WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 1 00:00:03.160 --> 00:00:06.810 Welcome to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, 2 00:00:06.810 --> 00:00:10.333 Office of Museum Services Informational Video National 3 00:00:10.333 --> 00:00:14.240 Leadership Grants for Museums Applicant Information Session. 4 00:00:30.300 --> 00:00:34.503 The goal of this video is to provide an overview of our 5 00:00:34.503 --> 00:00:39.156 National Leadership Grants for Museums program, which we call 6 00:00:39.156 --> 00:00:44.035 NLG-M for short, and the process of preparing an application for 7 00:00:44.035 --> 00:00:48.538 funding. This video is organized into six chapters. What is 8 00:00:48.538 --> 00:00:52.816 National Leadership Grant Program? This section explains 9 00:00:52.816 --> 00:00:57.019 the purpose and design of the National Leadership Grant 10 00:00:57.019 --> 00:00:57.620 Program. 11 00:00:58.990 --> 00:01:03.705 What can NLG-M grants fund? This section explains the types of 12 00:01:03.705 --> 00:01:08.270 projects that can be funded in NLG-M and the amount of funds 13 00:01:08.270 --> 00:01:12.012 that can be requested. Application Components: An 14 00:01:12.012 --> 00:01:16.877 Overview. This section describes the types of documents that are 15 00:01:16.877 --> 00:01:21.143 needed to create an NLG-M grant application. Application 16 00:01:21.143 --> 00:01:22.790 Components: Narrative. 17 00:01:23.640 --> 00:01:27.747 This section specifically provides guidance on composing 18 00:01:27.747 --> 00:01:31.423 the narrative part of the application. Application 19 00:01:31.423 --> 00:01:36.179 Components: Budget. This section specifically provides details on 20 00:01:36.179 --> 00:01:40.431 the information to include in your project budget and your 21 00:01:40.431 --> 00:01:44.467 project justification. Application Tips and Next Steps. 22 00:01:44.467 --> 00:01:48.935 The concluding section provides a few tips and next steps for 23 00:01:48.935 --> 00:01:49.800 you to take. 24 00:01:51.520 --> 00:01:56.019 The complete set of instructions for how to prepare and submit an 25 00:01:56.019 --> 00:01:59.904 NLG-M grant application are found in a Notice of Funding 26 00:01:59.904 --> 00:02:03.858 Opportunity published on grants.gov and also available on 27 00:02:03.858 --> 00:02:07.675 the IMLS website. Please refer to the Notice of Funding 28 00:02:07.675 --> 00:02:11.561 Opportunity for the most detailed information to prepare 29 00:02:11.561 --> 00:02:12.719 your application. 30 00:02:18.170 --> 00:02:21.887 To get the most out of this video, we recommend that you 31 00:02:21.887 --> 00:02:25.931 watch it in its entirety. This will give you an understanding 32 00:02:25.931 --> 00:02:29.975 of the NLG-M grant program, the types of projects that can be 33 00:02:29.975 --> 00:02:33.759 funded, and the necessary application components. You may 34 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:37.672 also want to review the NLG-M Notice of Funding Opportunity 35 00:02:37.672 --> 00:02:41.390 before, during, or after you watch the video, Notices of 36 00:02:41.390 --> 00:02:44.129 Funding Opportunity, also known as NOFOs, 37 00:02:44.680 --> 00:02:49.255 are documents that detail the requirements of each of our 38 00:02:49.255 --> 00:02:53.594 grant programs. All of our Fiscal Year 24 NOFOs can be 39 00:02:53.594 --> 00:02:58.170 found at imls.gov/grants. As you navigate the application 40 00:02:58.170 --> 00:03:03.061 process, you can use this video as a reference tool. If you'd 41 00:03:03.061 --> 00:03:07.794 like to skip to a specific section, please use the time bar 42 00:03:07.794 --> 00:03:12.370 below or the links in the description box to navigate the 43 00:03:12.370 --> 00:03:13.080 chapters. 44 00:03:17.710 --> 00:03:22.146 In this section, we'll answer the question, what is NLG-M, 45 00:03:22.146 --> 00:03:26.807 providing information on the purpose and intent of this grant 46 00:03:26.807 --> 00:03:31.394 program and who it is designed to serve. National Leadership 47 00:03:31.394 --> 00:03:35.830 Grants for museums supports projects that address critical 48 00:03:35.830 --> 00:03:37.709 needs of the museum field 49 00:03:38.270 --> 00:03:42.193 and that have the potential to advance practice in the 50 00:03:42.193 --> 00:03:46.189 profession so that museums can improve services for the 51 00:03:46.189 --> 00:03:50.612 American public. NLG-M is all about addressing the challenges 52 00:03:50.612 --> 00:03:53.894 of the museum field, our institutions and our 53 00:03:53.894 --> 00:03:58.032 professionals. We invest in institutions and partnerships 54 00:03:58.032 --> 00:04:02.313 that understand the challenges and opportunities facing the 55 00:04:02.313 --> 00:04:02.669 field 56 00:04:03.100 --> 00:04:08.192 and devise plans to move the field forward through the 57 00:04:08.192 --> 00:04:13.284 development of resources and tools for use by multiple 58 00:04:13.284 --> 00:04:19.118 institutions and/or groups of museum professionals. You can be 59 00:04:19.118 --> 00:04:24.118 one of three types of organizations to be eligible to 60 00:04:24.118 --> 00:04:29.766 apply to NLG-M. All applicants must be located in one of the 61 00:04:29.766 --> 00:04:35.506 United States' 50 states, its territories, or the District of 62 00:04:35.506 --> 00:04:36.340 Columbia. 63 00:04:36.990 --> 00:04:41.457 And your organization must be a unit of state, local, or tribal 64 00:04:41.457 --> 00:04:45.644 government, or it must be a nonprofit organization with tax 65 00:04:45.644 --> 00:04:49.832 exempt status. To be eligible for funding as a museum, your 66 00:04:49.832 --> 00:04:54.020 organization must have at least one full time or equivalent 67 00:04:54.020 --> 00:04:57.998 professional staff person, either paid or unpaid; have a 68 00:04:57.998 --> 00:05:01.070 physical location that it owns or operates; 69 00:05:02.230 --> 00:05:07.031 have been open to the public for at least 120 days in the year 70 00:05:07.031 --> 00:05:11.299 prior to the November 15, 2023 deadline; and own or use 71 00:05:11.299 --> 00:05:16.025 tangible objects. Museums may be standalone organizations, or 72 00:05:16.025 --> 00:05:20.750 they may be part of a larger institution such as a college or 73 00:05:20.750 --> 00:05:24.790 university, a tribe, or a state or local government. 