[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 25 (Friday, February 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6230-6232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2966]


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NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES


Institute of Museum and Library Services; Grant Application 
Availability Notice for FY 98

AGENCY: Institute of Museum and Library Services.

ACTION: Grant application availability notice for fiscal year 1998.

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SUMMARY: This grant application announcement applies to the following 
Office of Museum Service programs: General Operating Support (GOS), 
Conservation Project Support (CP), Conservation Assessment Program 
(CAP), Museum Assessment Program (MAP I), Museum Assessment Program 
(MAP II), Museum Assessment Program III (MAP III), Museum Leadership 
Initiative (MLI) and Professional Services Program (PSP). This 
announcement also applies to the following Office of Library Services 
program: National Leadership Grants. All IMLS awards are under 45 CFR 
part 1180 for Fiscal Year 1998.

ADDRESSES: Institute of Museum and Library Services, 1100 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20506 http://www.imls.fed.us/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For information on museum programs call (202) 606-8540. For information 
on library programs call (202) 606-5227. For the Director's office call 
(202) 606-8537. Or contact the agency's website at http://
www.imls.fed.us/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of for museum awards is to ease 
the financial burden borne by museums as a result of their increased 
use by the public and to help them carry out their educational role, as 
well as other functions. The purpose for National Leadership Grants is 
to improve library services and collaboration between libraries and 
museums.

Eligibility

    Museums meeting the definitions in 45 CFR 1180.3 may apply for 
these programs. The definition of ``museum'' includes (but is not 
limited to) the following institutions if they satisfy the other 
provisions of this section: Aquariums and zoological parks; botanical 
gardens and arboretums; nature centers; museums relating to art; 
history (including historic buildings); natural history; science and 
technology; and planetariums. To be eligible for support from IMLS a 
museum must:
    Be organized as a public or private nonprofit institution and exit 
on a permanent basis for essentially educational or aesthetic purposes; 
and
    Exhibit tangible objects through facilities it owns or operates; 
and
    Have at least one professional staff member or the full-time 
equivalent whose primary responsibility is the care, or exhibition to 
the public of objects owned or used by the museum; and
    Be open and have provided museum services to the general public on 
a regular basis for at least two full years* prior to the date of 
application to IMLS; and
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    * Applicants to the Museum Assessment Program and the 
Conservation Assessment Program need not be open for two years.
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    Be located in one of the fifty States of the Union, the District of 
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the 
Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Trust Territory of 
the Pacific Islands.

For National Leadership Grants

    All types of libraries may apply including public, school, 
academic, research (which makes publicly available library services and 
materials suitable for scholarly research and not otherwise available 
to the public and is not on integral part of an institution of higher 
learning), special, private (not-for-profit), archives, library 
agencies, and library consortia. Libraries may apply individually or in 
partnership.
    All disciplines of museums may apply, including art, children and 
youth, history, natural history, anthropology, nature center, science/
technology centers, zoos, aquariums, arboretums, botanical gardens, 
historic houses and sites, planetariums, general, specialized, museum 
agencies, and museum consortia. Museums may only apply in a partnership 
that includes at least one library partner.
    Institutions of higher education including public and not-for 
profit universities and colleges. Graduate library and information 
science schools may apply as part of an institution of higher 
education. Institutions of higher education may apply individually or 
in a partnership.
    IMLS recognizes the potential for valuable contributions to the 
overall goals of the National Leadership Grants program by other 
public, not-for-profit

[[Page 6231]]

and for profit organizations and encourages their participation in a 
partner application. They, however, may not be the official applicant.

Program Categories

General Operating Support (GOS)

    IMLS makes awards under the GOS program to museums to maintain, 
increase, or improve museum services through support for basic general 
operating expenses.

Conservation Project Support Program (CP)

    Awards are made through the CP program to assist with the 
conservation of museum collections, both living and non-living.

Conservation Assessment Program (CAP)

    Awards are made through CAP to provide an overall assessment of the 
condition of a museum's environment and collections to identify 
conservation needs and priorities. CAP is a non-competitive, one-time 
funding opportunity, offered on a first-come, first-served basis. It is 
administered in cooperation with the National Institute for 
Conservation. See 45 CFR 1180, subpart D.

