Community Collaboration Grant Guidelines

Deadline: March 1, 2006

Museums, libraries and public broadcasters

joining forces, creating value

A Corporation for Public Broadcasting and

Institute of Museum and Library Services leadership initiative
P A R T N E R S H I P F O R A N A T I O N O F L E A R N E R S 

C O M M U N I T Y C O L L A B O R A T I O N G R A N T S

G r a n t A p p l i c a t i o n a n d I n f o r m a t i o n

Fiscal Year 2006

What Is IMLS?

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is an independent federal grant-making agency established by Congress 

through the Museum and Library Services Act of 1996. It is dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of learners by helping 

libraries and museums serve their communities. IMLS promotes leadership, innovation, and a lifetime of learning by supporting 

museums and libraries throughout the United States and its territories.

Museums and libraries play important roles in cultivating an educated and informed citizenry. They provide unprecedented 

access to learning opportunities for people of all ages. IMLS grants and programs support access to and improvement of museum and library services, encourage excellence and resource sharing, and leverage substantial local, state, and private resources. 

The agency places a priority on planning, evaluation, and partnership. Institute support helps libraries and museums to promote 

education, reading, literacy, and lifelong learning; carry out their cultural heritage stewardship role; strengthen communities and 

provide opportunities for families; promote civic engagement; develop and disseminate new applications of digital technologies; 

and spur innovation, research, and discovery.

Through its grant-making, research, collaborations, and leadership activities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services 

helps build the capacity of museums and libraries to demonstrate their public value as core institutions in a democratic society. 

What Is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting?

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is a private, nonprofit corporation responsible for administering the federal 

contribution to public television and radio. CPB’s mission is to facilitate the development of, and ensure universal access to, 

noncommercial high-quality programming and telecommunications services. It does this in conjunction with noncommercial 

educational telecommunications licensees across America. 

The fundamental purpose of public telecommunications is to provide programs and services that inform, enlighten, and enrich the public. While these programs and services are provided to enhance the knowledge and citizenship and inspire the imagination of all Americans, the Corporation has particular responsibility to encourage the development of programming that involves 

creative risks and that addresses the needs of unserved and underserved audiences, particularly children and minorities.

The Corporation is accountable to the public for investing its funds in programs and services that are educational, innovative, 

locally relevant, and reflective of America’s common values and cultural diversity. The Corporation serves as a catalyst for innovation in the public broadcasting industry and acts as a guardian of the mission and purposes for which public broadcasting was 

established.

For more information, call or write: For more information on the

Institute of Museum and Library Services Partnership for a Nation of Learners

1800 M Street, NW, Ninth Floor Community Collaboration Grants see:

Washington, DC 20036-5802 www.partnershipforlearners.org

(202) 653-IMLS (4657)

E-mail: imlsinfo@imls.gov

Web site: http://www.imls.gov/

TTY (for hearing-impaired people): (202) 653-4699

 Visually or learning-disabled people may obtain assistance in acquiring a cassette recording of this or any other IMLS grant 

information and guidelines booklet by contacting IMLS.

Burden Estimate and Request for Public Comments

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 40 hours per response, including the time 

for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestion for reducing this burden, to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, 1800 M Street, NW, Ninth 

Floor, Washington, DC 20036-5802; and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (3137-0001), 

Washington, DC 20503. 

CFDA No. 45.312
Dear Colleague:

On behalf of the Partnership for a Nation of Learners, a joint initiative of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, 

we are delighted to announce the 2006 Community Collaboration Grant competition. 

Inside this document, you will find the competitive grant application as well as a howto guide for completing and submitting it. The deadline for submission of the completed application is March 1, 2006. The application, along with additional information about resources and technical assistance for practitioners, is also available on the 

Partnership for a Nation of Learners Web site at www.partnershipforlearners.org.

Libraries, museums, and public broadcasting licensees are tremendous assets in 

our communities. They hold the public trust and play vital roles in maintaining an 

informed and educated citizenry. The Community Collaboration Grant program was 

established to harness the synergies of public broadcasters, libraries, and museums as 

they work to create more vibrant, energized communities.

We encourage and invite museums, libraries, and public broadcasting licensees to 

use their rich and varied resources in collaboration to contribute more fully to healthy 

communities and fulfilled individual lives.

Thank you for your commitment to community.

Mary L. Chute Patricia Harrison

Acting Director President and CEO

Institute of Museum and Library Services Corporation for Public Broadcasting

2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Guidelines and Application Forms

Program Purpose 1.2

Eligibility 1.3

 Eligibility for Museums 1.3 

 Eligibility for Libraries 1.4 

 Eligibility for Public Broadcasters 1.5 

Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)/ 1.5

Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) 

Partnerships 1.5

Conditions of a Grant 1.6

 Duration of a Grant 1.6 

 Project Start Date 1.6 

 Amount of Grant 1.6 

 Cost Sharing 1.6 

 Use of Funds 1.7 

 Project Evaluation 1.7 

 Copyright/Work Products 1.7 

 Announcement of Award 1.7 

 Payment, Accounting, Management, and Reporting Procedures 1.8 

 Application Review 1.8 

Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grants 2.2

 Program Overview 2.2 

Determining the Appropriate Funding Program: National 2.3

Leadership Grants versus Partnership for a Nation of Learners

Community Collaboration Grants

Selecting the Appropriate Category 2.3 

i

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p a r t 2 P R O J E C T A N D A P P L I C A T I O N R E Q U I R E M E N T S

Table of Contents
Guidelines and Application Forms 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

Application Evaluation Criteria 3.2

 Assessment of Need 3.2 

 Project Design 3.2 

 Intended Results and Community Impact 3.3

 Project Resources—Management Plan, Personnel, and Budget 3.3

 Collaboration 3.3

 Continuing Benefit 3.4

 Dissemination 3.4

Guidance for Projects That Develop Digital Products 3.5

 Information to Include in Proposal 3.5

 Interoperability 3.5

 Digitization Plans 3.5

 Resources for Digital Projects 3.5

Completing the Application 3.6

 Electronic Fill-in Application Forms 3.6

 Face Sheet 3.7

 PNL Information Form 3.7

 Application Checklist 3.8

 Abstract 3.8

 Narrative 3.9

 Schedule of Completion 3.9

 Budget 3.9

 Specifications for Projects That Develop Digital Products 3.12

 Proof of Nonprofit Status (if applicable) 3.14

 Partnership Statement 3.15

 Applicant(s) Organizational Profile 3.15

 Resumes 3.15

 Attachments 3.15 

Assembling the Application Package 4.2

Sending the Application to IMLS 4.4

 Shipping 4.4

 IMLS Acknowledgment 4.4

 Proof of Shipping 4.4

p a r t 4 A S S E M B L I N G A N D S E N D I N G T H E A P P L I C A T I O N

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p a r t 3 T H E A P P L I C A T I O N 
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Guidelines and Application Forms

Application Checklist 5.2

Face Sheet 5.3

Partnership for a Nation of Learners Information 5.5

Project Budget Form—Section 1: Detailed Budget 5.7

Project Budget Form—Section 2: Summary Budget 5.9

Specifications for Projects That Develop Digital Products 5.10

Sample Schedule of Completion 5.14

Partnership Statement 5.15

Organizational Profile 5.16

IMLS Assurances 5.17

p a r t 5 A P P L I C A T I O N F O R M S

iii

To provide information and assistance to potential applicants, two audioconferences will be 

offered, as follows:

January 9, 2006, Time: 2:00–3:00 pm EST.

February 8, 2006, Time: 2:00–3:00 pm EST.

Callers should dial 1-866-814-8482 to connect to the conferences. Questions and answers will 

be recorded and posted at www.partnershipforlearners.org after each conference.

G E N E R A L

I N F O R M A T I O N

1.1
Guidelines 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

Program Purpose

The Partnership for a Nation of Learners is a joint funding initiative of 

the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Corporation for 

Public Broadcasting (CPB).1

 The initiative includes the Community Collaboration Grant program, administered by IMLS, and a Professional Development 

Curriculum and Web site administered by CPB. These guidelines pertain to the 

Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grants program. 

For more information about the Partnership for a Nation of Learners initiative 

and its components, including professional development opportunities and other 

resources, see www.partnershipforlearners.org. 

Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grants are intended to strengthen the ability of museums, libraries, and public broadcasting licensees to work together to help audiences gain knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviors, 

and resources that enhance their engagement in community, work, family, and society. 

Projects should demonstrate how the participating institutions will use their respective 

resources collaboratively to increase learning and educational opportunities and to address other local community needs.

The program funds ongoing or new collaborative activities and projects among 

museums, libraries, and public broadcasting licensees that are designed to:

 address community civic and educational needs,

 increase the organizations’ capacity to serve as effective venues and resources for 

learning, or

 enhance infrastructure and technology to serve audiences more effectively.

Grants will be made to collaborative projects that involve at least one museum 

and/or library and at least one public radio or television licensee. Applications involving a collaboration among all three types of institutions are encouraged but not 

required. 

1.2

1. IMLS is administering this grant program with funds from both IMLS and CPB.
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Guidelines 

Eligibility 

Eligible museums, libraries, or public broadcasting licensees may apply for Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grants. Although each 

application will require a formal collaboration between a museum or library and public broadcasting licensee, the applicant organization will serve as the grantee of record, 

responsible for compliance with all federal requirements for financial assistance that is 

awarded.

Federally operated libraries and museums may not apply for Partnership for a 

Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grants, but may serve as non-essential 

partners to applicants if they do not receive IMLS grant funds as a result of the project. Applicants should contact IMLS before submitting a proposal involving a federal 

agency or federal collection. Other, nonfederal entities may serve as partners and may 

receive IMLS grant funds as a result of the project. Consult with IMLS about any 

eligibility questions before submitting an application.

An applicant must:

 be either a unit of state or local government or private nonprofit organization that 

has tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code;

 be located in one of the fifty states of the United States, the District of Columbia, 

the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, 

the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau; and

 qualify as one of the three types of organizations listed below:

1. A museum1

 that, using a professional staff,2 (a) is organized on a permanent 

basis for essentially educational or aesthetic purposes; (b) owns or uses tangible objects, either animate or inanimate; (c) cares for these objects; and (d) 

exhibits these objects to the general public on a regular basis through facilities 

which it owns or operates.3

 Please note: A museum located within a parent organization that is a state 

or local government or multipurpose not-for-profit entity, such as a municipality, university, historical society, foundation, or cultural center, may apply 

on its own behalf if the museum (a) is able to independently fulfill all the 

eligibility requirements listed above; (b) functions as a discrete unit within the 

parent organization; (c) has its own fully segregated and itemized operating 

1.3

1. Museums include, but are not limited to, aquariums, arboretums, art museums, botanical gardens, children/youth museums, general 

museums (those having two or more significant disciplines), historic houses/sites, history museums, natural history/anthropology museums, 

nature centers, planetariums, science/technology centers, specialized museums (limited to a single distinct subject), and zoological parks.

2. An institution uses a professional staff if it employs at least one professional staff member, or the fulltime equivalent, whether paid or 

unpaid, primarily engaged in the acquisition, care, or exhibition to the public of objects owned or used by the institution.

3. An institution exhibits objects to the general public if such exhibition is a primary purpose of the institution. Further, an institution that 

exhibits objects to the general public for at least 120 days per year shall be deemed to exhibit objects to the general public on a regular basis.

 An institution that exhibits objects by appointment may meet the requirement to exhibit objects to the general public on a regular basis, 

if in light of the facts under all the relevant circumstances it can establish that this method of exhibition does not unreasonably restrict the accessibility of the institution’s exhibits to the general public.

