230 --> 00:34:23.922 It's your chance to convince the reviewers that your project will 516 00:34:23.922 --> 00:34:28.046 result in something getting better. Remember, the need or 517 00:34:28.046 --> 00:34:32.383 problem you identified in your Project Justification will be 518 00:34:32.383 --> 00:34:36.151 addressed directly, or diminished, or eliminated, or 519 00:34:36.151 --> 00:34:40.488 somehow modified by the Work Plan. So, now is your chance to 520 00:34:40.488 --> 00:34:42.549 tell us what are the Results. 521 00:34:43.760 --> 00:34:47.952 And we ask you to tell us what data you're going to collect and 522 00:34:47.952 --> 00:34:51.947 report in order to measure your success, and if your project 523 00:34:51.947 --> 00:34:55.681 will generate tangible products. And many do. Here's the 524 00:34:55.681 --> 00:34:59.480 opportunity to describe them and make the case that those 525 00:34:59.480 --> 00:35:03.082 products will be useful, particularly for the intended 526 00:35:03.082 --> 00:35:06.881 audience. And last but not least, we ask that you tell us 527 00:35:06.881 --> 00:35:09.960 how you'll sustain the benefit of the project. 528 00:35:13.640 --> 00:35:18.146 Now again, here is the list of review questions that reviewers 529 00:35:18.146 --> 00:35:22.367 are asked to consider when they read and score the project 530 00:35:22.367 --> 00:35:26.873 results part of your narrative. All of your results should tie 531 00:35:26.873 --> 00:35:31.237 back to your need, problem, or challenge. You may experience 532 00:35:31.237 --> 00:35:35.457 some tangential benefits or positive outcomes, and you can 533 00:35:35.457 --> 00:35:39.606 identify those in addition to or instead of your original 534 00:35:39.606 --> 00:35:40.680 intended result 535 00:35:42.940 --> 00:35:47.002 But here's your chance to articulate them. When you think 536 00:35:47.002 --> 00:35:51.065 about results, we often hear that defining those intended 537 00:35:51.065 --> 00:35:55.058 results and success measures can be challenging for some 538 00:35:55.058 --> 00:35:59.542 applicants. So, let's just look a little bit more at that. When 539 00:35:59.542 --> 00:36:04.025 we think back to the questions we referenced a couple of slides 540 00:36:04.025 --> 00:36:08.298 ago, we talked about defining the need, problem or challenge 541 00:36:08.298 --> 00:36:10.540 that your project is addressing. 542 00:36:11.170 --> 00:36:15.793 Now, if you said someone will learn something, how are you 543 00:36:15.793 --> 00:36:20.730 going to know if that person has learned something? Or if your 544 00:36:20.730 --> 00:36:25.745 problem was related to a segment of your community being better 545 00:36:25.745 --> 00:36:30.525 able to work together, how are you going to know when that's 546 00:36:30.525 --> 00:36:35.070 been achieved? Or if the collections will be better cared 547 00:36:35.070 --> 00:36:39.850 for, how will you be sure and how will you measure "better"? 548 00:36:42.160 --> 00:36:46.096 Or maybe if you're digitizing materials to expand 549 00:36:46.096 --> 00:36:51.292 accessibility, how will you know that this has been expanded. The 550 00:36:51.292 --> 00:36:56.094 focus on results and measuring success in meaningful ways is 551 00:36:56.094 --> 00:37:00.424 not new, there's been a tremendous amount of work done 552 00:37:00.424 --> 00:37:05.384 on ways to measure success. We encourage you to consider using 553 00:37:05.384 --> 00:37:09.400 a logic model or an outcomes-based evaluation tool 554 00:37:09.760 --> 00:37:15.011 to explain your intended results and your plan for achieving 555 00:37:15.011 --> 00:37:19.747 them. So, to recap, your Narrative has three sections: 556 00:37:19.747 --> 00:37:25.171 Project Justification, Project Work Plan, and Project Results, 557 00:37:25.171 --> 00:37:30.595 and you have 7 pages to write about those things. The sections 558 00:37:30.595 --> 00:37:35.932 are all equally important, so clearly address what we ask you 559 00:37:35.932 --> 00:37:36.880 to address. 