74 00:05:26.420 --> 00:05:31.112 You can also be eligible for NLG-M if you're an organization 75 00:05:31.112 --> 00:05:35.881 or association that engages in activities designed to advance 76 00:05:35.881 --> 00:05:40.881 the wellbeing of museums and the museum profession, or if you're 77 00:05:40.881 --> 00:05:45.958 a college or university. When we talk about museums, we include a 78 00:05:45.958 --> 00:05:50.496 broad range of institution types. Here's a list of some of 79 00:05:50.496 --> 00:05:54.804 the types of museums that routinely apply to this grant 80 00:05:54.804 --> 00:05:55.420 program. 81 00:06:03.310 --> 00:06:07.622 In this section, we'll answer the question what NLG-M can 82 00:06:07.622 --> 00:06:12.380 fund, providing details on the types of projects and associated 83 00:06:12.380 --> 00:06:16.841 goals within the NLG-M grant program, as well as offer some 84 00:06:16.841 --> 00:06:21.526 summary data on the number and types of NLG-M projects that we 85 00:06:21.526 --> 00:06:22.790 funded last year. 86 00:06:27.510 --> 00:06:31.216 Making sure your concept shares the characteristics of 87 00:06:31.216 --> 00:06:34.855 successful NLG projects is an important first step to 88 00:06:34.855 --> 00:06:39.033 preparing an application. We're looking for projects that are 89 00:06:39.033 --> 00:06:43.010 designed intentionally to produce results that can be used 90 00:06:43.010 --> 00:06:46.110 by the field to advance and improve practice. 91 00:06:46.970 --> 00:06:50.997 We're looking for tangible results such as models, tools, 92 00:06:50.997 --> 00:06:55.371 curriculum, resources, research findings, or new services that 93 00:06:55.371 --> 00:06:59.537 can be widely used, adapted, scaled or replicated to extend 94 00:06:59.537 --> 00:07:03.564 the benefit of the federal investment across the field or 95 00:07:03.564 --> 00:07:07.522 segment of the field. Projects should reflect a thorough 96 00:07:07.522 --> 00:07:11.341 understanding of current practice, knowledge about the 97 00:07:11.341 --> 00:07:15.437 subject matter, deep familiarity with previous work in the 98 00:07:15.437 --> 00:07:16.409 project topic, 99 00:07:16.890 --> 00:07:22.267 and an awareness of and support for current strategic priorities 100 00:07:22.267 --> 00:07:27.148 in the field. We encourage collaboration that demonstrates 101 00:07:27.148 --> 00:07:31.616 broad need, field wide buy-in and input and access to 102 00:07:31.616 --> 00:07:36.662 appropriate expertise. Your project should align with one of 103 00:07:36.662 --> 00:07:41.378 these three project goals. As you can see, you should be 104 00:07:41.378 --> 00:07:46.425 seeking to advance the museum fields work in either lifelong 105 00:07:46.425 --> 00:07:48.990 learning, community engagement, 106 00:07:49.510 --> 00:07:54.994 or collection stewardship, and access. So, let's take a look at 107 00:07:54.994 --> 00:08:00.221 what kind of project activities might fit within these three 108 00:08:00.221 --> 00:08:05.191 goal areas. In this and the next two slides, the numbered 109 00:08:05.191 --> 00:08:10.161 objectives provide some of the types of projects that fit 110 00:08:10.161 --> 00:08:15.559 within the goal. A project in lifelong learning might include, 111 00:08:15.559 --> 00:08:20.358 but is not limited to, developing models with tools for 112 00:08:20.358 --> 00:08:23.700 scaling and adapting by other museums; 113 00:08:24.280 --> 00:08:27.924 training and professional development for museum staff, 114 00:08:27.924 --> 00:08:31.959 volunteers, and those seeking a museum career; social science 115 00:08:31.959 --> 00:08:35.669 research on museum-based learning; and forums that bring 116 00:08:35.669 --> 00:08:39.509 together experts to explore current and emerging issues in 117 00:08:39.509 --> 00:08:40.160 the field. 118 00:08:45.160 --> 00:08:49.197 A Community Engagement project will need to focus on producing 119 00:08:49.197 --> 00:08:53.041 resources that help museums better meet community needs and 120 00:08:53.041 --> 00:08:56.374 be welcoming places for everyone. Projects may help 121 00:08:56.374 --> 00:09:00.283 museums be more inclusive of diverse or underserved parts of 122 00:09:00.283 --> 00:09:03.935 their communities, improve access and remove barriers to 123 00:09:03.935 --> 00:09:07.844 participation, better engage with community organization and 124 00:09:07.844 --> 00:09:10.600 leaders for planning and civic engagement, 125 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:15.551 or support forums that bring together experts to explore 126 00:09:15.551 --> 00:09:20.449 current and emerging issues in the field. Under the Collection 127 00:09:20.449 --> 00:09:25.192 Stewardship and Access Goal, projects can develop tools that 128 00:09:25.192 --> 00:09:29.623 help museums facilitate access management, preservation, 129 00:09:29.623 --> 00:09:34.055 sharing and use of museum collections. They can focus on 130 00:09:34.055 --> 00:09:38.719 professional development for museum staff and volunteers to 131 00:09:38.719 --> 00:09:41.130 improve collection stewardship. 132 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:48.087 Projects can undertake research on management, conservation and 133 00:09:48.087 --> 00:09:53.216 preservation issues. And like for the other two goals, 134 00:09:53.216 --> 00:09:58.624 projects can bring together experts to explore issues and 135 00:09:58.624 --> 00:10:04.126 inform the field. NLG-M projects can request anywhere from 136 00:10:04.126 --> 00:10:09.441 $50,000 to $750,000. Full projects that result in robust 137 00:10:09.441 --> 00:10:14.570 results for the field require a one-to-one cost share. 