 An institution that does not have as a primary purpose the exhibition of objects to the general public, but that can demonstrate that it 

exhibits objects to the general public on a regular basis as a significant, separate, distinct, and continuing portion of its activities, and that it otherwise meets the museum eligibility requirements, may be determined to be eligible as a museum under these guidelines. For more information, 

please see 45 C.F.R. Part 1180.3(d)(2).

E L I G I B I L I T Y 

F O R 

M U S E U M S
Guidelines 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

budget; and (d) has the authority to make the application on its own. When 

any of the last three conditions cannot be met, a museum may apply through 

its parent organization, and the parent organization may submit a single application for one or more of its museums.

2. A museum service organization or association that engages in activities designed to advance the well-being of museums and museum professionals, and 

institutions of higher education. (A friends group associated with a single 

museum is not an eligible museum service organization or association.)

3. An institution of higher education, including public and nonprofit universities.

An applicant must: 

 be either a unit of state or local government or private nonprofit organization that 

has tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code;

 be located in one of the fifty states of the United States, the District of Columbia, 

the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, 

the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau; and

 qualify as one of the following:

1. A library or a parent organization, such as a school district, municipality, state 

agency, or academic institution, that is responsible for the administration of 

a library. Eligible libraries include public libraries, elementary and secondary 

school libraries, college and university libraries, research libraries and archives 

that are not an integral part of an institution of higher education and that 

make publicly available library services and materials that are suitable for 

scholarly research and not otherwise available,1

 and private or special libraries 

that have been deemed eligible to participate in this program by the state in 

which the library is located.

2. An academic or administrative unit, such as a graduate school of library and 

information science, which is a part of an institution of higher education 

through which it would make application.

3. A digital library, if it makes library materials publicly available and provides 

library services, including selection, organization, description, reference, and 

preservation, under the supervision of at least one permanent professional staff 

librarian.

4. A library agency that is an official agency of a state 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 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, as defined 

above, and information centers that work to improve the services delivered to 

the clientele of these libraries.

6. A library association that exists on a permanent basis; serves libraries or library 

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.

1.4

E L I G I B I L I T Y 

F O R 

L I B R A R I E S

1. Research libraries either must be generally recognized as possessing unique scholarly research materials and services that are made available to the public, or they must be able to demonstrate that such is the case when they submit an application to IMLS.
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Guidelines 

An applicant must be a noncommercial radio or television broadcast licensee that 

receives an annual CPB Community Service Grant. Applicants will be required to 

provide their CPB grant ID numbers.

Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)/

Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)

To improve the statistical reporting of federal grants and cooperative agreements, 

the Office of Management and Budget has directed all federal agencies to require all 

applicants for federal grants to provide a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal 

Numbering System (DUNS) number when applying for federal grants or cooperative agreements on or after October 1, 2003. The DUNS number will be required 

whether an applicant is submitting a paper application or using the governmentwide 

electronic portal (E-Grants).

Organizations should verify that they have a DUNS number or take the steps 

needed to obtain one. Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by 

calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or by 

visiting http://www.dnb.com/us/. Individuals who would personally receive a grant or 

cooperative agreement award from the federal government apart from any business or 

nonprofit organization they may operate are exempt from this requirement.

The Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) is an identification number used by 

the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the administration of tax laws. It is issued either 

by the Social Security Administration (SSA) or by the IRS. A Social Security Number is issued by the SSA whereas all other TINs are issued by the IRS. An Employer 

Identification Number (EIN), also known as a federal tax identification number, is a 

nine-digit number that the IRS assigns to business entities. The IRS uses this number 

to identify taxpayers that are required to file various business tax returns.

If the lead applicant does not have a DUNS and a TIN number, the application 

will be rejected.

Partnerships

The purpose of these grants is to encourage effective collaborations among museums, libraries, and public broadcasting licensees in service of educational and community goals. To be considered, all applications must include a collaboration between at 

least one IMLS-eligible library or museum and one public broadcasting station (radio 

or television) that already receives a Community Service Grant from the Corporation 

for Public Broadcasting. One of these institutions must serve as the lead applicant and 

fiscal agent for the project and will be legally responsible for the use of all grant funds. 

Applications that involve collaborations among all three types of organizations—museums, libraries, and broadcasters—and other community social service and educational 

organizations, as appropriate, are encouraged. Each member of the partnership is 

responsible for carrying out the activities it agrees to perform and for using the funds it 

receives in accordance with applicable federal laws, regulations, and requirements.

1.5

E L I G I B I L I T Y 

F O R P U B L I C 

BROADCAS T ERS
Guidelines 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

All partners should be active contributors to and beneficiaries of project activities. 

If the success of the project depends on the participation of organizations other than 

the core partners, the application should include evidence that these organizations have 

agreed to participate in the project if it is funded and will commit necessary resources. 

For example, projects that propose to develop curriculum materials or otherwise work 

with schools should provide evidence of promised participation from the relevant 

institutional representatives. Evidence may be provided by either a formal partnership 

agreement or a letter of support, signed by the appropriate authority, affirming the 

organization’s support and describing the resources that will be committed.

The members of the collaboration should either designate one member to apply for 

the grant or establish a separate, eligible legal entity, consisting of the partnership members, to apply for the grant. Each application must contain signed Partnership Statements 

that detail the activities each member of the collaboration plans to perform and bind each 

member of the collaboration to every statement and all assurances made by the applicant 

in the application. The applicant should submit the Partnership Statements with the application. A sample Partnership Statement is on page 5.15. 

Conditions of a Grant

The term of the award will not exceed two years. 

Projects must begin on the first day of the month. Projects may begin between 

October 1, 2006 and December 1, 2006. 

Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grants range 

from $25,000 to $250,000. IMLS will review and negotiate budgets as necessary. 

Applicants may be granted an amount less than requested. 

Cost sharing refers to that portion of project or program costs not borne by the 

federal government. Applicants are generally expected to share the costs of projects. 

Cost sharing will be considered as an element in the review of all applications. Applicants are encouraged to provide at least one-third of the total cost of the project. 

Proposals that demonstrate strong institutional support through cost sharing are 

generally rated more favorably by reviewers. IMLS prefers that applicants provide at 

least 50 percent of the cost of any equipment to be purchased for the project. IMLS 

encourages applicants to contribute as cost sharing the salaries of any permanent staff 

to be employed on a project in proportion to the amount of time they will spend on 

the project. If IMLS funding is requested for salaries of permanent staff, the proposal 

should explain how their regular duties will be performed during the grant period. 

IMLS strongly encourages applicants to seek third-party donations of cash, equipment, and services. If any funds are to be contributed as cost share by sources other 

than the applicant or its official partners, the applicant must identify whether the 

commitment of funds is assured or pending. If the funds are assured, the applicant 

should include a letter from the source affirming its commitment. If the funds are 

not assured, the applicant should describe its plan for meeting the promised cost share 

from other sources in the event that the pending funds are not received. All listed ex1.6

D U R A T I O N 

O F A G R A N T

P R O J E C T 

S T A R T D A T E

A M O U N T 

O F G R A N T

C O S T 

S H A R I N G
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Guidelines 1.7

penses, including all cost sharing, must be incurred during the grant period. Governmentwide uniform grant administrative rules and requirements and appropriate OMB 

circulars apply.

Three sets of federal cost principles apply to IMLS grants:

 OMB Circular A-21: “Cost Principles for Educational Institutions”

 OMB Circular A-87: “Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal 

Governments”

 OMB Circular A-122: “Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations”

Please visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/ for more information on 

OMB circulars.

Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grants may be 

used for a broad range of project activities. Grant funds may not be used for construction, acquisition of collections, contributions to endowments, social activities, ceremonies, entertainment, or pre-grant costs. All listed expenses must be incurred during the 

grant period. Governmentwide cost principles apply.

IMLS expects that Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grant activities will have measurable outcomes (i.e., changes in skills, knowledge, 

attitudes, behavior, and/or status for project participants or audiences). Applications 

should include a plan for measurement of these results among others, and grantees 

will be expected to report the findings of their evaluation to expand knowledge in 

their fields. The program supports and encourages the use of outcomes-based evaluation (OBE). Additional information about OBE is available on the IMLS Web site 

at http://www.imls.gov/grants/current/crnt_obe.htm or on request from IMLS. The 

IMLS online project planning tutorial for National Leadership Grants, available on 

the IMLS Web site at http://e-services.imls.gov/project_planning, also includes helpful 

information. IMLS provides a two-day course on OBE for recipients of Partnership 

for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grants. Applicants are required 

to request travel funds to attend this training and other meetings designated by the 

grantmakers. Application budgets should include $4,000 per year for this purpose.

IMLS requires acknowledgment of IMLS and CPB assistance in all publications 

and other products resulting from the project. Products should be distributed free 

or at cost unless the recipient has received written approval from IMLS for another 

arrangement. With written permission, the recipient may copyright any work that is 

subject to copyright and was developed under an award or for which ownership was 

purchased. IMLS and CPB reserve, for federal government purposes, a royalty-free, 

non-exclusive, and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work 

and authorize others to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work. IMLS requires 

that grantees provide three copies of any products produced with IMLS funds to 

IMLS with the final reports. 

No information about the status of an application will be released until all applications have been reviewed and all negotiations are concluded. IMLS will notify applicants of final decisions in September.

P R O J E C T 

E V A L U A T I O N

U S E O F 

F U N D S

C O P Y R I G H T /

W O R K 

P R O D U C T S

ANNOUNCEMENT 

O F AW A R D
Guidelines 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

A federal accounting office handles the payment of Partnership for a Nation of 

Learners Community Collaboration Grants. Grant recipients may request reimbursements as needed during the project period, although costs funded under such agreements can be incurred subsequent to the date of payment to the third party. Payments 

are made electronically. IMLS requires grant recipients to maintain a restricted account for funds received during the project period. They do not need to maintain a 

separate bank account for IMLS grant funds; however, they must establish and maintain a separate accounting category within an internal accounting system to show that 

the funds have been used for project costs only. This restricted accounting record must 

be adequate to satisfy normal auditing procedures. Grants are subject to the provisions 

of Office of Management and Budget audit requirements. Governmentwide uniform 

grant administrative rules and requirements apply.

Grant recipients are required to submit six-month performance reports as well as 

annual financial status reports. They are also required to submit a final performance 

report and a final financial report.

IMLS is administering this grant program as part of the IMLS/CPB Partnership for a Nation of Learners. IMLS staff in collaboration with CPB will determine 

whether an applicant is eligible and whether an application is complete. IMLS staff 

may contact applicants for information needed to make an eligibility determination. 

If an applicant is determined to be ineligible as an official applicant, the application 

will be rejected without evaluation. If an application is rejected, the applicant will be 

notified of the decision by mail.

All eligible applications will be competitively reviewed. Reviewers will have expertise in the types of activities and types of organizations identified in the proposed 

projects. Reviewers will be drawn from professionals in the field and from the areas 

of expertise required. Reviewers will be instructed to evaluate the proposed projects 

according to the criteria identified in these guidelines. Applicants should address all 

criteria in the Application Narrative and include any appropriate attachments and 

supporting material. The IMLS director in consultation with the Corporation for 

Public Broadcasting will make final funding decisions based on the evaluations by 

reviewers, the stated priorities for funding, and the overall goals of the program.

A P P L I C A T I O N 

R E V I E W

1.8

P A Y M E N T , 

ACCOUN T ING , 

MANAGEMENT, 

A N D 

R E P O R T I N G 

P R O C E D U R E S
P R O J E C T

A N D

A P P L I C A T I O N

R E Q U I R E M E N T S

2.1
Guidelines 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

Partnership for a Nation of Learners 

Community Collaboration Grants

Deadline: March 1, 2006

Amount of Grant: $25,000 – $250,000

Grant Period: Up to Two Years

Cost Sharing: Cost sharing of at least one-third is encouraged.