560 00:37:37.900 --> 00:37:43.034 Keep an eye on those review criteria. We're telling you here 561 00:37:43.034 --> 00:37:48.253 exactly what the reviewers will look for, so make it easy for 562 00:37:48.253 --> 00:37:53.809 them to find the information and understand your process and your 563 00:37:53.809 --> 00:37:59.028 project. Now, in this section, we will provide information on 564 00:37:59.028 --> 00:38:04.499 what to include in your Project Budget and Budget Justification. 565 00:38:05.060 --> 00:38:08.716 Provide some examples of allowable and unallowable costs. 566 00:38:08.716 --> 00:38:12.688 An important component of your application is the budget. This 567 00:38:12.688 --> 00:38:16.660 is the part of the application where you specify all the costs 568 00:38:16.660 --> 00:38:20.568 associated with your proposed project. The budget consists of 569 00:38:20.568 --> 00:38:24.414 two required components, the IMLS Budget Form and the Budget 570 00:38:24.414 --> 00:38:27.819 Justification. The Budget Form is a fillable PDF that 571 00:38:27.819 --> 00:38:31.412 accommodates up to three years of project activities and 572 00:38:31.412 --> 00:38:31.980 expenses. 573 00:38:32.810 --> 00:38:37.086 The budget should include the project costs, those that will 574 00:38:37.086 --> 00:38:41.082 be charged to grant funds, as well as those that will be 575 00:38:41.082 --> 00:38:45.429 supported by cost-share. Any kind contributions to cost-share 576 00:38:45.429 --> 00:38:49.426 may include the value of services like volunteer time or 577 00:38:49.426 --> 00:38:53.632 consultant time that's donated, or equipment donated to the 578 00:38:53.632 --> 00:38:57.769 project between the authorized start and end dates of your 579 00:38:57.769 --> 00:38:58.329 project. 580 00:39:00.340 --> 00:39:05.442 All the items listed, whether supported by grant funds or cost 581 00:39:05.442 --> 00:39:10.220 share, must be necessary to accomplish project activities, 582 00:39:10.220 --> 00:39:14.351 allowable according to the applicable federal cost 583 00:39:14.351 --> 00:39:19.210 principles, auditable, and incurred during the award period 584 00:39:19.210 --> 00:39:24.232 of performance. As you develop your budget, keep in mind that 585 00:39:24.232 --> 00:39:29.496 there are certain costs that are either allowable or unallowable 586 00:39:29.496 --> 00:39:32.250 according to federal regulations. 587 00:39:33.860 --> 00:39:38.553 The allowability of a cost item for all federal grants are 588 00:39:38.553 --> 00:39:43.723 specified in the Code of Federal Regulations, also known as CFR, 589 00:39:43.723 --> 00:39:48.337 or" 2 CFR 200" for short, but the full title is "Title 2, 590 00:39:48.337 --> 00:39:52.950 Subtitle A, Chapter II, Part 200 - Uniform Administrative 591 00:39:52.950 --> 00:39:57.564 Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for 592 00:39:57.564 --> 00:40:01.860 Federal Awards". Now using the 2 CFR 200 as a basis, 593 00:40:02.500 --> 00:40:07.111 we've developed a short list of allowable costs that are most 594 00:40:07.111 --> 00:40:11.201 commonly seen in MFA grant applications. The Notice of 595 00:40:11.201 --> 00:40:15.886 Funding Opportunity includes a partial list of the most common 596 00:40:15.886 --> 00:40:20.200 examples of allowable costs. This short list of allowable 597 00:40:20.200 --> 00:40:24.588 costs is also shown on this slide. These costs may be part 598 00:40:24.588 --> 00:40:29.125 of what you asked IMLS to pay for with federal funds or what 599 00:40:29.125 --> 00:40:32.100 you pay for as part of your cost share. 