National Leadership Grants

 

NLG supports projects that address critical needs of the museum and library fields and that have the potential to advance practice in these professions so that museums and libraries can strengthen services for the American public. NLG-Museums has three program goals with four associated objectives each. GOAL 1: Advance the museum fields ability to empower people of all ages and backgrounds through experiential and cross-disciplinary learning and discovery. Obj. 1.1: Support the development, implementation, and dissemination of model programs that facilitate adoption across the field. Obj. 1.2: Support training and professional development programs, tools, or resources that build the knowledge, skills, and abilities of museum staff and/or volunteers in multiple institutions. Obj. 1.3: Support research focusing on the role of museums in engaging learners of all types. Obj. 1.4: Support forums that convene experts and stakeholders to explore current and emerging issues and inform the field. GOAL 2: Advance the museum fields ability to maximize the use of museum resources to address community needs through partnerships and collaborations. Obj. 2.1: Support the development of new and innovative methods for addressing community challenges through partnerships, services, processes, or practices for use across the museum field. Obj. 2.2: Support the development and implementation of training and professional development programs, tools, or resources that build the knowledge, skills, and abilities of museum staff and/or volunteers in multiple institutions. Obj. 2.3: Support research focusing on museums roles in engaging diverse audiences and fostering civic discourse. Obj. 2.4: Support forums that convene experts and stakeholders, including those from adjacent fields as appropriate, to explore current and emerging issues and inform the field. GOAL 3: Advance the museum fields ability to identify new solutions that address high-priority and widespread collections care or conservation issues. Obj. 3.1: Support the development, implementation, and dissemination of new tools or services that facilitate access, management, preservation, sharing, and use of museum collections. Obj. 3.2: Support the development and implementation of training and professional development programs, tools, or resources that impact the ability of museum staff and/or volunteers in multiple institutions to improve the stewardship of collections. Obj. 3.3: Support research focusing on any broadly relevant aspect of the management, conservation, and preservation of collections. Obj. 3.4: Support forums that convene experts and stakeholders, including those from adjacent fields as appropriate, to explore current and emerging issues and inform the field. NLG-Libraries has five program goals with two or three associated objectives each. GOAL 1: Build the workforce and institutional capacity for managing the national information infrastructure and serving the information and education needs of the public. Obj. 1.1: Develop or enhance replicable library and archives programs, models, and tools to support learning. Obj. 1.2: Collaborate with other learning organizations to incorporate promising practices from allied domains into library and archives services. Obj. 1.3: Create and/or facilitate opportunities for continuous learning for families, groups, and individuals of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and needs. GOAL 2: Build the capacity of libraries and archives to lead and contribute to efforts that improve community well-being and strengthen civic engagement. Obj. 2.1: Develop or enhance replicable programming, models, and tools that engage communities and individuals of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Obj. 2.2: Develop or enhance collaborations between libraries and stakeholders to address community needs. Obj. 2.3: Establish or refine approaches that equip libraries and archives to contribute to the well-being of communities. GOAL 3: Improve the ability of libraries and archives to provide broad access to and use of information and collections. Obj. 3.1: Advance digital inclusion. Obj. 3.2: Support innovative approaches to digital collection management. Obj. 3.3: Support the design and development of online library and archives services that meet user expectations for operating in an online environment. GOAL 4: Strengthen the ability of libraries to provide services to affected communities in the event of an emergency or disaster. Obj. 4.1: Support the development of model emergency and disaster management plans. Obj. 4.2: Support the implementation of such emergency and disaster management plans. GOAL 5: Strengthen the ability of libraries, archives, and museums to work collaboratively for the benefit of the communities they serve. Obj. 5.1: Support joint projects designed to address a shared problem and structured to use the expertise, experience, and perspective of each partner institution in its solution.

Active 45.312 The Institute of Museum and Library Services B - Project Grants; C - Direct Payments For Specified Use Fiscal Year 2015 69 awards made in FY15.
Fiscal Year 2021 IMLS made 13 standard awards in NLG-Museums and 36 awards in NLG-Libraries plus an additional 67 awards funded through the CARES Act, designated CARES Act Grants for Museums and Libraries.