138 00:10:15.760 --> 00:10:20.410 Cost share may be in the form of cash, staff or volunteer time, 139 00:10:20.410 --> 00:10:24.697 other grantee contributed costs, or third party or partner 140 00:10:24.697 --> 00:10:28.911 contributions. It may not be funds from any other federal 141 00:10:28.911 --> 00:10:32.908 source. Scale your budget request to meet the needs of 142 00:10:32.908 --> 00:10:37.050 your project. Your budget should include the cost of the 143 00:10:37.050 --> 00:10:40.320 activities needed to accomplish the results. 144 00:10:41.190 --> 00:10:46.346 It's important that the amount of funds requested match the 145 00:10:46.346 --> 00:10:51.847 scope and scale of your project. Research projects from $50,000 146 00:10:51.847 --> 00:10:56.746 to $750,000 do not require a cost share. We'll talk more 147 00:10:56.746 --> 00:11:01.387 about research projects a little later. The number of 148 00:11:01.387 --> 00:11:06.630 applications received and the amount of awards made can vary 149 00:11:06.630 --> 00:11:11.443 from year to year. Here's a snapshot of our most recent 150 00:11:11.443 --> 00:11:13.850 application and award cycle. 151 00:11:14.910 --> 00:11:20.357 In FY23, IMLS made 19 NLG-M awards with a total of just over 152 00:11:20.357 --> 00:11:25.090 $8.44 million in federal funds. We received 48 NLG-M 153 00:11:25.090 --> 00:11:29.913 applications last year, resulting in just over 40% of 154 00:11:29.913 --> 00:11:35.539 those applications being funded. About 37% of the NLG-M awards 155 00:11:35.539 --> 00:11:40.630 were for projects supporting the lifelong learning goal. 156 00:11:41.780 --> 00:11:48.181 42% of the project supported the collection, stewardship and 157 00:11:48.181 --> 00:11:54.582 access goal, and the remaining 21% of the projects supported 158 00:11:54.582 --> 00:12:00.983 the community engagement goal. The average amount of federal 159 00:12:00.983 --> 00:12:07.699 funds for each project was about $444,232. On the IMLS website, 160 00:12:08.120 --> 00:12:13.391 You can use the Search Awarded Grants function to explore an 161 00:12:13.391 --> 00:12:18.663 archive of grants that we have awarded in past years. All of 162 00:12:18.663 --> 00:12:23.502 the 19 FY23 NLG-M awards announced in August are listed 163 00:12:23.502 --> 00:12:28.774 here, along with those from prior years. You can search this 164 00:12:28.774 --> 00:12:33.700 database using a variety of criteria such as institution 165 00:12:33.700 --> 00:12:36.119 name, location, and keyword. 166 00:12:36.730 --> 00:12:40.557 Your search will retrieve basic information about each award, 167 00:12:40.557 --> 00:12:44.137 including the amount of federal funds awarded and a brief 168 00:12:44.137 --> 00:12:47.840 description of the proposed activities and expected results 169 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:48.890 for each project. 170 00:12:59.870 --> 00:13:07.524 In this section, we'll introduce the components of an NLG-M grant 171 00:13:07.524 --> 00:13:14.019 application and provide an overview about the Required, 172 00:13:14.019 --> 00:13:20.978 Conditionally Required, and Supporting documents. The NLG-M 173 00:13:20.978 --> 00:13:28.400 Notice of Funding Opportunity or NOFO, includes a complete list 174 00:13:28.400 --> 00:13:31.880 of all application components. 175 00:13:32.620 --> 00:13:37.560 Most of these components are created by applicants and saved 176 00:13:37.560 --> 00:13:42.500 as PDFs for uploading as part of your application package in 177 00:13:42.500 --> 00:13:47.116 grants.gov. The table of application components starting 178 00:13:47.116 --> 00:13:51.976 on page nine of the NOFO, which is Section D2a, lists which 179 00:13:51.976 --> 00:13:56.673 application components are required as well as those that 180 00:13:56.673 --> 00:13:58.860 are conditionally required. 181 00:13:59.830 --> 00:14:04.489 For example, some components are included in the application 182 00:14:04.489 --> 00:14:08.308 depending on the type of applicant or the type of 183 00:14:08.308 --> 00:14:12.892 project. Aside from the SF-424S and the IMLS Museum Program 184 00:14:12.892 --> 00:14:17.933 Information form, which are both web-based forms completed in the 185 00:14:17.933 --> 00:14:22.287 grants.gov workspace, all application components must be 186 00:14:22.287 --> 00:14:24.350 submitted as PDF documents. 187 00:14:32.330 --> 00:14:36.401 These are the required documents. All applications must 188 00:14:36.401 --> 00:14:40.836 include the documents listed here. Omission of even just one 189 00:14:40.836 --> 00:14:44.544 might result in your application's rejection. Also 190 00:14:44.544 --> 00:14:49.124 important to note, there is a 10-page limit for the narrative. 191 00:14:49.124 --> 00:14:53.195 If you exceed the page limit specified in the Notice of 192 00:14:53.195 --> 00:14:54.650 Funding Opportunity, 193 00:14:55.150 --> 00:14:59.313 we must remove those extra pages before your application goes out 194 00:14:59.313 --> 00:15:03.098 for review. That means that your reviewers may have to stop 195 00:15:03.098 --> 00:15:07.262 reading in mid-sentence and will wonder about your organizational 196 00:15:07.262 --> 00:15:11.047 skills and your attentiveness to detail. So, make sure your 197 00:15:11.047 --> 00:15:14.895 content fits into the page limit specified and make sure the 198 00:15:14.895 --> 00:15:18.870 number of pages holds when you convert your document to a PDF. 199 00:15:32.160 --> 00:15:35.894 The second category of application components is that 200 00:15:35.894 --> 00:15:39.698 of conditionally required documents. Some applications 201 00:15:39.698 --> 00:15:44.124 must include 1, 2, or even all four of these, and it's your job 202 00:15:44.124 --> 00:15:48.620 to figure out which are required for your application. If you're 203 00:15:48.620 --> 00:15:50.279 applying as a nonprofit, 204 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:55.099 you must include your nonprofit status letter from the IRS. We 205 00:15:55.099 --> 00:15:59.062 will not accept a letter of state sales tax exemption as 206 00:15:59.062 --> 00:16:02.885 proof of nonprofit status. If you're using a federally 207 00:16:02.885 --> 00:16:07.057 negotiated indirect cost rate in your budget, then you must 208 00:16:07.057 --> 00:16:11.019 include a copy of your final rate agreement. If you will 209 00:16:11.019 --> 00:16:15.468 create digital products during the course of your project, then 210 00:16:15.468 --> 00:16:19.640 you must complete this and submit the digital product plan. 211 00:16:20.970 --> 00:16:25.528 If you are proposing a research project, then you must submit a 212 00:16:25.528 --> 00:16:30.157 data management plan. Just like the required documents, omission 213 00:16:30.157 --> 00:16:34.573 of one of these might result in your application's rejection. 214 00:16:34.573 --> 00:16:38.704 Please note that the term "digital product "includes both 215 00:16:38.704 --> 00:16:42.764 digitized and born digital content, resources and assets 216 00:16:42.764 --> 00:16:43.690 and software. 217 00:16:44.780 --> 00:16:49.514 If you're creating any of these types of material, you must 218 00:16:49.514 --> 00:16:54.169 include the form with your application. The third group of 219 00:16:54.169 --> 00:16:58.666 application components is Supporting Documents, and here 220 00:16:58.666 --> 00:17:03.085 is a partial list of examples. Supporting documents are 221 00:17:03.085 --> 00:17:08.135 optional. You may submit some or none. Include only those items 222 00:17:08.135 --> 00:17:10.659 that will support your proposal. 223 00:17:11.240 --> 00:17:14.989 This is not the place to introduce brand new information. 224 00:17:14.989 --> 00:17:18.998 Rather, as the name suggests, you should lend support to your 225 00:17:18.998 --> 00:17:22.877 project justification, work plan, and intended results that 226 00:17:22.877 --> 00:17:26.885 you've already spelled out in your application narrative. For 227 00:17:26.885 --> 00:17:31.023 example, have you identified a partner whose involvement is key 228 00:17:31.023 --> 00:17:32.640 to the project's success? 229 00:17:33.210 --> 00:17:37.014 If so, a letter of support or commitment would go a long way 230 00:17:37.014 --> 00:17:40.445 to reassuring reviewers that they are on-board and the 231 00:17:40.445 --> 00:17:44.374 project will succeed. Pictures can help give reviewers who may 232 00:17:44.374 --> 00:17:47.368 not be familiar with your institution, program, 233 00:17:47.368 --> 00:17:50.798 collections, or community a better idea of what you're 234 00:17:50.798 --> 00:17:53.979 describing within your narrative. Vendor quotes or 235 00:17:53.979 --> 00:17:57.846 equipment specifications show you've done some of the legwork 236 00:17:57.846 --> 00:18:01.090 in getting appropriate estimates for project costs. 237 00:18:02.590 --> 00:18:05.955 We recommend that you be respectful of your reviewers' 238 00:18:05.955 --> 00:18:09.749 time and avoid the temptation to include hundreds of pages of 239 00:18:09.749 --> 00:18:13.237 extraneous material. Being judicious really does work to 240 00:18:13.237 --> 00:18:16.847 your benefit, as supporting documents can make or break an 241 00:18:16.847 --> 00:18:20.641 application. Include what is important, helpful, and directly 242 00:18:20.641 --> 00:18:23.149 relevant to your project and stop there. 243 00:18:30.670 --> 00:18:35.170 In the following sections of this presentation, we'll focus 244 00:18:35.170 --> 00:18:39.671 on the narrative and budget. Refer to the Notice of Funding 245 00:18:39.671 --> 00:18:43.872 Opportunity for complete instructions on how to prepare 246 00:18:43.872 --> 00:18:48.072 and complete all of the application components. In this 247 00:18:48.072 --> 00:18:52.123 section, we'll go over the questions you will need to 248 00:18:52.123 --> 00:18:56.999 answer in your project narrative and offer details on the review 249 00:18:56.999 --> 00:19:01.499 criteria associated with each section of the narrative: the 250 00:19:01.499 --> 00:19:03.150 Project Justification, 251 00:19:03.850 --> 00:19:08.895 the Project Work Plan, and Project results. Now let's talk 252 00:19:08.895 --> 00:19:13.940 about the narrative of your proposal. You have 10 pages to 253 00:19:13.940 --> 00:19:18.814 cover 3 very important issues, and the Notice of Funding 254 00:19:18.814 --> 00:19:23.945 Opportunity provides lengthy guidance on what the narrative 255 00:19:23.945 --> 00:19:28.049 should cover. First, the Project Justification. 256 00:19:29.670 --> 00:19:32.966 Which program goal and associated objectives of the 257 00:19:32.966 --> 00:19:36.516 National Leadership Grant Program for Museums will your 258 00:19:36.516 --> 00:19:40.257 project address? You can see those goals and objectives in 259 00:19:40.257 --> 00:19:44.188 Section A2 of this of the Notice of Funding Opportunity. What 260 00:19:44.188 --> 00:19:47.801 field wide need, problem, or challenge will your project 261 00:19:47.801 --> 00:19:50.908 address and how is it identified? You'll need to 262 00:19:50.908 --> 00:19:54.395 describe the sources you have used to define the need, 263 00:19:54.395 --> 00:19:55.790 problem, or challenge. 