600 00:40:32.980 --> 00:40:37.233 The rules about allowability of a cost apply equally to grant 601 00:40:37.233 --> 00:40:41.486 funds as well as cost-share. And when completing your project 602 00:40:41.486 --> 00:40:45.603 budget, be sure to check that all of your costs that you've 603 00:40:45.603 --> 00:40:49.788 included, whether on grant funds or cost-share, are allowed. 604 00:40:49.788 --> 00:40:54.247 There are also some costs which are unallowable according to the 605 00:40:54.247 --> 00:40:56.580 federal regulations in 2 CFR 200. 606 00:40:57.410 --> 00:41:00.767 And in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, we provide an 607 00:41:00.767 --> 00:41:04.604 abbreviated list of unallowable costs, which are also listed on 608 00:41:04.604 --> 00:41:08.261 this slide. Unallowable costs may not be part of what you've 609 00:41:08.261 --> 00:41:12.038 asked IMLS to pay for, and they cannot be part of what you pay 610 00:41:12.038 --> 00:41:15.756 for as part of your cost share. In fact, unallowable expenses 611 00:41:15.756 --> 00:41:19.413 can't show up anywhere in your proposal. Now, as you prepare 612 00:41:19.413 --> 00:41:22.950 your application, it's a good idea to compare your list of 613 00:41:22.950 --> 00:41:23.969 proposed expenses 614 00:41:24.530 --> 00:41:29.714 against these lists of allowable and unallowable costs, and 615 00:41:29.714 --> 00:41:34.640 against the appropriate set of cost principles. If after 616 00:41:34.640 --> 00:41:39.220 looking at that you have a specific question, please 617 00:41:39.220 --> 00:41:44.664 contact us and we'll be happy to help. In addition to the IMLS 618 00:41:44.664 --> 00:41:50.281 Budget Form, you'll also prepare a Budget Justification. This is 619 00:41:50.281 --> 00:41:54.170 an opportunity to provide in a more detailed 620 00:41:55.120 --> 00:41:59.757 narrative format, an explanation or justification for the project 621 00:41:59.757 --> 00:42:04.253 costs. The budget justification should be written to follow the 622 00:42:04.253 --> 00:42:07.626 cost categories in the IMLS Budget Form. In the 623 00:42:07.626 --> 00:42:12.263 Justification, you will identify each expense and show the method 624 00:42:12.263 --> 00:42:16.338 of cost computation used to determine each dollar amount, 625 00:42:16.338 --> 00:42:20.764 including any that you may have consolidated and summarized on 626 00:42:20.764 --> 00:42:22.239 the IMLS Budget Form. 627 00:42:22.890 --> 00:42:26.964 So, in other words, this is the place to show your math. For 628 00:42:26.964 --> 00:42:31.039 example, in the section under Salaries and Wages, you should 629 00:42:31.039 --> 00:42:34.980 identify each person whose salary or wage will be paid for 630 00:42:34.980 --> 00:42:39.054 with IMLS funds or cost share by their names. Describe their 631 00:42:39.054 --> 00:42:42.995 role. Document the method of cost computation by including 632 00:42:42.995 --> 00:42:47.136 their base salary or wages for each person and the percentage 633 00:42:47.136 --> 00:42:50.410 of time each person is allocated to the project. 634 00:42:51.190 --> 00:42:55.060 You can do this as a percentage of time or number of days or 635 00:42:55.060 --> 00:42:58.803 number of hours. If cost share is being provided by unpaid 636 00:42:58.803 --> 00:43:02.737 volunteers, you have to explain how you arrived at the dollar 637 00:43:02.737 --> 00:43:06.607 amount used to represent the value of their services. In the 638 00:43:06.607 --> 00:43:10.668 section for Supplies, Materials, and Equipment, you should list 639 00:43:10.668 --> 00:43:14.538 each type of supply, material and equipment that you propose 640 00:43:14.538 --> 00:43:16.950 to purchase or provide as cost-share. 