Eligibility: Lead applicant must be an eligible library, museum, or 

public broadcasting licensee. See pages 1.3–1.5.

Program Contact: Susan Malbin 

(202) 653-4768, smalbin@imls.gov

P R O G R A M O V E R V I E W

The purpose of this grant program is to build and strengthen working relationships among libraries, museums, and public broadcasting licensees that enhance their 

roles within their communities. Each project should show how such collaboration and 

shared resources enable partners to meet clearly defined needs for one or more audience segment within their local communities. Eligible projects will include collaborations between a public broadcasting licensee (radio or television) and a museum or 

library, or among all three types of organizations. Projects that involve all three types 

of organizations—museums, libraries, and public broadcasting licensees (and, where 

appropriate, collaboration with other community organizations)—will generally be 

considered more competitive for funding.

The program will fund ongoing or new collaborative projects that use the organizations’ resources and core competencies—such as, but not limited to, collections, 

broadcast content, exhibitions and programs, and staff expertise—to address community civic and educational needs; increase the organizations’ capacity to serve as 

effective venues and resources for learning; or enhance infrastructure and technology 

to serve audiences more effectively.

This program particularly encourages projects that:

 build or strengthen long-term relationships among the partners and with other 

community organizations with an emphasis on how the project meets the documented needs of the community,

 enhance lifelong learning across the potential audience spectrum through innovative programs or services,

 develop or adapt innovative applications of technology for education, and

 reach new or underserved audiences and communities.

2.2
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Guidelines 2.3

Determining the Appropriate Funding 

Program: National Leadership Grants 

versus Partnership for a Nation of Learners 

Community Collaboration Grants

The Partnership for a Nation of Learners (PNL) is a joint funding initiative of 

the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The initiative’s goal is to encourage museums, libraries, and 

public broadcasting licensees to fulfill their educational and community roles more 

effectively through meaningful collaborations. The PNL Community Collaboration 

Grants program supports local, community-based collaborations that include at least 

one museum or library and one public broadcasting licensee. Grant amounts range 

from $25,000 to $250,000. The 2006 application deadline is March 1, 2006.

I M L S N A T I O N A L L E A D E R S H I P G R A N T S

The National Leadership Grants (NLG) program supports projects of national 

significance. The most competitive NLG projects are innovative, take risks, provide 

creative solutions to problems of national importance, and develop models for other 

organizations to adapt or emulate. National Leadership Grants are awarded in three 

funding categories: Advancing Learning Communities, Building Digital Resources, 

and Research and Demonstration. Grant amounts for National Leadership Grants 

range from $25,000 (if a museum is the lead applicant) or $50,000 (if a library is 

the lead applicant) to $1 million. The 2006 NLG application deadline is February 1, 

2006. For further information on National Leadership Grants, see http://www.imls.

gov/grants/museum/mus_nlgm.asp (museums) or http://www.imls.gov/grants/library/

lib_nlgl.asp (libraries). Public broadcasting licensees may be active partners in NLG 

projects, and their participation is encouraged in collaborative projects that exceed the 

maximum PNL award.

Selecting the Appropriate Category

 PNL Community 

Collaboration Grants National Leadership Grants

Applicant Must be an eligible museum, Must be an eligible museum

Organization library, or public broadcasting or library

radio or television licensee 

Funding Amount $25,000 – $250,000 $25,000 – $1 million

(museum lead)

$50,000 – $1 million

(library lead) 

Deadline March 1, 2006 February 1, 2006 

T H E

A P P L I C A T I O N

3.1
3.2 Guidelines 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

Application Evaluation Criteria

Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grants support 

projects that bring organizations together to address community and educational 

needs. The most successful proposals will result from careful planning among all 

partners, including identification of a need or opportunity, assessment of the comparative value of potential solutions, development of a proposed approach, gathering of 

key people and resources to test or explore proposed solutions, and a plan to evaluate 

results.

Successful proposals will clearly show how projects benefit their communities and 

use the collaborative process effectively to fulfill the partners’ missions and goals. Projects that show creativity in project concept and/or activities often are rated most 

highly by reviewers. Resources about partnerships and collaborations, including professional development opportunities, may be found at www.partnershipforlearners.org.

The following elements form the core of the application narrative. They are also 

the criteria that evaluators will use to assess each application.

1 . N A R R A T I V E E L E M E N T : A S S E S S M E N T O F N E E D

Describe the project’s intended audience and the audience needs that the project 

meets. Discuss how the project will benefit this audience through increased knowledge, improved conditions or services, or other changes.

REVIEW CRITERIA: Evidence that the applicant has clearly defined the new or 

existing project audience, has conducted or obtained a formal or informal assessment 

of audience needs and validated those needs with collaborators, is aware of relevant 

projects completed by other institutions, and has designed a promising solution to 

answer those needs. Degree to which the project reflects an understanding of current 

community and learning issues and envisions changes in the community that could 

result from the project.

2 . N A R R A T I V E E L E M E N T : P R O J E C T D E S I G N

Describe the scope of the project, including project goals, the project planning 

process, and the specific activities required to implement the project. Describe the 

relationship of the project to other projects in the community intended to address a 

similar need. Discuss the distribution mechanism to reach the intended audience.

REVIEW CRITERIA: Evidence that the project proposes creative, efficient, effective, and reasonable approaches to accomplish clear goals and objectives. Degree 

to which the proposed budget deploys each partner’s resources in effective ways to 

address the identified need. Evidence that the methodology and design are appropriate 

to the scope of the project. Evidence that the project uses existing or emerging standards or best practices in the discipline to which the project relates.
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Guidelines 3.3

3 . N A R R A T I V E E L E M E N T : I N T E N D E D R E S U L T S A N D C O M M U N I T Y 

I M P A C T

Describe the project’s intended results for partners and audience, how these results 

improve current conditions, and how the significance and quality of results will be assessed. Describe the design, integration, and implementation of an evaluation method 

that will measure project outcomes, evaluate the quality of products, and/or provide 

other findings, as appropriate, to improve practice locally and in the relevant professional communities.

REVIEW CRITERIA: Evidence that the evaluation plan ties directly to project 

goals through measurable project outcomes, products, and/or other findings. Evidence 

that evaluation will provide reliable information on which to judge impact or base 

local actions. (Note: IMLS reserves the right to work with all grantees to revise assessment plans for funded projects.)

4 . N A R R A T I V E E L E M E N T : P R O J E C T R E S O U R C E S — M A N A G E M E N T 

P L A N , P E R S O N N E L , A N D B U D G E T

Describe responsibilities for the project’s implementation and management and 

their distribution among institutional partners, including project leadership and the 

coordination of the collaborative activities. Describe personnel who will complete 

project activities, and discuss their qualifications and specific roles in the project, 

particularly if they have other, ongoing duties. Discuss the budget allocated to accomplish project activities, including cost sharing.

REVIEW CRITERIA: Evidence that the applicant will effectively complete the 

project activities through good deployment and management of resources, including 

knowledge, money, facilities, equipment, and supplies. Evidence that project personnel demonstrate appropriate experience and expertise and will commit adequate time 

to accomplish project goals and activities, including project leadership and coordination. Evidence that sufficient resources, including time and personnel, are allocated to 

overseeing and managing the collaboration. Evidence that the budget is cost-efficient 

and uses resources appropriately.

5 . N A R R A T I V E E L E M E N T : C O L L A B O R A T I O N

Discuss the contributions to and benefits from the project for both the applicant 

and the collaborating organizations. Describe how the proposed project will help each 

collaborator meet its institutional mission and will provide value to the community 

beyond that which is provided by the partner institutions working separately.

REVIEW CRITERIA: Evidence that all partners are active contributors to and 

beneficiaries of the project activities. Evidence that all partners and participating 

organizations have agreed to participate and have committed appropriate resources. 

Degree to which the project draws creatively on the contributions of each partner. Degree to which the collaboration itself can inform future collaborations among project 

partners and in the wider community.
3.4 Guidelines 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

6 . N A R R A T I V E E L E M E N T : C O N T I N U I N G B E N E F I T

Describe how the project or its results will have continuing benefit beyond the 

end of the grant period.

REVIEW CRITERIA: Extent to which the project’s benefits will continue beyond the grant period, either through ongoing institutional support of project activities or products, through long-term access to project products, or in a continuing 

relationship or model. For projects involving the creation of digital content intended 

to have long-term value, evidence that the products will be appropriately preserved 

and will be created using appropriate standards to ensure interoperability with other 

resources.

7 . N A R R A T I V E E L E M E N T : D I S S E M I N A T I O N

Discuss how the project will maximize communication to identified audiences 

through a variety of appropriate media. Describe how project results and findings will 

be shared with interested audiences outside the community. Discuss who would benefit 

from knowing about the project design and how information will be disseminated.

REVIEW CRITERIA: Extent to which the results, products, models, findings, 

processes, and benefits of this project will be made transparent and accessible through 

effective communication channels in the community and elsewhere, as appropriate. 

Degree to which the project proposes the appropriate and effective delivery methods 

to accomplish results.
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Guidelines 3.5

Guidance for Projects That Develop Digital 

Products

In the proposal narrative, include a description of the subject matter and its significance, including relationships to related digital content. Explain how the material 

to be included in the project was or will be selected. Describe the additional value that 

the project will bring to the materials, such as enabling innovative new uses or attracting new audiences. Describe how potential users will discover the new digital material. 

The application also includes a form, Specifications for Projects That Develop Digital 

Products (pp. 5.10–5.13), that must be completed and submitted with the application.

Project design should demonstrate the use of existing standards and best practices 

for digital material where applicable, and products should be interoperable with other 

digital content. Grantees creating digital collections are expected to participate in the 

IMLS Digital Collections Registry currently operated by the University of Illinois 

at Urbana Champaign. The Grainger Library has created a registry and a metadata 

repository of collections digitized with IMLS funding. (See the project site at http://

imlsdcc.grainger.uiuc.edu/about.htm.)

Projects that include digital conversion are strongly encouraged to develop a digitization plan before writing the grant application, and to include a copy of the plan as 

an appendix to the application.

IMLS has published A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections as a resource for applicants planning digital projects, and which is now maintained by the National Information Standards Organization (NISO). Available at 

http://www.niso.org/framework/Framework2.html, the second edition of this document contains links to many Web sites with useful information for planning and 

implementing digital projects. IMLS offers a wealth of information, including lists of 

funded digital projects, at the Digital Corner on the IMLS Web site at http://www.

imls.gov/digitalcorner/index.htm. Digital resources also may be found on the PNL 

Web site at www.partnershipforlearners.org.

I N F O R M A T I O N 

T O I N C L U D E 

I N P R O P O S A L

INTEROPERABILITY

D IG I T I Z AT ION 

P L A N S

R E S O U R C E S 

F O R 

D I G I T A L 

P R O J E C T S
3.6 Guidelines 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

Completing the Application 

An application requesting Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grant support should include the following materials organized in the 

order listed:

 1. Face Sheet

 2. Partnership for a Nation of Learners Information form

 3. Application Checklist

 4. Abstract

 5. Narrative

 6. Schedule of Completion

 7. Project Budget (Detailed Budget, Summary Budget, and Budget Justification)

 8. Current, federally negotiated rate for indirect costs, if applicable

 9. Specifications for Projects That Develop Digital Products form, if applicable

 10. Proof of nonprofit status, if applicable

 11. Partnership Statement(s)

 12. Applicant(s) Organizational Profile

 13. Resume(s) of key project personnel

 14. Attachments

 15. Electronic versions of items 4, 5, and 9 on a 3.5-inch disk or a CD

Please see page 4.2 for more information.