264 00:19:58.170 --> 00:20:02.133 Who's the target group for your project and how have they been 265 00:20:02.133 --> 00:20:06.159 involved in the planning? Target group refers to those who will 266 00:20:06.159 --> 00:20:09.934 be immediately and positively affected by your project. Who 267 00:20:09.934 --> 00:20:13.897 are the ultimate beneficiaries for this project? Beneficiaries 268 00:20:13.897 --> 00:20:17.797 refer to those who are likely to be aided in the long term by 269 00:20:17.797 --> 00:20:21.635 your project. They may or may not be the same as your target 270 00:20:21.635 --> 00:20:25.409 group. How will the museum field benefit from your project? 271 00:20:26.780 --> 00:20:30.862 How does this proposed project differ from, complement, or 272 00:20:30.862 --> 00:20:35.084 build upon existing theory, scholarship, and/or practice? In 273 00:20:35.084 --> 00:20:39.236 Section E of the Notice of Funding Opportunity under Review 274 00:20:39.236 --> 00:20:43.665 Criteria, you will find a list of questions for each section of 275 00:20:43.665 --> 00:20:47.886 the narrative that reviewers are asked to consider when they 276 00:20:47.886 --> 00:20:52.039 review your proposal. It's a good idea to refer to these as 277 00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:53.700 you craft your narrative 278 00:20:54.090 --> 00:20:58.122 to be certain, you are providing reviewers clear, solid 279 00:20:58.122 --> 00:21:02.658 information. You will see that they correspond fairly directly 280 00:21:02.658 --> 00:21:07.050 with the prompts you were given to write your narrative. The 281 00:21:07.050 --> 00:21:10.650 next section is Project Work Plan. If the Project 282 00:21:10.650 --> 00:21:14.754 Justification section was the Why, the Project Work Plan 283 00:21:14.754 --> 00:21:19.074 section is where you identify Who, What, When, and How. Who 284 00:21:19.074 --> 00:21:23.250 will do the activities and when and using what resources? 285 00:21:23.900 --> 00:21:27.684 You should explain how you will track your progress towards 286 00:21:27.684 --> 00:21:31.721 achieving your intended results, and what you'll do if you need 287 00:21:31.721 --> 00:21:35.568 to correct course. We also ask you to think about risks that 288 00:21:35.568 --> 00:21:39.353 are inherent in your particular project, and to tell us how 289 00:21:39.353 --> 00:21:43.389 you've taken that into account in your planning. Again, this is 290 00:21:43.389 --> 00:21:47.174 a list of questions from Section E of the Notice of Funding 291 00:21:47.174 --> 00:21:50.895 Opportunity that reviewers are asked to consider when they 292 00:21:50.895 --> 00:21:52.220 review your proposal, 293 00:21:52.710 --> 00:21:58.182 so make sure your narrative is answering these effectively. For 294 00:21:58.182 --> 00:22:03.825 research projects, reviewers are asked to weigh in on another set 295 00:22:03.825 --> 00:22:09.127 of criteria. They'll look for appropriate research design and 296 00:22:09.127 --> 00:22:14.086 answers to the questions outlined in Appendix 5, Guidance 297 00:22:14.086 --> 00:22:16.310 for Research Applications. 298 00:22:17.040 --> 00:22:21.317 If you find it difficult to answer these questions for your 299 00:22:21.317 --> 00:22:25.808 project, you might not have a research project at all. Project 300 00:22:25.808 --> 00:22:29.800 Results, the third section of your narrative, should be 301 00:22:29.800 --> 00:22:34.220 devoted to articulating your project's intended results. This 302 00:22:34.220 --> 00:22:38.426 section is your chance to convince the reviewers that your 303 00:22:38.426 --> 00:22:41.920 project will result in something getting better. 304 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:46.495 The need or problem you identified in your project 305 00:22:46.495 --> 00:22:50.436 justification will be addressed directly. The results should 306 00:22:50.436 --> 00:22:54.635 relate directly to the need you identified for the museum field. 307 00:22:54.635 --> 00:22:58.705 We ask you to tell us what data you will collect and report in 308 00:22:58.705 --> 00:23:02.711 order to measure your project's success. If your project will 309 00:23:02.711 --> 00:23:06.588 generate tangible products, and most of them do, here's the 310 00:23:06.588 --> 00:23:10.787 opportunity to describe them and make the case that they will be 311 00:23:10.787 --> 00:23:11.240 useful. 312 00:23:12.070 --> 00:23:17.017 And last but not least, we ask that you tell us how you will 313 00:23:17.017 --> 00:23:21.072 sustain the benefit of the project. How will this 314 00:23:21.072 --> 00:23:25.696 improvement that you propose continue once your grant is 315 00:23:25.696 --> 00:23:30.805 over? Again, here is a list of review questions that reviewers 316 00:23:30.805 --> 00:23:35.591 are asked to consider when they read and score the project 317 00:23:35.591 --> 00:23:38.429 results section of your narrative. 318 00:23:38.980 --> 00:23:43.499 These are found in Section E of the Notice of Funding 319 00:23:43.499 --> 00:23:48.687 Opportunity. So, to recap, your narrative has three sections, 320 00:23:48.687 --> 00:23:53.960 Project Justification, Project Work Plan, and Project Results, 321 00:23:53.960 --> 00:23:59.316 and you have 10 pages to write it. The sections are all equally 322 00:23:59.316 --> 00:24:03.751 important. Write clearly, address what we ask you to 323 00:24:03.751 --> 00:24:08.020 address, and keep an eye on those review criteria. 324 00:24:08.550 --> 00:24:13.116 They tell you exactly what the reviewers will be looking for, 325 00:24:13.116 --> 00:24:17.830 so make it easy for them to find it and understand it. Finally, 326 00:24:17.830 --> 00:24:22.175 make sure all sections of the narrative are connected. The 327 00:24:22.175 --> 00:24:26.668 work plan should describe the activities required to address 328 00:24:26.668 --> 00:24:30.645 the field-wide need, and the results should provide a 329 00:24:30.645 --> 00:24:34.843 solution to the need you identified. In this section, we 330 00:24:34.843 --> 00:24:39.263 will provide information on what to include in your project 331 00:24:39.263 --> 00:24:41.620 budget and budget justification. 