641 00:43:17.680 --> 00:43:23.249 Detail the number and unit for each item and explain how you 642 00:43:23.249 --> 00:43:28.637 arrived at the dollar amounts. You may also provide vendor 643 00:43:28.637 --> 00:43:33.750 quotes or price lists as supporting documents with your 644 00:43:33.750 --> 00:43:39.137 application. In this final section of our presentation, we 645 00:43:39.137 --> 00:43:44.159 offer some tips on application process and next steps. 646 00:43:44.950 --> 00:43:48.709 We can only make grants to eligible applicants that submit 647 00:43:48.709 --> 00:43:52.660 complete applications, including attachments on or before the 648 00:43:52.660 --> 00:43:56.483 deadline. So, here are a few tips to help you do just that. 649 00:43:56.483 --> 00:44:00.306 Start the process early, and by watching this informational 650 00:44:00.306 --> 00:44:03.875 video, you're off to a good start. Become familiar with 651 00:44:03.875 --> 00:44:07.953 Grants.gov's workspace. There's many good features, such as the 652 00:44:07.953 --> 00:44:11.585 opportunity to collaborate with others and creating your 653 00:44:11.585 --> 00:44:12.350 application, 654 00:44:13.640 --> 00:44:17.567 as well as a validation process that allows you to correct 655 00:44:17.567 --> 00:44:21.960 errors prior to submission. They even have tutorials available on 656 00:44:21.960 --> 00:44:25.555 grants dot gov. Also be sure that your application is 657 00:44:25.555 --> 00:44:29.615 complete. Check it against a table of application components 658 00:44:29.615 --> 00:44:33.476 in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Also make sure that 659 00:44:33.476 --> 00:44:37.736 your application components are in the proper format and follow 660 00:44:37.736 --> 00:44:39.800 the correct naming conventions. 661 00:44:42.060 --> 00:44:45.848 And be sure to submit your application in Grants.gov well 662 00:44:45.848 --> 00:44:49.833 before the deadline. That way you can correct any errors and 663 00:44:49.833 --> 00:44:53.491 avoid any issues created by technology challenges. It's 664 00:44:53.491 --> 00:44:56.823 important to get your application submitted online 665 00:44:56.823 --> 00:45:00.742 through Grants.gov before the deadline, and we don't accept 666 00:45:00.742 --> 00:45:04.204 any applications by mail or e-mail. Now, in order to 667 00:45:04.204 --> 00:45:07.993 register with Grants.gov, you must have an active SAM.gov 668 00:45:07.993 --> 00:45:11.259 registration and Unique Entity Identifier number. 669 00:45:11.990 --> 00:45:16.085 So, make sure your registrations for both of these sites are 670 00:45:16.085 --> 00:45:20.045 complete, your accounts are active, and that any necessary 671 00:45:20.045 --> 00:45:23.402 passwords are current. These registrations expire 672 00:45:23.402 --> 00:45:27.094 periodically, so don't wait until it's time to hit the 673 00:45:27.094 --> 00:45:31.324 submit button to check on them. You should coordinate with any 674 00:45:31.324 --> 00:45:35.419 other staff members, such as your authorized representative, 675 00:45:35.419 --> 00:45:39.447 who may hold the accounts and passwords that you'll need to 676 00:45:39.447 --> 00:45:40.790 submit. Both SAM.gov 677 00:45:41.320 --> 00:45:45.712 and Grants.gov websites have robust help features as well as 678 00:45:45.712 --> 00:45:49.384 FAQ's, frequently asked questions. If you run into 679 00:45:49.384 --> 00:45:53.848 technical issues with either of these sites, you should reach 680 00:45:53.848 --> 00:45:57.880 out to their help desk and request a tracking number or 681 00:45:57.880 --> 00:46:02.632 case number or ticket number, in order to document your issue and 682 00:46:02.632 --> 00:46:06.808 attempts at resolving it. Remember that failure to having 683 00:46:06.808 --> 00:46:08.320 an active Sam.gov and 684 00:46:08.820 --> 00:46:13.537 Grants.gov registration by the application deadline is not an 685 00:46:13.537 --> 00:46:18.026 excuse for submitting a late application. So, start early. 