The applicant must submit one unstapled, loose-leaf original (with original signature of authorized representative/authorizing official) plus 10 copies of the entire application (1 + 10 = 11), plus two additional copies of the Face Sheet and Abstract. Do not 

place the original or copies in binders or notebooks.

Applicants are required to submit an electronic copy of items 4, 5, and 9 on a 

3.5-inch disk or a CD, formatted as a text file (.txt) or rich text file (.rtf). Be sure to 

include institution and project contact information as a file in your disk. No submitted application materials will be returned.

E L E C T R O N I C F I L L - I N A P P L I C A T I O N F O R M S

IMLS now makes all application forms available on our Web site in PDF (Portable Document File) format for download. Applicants can download the electronic 

version of an IMLS application form and, using freely available software, type into the 

forms on any computer. This eliminates the need for a typewriter or for re-creation 

of IMLS application forms. Note that the forms cannot be submitted electronically, 

but may be completed online and then printed on the applicant’s printer and shipped. 

Caution: The forms cannot be saved, so they must be completely filled in and printed 

in one operation. To access the fill-in application forms, visit http://www.imls.gov/

grants/appl/index.htm or www.partnershipforlearners.org. Alternatively, applicants 

may re-create the forms electronically following the IMLS format or may type on 

printed forms.
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Guidelines 3.7

The Face Sheet is provided as pages 5.3–5.4 in the Application Forms section of 

this document. Use or replicate this form. This page is available as a fill-in form on the 

IMLS Web site at http://www.imls.gov/grants/appl/index.htm#partner. Instructions 

for each item follow.

I T E M 1 : A P P L I C A N T O R G A N I Z A T I O N

Enter the legal name of the organization that is making application to IMLS and 

provide the organization’s complete mailing address, Web address, and DUNS and 

TIN numbers.

I T E M 2 : P R O J E C T I N F O R M A T I O N

Enter the title of the project (200 characters maximum) and a brief description of 

the project (1,000 characters maximum).

Enter the project’s starting date (must be the first day of the month in which grant 

activities are scheduled to begin). Enter the project’s ending date (the last day of the 

month in which these activities will be completed).

I T E M 3 : P R O J E C T D I R E C T O R

Enter the name, address, and contact information of the person (project director) 

who will be responsible for carrying out the project and who will serve as the primary 

contact with IMLS regarding the process achieved under the grant.

I T E M 4 : P R I M A R Y C O N T A C T / G R A N T S A D M I N I S T R A T O R

If the project director performs all of the grant administration tasks, check the 

“same as project director” box and proceed to the next item. If your institution has 

someone separate from the project director who manages the grant administration 

tasks, fill in that person’s information here.

I T E M 5 : T Y P E O F A P P L I C A N T

Check the one type of organization that applies to the applicant.

I T E M 6 : A U T H O R I Z E D R E P R E S E N T A T I V E / A U T H O R I Z I N G O F F I C I A L

Enter the name of the official who has the authority to apply for federal support 

of the institution’s activities and enter into legal agreements in the name of the institution. Have that individual sign the original copy of the Face Sheet. (In those rare instances when a person who would normally serve as the authorizing official also is the 

project director, enter the name, title, address, etc., of the person to whom the project 

director reports—e.g., the board chair—and have that person sign the application.)

The Partnership for a Nation of Learners (PNL) Information form is provided as 

pages 5.5–5.6 in the Application Forms section of this document. Use or replicate this 

form. This page is available as a fill-in form on the IMLS Web site at http://www.imls.

gov/grants/appl/index.htm#partner. Instructions for each item follow.

F A C E S H E E T

P N L 

INFORMAT ION 

F O R M
3.8 Guidelines 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

I T E M 1 : O R G A N I Z A T I O N A L U N I T

If the organizational unit that will carry out the proposed project is different than 

the applicant organization cited in item 1 on the Face Sheet, provide the name, address, and other requested information for the organizational unit on this form. For 

example, if a museum that is part of a parent organization such as a university is applying for a grant, the university is the legal applicant and the museum is the organizational unit. If this is not applicable, skip this item and proceed to item 2.

I T E M 2 : P A R T N E R S

Enter the name(s) of the official partner(s) of the applicant organization.

I T E M 3 : T Y P E O F A P P L I C A N T

Check the one type of organization that best describes the applicant organization.

I T E M 4 : U N I V E R S I T Y C O N T R O L

Check “Yes” if the applicant organization is a university or is part of a university.

I T E M 5 : C P B I D

Enter the CPB Community Service Grant (CSG) ID number if the applicant 

organization is a public broadcaster.

I T E M S 6 – 8 : A M O U N T S

Enter the total amount requested, the amount of cost share, and the total projected cost for the project.

I T E M 9 : N O N F E D E R A L I N C O M E ( M U S E U M S )

If the applicant organization is a museum, enter the museum’s nonfederal operating income for the last complete fiscal year.

I T E M 1 0 : N O N F E D E R A L S U P P O R T ( P U B L I C B R O A D C A S T E R S )

Enter the public broadcasting licensee’s nonfederal financial support (NFFS) for 

the last complete fiscal year.

The Checklist is provided as page 5.2 in the Application Forms section of this 

document. This page is available as an electronic fill-in form on the IMLS Web site 

(see p. 3.6). Use the Checklist to help you arrange the sections of the application in 

the correct order.

Provide an abstract of no more than one single-spaced page (600-word maximum), addressing the following questions in a narrative format:

 Who is the lead applicant and who are the formal partners?

 What is the time frame for the project?

 What community need(s) will the partnership project address?

 Who is the intended audience for the activities?

 What will be the partnership project’s activities, outcomes, and tangible products?

 What are the intended outcomes for audience members, in terms of measurable 

changes in knowledge, attitudes, or behavior?

A P P L I C A T I O N 

C H E C K L I S T

A B S T R A C T
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Guidelines 3.9

A well-designed proposal narrative is thorough and succinct while addressing all the 

evaluation criteria. Detailed budget discussions should be included in Budget Justification. Planning documents that informed the project design, such as needs assessments 

or digitization plans, should be attached as appendixes. Applicants might wish to access 

the Partnership for a Nation of Learners Web site, www.partnershipforlearners.org, for 

useful materials and resources on partnership and collaboration. Applicants may also 

find the online tutorial that IMLS has developed, which is available at http://e-services.

imls.gov/project_planning, helpful for planning. Use of the tutorial is not a requirement to apply to the Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration 

Grants program.

The application narrative must address the Evaluation Criteria as listed on pages 

3.2–3.4 in the order presented there, with each response numbered, and must:

 conform to the space limits of 10 single-spaced pages,

 use 8.5- by 11-inch paper,

 leave a margin of at least 0.5 inch on all sides,

 be printed on only one side of each page,

 have each page numbered,

 identify each criterion using numbers, headings, bold type, or a list of references 

to page or section numbers,

 briefly discuss the budget (detailed budget discussion should occur in the Budget 

Justification), and

 be printed in a 12-point typeface with no more than six lines per vertical inch and 

standard spacing between letters. Condensed fonts are not acceptable. Handwritten applications will not be accepted. 

The applicant must provide a Schedule of Completion that shows when each major project activity will be completed and how grant funds will be expended throughout the project. The Schedule of Completion must correspond to the activities described in the Narrative. It must include direct costs requested from IMLS for each activity. A Sample Schedule of Completion is provided on page 5.14. The dates on your 

Schedule of Completion must correspond with the project dates on the Face Sheet (p. 

5.3) and budget pages (pp. 5.7–5.9).The applicant need not follow the sample format 

but must provide the same information, indicating milestones for completion of each 

major project activity and showing how grant funds are to be spent over the course of 

the project.

The IMLS Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grant 

application includes three elements to describe the costs of a proposed project: a 

Detailed Budget form for each year of the project, a Summary Budget form that describes costs for the entire project, and a Budget Justification that explains all components of the Detailed Budget form.

IMLS has provided detailed instructions below on what information the organization should include in the Detailed Budget form. IMLS has described each cost category included on the Detailed Budget form and the information that the applicant 

should include in this section.

B U D G E T

N A R R A T I V E

S C H E D U L E 

O F 

C O M P L E T I O N
3.10 Guidelines 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

D E T A I L E D B U D G E T 

Project Costs

The budget should include the project costs that will be charged to grant funds 

as well as those that will be supported by applicant or third-party cash and in-kind 

contributions (cost sharing). In-kind contributions include the value of services or 

equipment that is donated to the project free of charge.

All of the items listed, whether supported by grant funds or cost-sharing contributions, must be reasonable, necessary to accomplish project objectives, allowable 

in terms of the applicable federal cost principles, auditable, and incurred during the 

grant period. Charges to the project for items such as salaries, fringe benefits, travel, 

and contractual services must conform to the written policies and established practices 

of the applicant organization.

When indirect costs are charged to the project, care should be taken to ensure that 

expenses included in the organization’s indirect cost pool (see Indirect Costs below) 

are not charged to the project as direct costs.

Salaries and Wages

List the salaries and wages of both permanent and temporary staff assigned to the 

project, and explain the method of computation.

Fringe Benefits

Fringe benefits may include contributions for Social Security, employee insurance, 

and pension plans. Only those benefits not included in an organization’s indirect cost 

pool may be shown as direct costs.

Consultant Fees

List the individuals or groups who will provide consultative services on the grant 

and their fees, and explain the method of computation for the fees.

Travel Costs

The lowest available commercial fares for coach or equivalent accommodations 

must be used and foreign travel must be undertaken on U.S. flag carriers when such 

services are available.

Equipment

Only when an applicant can demonstrate that the purchase of permanent equipment will be less expensive than rental may charges be made to the project for such 

purchases. Permanent equipment is defined as nonexpendable personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more.

Services

The costs of project activities to be undertaken by a third-party contractor, including a partner, should be listed under this budget category as a single line item that shows 

the amount that will be charged to IMLS grant funds and the cost sharing that will be 

done by the third party. A complete itemization of these costs should be attached to the 

IMLS budget form. If there is more than one contractor, the cost of each contract must 

be listed separately on the IMLS budget form and must have an attached itemization.
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Guidelines 3.11

Cost Share and In-kind Contributions

Please see pages 1.6–1.7 for a discussion of cost sharing and in-kind contributions 

in federal projects.

Indirect Costs (Overhead)

These are costs that are incurred for common or joint objectives and therefore 

cannot be readily identified with a specific project or activity of an organization. Typical examples of indirect cost type items are the salaries of executive officers, the costs 

of operating and maintaining facilities, local telephone service, office supplies, and 

accounting and legal services.

 Indirect costs are computed by applying a negotiated indirect cost rate to a distribution base (usually the direct costs of the project). Applicants that wish to 

include overhead charges in the budget, but do not have a current federally negotiated indirect cost rate or have not submitted a pending indirect cost proposal 

to a federal agency, may charge an administrative fee to the project of up to 15 

percent. IMLS/CPB will pay this administrative fee only on that portion of direct 

project costs that are supported by IMLS/CPB funds. This fee may also be applied 

to the direct project costs that will be supported by the applicant and may therefore be counted as part of the applicant’s cost sharing. If an organization chooses 

this option, it must be careful to exclude all indirect-cost type items from the 

budget and the fee may not be applied to more than the first $5,000 of distorting 

costs such as equipment purchases or subcontracts.