332 00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:47.302 And provide some examples of allowable and unallowable costs. 333 00:24:47.302 --> 00:24:52.446 An important component of your application is the budget. This 334 00:24:52.446 --> 00:24:57.427 is a part of the application where you specify all the costs 335 00:24:57.427 --> 00:25:02.489 associated with your proposed project. The budget consists of 336 00:25:02.489 --> 00:25:07.470 two required components, the IMLS budget form and the budget 337 00:25:07.470 --> 00:25:11.879 justification. The IMLS budget form is a fillable PDF 338 00:25:12.230 --> 00:25:16.689 that accommodates up to three years of project activities and 339 00:25:16.689 --> 00:25:20.933 expenses. The budget should include the project costs that 340 00:25:20.933 --> 00:25:25.321 will be charged to grant funds as well as those that will be 341 00:25:25.321 --> 00:25:29.997 supported by cost share. In-kind contributions to cost share may 342 00:25:29.997 --> 00:25:34.456 include the value of services, staff, volunteer or consultant 343 00:25:34.456 --> 00:25:37.550 time, or equipment donated to the project. 344 00:25:39.410 --> 00:25:45.039 All the items listed, whether supported by grant funds or cost 345 00:25:45.039 --> 00:25:49.596 share, must be necessary to accomplish the project 346 00:25:49.596 --> 00:25:55.225 activities, allowable according to the applicable Federal cost 347 00:25:55.225 --> 00:26:00.497 principles, auditable and incurred during the award period 348 00:26:00.497 --> 00:26:06.216 of performance. The IMLS budget form can be downloaded directly 349 00:26:06.216 --> 00:26:08.450 from the IMLS website at 350 00:26:09.030 --> 00:26:19.377 www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-05/imls-budget-form. As you develop your budget, keep 351 00:26:19.377 --> 00:26:26.462 in mind that there are certain costs that are either allowable 352 00:26:26.462 --> 00:26:32.423 or unallowable according to federal regulations. The 353 00:26:32.423 --> 00:26:39.733 allowability of a cost item for all federal grants are specified 354 00:26:39.733 --> 00:26:44.569 in the Code of Federal Regulations at CFR. 355 00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:49.907 Sometimes referred to as "2 CFR 200" for short, but the full 356 00:26:49.907 --> 00:26:54.615 title is Title 2, Subtitle A, Chapter II, Part 200 - Uniform 357 00:26:54.615 --> 00:26:58.937 Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit 358 00:26:58.937 --> 00:27:03.645 Requirements for Federal Awards. Using 2 CFR 200 as a basis, 359 00:27:03.645 --> 00:27:08.430 we've developed a short list of allowable costs that are most 360 00:27:08.430 --> 00:27:10.360 common to NLG-M projects. 361 00:27:10.980 --> 00:27:15.519 See page 19 of the NLG-M Notice of Funding Opportunity, which 362 00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:19.546 includes a partial list of the most common examples of 363 00:27:19.546 --> 00:27:24.012 allowable costs. This short list of allowable costs are also 364 00:27:24.012 --> 00:27:28.771 shown on the slide. These costs may be part of what you ask IMLS 365 00:27:28.771 --> 00:27:33.457 to pay for with federal funds, or what will be paid for through 366 00:27:33.457 --> 00:27:36.020 a contribution through cost share. 367 00:27:37.530 --> 00:27:42.419 The rules about allowability apply equally to grant funds as 368 00:27:42.419 --> 00:27:46.989 well as cost share. When completing your project budget, 369 00:27:46.989 --> 00:27:52.039 be sure to check that all the costs you include, whether grant 370 00:27:52.039 --> 00:27:56.528 funds or cost share, are allowable. There are also some 371 00:27:56.528 --> 00:28:00.777 costs which are unallowable according to the federal 372 00:28:00.777 --> 00:28:05.988 regulations in 2 CFR 200 on page 19 of the NLG Notice of Funding 373 00:28:05.988 --> 00:28:06.950 Opportunity, 374 00:28:07.270 --> 00:28:11.647 we also provide an abbreviated list of unallowable costs. These 375 00:28:11.647 --> 00:28:15.752 are also listed on this slide. Unallowable costs may not be 376 00:28:15.752 --> 00:28:19.993 part of what you ask IMLS to pay for, nor can they be part of 377 00:28:19.993 --> 00:28:24.028 what you will pay for as part of your cost share. In fact, 378 00:28:24.028 --> 00:28:28.269 unallowable expenses can't show up anywhere in your proposal. 379 00:28:29.650 --> 00:28:34.462 If, after you have reviewed 2 CFR 200, you have specific 380 00:28:34.462 --> 00:28:39.528 questions, please contact us and we'll be happy to help. In 381 00:28:39.528 --> 00:28:44.425 addition to the IMLS Budget Form, you will also prepare a 382 00:28:44.425 --> 00:28:49.744 Budget Justification. This is an opportunity to provide a more 383 00:28:49.744 --> 00:28:54.303 detailed explanation or justification for the project 384 00:28:54.303 --> 00:28:54.810 costs. 385 00:28:55.960 --> 00:29:00.086 Budget justification should be written to follow the cost 386 00:29:00.086 --> 00:29:04.212 categories in the IMLS budget form. In the justification, 387 00:29:04.212 --> 00:29:08.267 you'll identify each expense and show the method of cost 388 00:29:08.267 --> 00:29:12.535 computation used to determine each dollar amount, including 389 00:29:12.535 --> 00:29:16.306 any that you may have consolidated and summarized in 390 00:29:16.306 --> 00:29:17.800 the IMLS budget form. 391 00:29:18.820 --> 00:29:22.831 In other words, please show your math. Don't make us try to 392 00:29:22.831 --> 00:29:26.040 figure out how you got to $10,000 for travel to 393 00:29:26.040 --> 00:29:30.385 conferences. For example, in the section Salaries and Wages, you 394 00:29:30.385 --> 00:29:34.330 should identify each person whose salary and wages will be 395 00:29:34.330 --> 00:29:38.542 paid with IMLS funds or by cost share. Provide their names and 396 00:29:38.542 --> 00:29:42.553 describe