686 00:46:18.026 --> 00:46:22.591 There are many components that make up the Narrative of the 687 00:46:22.591 --> 00:46:27.003 entire application. And the Narrative is an essential and 688 00:46:27.003 --> 00:46:31.416 critical part of the package. Now, peer reviewers, museum 689 00:46:31.416 --> 00:46:34.460 professionals from all types of museums 690 00:46:34.840 --> 00:46:38.658 will be selected by IMLS to read each application and provide 691 00:46:38.658 --> 00:46:42.414 constructive comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the 692 00:46:42.414 --> 00:46:46.109 proposed projects. They also base their reviews only on the 693 00:46:46.109 --> 00:46:49.743 information contained in the application. So, don't assume 694 00:46:49.743 --> 00:46:53.561 that a reviewer or IMLS will know something about your museum 695 00:46:53.561 --> 00:46:57.379 or your proposed project. Help make sure your narrative is as 696 00:46:57.379 --> 00:46:59.719 clear and complete as possible again. 697 00:47:01.120 --> 00:47:05.174 Revisit the Notice of Funding Opportunity and follow the 698 00:47:05.174 --> 00:47:09.228 narrative outline it provides. Use the same headings and 699 00:47:09.228 --> 00:47:13.139 subheadings and numbered sections in your narrative to 700 00:47:13.139 --> 00:47:17.762 make it easy for your reviewers to read. Be sure to consider the 701 00:47:17.762 --> 00:47:22.243 review criteria associated with each section of the narrative. 702 00:47:22.243 --> 00:47:25.800 Try to avoid generalities or acronyms and jargon. 703 00:47:26.480 --> 00:47:29.667 Now, the people who review your application are museum 704 00:47:29.667 --> 00:47:33.259 professionals, but they might not be completely familiar with 705 00:47:33.259 --> 00:47:36.446 your particular shorthand, so make it easy for them to 706 00:47:36.446 --> 00:47:40.271 understand what you mean. And of course, an advantage to starting 707 00:47:40.271 --> 00:47:43.632 your application early is that you can ask a colleague to 708 00:47:43.632 --> 00:47:47.225 review everything with fresh eyes before you submit. Ask some 709 00:47:47.225 --> 00:47:50.760 to act like a reviewer who's seeing this for the first time. 710 00:47:53.650 --> 00:47:57.436 Now, we've also posted the narrative and scheduled 711 00:47:57.436 --> 00:48:01.370 completion from six or actually many more successful 712 00:48:01.370 --> 00:48:06.195 applications from 2023. To find these examples, go to the sample 713 00:48:06.195 --> 00:48:11.095 applications on the IMLS website and scroll down the page to find 714 00:48:11.095 --> 00:48:14.584 the Museums for America examples. There are an 715 00:48:14.584 --> 00:48:18.444 assortment of funded applications listed under each 716 00:48:18.444 --> 00:48:23.195 grant program goal. Each sample application PDF contains a copy 717 00:48:23.195 --> 00:48:25.199 of the seven-page narrative 718 00:48:25.900 --> 00:48:29.638 and also, the schedule of completion. Many of these 719 00:48:29.638 --> 00:48:34.168 samples were identified by our peer reviewers as good examples 720 00:48:34.168 --> 00:48:38.553 of well-written applications that provided all the essential 721 00:48:38.553 --> 00:48:42.724 information necessary for them to review the application. 722 00:48:42.724 --> 00:48:47.469 Looking at these proposals might help clarify your thinking about 723 00:48:47.469 --> 00:48:51.495 your own. Now here are a few important dates related to 724 00:48:51.495 --> 00:48:53.940 Museums for America applications. 