 If an institution has a federally negotiated indirect cost rate that will be current at 

the time an award is made, this rate may be used to determine total project costs, 

as long as the rate is applied in accordance with the negotiated agreement and 

a copy of the negotiation is forwarded to IMLS with the application. However, 

IMLS will pay indirect costs only on the portion of the direct costs that are supported by IMLS/CPB funds. Indirect costs that are related to the direct project 

costs that will be supported by the applicant may be included in the budget only 

as a part of the applicant’s cost sharing. IMLS will not accept an indirect cost rate 

that is scheduled to expire before the award is issued.

 An institution that is in the process of negotiating an indirect cost rate with a 

federal agency may apply the proposed rate to estimate total project costs as long 

as it follows the instructions in the previous paragraph in applying the rate and 

includes the indirect cost proposal in the application material. IMLS will not pay 

any indirect costs until a rate is negotiated and a copy of the final agreement is 

submitted to the IMLS Office of Grants Administration. It is possible that the 

amount of the award will be reduced if the final negotiated rate is less than the 

rate that was used in the application budget. However, the amount of the award 

will not be increased if the negotiated indirect cost rate is higher than the rate 

proposed in the application.

 An organization that will function as a partner in undertaking grant activities may 

charge the administrative fee mentioned in the previous paragraph if it does not 

have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate that will be current at the time the 

award is made. If it chooses to charge indirect costs to the project, a copy of the 

indirect cost negotiation must be attached to the budget itemization.
3.12 Guidelines 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

S U M M A R Y B U D G E T

The Summary Budget should clearly identify the amount requested from IMLS, 

and the amount provided as cash and in-kind contributions by the applicant, by any 

partners, and from any other sources in the cost-share column. This page is available 

as an electronic fill-in form on the IMLS Web site (see p. 3.6) or may be re-created 

using the same format.

B U D G E T J U S T I F I C A T I O N

The Budget Justification should explain all elements of the Detailed Budget. For 

example, the Budget Justification should explain the role of each person listed in the 

project budget. It should also provide justification for all proposed equipment, supplies, 

travel, services, and other expenses. The applicant should provide specifications for all 

hardware and software for which IMLS funding is requested.

IMLS encourages applicants to contribute as cost sharing the salaries of permanent staff to be employed on a project in proportion to the amount of time they will 

spend on the project. If IMLS funding is requested for salaries of permanent staff, the 

proposal should explain why funds are requested for this purpose and how the regular 

duties of these individuals will be performed during the grant period. The Budget Justification should explain the role of any outside consultants and third-party vendors to 

be employed on the project and how each was identified and selected. Costs for thirdparty service providers should be documented by bids or otherwise justified.

For a list of resources on digitization projects that can help you complete this 

form, see www.partnershipforlearners.org. These resources are intended to assist you 

in learning more about digitization projects and are neither exhaustive nor an endorsement of any particular resource.

The Specifications for Projects That Develop Digital Products form is on pages 

5.10–5.13. If there is not enough room on the form for your answers, you may copy 

the questions and provide answers on a separate page.

P A R T I

Complete the appropriate sections. Select box A, B, C, or any combination of 

these boxes, depending on the original material you will be working with and the 

digital products you will develop.

Box A. Converting Nondigital Material to Digital Format

 1. Explain the types of original nondigital materials you will select for digitization, 

such as text, photographs, three-dimensional art objects, archaeological artifacts, 

maps, motion pictures, video, etc., and give the quantity of each type. (For audio, 

video, and motion picture materials, give the total number of minutes or hours to 

be digitized.) Describe the original format of each type of material you will digitize.

 2. Identify all use or access restrictions covering the original material you will 

digitize. Check the intellectual property condition and give the corresponding 

percentage of the original material to be digitized for which restrictions exist.

SPECIFICATIONS 

F O R 

P R O J E C T S 

T H A T 

D E V E L O P 

D I G I T A L 

P R O D U C T S
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Guidelines 3.13

 3. Describe the terms of access and use that will apply to the newly digitized material being created by the project. Identify and explain any restrictions that will 

apply to the digitized material, and specify what percentage if any of the total 

material will be subject to restrictions. (Examples are copyright, no downloading, 

registration, etc.)

4. Explain what equipment and software will be used and include specifications that 

are relevant to the work of the project (such as cameras with zoom capability, 

scanners, servers, motorized object rigs, etc.). Equipment and software must 

be described, whether you will do the digitization in-house or outsource it to a 

contractor or partner.

Box B. Creating New Digital Content

 1. Explain the types of digital content you will create, such as digital text (e.g., 

oral history transcripts), photographs, video, audio, Web files, etc., and give the 

quantity of each type.

 2. Describe your plan to obtain releases/permissions from project content creators 

(e.g., filmmakers) and subjects (e.g., oral history interviewees).

 3. Describe the disposition of ownership of the new product. Describe how the 

new product will be made available to the public. Explain the terms of access and 

conditions of use. Identify and explain any restrictions that will apply to the new 

product, and specify what percentage if any of the total material will be subject 

to restrictions.

 4. Explain what equipment and software will be used and include specifications 

that are relevant to the work of the project (e.g., camera, audio recording equipment, video recording equipment, encoding software, server). Equipment must 

be described whether you will create the content in-house or outsource it to a 

contractor or partner.

Box C. Repurposing Existing Digital Content

 1. Explain the original materials whose digital form you will repurpose, such as 

digital text (e.g., oral history transcripts), photographs, video, audio, Web files, 

etc., and give the number of each type. Describe the digital format and the 

amount of the material you will repurpose.

 2. Identify copyright and other potential restrictions with regard to the original 

digital material. Check the intellectual property condition and give the corresponding percentage of the digital material to be repurposed.

 3. Describe the terms of access and use of the repurposed digital material. Identify 

and explain any restrictions that will apply to the repurposed digital material, 

and specify what percentage if any of the total material will be subject to restrictions. (Examples are copyright, no downloading, registration, etc.)
3.14 Guidelines 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

 4. Explain what equipment and software will be used and include specifications 

that are relevant to the work of the project. Equipment must be described 

whether you will do the repurposing in-house or outsource it to a contractor or 

partner.

P A R T I I

Answer all questions.

 1. Specify the file formats to be produced and the anticipated quality of each format (e.g., minimum resolution, depth, tone, pixel dimensions, file size, sampling 

rate, compression ratio, frames per second). If watermarks or other features will 

be used, explain. Provide information for Master, Access, and Thumbnail versions.

 2. Describe the medium that you will use to deliver the digital material (e.g., Internet streaming or download, broadcast, DVD).

 3. Describe the underlying software to manage and/or present the content (e.g., 

DSpace, Fedora, ContentDM).

 4. Describe your plan for ensuring the technical quality of the digital product.

 5. Explain how descriptive and administrative metadata will be produced and used 

to describe and manage the content. Include the standards that will be used for 

data structure, content (e.g., thesauri), protocols, preservation and administrative 

information, and communication of the content (e.g., MARC, EAD, Dublin 

Core, PBCore, VRA Core Categories, Categories for the Description of Works of 

Art).

 6. Describe plans for preserving and maintaining the digital material during and 

after the grant period. The plan should cover storage systems and media to be 

used, migration plans, maintenance responsibilities, and commitment of institutional funding support.

 7. If content will be provided on the Internet, indicate agreement to submit collection level records for digital products to the IMLS Digital Collection and Content Registry. State reasons for selecting alternative approaches.

 8. Provide URL(s) for applicant’s previously digitized collections, if applicable. If 

the proposed digital collection will differ substantially in look and feel from collections you previously digitized, explain what the differences will be.

If the applicant organization is a private, nonprofit organization (if you answered 

Nonprofit with 501(c)(3) IRS Status, Nonprofit without 501(c)(3) IRS Status, or 

Other in item 5 of the Face Sheet), you must submit a copy of the IRS letter indicating your organization’s eligibility for nonprofit status under the applicable provisions 

of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended. IMLS will not accept a letter of 

state sales tax exemption as proof of nonprofit status.

P R O O F O F 

N O N P R O F I T 

S T A T U S ( I F 

A P P L I C A B L E )
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Guidelines 3.15

A Partnership Statement form is provided on page 5.15. 

The applicant and each official partner must provide an Organizational Profile of 

no more than one page. The form is provided on page 5.16.

Resumes or vitae of no more than two pages each for all key personnel (both staff 

and consultants) must be included.

Applicants should include documents that specifically relate to the justification for 

the project. IMLS strongly encourages inclusion of needs assessments, reports from 

planning activities, products or evaluations from previously completed or ongoing 

projects of a similar nature, or other documents for the evaluation of the proposal. 

Separately bound volumes or notebooks submitted as attachments will not be forwarded to reviewers.

A P P L I C A N T ( S ) 

ORGANIZATIONAL 

P R O F I L E

R E S U M E S

AT TACHM EN TS

PA R T N E R S H I P 

S T A T E M E N T

A S S E M B L I N G 

A N D 

S E N D I N G

T H E

A P P L I C A T I O N

4.1
4.2 Guidelines 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

Extra

 Face Sheet 

(copy 1)

Budget 

Justification

A S S E M B L E 

Y O U R 

A P P L I C A T I O N 

P A C K A G E 

A S 

F O L L O W S

Detailed

Budget by Year

Face Sheet 

Extra

 Face Sheet 

(copy 2)

Abstract

Schedule of 

Completion

Summary 

Budget

Other Required 

Docs., if 

applicable (see 

items 8–10, 

p. 3.6)

Organizational 

Profile

Attachments 

(see p. 3.15)

Resume(s)

(2 pages

per person)

Application

Checklist

Narrative

3.5-inch disk CD

O R

Assembling the Application Package

Review your application package carefully before sending it to us. You must 

include all of the required items listed below and the proper number of copies. (Each 

item is described in detail on pp. 3.6–3.15.) Your application is subject to rejection 

without review if any required item is missing. If you have any questions, contact IMLS 

at (202) 653-4768 for Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grants.

S T E P 1 : M A K E T W O P H O T O C O P I E S O F Y O U R F A C E S H E E T I N 

A D D I T I O N T O Y O U R O R I G I N A L .

Partnership

Statement(s)

Program

Information 

form

S T E P 2 : A S S E M B L E O N E O R I G I N A L P A C K A G E .
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Guidelines 

S T E P 3 : M A K E T E N ( 1 0 ) I D E N T I C A L S E T S ( E X C L U D I N G T H E 

3 . 5 - I N C H D I S K O R T H E C D ) O F T H E M A T E R I A L Y O U 

A S S E M B L E D I N S T E P 2 .

Extra

Face Sheets

(2 copies)

Ten (10) 

 copies of the 

 application

Original 

 Application

S T E P 1

S T E P 4 : C O L L A T E Y O U R P I L E S F R O M S T E P S 1 – 3 A S F O L L O W S :

S T E P 2 S T E P 3

Y O U R M A T E R I A L S A R E N O W R E A D Y T O S E N D T O I M L S .

Note: IMLS will not do your photocopying or collating!

4.3
Guidelines 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

P R O O F O F 

S H I P P I N G

I M L S 

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

S H I P P I N G

4.4

Sending the Application to IMLS

Ship PNL applications to: 

Partnership for a Nation of Learners 

Community Collaboration Grants

Office of Library Services

Institute of Museum and Library Services

1800 M Street, NW, Ninth Floor

Washington, DC 20036-5802

Postmarked by March 1, 2006

 Shipping an application to IMLS:

■ All applications must be postmarked no later than the application deadline. 

Applications that do not meet the postmark deadline will be rejected without 

evaluation.

■ All of the first-class and Priority mail sent to IMLS through the U.S. Postal Service is put through an irradiation process, which results in lengthy delays in mail 

delivery. Support materials (e.g., CDs, videos, slides) put through the irradiation 

process may suffer irrevocable damage.