their roles in the project. Document the method of 397 00:29:42.553 --> 00:29:46.497 cost computation by including the base salary or wages for 398 00:29:46.497 --> 00:29:47.299 each person, 399 00:29:47.660 --> 00:29:51.637 and the percentage of time each person is allocated to the 400 00:29:51.637 --> 00:29:55.951 project activities, which may be shown as a percentage of time, 401 00:29:55.951 --> 00:29:59.928 number of days, or number of hours. If cost share is being 402 00:29:59.928 --> 00:30:04.107 provided by unpaid volunteers, explain how you arrived at the 403 00:30:04.107 --> 00:30:08.422 dollar amount used to represent the value of their services. In 404 00:30:08.422 --> 00:30:11.860 the section for supplies, materials and equipment, 405 00:30:12.840 --> 00:30:16.573 you should list each type of supply, material and equipment 406 00:30:16.573 --> 00:30:20.182 you proposed to purchase or provide as cost share for the 407 00:30:20.182 --> 00:30:24.102 project. Detail the number and unit costs for each and explain 408 00:30:24.102 --> 00:30:27.773 how you arrive at the dollar amounts. You may also provide 409 00:30:27.773 --> 00:30:31.693 vendor quotes or price lists as supporting documents with your 410 00:30:31.693 --> 00:30:32.440 application. 411 00:30:38.150 --> 00:30:42.764 In this final section of our presentation, we offer some 412 00:30:42.764 --> 00:30:47.621 application tips and next steps. We can only make grants to 413 00:30:47.621 --> 00:30:52.882 eligible applicants that submit complete applications, including 414 00:30:52.882 --> 00:30:57.901 attachments, on or before the deadline. So here are some tips 415 00:30:57.901 --> 00:31:03.082 to help you do just that. Start early. You've already done that 416 00:31:03.082 --> 00:31:05.430 by listening to this webinar. 417 00:31:06.590 --> 00:31:10.397 Become familiar with grants.gov workspace. It has many good 418 00:31:10.397 --> 00:31:14.141 features, including upfront validation which allows you to 419 00:31:14.141 --> 00:31:17.695 correct errors prior to submission, and the opportunity 420 00:31:17.695 --> 00:31:21.312 to collaborate with others in creating your application. 421 00:31:21.312 --> 00:31:25.119 Consider starting with the workspace overview and check out 422 00:31:25.119 --> 00:31:28.419 the tutorials. Do your background research, make it 423 00:31:28.419 --> 00:31:32.417 easy for reviewers to see that you're up to date and know what 424 00:31:32.417 --> 00:31:33.750 you're talking about. 425 00:31:35.020 --> 00:31:38.964 Be sure your application is complete. Check it against the 426 00:31:38.964 --> 00:31:42.775 table of application components in the Notice of Funding 427 00:31:42.775 --> 00:31:46.586 Opportunity. Make sure all application components are in 428 00:31:46.586 --> 00:31:50.665 the proper format and follow the correct naming conventions. 429 00:31:50.665 --> 00:31:54.743 Submit to grants.gov early so you can correct any errors and 430 00:31:54.743 --> 00:31:58.020 avoid any drama created by technical challenges. 431 00:32:03.500 --> 00:32:07.170 It's important to get your application submitted online 432 00:32:07.170 --> 00:32:11.169 through grants.gov before the deadline. IMLS does not accept 433 00:32:11.169 --> 00:32:14.971 applications by mail or e-mail. In order to register with 434 00:32:14.971 --> 00:32:18.969 grants.gov, you must have an active sam.gov registration and 435 00:32:18.969 --> 00:32:22.902 a unique entity identifier (UEI) number. So, make sure your 436 00:32:22.902 --> 00:32:26.573 registration for both of these sites are complete, your 437 00:32:26.573 --> 00:32:30.375 accounts are active, and that any necessary passwords are 438 00:32:30.375 --> 00:32:30.900 current. 439 00:32:31.740 --> 00:32:35.884 These registrations expire periodically, so do not wait 440 00:32:35.884 --> 00:32:40.251 until it's time to hit the submit button to check on them. 441 00:32:40.251 --> 00:32:44.692 You should coordinate with any other staff members, such as 442 00:32:44.692 --> 00:32:49.281 your authorized organization representative, who may hold the 443 00:32:49.281 --> 00:32:53.944 accounts and passwords you'll need to submit. Both the sam.gov 444 00:32:53.944 --> 00:32:58.460 and grants.gov websites have robust help features and FAQ's. 445 00:32:58.940 --> 00:33:03.121 If you run into technical issues with either of these sites, you 446 00:33:03.121 --> 00:33:06.980 should reach out to their help desks and request a tracking 447 00:33:06.980 --> 00:33:10.711 case or ticket number in order to document your issue and 448 00:33:10.711 --> 00:33:14.377 attempts at resolving it. Failure to have active sam.gov 449 00:33:14.377 --> 00:33:18.430 or grants.gov registrations by the application deadline is not 450 00:33:18.430 --> 00:33:22.354 an excuse for submitting a late application, so again, start 451 00:33:22.354 --> 00:33:22.740 early. 452 00:33:28.350 --> 00:33:32.685 There are many components to the application, and the narrative 453 00:33:32.685 --> 00:33:36.410 is an essential and critical part of the package. Peer 454 00:33:36.410 --> 00:33:40.745 reviewers, museum professionals from all types of museums, will 455 00:33:40.745 --> 00:33:44.606 be selected by IMLS to read each application and provide 456 00:33:44.606 --> 00:33:48.400 constructive and critical comments on the strengths and 457 00:33:48.400 --> 00:33:52.532 weaknesses of each proposed project. They base their reviews 458 00:33:52.532 --> 00:33:56.190 only on the information contained in the application. 