Fiscal Year 2023 IMLS made 19 awards in NLG-Museums and 36 awards in NLG-Libraries. 20 USC Chapter 72 Museum and Library Services Act of 2018 U.S.C. § 9101-9176, in particular § 9162 (National leadership grants)
Public Law 115-410
The Act authorizes the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services to establish and carry out a program to enhance the quality of library and museum services nationwide. An applicant must meet geographic and governance criteria and qualify as one of the following six types of organizations: 1. A library or a parent organization, such as a school district, a municipality, a State agency, or an academic institution, that is responsible for the administration of a library; 2. An academic or administrative unit, such as a graduate school of library and information science that is part of an institution of higher education through which it would apply; 3. A digital library or archives, if it makes materials publicly available and provides library or archival services, including selection, organization, description, reference, and preservation, under the supervision of at least one permanent professional staff librarian/archivist; 4. A library or archival agency that is an official agency of a State, tribal, or other unit of government and is charged by the law governing it with the extension and development of public library services within its jurisdiction; 5. A library or archives consortium that is a local, statewide, regional, interstate, or international cooperative association of library entities that provides for the systematic and effective coordination of the resources of eligible libraries or archives, as defined above, and information centers that work to improve the services delivered to the clientele of these libraries or archives; or 6. A library or archives association that exists on a permanent basis; serves libraries, archives, or library or archival professionals on a national, regional, State, or local level; and engages in activities designed to advance the well-being of libraries and the library profession. An applicant to NLG-Museums must meet geographic and governance criteria and qualify as one of the following four types of organizations: 1. A museum that, using a professional staff, is organized on a permanent basis for essentially educational, cultural heritage, or aesthetic purposes; owns or uses tangible objects, either animate or inanimate; cares for these objects; and exhibits these objects to the general public on a regular basis through facilities that it owns or operates. 2. An organization or association that engages in activities designed to advance the wellbeing of museums and the museum profession; 3. An institution of higher education, including public and nonprofit universities; or 4. A public or private nonprofit agency that is responsible for the operation of a museum that meets these criteria. Not applicable. Not applicable. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. 1. Ensure that required registrations are active and user names and passwords are in place. 2. Read the Notice of Funding Opportunity carefully to get all the information required for applying. 3. Compose the Preliminary Application (for NLG-Libraries) or the complete application (for NLG-Museums), using resources available through www.imls.gov (e.g. on-demand webinars, instructions, Sample Applications, Reviewer Resources). 4. Contact an IMLS staff member to ask any questions about the application and review process. 5. Submit the application via Grants.gov by the deadline. 6. If contacted to submit an Invited Full Proposal for NLG-Libraries, reread the Notice of Funding Opportunity paying special attention to the requirements for a full proposal. Compose the application, and submit it via Grants.gov by the deadline. IMLS staff review applications for eligibility and completeness. IMLS uses a peer review process to evaluate all eligible and complete applications. Peer reviewers are experts in the field with relevant knowledge and expertise in the types of project activities identified in the applications. IMLS instructs reviewers to evaluate applications according to the review criteria outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Peer reviewers must comply with Federal ethics and conflicts of interest requirements. The IMLS Director takes into account the input provided by the review process and makes final funding decisions consistent with the purposes of the agency's mission and programs. July 13, 2023 to September 20, 2023 NLG-Libraries (Phase I): The application process consists of two phases. For Phase I, all applicants must submit two-page Preliminary Proposals through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm U.S. Eastern Time, September 20, 2023. February 1, 2024 to March 20, 2024 NLG-Libraries (Phase II): Selected applicants will be invited in early February to submit full proposals through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm U.S. Eastern Time, March 20, 2024. Only Invited Full Proposals will be considered for funding. August 15, 2023 to November 15, 2023 NLG-Museums: All applicants must submit full proposals through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm U.S. Eastern Time, November 15, 2023. NLG-Libraries: IMLS will extend invitations to selected applicants to submit full proposals in early February, 2024, and will notify both successful and