Museum Assessment Program (MAP)

    The MAP I funds an overall assessment of a museum's operations. The 
MAP II funds an assessment of the museum's collection-related policies. 
The MAP III provides an assessment of the public dimension of museum 
operations. All of the Museum Assessment Programs are non-competitive, 
one-time funding opportunities, offered on a first-come, first-served 
basis. The Museum Assessment Programs are administered in cooperation 
with the American Association of Museums through a memorandum of 
understanding. See 45 CFR part 1180, subpart D.

Professional Services Program (PSP)

    This program provides matching funds to professional museum 
associations for projects that serve the museum community.

Museum Leadership Initiatives (MLI)

    Museum Leadership Initiative address national issues for museums. 
Program priorities may change annually.

National Leadership Grants (NLG)

    This program was created to enhance the quality of library services 
nationwide and to provide coordination between libraries and museums. 
Awards will be made for (1) education and training for library and 
information science, (2) research and demonstration projects in library 
and information science, (3) preservation and digitization of library 
materials, (4) model programs of collaboration between libraries and 
museums.

Deadline Date for Transmittal of Applications

    Applications must be mailed or hand-delivered by the deadline date:

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                Program                              Deadline           
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GOS....................................  Jan. 23, 1998.                 
CP.....................................  Mar. 6, 1998.                  
PSP....................................  Apr. 10, 1998.                 
CAP....................................  Dec. 5, 1997.                  
MAP I..................................  Apr. 24, 1998.                 
MAP II.................................  Mar. 13, 1998.                 
MAP III................................  Feb. 27, 1998.                 
MLI....................................  June 19, 1998.                 
NLG....................................  Apr. 17, 1998.                 
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    For GOS, CP, MLI, NLG and PSP Applications that are sent by mail 
must be addressed to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, 1100 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 609, Washington, DC 20506.
    An applicant must be prepared to show one of the following as proof 
of timely mailing:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other dated proof of mailing acceptable to the Director of 
IMLS.
    If any application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, the 
Director does not accept either of the following as proof of mailing: 
(1) A private metered postmark; or (2) a mail receipt that is not date-
canceled by the U.S. Postal Service.
    Applications that are hand-delivered must be taken to the Institute 
of Museum and Library Services, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20506. Hand-delivered applications will be accepted 
between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Washington D.C. time) daily, except 
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays. An application that is hand-
delivered will not be accepted after 4:30 p.m. on the deadline date.
    For MAP I, MAP II, and MAP III Applicants must apply to IMLS 
through the American Association of Museums (AAM). IMLS supplies the 
AAM with application forms and instructions. These are forwarded by AAM 
to applicant museums. The Director of IMLS approves applications 
meeting the MAP I, MAP II, and MAP III requirements on a first-come, 
first-served basis (i.e., in the order in which an application is 
received and has been determined to have met applicable requirements). 
Applications will be approved for awards, subject to the availability 
of funds. If a museum's MAP I, MAP II or MAP III application is 
received on or before the indicated dates, it will be processed 
together with other MAP I, MAP II, or MAP III applications received 
during that period. Applications received after the indicated dates 
will be processed during the subsequent MAP I, MAP II or MAP III 
periods. In no event will MAP applications received after April 24, 
1998, MAP II applications received after March 13, 1998, or MAP III 
applications received after February 27, 1998 be processed for Fiscal 
Year 1998 awards. Applicants should contact the American Association of 
Museums, 1575 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005, for application 
packets.
    For CAP Applicants must apply to IMLS through the Heritage 
Preservation NIC. IMLS supplies the NIC with application forms and 
instructions. These are forwarded by Heritage Preservation NIC to 
applicant museums. The Director of IMLS approves applications meeting 
the CAP requirements on a first-come, first-served basis (i.e., in the 
order in which an application is received and has been determined to 
have met applicable requirements). Applications will be approved for 
awards, subject to the availability of funds. Applicants must be 
received by December 5, 1997. Applications for FY 1998 awards which 
cannot be funded will not be carried over to the next fiscal year. All 
unfunded applicants who wish to receive an award in the subsequent 
year, must reapply. Interested parties should contact the Heritage 
Preservation NIC, 3299 K Street, NW, Suite 403, Washington, DC 20007 
for applications.