459 00:33:56.570 --> 00:34:00.546 So don't assume that a reviewer or IMLS will know something 460 00:34:00.546 --> 00:34:04.390 about your museum or your project. To help make sure your 461 00:34:04.390 --> 00:34:08.101 narrative is as clear and complete as possible, revisit 462 00:34:08.101 --> 00:34:11.746 the NLG-M notice of Funding Opportunity and follow the 463 00:34:11.746 --> 00:34:15.855 narrative outline it provides. Be sure to consider the review 464 00:34:15.855 --> 00:34:19.831 criteria associated with each section of the narrative. Use 465 00:34:19.831 --> 00:34:23.277 headings, subheadings, or numbered sections in your 466 00:34:23.277 --> 00:34:25.729 narrative to make it easy to follow. 467 00:34:27.210 --> 00:34:31.694 Avoid generalities, acronyms, and jargon. The people who will 468 00:34:31.694 --> 00:34:36.033 review your applications are museum professionals. Some may 469 00:34:36.033 --> 00:34:40.589 be very familiar with your topic and your discipline, but they 470 00:34:40.589 --> 00:34:45.001 may not all be totally familiar with your field's shorthand. 471 00:34:45.001 --> 00:34:48.689 Make it easy for them to understand what you mean. 472 00:34:50.560 --> 00:34:55.135 An advantage to starting your application early is that you 473 00:34:55.135 --> 00:34:59.406 can ask a colleague, friend, or family member to review 474 00:34:59.406 --> 00:35:03.829 everything with fresh eyes before you submit. Ask them to 475 00:35:03.829 --> 00:35:08.481 act like a reviewer who's seeing it for the first time. IMLS 476 00:35:08.481 --> 00:35:12.905 offers a few ways to find examples of funded projects. We 477 00:35:12.905 --> 00:35:17.709 already talked about the search awarded grants function on our 478 00:35:17.709 --> 00:35:18.320 website. 479 00:35:18.930 --> 00:35:23.262 You can see the filters I selected on the left: the last 480 00:35:23.262 --> 00:35:27.898 three years on the top there, and National Leadership Grants 481 00:35:27.898 --> 00:35:32.534 for Museums at the bottom. We have also posted the abstract, 482 00:35:32.534 --> 00:35:36.866 narrative and schedule of completion for a cross section 483 00:35:36.866 --> 00:35:40.210 of successful NLG for Museums applications. 484 00:35:41.020 --> 00:35:44.910 The proposals posted present a variety of project types, meet 485 00:35:44.910 --> 00:35:48.549 the overarching goal of the NLG-M Grant program, and were 486 00:35:48.549 --> 00:35:52.188 considered to be clear and well written by the reviewers. 487 00:35:52.188 --> 00:35:55.702 Looking at these exemplary proposals might help clarify 488 00:35:55.702 --> 00:35:59.404 your thinking about your own application. The image on the 489 00:35:59.404 --> 00:36:02.918 right shows the sample application page. You'll need to 490 00:36:02.918 --> 00:36:06.620 Scroll down to find the National Leadership Grant Program. 491 00:36:14.760 --> 00:36:19.854 Here are a few important dates relating to NLG-M applications. 492 00:36:19.854 --> 00:36:24.787 Applications must be received through grants.gov by 11:59 PM 493 00:36:24.787 --> 00:36:28.993 Eastern Time on November 15, 2023. This date is not 494 00:36:28.993 --> 00:36:34.087 negotiable. The time stamp is auto generated by grants.gov and 495 00:36:34.087 --> 00:36:37.080 we have no ability to override that. 496 00:36:37.890 --> 00:36:41.785 So again, start early and submit your application early. That 497 00:36:41.785 --> 00:36:45.052 way, if you encounter a difficulty of any kind when 498 00:36:45.052 --> 00:36:49.010 submitting your proposal, you'll have some time to resolve the 499 00:36:49.010 --> 00:36:53.093 problem and resubmit. After the application deadline, IMLS staff 500 00:36:53.093 --> 00:36:57.051 will review your application for completeness and eligibility, 501 00:36:57.051 --> 00:37:00.444 and you will hear from us via e-mail if there are any 502 00:37:00.444 --> 00:37:01.010 problems. 503 00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:06.040 Next, we'll select experienced and knowledgeable peer reviewers 504 00:37:06.040 --> 00:37:09.838 to review your application and provide scores and comments 505 00:37:09.838 --> 00:37:13.830 based on the criteria outlined in the NLG-M Notice of Funding 506 00:37:13.830 --> 00:37:17.371 Opportunity. IMLS staff will examine your budget, your 507 00:37:17.371 --> 00:37:20.976 financials, and your track record with past and current 508 00:37:20.976 --> 00:37:24.645 grants. We then prepare materials for the IMLS Director, 509 00:37:24.645 --> 00:37:28.701 who by law is charged with the authority and responsibility to 510 00:37:28.701 --> 00:37:30.440 make final award decisions. 511 00:37:31.000 --> 00:37:35.839 This typically happens in July. In early August 2024, we'll 512 00:37:35.839 --> 00:37:41.082 notify you by mail of the award decisions and provide the scores 513 00:37:41.082 --> 00:37:45.841 and comments created by the reviewers. NLG-M projects must 514 00:37:45.841 --> 00:37:50.520 be scheduled to start on the first day of September 2024. 515 00:37:54.850 --> 00:37:58.492 As you read through the NOFO and prepare your application, 516 00:37:58.492 --> 00:38:02.444 additional questions may arise before the application deadline. 517 00:38:02.444 --> 00:38:06.210 We can answer questions about the NLG-M grant program or any 518 00:38:06.210 --> 00:38:09.914 other grant program at IMLS, address specific concerns with 519 00:38:09.914 --> 00:38:12.878 the various application components, or help you 520 00:38:12.878 --> 00:38:16.768 understand the review process. Contact information for program 521 00:38:16.768 --> 00:38:20.596 staff is listed on the grant program landing page on the IMLS 522 00:38:20.596 --> 00:38:21.090 website. 523 00:38:22.120 --> 00:38:26.028 You may also schedule a counseling call to talk directly 524 00:38:26.028 --> 00:38:30.142 with program staff. Use the link found on the grant program 525 00:38:30.142 --> 00:38:33.708 landing page to find an available time slot on your 526 00:38:33.708 --> 00:38:38.028 calendar. You'll then receive an e-mail with a calendar invite 527 00:38:38.028 --> 00:38:42.348 and a Microsoft Teams meeting link. Thank you for listening to 528 00:38:42.348 --> 00:38:44.200 this webinar and good luck.