unsuccessful applicants of final funding decisions by email by July 2024. NLG-Museums: IMLS will not release information about the status of an application until the applications have been reviewed and all deliberations are concluded, but will notify both successful and unsuccessful applicants of final funding decisions by email by August 2024. IMLS provides copies of reviewer comments and scores to all unsuccessful applicants and invites them to consult with specific IMLS staff when determining whether to revise the proposal and submit it again to IMLS or another funding agency. IMLS may extend particular grants at the discretion of the Director. Successful proposals in National Leadership Grants are structured to result in far-reaching impact beyond the institution and influencing practice across one or more disciplines within the library/archive or museum profession; reflect a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about the subject matter and an awareness of current strategic initiatives and agendas in the field; employ novel approaches or techniques to strengthen library or museum services; incorporate audience, stakeholders, and/or other partners in strategic collaborations; and have the potential to generate new tools, research findings, models, services, practices, and/or alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend the benefits of federal investment. Grant funds must be used for the purposes outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, and in accordance with the Institute of Museum and Library Services General Terms and Conditions. Examples of allowable costs include personnel salaries, wages, and fringe benefits for project staff; travel expenses for key project staff and consultants; materials, supplies, software, and equipment related directly to project activities; adaptive and/or assistive technologies and other resources and services to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities; third-party costs; publication design and printing; program evaluation; staff and volunteer training; student tuition and fees; paid internships/fellowships; and indirect or overhead costs. Performance Reports: Grantees are required to submit a performance report annually. Reports are due according to the reporting schedule provided as part of the official award notification. Grantees must submit reports online using the IMLS electronic grants management system. In support of the agency’s commitment to open government, interim and final performance reports may be made accessible on the IMLS website to engage the public in communities of practice and to inform application development and grant-making strategies. Not applicable. Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other project records must be retained for three years following the submission of the final financial report. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is mandatory. NLG-Libraries: One-to-one cost share from non-federal sources is required for Implementation Project requests of more than $249,999, excluding Student Support costs. Cost share is allowed but not required for all other project types. NLG-Museums: One-to-one cost share from non-federal sources is required for Non-Research Grant requests. Cost share is allowed but not required for Research Grant requests.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. NLG-Libraries: Projects must begin on August 1, 2024. Projects may be carried out for one to two or one to three years, depending on project type. NLG-Museums: Projects must begin on September 1, 2024 and may be carried out for one to three years. Funds are released as advances or reimbursements in response to requests for payment. None/Not specified. Connie Bodner
955 L'Enfant Plaza North, SW
Suite 4000
Washington, DC 20024 USA
cbodner@imls.gov
Phone: 202-653-4636

Sandra Narva
955 L'Enfant Plaza North, SW
Suite 4000
Washington, DC 20024 USA
snarva@imls.gov
Phone: 202-653-4634 https://www.imls.gov/grants/grant-programs 59-0300-0-1-503 (Project Grants (Discretionary)) FY 22$21,519,000.00; FY 23 est $24,635,000.00; FY 24 est $25,635,000.00; FY 21$21,519,000.00; FY 20$35,319,000.00; - NLG-Museums: FY2022 awards ranged from $48,454 to $749,086. Average = $374,980. FY2023 awards ranged from $49,970 to $750,000. Average = $478,823. In FY2024, requests may range from $50,000 to $750,000. NLG-Libraries: FY2022 awards ranged from $69,734 to $799,782. Average = $290,803. FY2023 awards ranged from $124,391 to $742,726. Average = $340,873. In FY2024, requests may range from $50,000 to $1,000,000. 2 CFR Part 200, 2 CFR Part 3187. 20 USC Chapter 72 Museum and Library Services Act of 2018, ? 9101-9176, in particular ? 9162 (National leadership grants) and ? 9173 (Museum services activities). Guidelines are available online at https://www.imls.gov/grants/grant-programs or upon request from IMLS, 955 L'Enfant Plaza North, SW, Suite 4000, Washington DC 20024-2135. See the IMLS website at www.imls.gov for the most current program information. Fiscal Year 2015 Visit the IMLS website at www.imls.gov to search awarded grants.
Fiscal Year 2016 Visit the IMLS website at www.imls.gov to search awarded grants.
Fiscal Year 2023 Visit https://www.imls.gov/grants/awarded-grants. Choose National Leadership Grants – Libraries or National Leadership Grants - Museums under “Program” and search by fiscal year, state, city, institution, and/or keyword.