Program Information

    GOS program regulations are contained in 45 CFR ch. XI, Sec. 1180.7 
(1988) and related provisions.
    CP program regulations are contained in 45 CFR 1180.20 (1988) and 
related provisions.
    CAP and MAP program regulations are contained in 45 CFR part 1180, 
subpart D (1988).
    PSP program regulations are contained in 45 CFR part 1180, subpart 
E (1988).
    Further program information may be found in the Application forms 
and accompanying instructions in the application. See paragraph on 
Application Forms.

[[Page 6232]]

Available Funds

GOS

    For FY 1998, $16,060,000 is available for this program. The GOS 
program award is equal to 15% of the museum's operating budget to a 
maximum of $112,500 to be spent over a two year period. The grant 
amount is determined annually by the National Museum Services Board. A 
museum that receives an award in one fiscal year may not apply for the 
following year's competition. (See 45 CFR 1190.16(b)).

CP

    For FY 1998, $2,310,000 is available for this program. Normally, 
IMLS makes matching conservation grants of no more than $25,000 in 
Federal funds. Unless otherwise provided by law, if the Director 
determines that exceptional circumstances warrant, the Director, with 
the advice of the Board, may award a Conservation Project Support grant 
which obligates in excess of $25,000 in Federal funds to a maximum of 
$75,000. The Director may make such a determination with respect to a 
category of Conservation grants by notice published in the Federal 
Register. IMLS awards Conservation Project Support grants only on a 
matching basis. At least 50% of the costs of a project must be met with 
non-federal funds. (See 45 CFR 1180.20 (f)).

CAP

    For FY 1998, $820,000 is available for this program.

MAP, MAP II, MAP III

    For FY 1998, $450,000 is available for this program.

PSP

    For FY 1998, $600,000 was available is this program. This program 
provides matching funds for cooperative agreements that generally do 
not exceed $50,000.

MLI

    For FY 1998, $600,000 is available.

NLG

    For FY 1998, $1,371,937 is available for collaborative projects 
between museums and libraries, of which $1,000,000 is contributed by 
they IMLS Office of Museum Services and the remainder by the IMLS 
Office of Library Services. The library appropriation also provides 
$4,115,813 for the other three categories of National Leadership 
Grants.

Funding Priorities for Conservation Project Support Program

    The National Museum Services Board, by notice published in the 
Federal Register, may establish funding priorities among the types of 
projects. IMLS Conservation Project Support guidelines identify four 
broad categories of museum collections: non-living; systematics/natural 
history collections; living collections/animals; and living 
collections/plants.
    For each of the categories, with the exception of living 
collections/animals, the funding priority is a general conservation 
survey of collections and environmental conditions including 
development of institutional-range conservation plans. For living 
collections/animals the funding priority is research for improved 
conservation techniques.

Application Forms

    IMLS mails application forms and program information in General 
Operating Support, Conservation Project Support, Museum Leadership 
Initiatives, National Leadership Grants and Professional Services 
Program application packets to museums and other institutions on its 
mailing list. Applicants may obtain application packets by writing or 
telephoning the Institute of Museum and Library Services, 1100 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20506. For National Leadership 
Grants call (202) 606-5227. For all other programs call (202) 606-8540. 
Application forms are available on the agency's website http://
www.imls.fed.us/
 To receive an application for the Conservation Assessment Program 
contact the Heritage Preservation NIC, 3299 K Street, NW, Suite 403, 
Washington, DC 20007 (202) 625-1495.
    To receive an application for the Museum Assessment Programs 
contact the American Association of Museums, 1575 Eye Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20005 (202) 289-1818.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 45.301 Institute of 
Museum and Library Services)

(Museum and Library Services Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-208 as 
amended)

    Dated: January 21, 1998.
Mamie Bittner,
Director, Legislative and Public Affairs.
[FR Doc. 98-2966 Filed 2-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7036-01-M