■ Please consider using alternative delivery services. Applications do not need to be 

sent overnight; ground service is acceptable.

■ If you must use the U.S. Postal Service, IMLS recommends certified or registered 

mail.

■ Due to the length and number of copies required for complete submission, 

applications cannot be accepted by fax or e-mail.

■ In the event that a deadline falls on a day U.S. Post Offices are closed, such as 

Sundays and federal holidays, IMLS will accept proposals postmarked the next 

business day.

■ Within 30 working days after the application deadline, IMLS will mail applicants 

an acknowledgment form with an application log number. If this form is not 

received, contact IMLS to make sure the application was received.

■ If an application is received more than 30 working days after the postmark deadline, it may not be sent out for review, and may be rejected. See Shipping, above, 

for information about postal delays.

■ IMLS may ask for proof of shipping if the postmark date on the package cannot 

be read.

■ The U.S. Postal Service does not always postmark a package when it receives one. 

Ask to have the package dated, then verify that it is properly date stamped.

■ IMLS will accept a legible receipt stamped by the U.S. Postal Service or a legible 

dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier.

■ IMLS will not accept private metered postmarks or private mail receipts unless 

they contain a legible date stamped by the U.S. Postal Service.

■ If using registered mail, the green return receipt card does not meet the IMLS 

requirement for proof of shipping.

■ If an application is received more than 30 working days after the postmark deadline, it may not be sent out for review, and may be rejected. 
A P P L I C A T I O N

F O R M S

5.1
5.2 Application Forms 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

Application Checklist

Use this checklist to help you arrange the sections of the application in the correct order. This form is 

available as a fill-in form on the IMLS Web site (see information on electronic forms, p. 3.6).

 Face Sheet

 Partnership for a Nation of Learners Information form

 Application Checklist

 Abstract

 Narrative

 Schedule of Completion

 Project Budget

 Detailed Budget

 Summary Budget

 Budget Justification

 Current, federally negotiated rate for indirect costs, if applicable

 Specifications for Projects That Develop Digital Products, if applicable

 Proof of nonprofit status, if applicable

 Partnership Statement(s)

 Applicant(s) Organizational Profile

 Resumes of key personnel (no longer than two pages per person)

 Attachments, as appropriate

 Report from planning activities (e.g., needs assessments, digitization plans)

 Products or evaluations from previously completed or ongoing projects of a similar nature

 Other _______________________________________________________________________

 Applicants are required to submit an electronic copy of the Abstract, Narrative, and Specifications for 

Projects That Develop Digital Products, if applicable, on a 3.5-inch disk or a CD, formatted as a text file 

(.txt) or a rich text file (.rtf). Be sure to include institution and project contact information as a file in 

your disk.
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Application Forms 5.3

Face Sheet

1 . A P P L I C A N T O R G A N I Z A T I O N

Legal Name ________________________________________________________________________

Address 1 __________________________________________________________________________

Address 2 __________________________________________________________________________

City __________________________ County ____________________________ State __________

Zip + 4/Postal Code ______________ Congressional District _________________________________

DUNS Number _________________ Employer Identification Number (EIN/TIN) _______________

Web Address http:// __________________________________________________________________

2 . P R O J E C T I N F O R M A T I O N

Project Title ________________________________________________________________________

Project Description __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Grant Period Start Date ________________________ End Date _____________________________ (must begin between 10/1/06-12/1/06)

3 . P R O J E C T D I R E C T O R

Prefix _______ First Name ___________________________________ Middle Initial ___________

Last Name ___________________________________________ Suffix _______________________

Title ______________________________________________________________________________

Address 1 __________________________________________________________________________

Address 2 __________________________________________________________________________

City __________________________ County ____________________________ State __________

Zip + 4/Postal Code ______________ E-mail _____________________________________________

Phone ________________________ Fax ______________________________

4 . P R I M A R Y C O N T A C T / G R A N T S A D M I N I S T R A T O R

❑ S a m e a s P r o j e c t D i r e c t o r ( s k i p t o i t e m 5 )

Prefix _______ First Name ___________________________________ Middle Initial ___________

Last Name ___________________________________________ Suffix _______________________

Title ______________________________________________________________________________

Address 1 __________________________________________________________________________

Address 2 __________________________________________________________________________

City __________________________ County ____________________________ State __________

Zip + 4/Postal Code ______________ E-mail _____________________________________________

Phone ________________________ Fax ______________________________

C O N T I N U E T O I T E M 5

OMB No. 3137-0035

CFDA No. 45.312
5.4 Application Forms 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

5 . T Y P E O F A P P L I C A N T : C H E C K T H E O N E T H A T A P P L I E S

❑ State Government 

❑ County Government 

❑ City or Township Government

❑ Special District Government

❑ Regional Organization

❑ U.S. Territory or Possession

❑ Independent School District

❑ Public/State Controlled Institution of Higher Education

❑ Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized)

❑ Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Other than Federally Recognized)

❑ Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organization

❑ Public/Indian Housing Authority

❑ Nonprofit with 501C3 IRS Status (Other than Institution of Higher Education)

❑ Nonprofit without 501C3 IRS Status (Other than Institution of Higher Education)

❑ Private Institution of Higher Education

❑ Individual

❑ For-Profit Organization (Other than Small Business)

❑ Small Business

❑ Hispanic-serving Institution

❑ Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

❑ Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)

❑ Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions

❑ Nondomestic (non-U.S.) Entity

❑ Other (specify)_________________________________

6 . A U T H O R I Z E D R E P R E S E N T A T I V E / A U T H O R I Z I N G O F F I C I A L

By signing the application, I certify (1) to the statements contained in the list of certifications* and (2) 

that the statements herein are true, complete, and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I also provide the 

required assurances* and agree to comply with any resulting terms if I accept an award. I am aware that any 

false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or claims may subject me to criminal, civil, or administrative 

penalties. 

(U.S. Code, Title 218, Section 1001) ❑ I Agree

*Certifications and assurances are set forth in the IMLS guidelines for the program to which application is 

made.

Prefix _______ First Name ___________________________________ Middle Initial ___________

Last Name ___________________________________________ Suffix _______________________

Title ______________________________________________________________________________

E-mail _________________________ Phone ___________________ Fax ____________________

____________________________________________________ ____________________________

Signature of Authorized Representative/Authorizing Official Date Signed
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Application Forms 5.5

Partnership for a Nation of Learners Information 

Legal Name (from Face Sheet) __________________________________________________________

1. Organizational Unit (if different from Legal Name): ______________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Address 1 __________________________________________________________________________

Address 2 __________________________________________________________________________

City __________________________ State _____________ Zip+4/Postal Code ________________

Web Address http:// __________________________________________________________________

2. Enter the names of official partners of the applicant organization. ____________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

3. Type of applicant organization (check one):

 Academic library  Aquarium

 Library association  Arboretum/botanical garden

 Museum association  Art museum

 Museum library  Children’s/youth museum

 Museum education program at an institution  General museum*

 of higher education  History museum

 Historic house/site  Nature center

 Museum studies program at an institution of  Natural history museum

 higher education  Planetarium

 Public library  Science/technology museum

 Research library/archives  Zoo

 School library or school district applying on  Specialized museum**

 behalf of a school library or libraries  Public broadcasting licensee—television

 School of library and information science  Public broadcasting licensee—radio

 Special library  Public broadcasting licensee—joint

 State library agency  Other, please specify: ___________________

 State museum library 

 Institution of higher education other than 

 listed above

* A museum with collections representing two or more disciplines equally (e.g., art and history).

** A museum with collections limited to one narrowly defined discipline (e.g., textiles, stamps, maritime, ethnic group).

4. Is the applicant organization university controlled?  Yes  No
5.6 Application Forms 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

5. For public broadcasting licensee applicants, provide the CPB Community Service Grant (CSG) ID 

number: __________________________

6. Amount Requested $ ______________________

7. Cost Share Amount $ ______________________

8. Total PNL Project Cost $ ___________________

9. For museum applicants, provide the nonfederal operating income for the most recently completed fiscal 

year: _________ (year), $__________.00

10. For public broadcasting licensee applicants, provide the nonfederal financial support (NFFS) for the 

most recently completed fiscal year: _________ (year), $__________.00

IMLS Staff Use Only:

First check:  Complete  Incomplete __________________________________ Initials/Date

Second check:  Complete  Incomplete __________________________________ Initials/Date
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Application Forms

Project Budget Form

SECTION 1: DETAILED BUDGET

Year ❏1 ❏2 - Budget Period from _______ to _________

Name of Applicant Organization ________________________________________________________

IMPORTANT! READ INSTRUCTIONS ON PAGES 3.9–3.11 BEFORE PROCEEDING.

S A L A R I E S A N D W A G E S ( P E R M A N E N T S T A F F )

 NAME/TITLE NO. METHOD OF COST IMLS COST SHARE TOTAL

 COMPUTATION

___________________ ( ) ____________________ __________ __________ __________

___________________ ( ) ____________________ __________ __________ __________

___________________ ( ) ____________________ __________ __________ __________

___________________ ( ) ____________________ __________ __________ __________

 TOTAL SALARIES AND WAGES $ __________ __________ __________

S A L A R I E S A N D W A G E S ( T E M P O R A R Y S T A F F H I R E D F O R P R O J E C T )

 NAME/TITLE NO. METHOD OF COST IMLS COST SHARE TOTAL

 COMPUTATION

___________________ ( ) ____________________ __________ __________ __________

___________________ ( ) ____________________ __________ __________ __________

___________________ ( ) ____________________ __________ __________ __________

___________________ ( ) ____________________ __________ __________ __________

 TOTAL SALARIES AND WAGES $ __________ __________ __________

F R I N G E B E N E F I T S

 RATE SALARY BASE IMLS COST SHARE TOTAL

___________________ % of $ ___________________ __________ __________ __________

___________________ % of $ ___________________ __________ __________ __________

___________________ % of $ ___________________ __________ __________ __________

___________________ % of $ ___________________ __________ __________ __________

TOTAL FRINGE BENEFITS $ _________ __________ __________

C O N S U L T A N T F E E S

 NAME/TYPE OF CONSULTANT RATE OF COMPENSATION NO. OF DAYS (OR IMLS COST SHARE TOTAL

(DAILY OR HOURLY) HOURS) ON PROJECT 

______________________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________

______________________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________

______________________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________

______________________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________

TOTAL CONSULTANT FEES $ _________ __________ __________

T R A V E L

NUMBER OF: SUBSISTENCE TRANSPORTATION

 FROM/TO PERSONS DAYS COSTS COSTS IMLS COST SHARE TOTAL

_____________ ( ) ( ) __________ __________ __________ __________ __________

_____________ ( ) ( ) __________ __________ __________ __________ __________

_____________ ( ) ( ) __________ __________ __________ __________ __________

_____________ ( ) ( ) __________ __________ __________ __________ __________

TOTAL TRAVEL COSTS $ _________ __________ __________

5.7
5.8 Application Forms 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

Project Budget Form

SECTION 1: DETAILED BUDGET (CONTINUED)

Year ❏1 ❏2

M A T E R I A L S , S U P P L I E S , & E Q U I P M E N T

 ITEM METHOD OF COST IMLS COST SHARE TOTAL

COMPUTATION

_____________________ _______________________ __________ __________ __________

_____________________ _______________________ __________ __________ __________

_____________________ _______________________ __________ __________ __________

TOTAL COST OF MATERIALS, SUPPLIES, & EQUIPMENT $ __________ __________ __________

S E R V I C E S

 ITEM METHOD OF COST IMLS COST SHARE TOTAL

COMPUTATION

_____________________ _______________________ __________ __________ __________

_____________________ _______________________ __________ __________ __________

_____________________ _______________________ __________ __________ __________

TOTAL SERVICES COSTS $ __________ __________ __________

O T H E R

 ITEM METHOD OF COST IMLS COST SHARE TOTAL

COMPUTATION

_____________________ _______________________ __________ __________ __________ 

_____________________ _______________________ __________ __________ __________

_____________________ _______________________ __________ __________ __________

TOTAL OTHER COSTS $ __________ __________ __________

TOTAL DIRECT PROJECT COSTS $ __________ __________ __________

I N D I R E C T C O S T S

Read the instructions about Indirect Costs on pages 3.10–3.11 before completing this section.

