[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 211 (Monday, November 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58791-58794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29199]


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NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES


Museum Service Office Programs and Office of Library Services 
Programs; Grant Application Availability

AGENCY: Institute of Museum and Library Services, NFAH.

ACTION: Grant application availability notice for FY 99.

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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 
programs: Native American Library Services Basic Grants, Native 
American Library Services Technical Assistance Grants, Native American 
Library Services Enhancement Grants, Native Hawaiian Library Services 
Grant, Grants to States (LSTA), and National Leadership Grants (NLG). 
All IMLS awards are under 45 CFR part 1180 for Fiscal Year 1999.

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 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 of library grants is to improve library 
services and collaboration between libraries and museums.

Eligibility

Museum Programs

    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 for the GOS and CP programs. Applicants to MAP, 
CAP, MLI, and PSP need not be open for the two year period; and
    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.
    * Applicants to the Museum Assessment Program and the Conservation 
Assessment Program need not be open for two years.

For Professional Services Program

    To apply for this program, you must be a private, non-profit museum 
services organization or association which engages in activities 
designed to advance the well being of museum and the museum profession. 
Institutions eligible for the other IMLS museum grant programs are not 
eligible for the Professional Services Program.

Library Programs

For Grants to the States
    Funding is allocated on a formula basis to State Library 
Administrative Agencies, which include the fifth States, the District 
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin 
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau. 
For the Pacific region entities, the agency administering funds is the 
Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) agency in Honolulu, 
Hawaii. The State Library Administrative Agencies then make grants to 
all types of libraries, including public, school, academic, research, 
school, and special libraries like hospital and law libraries.
For Native American Library Services Basic Grants, Technical Assistance 
Grants, and Enhancement Grants
    Applicants must comply with the definitions set out in the Library 
Services and Technology Act of the Museum and Library Services Act of 
1996. Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages are eligible to apply. 
The term ``Indian tribe'' means any tribe, band, nation, or other 
organized group or community, including any Alaska

[[Page 58792]]

Native village, regional corporation, or village corporation, as 
defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims 
Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), which is recognized by the 
Secretary of Interior as eligible for the special programs and services 
provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as 
Indians.
For Native Hawaiian Library Services Grant
    Applicants should submit evidence that they meet the criteria for 
Native Hawaiian organizations as defined in section 9212 of the Native 
Hawaiian Education Act (20 U.S.C. 7912). Such an organization is one 
that serves the interests of Native Hawaiians; has Native Hawaiians in 
substantive and policymaking positions within the organization; and is 
recognized by the Governor of Hawaii for the purpose of planning, 
conducting, or administering programs (or portions of programs) for the 
benefit of Native Hawaiians. Proof of recognition by the Governor of 
Hawaii will be an official letter or other document attesting to the 
organization's status and signed by the Governor of Hawaii.
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 an 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 may apply. 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 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 Heritage Preservation, Inc. 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.

Grants to States

    This program provides formula grants to State Library 
Administrative Agencies for the purposes of creating new networks that 
improve the accessibility and quality of information available to all 
library users. Priorities for funding are based on a Five-Year Plan 
which has been submitted by the State and approved by IMLS. Priorities 
may include: paying for computer systems, telecommunications 
technologies, and electronic networks for libraries; creating or 
improving electronic links among libraries and with educational, 
social, or information services; encourage resource sharing; and 
targeting library and information services to persons having difficulty 
using a library and to undeserved urban and rural communities. Grants 
to States may be expended directly or through sub-grants or cooperative 
agreements.

Native American Library Services Grants

    The Basic Grants provide small grants for core library operations 
of tribes and Alaska Native villages. Technical Assistance Grants 
provide technical assistance to these libraries. Enhancement Grants 
promote innovative practices in serving Native Americans and Alaskan 
Native villages.

Native Hawaiian Library Services

    This program provides a single grant to an organization that 
primarily serves and represents Native Hawaiians for the purpose of 
improving library services to Native Hawaiians.

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. 22, 1999.
CP.....................................  Mar. 5, 1999.
PSP....................................  July 2, 1999.
CAP....................................  Dec. 3, 1999.
MAP I..................................  Apr. 30, 1999.
MAP II.................................  Mar. 12, 1999.
MAP III................................  Feb. 26, 1999.
MLI....................................  June 18, 1999.
Grants to States, Revisions to Five      April 1, 1999.
 Year State Plans.
Native American Library Services Basic   April 30, 1999.
 Grants.
Native American Library Services         April 30, 1999.
 Technical Assistance Grants.

[[Page 58793]]

Native American Library Services         April 30, 1999.
 Enhancement Grants.
Native Hawaiian Library Services Grant.  April 30, 1999.
NLG....................................  Mar. 19, 1999.
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For GOS, CP, MLI, 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.

For Native American Library Services Grants, Native Hawaiian Library 
Services Grants, and National Leadership Grants

    Applications that are sent by mail must be addressed to the 
Institute of Museum and Library Services, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., 
Room 802, 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, DC 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 30, 1999, MAP II applications received after March 12, 1999, or 
MAP III applications received after February 26, 1999 be processed for 
Fiscal Year 1999 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 
Inc. IMLS supplies Heritage Preservation with application forms and 
instructions. These are forwarded by Heritage Preservation 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 3, 1999. Applications for FY 1999 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, 
3299 K Street, NW., Suite 403, Washington, DC 20007 for applications.

For Grants to States

    Applicants must contact their State Library Administrative Agency 
for deadlines and application procedures.

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.

Available Funds

GOS

    For FY 1999, $15,610,000 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)).

CPF for FY 1999, $2,310,000 is available for this program. Normally, 
IMLS makes matching conservation grants of no more than $50,000 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 $50,000 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 1999, $820,000 is available for this program.

MAP, MAP II, MAP III

    For FY 1999, $450,000 is available for this program.

PSP

    For FY 1999, $600,000 was available in this program. This program 
provides matching funds for cooperative agreements that generally do 
not exceed $50,000.

MLI

    For FY 1999, $600,000 is available.

Grants to States

    For FY 1999, $135,367,000 is available to be allocated to State 
Library Administrative Agencies according to a formula which is tied to 
state population, added to a minimum per-state grant of $340,000 as set 
by the Museum and Library Services Act. (In the case of the Pacific 
Territories, the minimum grant is $40,000, plus an

[[Page 58794]]

amount based on the formula tied to population.)

Native American and Native Hawaiian Library Services Grants

    For FY 1999, $2,908,000 is available for these programs.

NLG

    For FY 1999, $10,565,000 is available for competitive grants in 
this program.

Application Forms

    IMLS mails application forms and program information in General 
Operating Support, Conservation Project Support, Museum Leadership 
Initiatives, Native American and Native Hawaiian Library Services 
Grants, National Leadership Grants and Professional Services Program 
application packets to libraries, museums, and other institutions on 
its mailing list as appropriate. Applicants may obtain application 
packets by writing, emailing, or telephoning the Institute of Museum 
and Library Services, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 
20506. For Library programs call (202) 606-5227. For museum programs 
call (202) 606-8540. For e-mail, write to [email protected]. 
Application forms are available on the agency's website http://
www.imls.fed.us/.
    To receive an application for the Conservation Assessment Program 
contact Heritage Preservation, 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.
    To receive an application for the Grants to States program, contact 
your State Library Administrative Agency.

(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: October 27, 1998.
Mamie Bittner,
Director, Legislative and Public Affairs.
[FR Doc. 98-29199 Filed 10-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7036-01-M