725 00:48:54.690 --> 00:48:58.432 All applications must be received through Grants.gov by 726 00:48:58.432 --> 00:49:02.309 11:59 PM Eastern Time on November 15th, 2023. The date is 727 00:49:02.309 --> 00:49:06.452 non-negotiable. The time stamp is generated by the Grants.gov 728 00:49:06.452 --> 00:49:10.863 system and we have no ability to override. Be sure to start early 729 00:49:10.863 --> 00:49:14.873 and then if you encounter a difficulty of any kind when you 730 00:49:14.873 --> 00:49:19.017 submit your proposal, you'll have time to resolve the problem 731 00:49:19.017 --> 00:49:21.290 and resubmit before the deadline. 732 00:49:23.550 --> 00:49:27.313 After the application deadline, IMLS staff will review your 733 00:49:27.313 --> 00:49:31.265 application for completeness and eligibility, and you may hear 734 00:49:31.265 --> 00:49:35.028 from us via e-mail if there are any problems. Next, we will 735 00:49:35.028 --> 00:49:38.478 select experienced and knowledgeable peer reviewers to 736 00:49:38.478 --> 00:49:41.928 read your applications and provide scores and comments 737 00:49:41.928 --> 00:49:45.691 based on the criteria outlined in the MFA Notice of Funding 738 00:49:45.691 --> 00:49:49.267 Opportunity. IMLS staff will examine your budget and the 739 00:49:49.267 --> 00:49:50.710 financials you provided 740 00:49:51.200 --> 00:49:55.867 and your track record with past and current grants. We then 741 00:49:55.867 --> 00:50:00.768 prepare materials for the IMLS Deputy Director for Museums, as 742 00:50:00.768 --> 00:50:05.747 well as for the IMLS Director. And by law, the IMLS Director is 743 00:50:05.747 --> 00:50:10.415 charged with the authority and responsibility to make final 744 00:50:10.415 --> 00:50:15.160 award decisions. This typically happens in July, so by early 745 00:50:15.160 --> 00:50:20.139 August 2024, we will notify you and other successful applicants 746 00:50:20.139 --> 00:50:20.839 by e-mail 747 00:50:21.460 --> 00:50:25.754 of the award decisions and provide the scores and comments 748 00:50:25.754 --> 00:50:30.122 created by the reviewers. MFA projects must be scheduled to 749 00:50:30.122 --> 00:50:34.271 start on the first day of September 2024. In conclusion, 750 00:50:34.271 --> 00:50:38.566 as you read through the NOFO and prepare your application, 751 00:50:38.566 --> 00:50:43.224 additional questions may arise before the application deadline. 752 00:50:43.224 --> 00:50:47.810 We can help you with learning more about the MFA grant program 753 00:50:47.810 --> 00:50:50.140 or other grant programs at IMLS. 754 00:50:51.040 --> 00:50:54.610 You can address any specific concerns you may have with the 755 00:50:54.610 --> 00:50:58.062 various application components or help you understand the 756 00:50:58.062 --> 00:51:01.871 review process. You may contact IMLS Program staff by e-mail or 757 00:51:01.871 --> 00:51:05.323 phone. Contact information is listed on the Grant Program 758 00:51:05.323 --> 00:51:08.775 landing page on the IMLS website. You may also schedule a 759 00:51:08.775 --> 00:51:12.405 counseling call to meet directly with program staff. Use the 760 00:51:12.405 --> 00:51:15.797 links found on the grant program landing page to find an 761 00:51:15.797 --> 00:51:17.999 available time slot on our calendar. 762 00:51:18.670 --> 00:51:23.021 You'll then receive an e-mail with a calendar invite and a 763 00:51:23.021 --> 00:51:27.521 Microsoft Teams meeting link. So, thank you for listening to 764 00:51:27.521 --> 00:51:31.799 our presentation and best of luck to you in preparing and 765 00:51:31.799 --> 00:51:34.749 submitting your IMLS grant application.