Applicant organization is using (check one):

 An indirect cost rate that does not exceed 15 percent

 A current, federally negotiated indirect cost rate

___________________________________ _____________________________

Name of Federal Agency Expiration Date of Agreement

 A proposed rate while negotiating a federally negotiated indirect cost rate (applicant must include a copy 

of the indirect cost proposal in the application)

___________________________________ _____________________________

Name of Federal Agency Date of Proposal

Indirect Cost Calculations

____% of $_________ (modified direct IMLS costs) = $_________ IMLS indirect portion

____% of $_________ (modified direct Cost Share costs) = $________ Cost Share indirect portion

Total indirect costs = $______________
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Application Forms

Project Budget Form

SECTION 2: SUMMARY BUDGET

Name of Applicant Organization ________________________________________________________

IMPORTANT! READ INSTRUCTIONS ON PAGE 3.11 BEFORE PROCEEDING.

D I R E C T C O S T S

IMLS Cost Share Total

SALARIES & WAGES ________________ ________________ ________________

FRINGE BENEFITS ________________ ________________ ________________

CONSULTANT FEES ________________ ________________ ________________

TRAVEL ________________ ________________ ________________

MATERIALS, SUPPLIES, & EQUIPMENT ________________ ________________ ________________

SERVICES ________________ ________________ ________________

OTHER ________________ ________________ ________________

T O T A L D I R E C T C O S T S $ ______________ $ _______________ $ ______________

I N D I R E C T C O S T S * $ ______________ $ _______________ $ ______________

T O T A L P R O J E C T C O S T S $ ______________

A M O U N T O F C O S T S H A R E $ ___________

A M O U N T O F I N - K I N D C O N T R I B U T I O N S $ ___________ ( I N S T I T U T I O N A L C O S T S H A R I N G ) I N C L U D I N G I N D I R E C T C O S T S

 T O T A L A M O U N T O F C O S T S H A R E ( C A S H & I N - K I N D C O N T R I B U T I O N S ) $ ______________

A M O U N T R E Q U E S T E D F R O M I M L S , I N C L U D I N G I N D I R E C T C O S T S $ ______________

P E R C E N T A G E O F T O T A L P R O J E C T C O S T S R E Q U E S T E D F R O M I M L S _______________%

Have you received or requested funds for any of these project activities from another federal agency?

(Please check one) ❏ Yes ❏ No

If yes, name of agency ________________________________________________________________

Date of application _________ or award _________ Amount requested or received $ _____________

5.9

*You may request indirect costs from IMLS 

only on the direct project costs requested from IMLS.
5.10 Application Forms 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

Specifications for Projects That Develop Digital Products

P A R T I . C O M P L E T E T H E A P P R O P R I A T E S E C T I O N S .

A. Converting Nondigital Material to Digital Format

1. Describe types and original formats of materials to be selected for digitization and quantity of each.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

2. Identify copyright issues and other potential restrictions with regard to the original nondigital material.

 Public domain _____ % of total

 Permissions have been obtained _____ % of total

 Permissions to be requested _____ % of total. Plan to address: _______________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

 Privacy concerns _____ % of total. Plan to address: ________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

 Other _____ % of total. Explain. ______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

3. Describe how the newly digitized material will be made available to the public. Explain the terms of access and conditions of use. Identify and explain any restrictions that will apply to digitized material, and 

specify what percentage if any of the total material will be subject to restrictions.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

4. List the equipment and software, with specifications, whether purchased, leased, or outsourced, that will 

be used (e.g., camera, scanner, server, A/D audio or video converter).

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Application Forms 5.11

B. Creating New Digital Content

1. Describe types of materials to be created in digital form and quantity of each. 

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

2. Describe plan to obtain releases/permissions from project content creators and subjects.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

3. Describe disposition of ownership of the new product. Describe how the new product will be made 

available to the public. Explain the terms of access and conditions of use. Identify and explain any restrictions that will apply to the new content, and specify what percentage if any of the total material will 

be subject to restrictions. ____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

4. List the equipment and software, with specifications, whether purchased, leased, or outsourced, that 

will be used (e.g., camera, audio recording equipment, video recording equipment, encoding software, 

server). __________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

C. Repurposing Existing Digital Content

1. Describe types and formats of digital materials to be selected for repurposing and quantity of each.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

2. Identify copyright issues and other potential restrictions with regard to the original digital material.

 Public domain _____ % of total

 Permissions have been obtained _____ % of total

 Permissions to be requested _____ % of total. Plan to address: _______________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

 Privacy concerns _____ % of total. Plan to address: ________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

(Box C continues next page)
Application Forms 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

 Other _____ % of total. Explain. ______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

3. Describe how the repurposed material will be made available to the public. Explain the terms of access 

and conditions of use. Identify and explain any restrictions that will apply to the repurposed material, 

and specify what percentage if any of the total material will be subject to restrictions.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

4. List the equipment and software, with specifications, whether purchased, leased, or outsourced, that will 

be used (e.g., MPEG encoder, nonlinear editing system, GIS software).

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

P A R T I I . A N S W E R A L L Q U E S T I O N S .

1. Specify each type of file format (e.g., TIFF, JPEG, MPEG) to be produced and anticipated quality (e.g., 

minimum resolution, depth, tone, pixel dimensions, file size, sampling rate) of each.

Master _____________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Access ______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Thumbnail __________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

2. Describe the delivery medium that will be used (e.g., Internet, broadcast, DVD). _________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

3. Describe the underlying software to manage and/or present the content (e.g., DSpace, Fedora, 

ContentDM). ____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

4. Describe the quality control plan. ______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

5.12

(Box C, continued)
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Application Forms

5. Explain how descriptive and administrative metadata will be produced and used to describe and manage 

the content. Include the standards that will be used for data structure, content (e.g., thesauri), protocols, 

preservation and administrative information, and communication of the content (e.g., MARC, EAD, 

Dublin Core, PBCore, VRA Core Categories, or Categories for the Description of Works of Art). 

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

6. Describe plans for preservation and maintenance of the digital files during and after the expiration of the 

grant period (i.e., storage systems, migration plans, commitment of institutional funding).

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

7. If content will be provided on the Internet, indicate agreement to submit collection level records for digital products to the IMLS Digital Collection Registry. State reasons for selecting alternative approaches. 

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

8. Provide URL(s) for applicant’s previous digital products, if applicable. __________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

5.13
Application Forms 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Data Requirements Design and Pretest Conduct Survey Data Analysis Web Site Teleconference Training Institute Evaluation Conferences Training Institute Final Report Dissemination Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. $11,500 $65,000 $5,000 $23,000 $19,000 $1,000 $15,000 $1,500 $7,000 $15,000 $25,000 Direct costs requested from IMLS $188,000

Sample Schedule of Completion

The applicant must provide a Schedule of Completion that shows when each major project activity will be completed 

and how grant funds will be expended throughout the project. The Schedule of Completion must correspond to the activities described in the Narrative. It must include direct costs requested from IMLS for each activity. The dates on your Schedule of Completion must correspond with the project dates on the Face Sheet (p. 5.3). The applicant need not follow this 

sample format but must provide the same information, indicating milestones for completion of each major project activity and showing how grant funds are to be spent over the course of the project.

5.14
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Application Forms 5.15

Partnership Statement

Use this format to provide information on each formal partnership. Information about partnership applications is on pages 1.5–1.6. All partners must sign a Partnership Statement.

1. Applicant organization (partner 1) name: ______________________________________________

2. Partner organization name: _________________________________________________________

3. List the partner’s key roles and responsibilities in the project:

We, the undersigned partner organization, agree to the following:

■ We will carry out the activities described above and in the application Narrative.

■ We will use any federal funds we receive from the applicant organization in accordance with applicable 

federal laws and regulations as set forth in the program guidelines and the terms and conditions of the 

grant award.

■ We assure that our facilities and programs comply with the applicable federal requirements and laws as 

set forth in the program guidelines.

________________________________________________ _______________

 Signature of Partner Authorized Representative/Authorizing Official Date

__________________________________________________________________

 Name and Title of Partner Authorized Representative/Authorizing Official (Type or Print)
5.16 Application Forms 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

Organizational Profile

Provide a separate organizational profile for the applicant and for each formal partner. Information about 

partnership applications is on pages 1.5–1.6. All formal partners also must sign a Partnership Statement (see 

p. 5.15).

For the lead applicant:

1. Applicant organization name: _________________________________________________________

2. Organization mission: ______________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

3. Organization service area (audience served, including size, demographic characteristics, and geographic 

area): ___________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

For each formal partner:

1. Partner organization name: __________________________________________________________

2. Partner DUNS number: ____________________________________________________________

3. Partner mailing address: _____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

4. Partner project contact name: _________________________________________________________

 Title: ______________________________________ Phone: _____________________________

 E-mail: __________________________________________________________________________

5. If partner is a public broadcasting licensee, provide CPB Community Service Grant (CSG) ID number: 

________________________________________________________________________________

6. Governing control of partner (choose one):

❑ State ❑ County ❑ Municipality ❑ Private nonprofit ❑ University ❑ Tribal government

❑ Other (please specify): ___________________________________________________________

7. Partner type of organization (from list on Partnership for a Nation of Learners Information form, p. 5.5):

________________________________________________________________________________

8. Partner organization mission: _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

9. Partner organization service area (audience served, including size, demographic characteristics, and geographic area): _____________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Application Forms

A S S U R A N C E S S T A T E M E N T

By signing the application form, the authorized representative/authorizing official, 

on behalf of the applicant, assures and certifies that, should a grant be awarded, it will 

comply with the statutes outlined below and all related IMLS regulations. These assurances are given in connection with any and all financial assistance from IMLS after the 

date this form is signed, but may include payments after this date for financial assistance approved prior to this date. These assurances shall obligate the applicant for the 

period during which the federal financial assistance is extended. The applicant recognizes and agrees that any such assistance will be extended in reliance on the representations and agreements made in these assurances, and that the United States government 

has the right to seek judicial enforcement of these assurances, which are binding on the 

applicant, its successors, transferees, and assignees, and on the authorized representative/authorizing official whose signature appears on the application form.

I . C E R T I F I C A T I O N S R E Q U I R E D O F A L L A P P L I C A N T S

The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, 

certifies that the applicant has legal authority to apply for federal assistance and the 

institutional, managerial, and financial capability (including funds sufficient to pay 

the nonfederal share of project costs) to ensure proper planning, management, and 

completion of the project described in this application.

The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will cause to be performed the required financial and compliance audits in accordance with the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 U.S.C. 

§ 7501 et seq.) and OMB Circular No. A-133, “Audits of States, Local Governments, 

and Non-Profit Organizations.”

The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, 

certifies that the applicant will comply with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A110, “Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Other Agreements with 

Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations.”

In addition, because grant funds are provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the authorized representative/authorizing official certifies that 

the applicant will comply with CPB’s Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, which 

5.17

F I N A N C I A L , 

ADMINISTRATIVE, 

A N D L E G A L 

ACCOUNTABILITY

The IMLS is required to obtain from all applicants certifications regarding federal debt 

status, debarment and suspension, nondiscrimination, and a drug-free workplace. Applicants requesting more than $100,000 in grant funds must also certify regarding lobbying 

activities and may be required to submit a “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” (Standard 

Form LLL). Some applicants will be required to certify that they will comply with other 

federal statutes that pertain to their particular situation. These requirements are incorporated in the Assurances Statement below. If you receive a grant, you must comply with 

these requirements.

IMLS Assurances
5.18 Application Forms 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

N O N -

DISCRIMINATION

F E D E R A L 

D E B T S T A T U S

D E B A R M E N T 

A N D 

S U S P E N S I O N

requires recipients to agree to act with integrity and perform their duties in compliance with federal, state, and local laws, and with CPB contract/grants requirements, 

and otherwise act as efficient and impartial stewards of CPB funds (see section 8 of 

the CPB Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, at http://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/

leadership/board/resolutions/0411_ethicsguide.pdf).

The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, certifies to the best of his or her knowledge and belief that the applicant is not delinquent 

in the repayment of any federal debt.

The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, certifies to the best of his or her knowledge and belief that the applicant and its principals:

(a) are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any federal department 

or agency;

(b) have not within a three-year period preceding this proposal been convicted of or 

had a civil judgment rendered against them for commission of fraud or a criminal 

offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (federal, state, or local) transaction or contract under a public transaction, or in 

connection with a violation of federal or state antitrust statutes or commission of 

embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, makings false statements, or receiving stolen property;

(c) are not presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (federal, state, or local) with commission of any of the offenses 

enumerated in paragraph (b) of this certification; and

(d) have not within a three-year period preceding this application/proposal had one or 

more public transactions (federal, state, or local) terminated for cause or default.

The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will comply with the following nondiscrimination statutes and 

their implementing regulations:

(a) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 2000 et seq.), 

which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin;

(b) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. § 701 et 

seq.), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability;

(c) Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (20 U.S.C. §§ 

1681–83, 1685–86), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs; and

(d) the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1975, as amended (42 U.S.C. 

§ 6101 et seq.), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age.

In addition, the authorized representative/authorizing official certifies that the applicant will comply with CPB policies of Equal Employment and CPB Assistance (see 

annex A of the CPB Standard Terms and Conditions, at http://www.cpb.org/grants/

termsandconditions/).
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Application Forms

D R U G - F R E E 

W O R K P L A C E 

A C T O F 

1 9 8 8

5.19

(A) The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the applicant will or will continue to provide a drug-free workplace by:

(a) publishing a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, 

distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the grantee’s workplace and specifying the action that will be taken 

against employees for violation of such prohibition;

(b) establishing an ongoing drug-free awareness program to inform employees 

about:

(1) the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace;

(2) the grantee’s policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace;

(3) any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance 

programs; and

(4) the penalties that may be imposed on employees for drug abuse violations 

occurring in the workplace;

(c) making it a requirement that each employee to be engaged in the performance 

of the grant be given a copy of the statement required by paragraph (a);

(d) notifying the employee in the statement required by paragraph (a) that, as a 

condition of employment under the grant, the employee will:

(1) abide by the terms of the statement; and

(2) notify the employer in writing of his or her conviction for a violation of a 

criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace not later than five calendar days after such conviction;

(e) notifying the agency in writing within ten (10) calendar days after receiving 

notice under subparagraph (d)(2) from an employee or otherwise receiving 

actual notice of such conviction. Employers of convicted employees must 

provide notice, including position title, to every grant officer on whose grant 

activity the convicted employee was working, unless the federal agency has 

designated a central point for the receipt of such notices. Notices shall include 

the identification number(s) of each affected grant;

(f) taking one of the following actions within thirty (30) days of receiving notice 

under subparagraph (d)(2) with respect to any employee who is so convicted:

(1) taking appropriate personnel action against such an employee, up to and 

including termination consistent with the requirements of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.); or

(2) requiring such employee to participate satisfactorily in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program approved for such purposes by a federal, 

state, or local health, law, or other appropriate agency; and

(g) making a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug-free workplace 

through implementation of paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f).

(B) The applicant shall either identify the site(s) for the performance of work done in 

connection with the project in the application material or keep this information 

on file in its office so that it is available for federal inspection. The street address, 

city, county, state, and zip code should be provided whenever possible.
5.20 Application Forms 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

G E N E R A L 

CERT IF ICAT ION

SUBAGREEMENTS

The authorized representative/authorizing official certifies to the best of his or her 

knowledge and belief that:

(a) no federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf 

of the authorized representative/authorizing official, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member 

of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of 

Congress in connection with the awarding of a federal contract, the making of 

a federal grant, the making of a federal loan, the entering into of a cooperative 

agreement, or the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification 

of a federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement;

(b) if any funds other than appropriated federal funds have been paid or will be paid 

to any person (other than a regularly employed officer or employee of the applicant) for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any 

agency, a member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with this federal contract, grant, loan, 

or cooperative agreement, the authorizing official shall request, complete, and 

submit Standard Form LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,” in accordance 

with its instructions; and

(c) the authorized representative/authorizing official shall require that the language of 

this certification be included in the award documents for all subawards at all tiers 

(including subcontracts, subgrants, and contracts under grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients shall certify and disclose accordingly.

The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that he/she will comply with all applicable requirements of all other federal laws, 

executive orders, regulations, and policies governing the program.

I I . C E R T I F I C A T I O N S R E Q U I R E D O F S O M E A P P L I C A N T S

The following certifications are required if applicable to the project for which an 

application is being submitted. Applicants should be aware that additional federal 

certifications, not listed below, might apply to a particular project.

Applicants who plan to use awards to fund subgrants, contracts, and subcontracts 

should be aware that they must receive the following certifications from applicants to 

grant programs and those who bid on contracts:

(1) certification of compliance with the nondiscrimination statutes from institutional 

applicants and contractors, and

(2) certification regarding debarment and suspension from applicants to grant programs (regardless of the amount requested) and from potential contractors and subcontractors who will receive $100,000 or more in grant funds. Applicants are also 

required to include without modification the following wording in solicitations for 

all grant proposals and for contracts that are expected to equal or exceed $100,000:

(a) The prospective lower-tier participant certifies, by submission of this proposal, 

that neither it nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed 

for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation 

in this transaction by any federal department or agency.

(b) Where the prospective lower-tier participant is unable to certify to any of the 

statements in this certification, such prospective participant shall attach an 

explanation to this proposal.

C E R T I F I C A T I O N 

R E G A R D I N G 

L O B B Y I N G 

A C T I V I T I E S 

( A P P L I E S T O 

A P P L I C A N T S 

R E Q U E S T I N G 

F U N D S I N 

E X C E S S O F 

$ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 )
2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants Application Forms

N A T I V E 

A M E R I C A N 

H U M A N 

R E M A I N S 

A N D 

A S S O C I A T E D 

F U N E R A R Y 

O B J E C T S

H I S T O R I C 

P R O P E R T I E S

ENVIRONMENTAL 

P RO T E C T ION S

5.21

The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, 

certifies that the applicant will comply with the provisions of the Native American 

Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (25 U.S.C. § 3001 et seq.), which 

applies to any organization that controls or possesses Native American human remains 

and associated funerary objects, and which receives federal funding, even for a purpose 

unrelated to the Act.

The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, 

certifies that the applicant will assist the awarding agency in assuring compliance 

with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (16 

U.S.C. § 470f), Executive Order (E.O.) 11593, and the Archaeological and Historic 

Preservation Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. § 469 et seq.).

The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, certifies that the project will comply with environmental standards, including the following:

(a) institution of environmental quality control measures under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq.) and E.O. 

11514;

(b) notification of violating facilities pursuant to E.O. 11738;

(c) protection of wetlands pursuant to E.O. 11990, as amended by E.O. 12608;

(d) evaluation of flood hazards in floodplains in accordance with E.O. 11988, as 

amended;

(e) assurance of project consistency with the approved state management program 

developed under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended (16 

U.S.C. § 1451 et seq.); 

(f) conformity of federal actions to State (Clean Air) Implementation Plans under section 176(c) of the Clean Air Act of 1955, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq.);

(g) protection of underground sources of drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq.); and

(h) protection of endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 

amended (16 U.S.C. §§ 1531–1543).

The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, 

certifies that the project will comply with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, as 

amended (16 U.S.C. § 1271 et seq.), related to protecting components or potential 

components of the national wild and scenic rivers system.

The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, 

certifies that the applicant will comply with the flood insurance requirements of the 

Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 4001 et seq.), which 

requires recipients in a special flood hazard area to participate in the program and to 

purchase flood insurance if the total cost of insurable construction and acquisition is 

$10,000 or more.
Application Forms 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants

The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, 

certifies that the project will comply with 45 C.F.R. Part 46, regarding the protection 

of human subjects involved in research, development, and related activities supported 

by this award of assistance.

The authorized representative/authorizing official, on behalf of the applicant, 

certifies that the project will comply with the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966, 

as amended (7 U.S.C. § 2131 et seq.), pertaining to the care, handling, and treatment 

of warm-blooded animals held for research, teaching, or other activities supported by 

this award of assistance.

For further information on these certifications, contact IMLS at 1800 M Street, NW, 

Ninth Floor, Washington, DC 20036-5802, or call (202) 653-IMLS (4657).

R E S E A R C H 

O N H U M A N 

A N D 

A N I M A L 

S U B J E C T S

5.22
Equal Opportunity Statement

IMLS programs do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age. 

For further information, write to the Civil Rights Officer, Institute of Museum and Library Services, 

1800 M Street, NW, Ninth Floor, Washington, DC 20036-5802.

TIPS FOR WRITING GOOD GRANT PROPOSALS

■ Start with a good idea! Identify the problem you are trying to solve and a potential solution that 

grant funding would support. Remember that competitive programs are often very competitive. 

In general, projects that benefit more than one institution and reach a broad audience will be the 

most competitive.

■ Match your idea with the appropriate funder and program—contact the program officer to find 

out if your idea matches the goals of the program.

■ Read the program guidelines carefully and note all instructions and deadlines. It takes time to 

develop a good proposal and a good project, so give yourself plenty of it.

■ Assemble your project team, including external partners—your team will be your most important asset.

■ Meet to discuss all aspects of the project and all of the program evaluation criteria—identify 

assets, weaknesses, and potential allies. Ask questions: Who is the target audience? What are the 

anticipated outcomes (who will benefit and how)? How can the benefits be measured (how will 

you know if you succeed)? Who will know about it? Generally, projects involving two or more 

institutions will require time and ongoing discussions to develop a strong relationship, but projects based on these kinds of collaborative relationships will be more competitive for funding and 

more successful in execution. Involve potential allies as partners, members of advisory boards, or 

writers of support letters. They will help to disseminate results and extend the benefit.

■ Develop a draft proposal—follow the recommended format and all instructions, and address 

all of the evaluation criteria in the order prescribed. Be sure to highlight your assets and try to 

resolve potential weaknesses (e.g., arrange to hire a consultant if your team lacks expertise in a 

specific area). Write in plain, understandable language.

■ Contact your program officer for clarification of questions.

■ Ask others who have not been involved in the project to read your draft—they may notice an 

important omission or weakness.

■ Revise your proposal and submit it on time.

■ If your proposal is not successful, do not be discouraged. Read the reviewers’ comments carefully—they can provide important suggestions for improving your project. Ask your program 

officer to help clarify any comments that you do not understand.