You get a notice. Oh, Ed, let's hold on a second. The recordings got to start first. Just a second. Oh, good. All right. There you go.
Hi, good afternoon. My name is Ed Pettes and I serve as director of state and local engagement with America 250.
On behalf of Rosie Rio's chair of the USMI Quincentennial Commission, I welcome you to this webinar with the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
America 250 is delighted to partner with IMLS. We are an, they are an ex officio member of the US Emma Quinsettino Commission.
And then excellent partner in the work we're doing to prepare and plan for the semi-quincennial.
We recently partnered with IMLS at the American Association for State and Local History Conference in Boise, Idaho.
Where I had the opportunity, to meet some of you in person. We think we want to thank IMLS for hosting this webinar to share information about various grant opportunities and the application process.
I wanna thank Laura. We're to and her team for organized organizing this session.
About the grant opportunities to help semi you folks out in the States with semi-quinscentennial efforts.
Also wanna thank all of you for taking the time out of your schedules to participate in this, in this webinar.
We just as a matter of note, we have learned today that we have now 41. State commissions created.
So we have 1515 to go. To have all 56 states and territories and DC, with having set up their, stood up their commissions.
And with that, I'll pass the program onto I am a less team. Thank you.
Great, thank you, Ed. Thank you, Thea. Thanks to all of you again for joining today. My name is Lara Wet and I am the Deputy Director for the Office of Museum Services here at IMLS and it's my great honor for the Office of Museum Services here at IMLS and it's my great honor to provide this group.
And it's my great honor to provide this group. And it's my great honor to, provide this group, a quick overview of an introduction to IMLS and it's my great honor to provide this group a quick overview of an introduction to IMLS and the various funding opportunities that get my screen share up.
Fantastic. And can folks see my screen? Are we good? Okay, thanks.
And thanks, Via. And, as I move through these slides, please feel free to Quick questions in the chat.
I'll do my best to monitor and respond to those that, are easy to respond to during my presentations, but otherwise we will also be, including some time for a Q&A at the end.
Of our time together.
So. First, I'd like to talk a little bit about, who and what IMLS is.
I see many folks in the audience who are familiar with IMLS, but there might be some of you who are new to us.
So here you can see the vision and mission of IMLS, but maybe the most important thing to understand is that I am a less is an independent federal grant making agency and we are the primary source of federal.
Nation's museums and libraries and related organizations and libraries and related organizations. Our vision and mission statements.
Our vision and mission statements were adopted as part of our vision and mission statements were adopted as part of our agency's current strategic plan.
Our vision and mission statements were adopted as part of our agency's current strategic plan and both emphasize that IMLS is here to support museums, libraries, archives, and related organizations in their work to serve their communities.
Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities.
And our mission is to advance support and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grant making, research, and policy development.
If you're interested in more about IMLS, our full strategic plan is available at our website at IMLS.
Dot com.
And so a little bit about the Office of Museum Services, which is the work that I'm representing for you all today.
The Office of Museum Services or OMS is one of the major program offices here at the agency in our last annual grant cycle.
We awarded more than 50 million dollars in funding to a diverse group of institutions, including art, history, and science museums, zoos, aquaria, professional associations, universities, and Native American tribes.
We do this through a number of competitive grant programs and we are in the midpoint of the current application cycle for our funding programs, which opened on August fifteenth and whose deadline is November fifteenth.
So we've got just about a month. To think about proposals for this. Funding cycle.
But before we move into the particulars of IMLS funding, I do want to stop and take a moment to talk about our own approach to preparations for the semi-quincennial via our IMLS 2 50 all stories all people all places initiative as Ed mentioned, IMLS is an ex officio.
Member of the America 2 50 Commission. And in addition to that role, we have been planning again our own approach to how to specifically support libraries, archives, museums, and related organizations in their own preparations for the coming semicantennial.
We've got 2, major, thrusts, as we see over the last couple of years and that we see over the last couple of years and that will be taking us forward the last couple of years and that will be taking us forward.
The first is we have had an named a priority on inviting 2 50 it's related grant proposals for the last 2 funding Sorry, and again this cycle.
So while we are not creating a stand alone semi-quintennial funding program we are not creating a stand-alone semi-quincentennial funding program.
So while we are not creating a standalone semi-quintennial funding program, we have, incorporated language into our solicitation that makes clear, our support for semi-qu In addition, we've made some investments in national partnerships in the last year to raise awareness around the impending semi Quintennial and that has really been based on feedback from the field and particularly our partnership
with AASLH. And that has taken the form of 2 current projects. The first is our partnership with PBS Books to develop the visions of America web series.
And if you haven't had a chance to see that yet, I'd encourage you to visit visions of America.
Dot org, I believe, to get access to that web series, which is a series of episodes and interviews that are hosted by our agency director.
Crosby Kemper, visiting some of the less known sites that are critical to the American story.
Of what a museum is, is pretty flexible. I am a less also takes a very flexible approach.
To, museum eligibility and what might count. Now each of our grant programs has its own specific requirements that are detailed in the application materials, but we'll go over some critical components.
As we move forward. Across all of our programs, organizations must be located in one of, The 50 states, it's territories or the district of Columbia.
And the organization must either be a nonprofit or a unit of state, local or tribal government. So we can make fun.
Awards to, county organizations, state-based organizations, etc. We cannot make awards to other federal entities.
So we do have. 3 of our grant programs, museums for America, museums empowered, and the inspired grants for small museums that are only available to museums as the lead applicant.
So the lead applicant to your to this program must qualify as a museum. And here's where we get into.
What, what they qualifies as a museum. So our first requirement is that your organization has to have at least one full-time or equivalent professional staff person that can be either paid or unpaid.
And what this really means is that we know there are a lot of volunteer- organizations and if you have volunteers that are serving in the role of director or curator and their time is equivalent to a full time.
Maybe there are 2 volunteers that really give up to a full time equivalent for your institution. That would qualify.
There does have to be a physical location that you either own or operate. We do not fund virtual institutions.
And there has to be to be a minimum public service threshold met. The So open to the public, serving the public for at least a hundred 20 days.
That does not have to be sequential, a hundred 20 days, a hundred 20 days total.
In the year prior to our application deadline and you must own or use tangible objects. Again, your museum might be a standalone organization or it might be part of a larger institution like a college, university, tribe or a state or local government.
Excuse me. So just something examples of what that looks like. Again, you can see here we have a very expansive.
Definition of what a museum is. And we incorporate and embrace. All of the disciplines. Please note that this list is not exhaustive.
And it is part of the application process. To for you all to have an opportunity to explain why you think that you're eligible.
So yes, Thea.
No, there was a specific question about historic cemeteries. Do they qualify?
You have to look at that eligibility criteria. And see if that meets, if you meet the public programming criteria.
And there's more detail about this. In our application. So I would encourage you as we go through the programs and think about which one might fit.
You're an idea you might have for a project. To dive into the eligibility and more of that detail on what is a museum.
My overall, advice to you would be there's no harm in trying. Because we know that this is again the field overall is very, very diverse.
And we have had historic sites. That qualify as museums.
Let's see, we move forward here.
Okay. Now there are. 3 other programs that have slightly different eligibility requirements. Our national leadership grants for museums our museum grants for African American history and culture and our Native American Native Hawaiian Museum services programs all have specific requirements.
Now our national leadership grants for museums program is the one that might be the most in of interest here to this group.
This is the program that, has more expansive eligibility for organizations that are serving the museum field.
So associations, other service related or coordinating bodies that would be serving the museum field could find eligibility international leadership grants program.
So commissions themselves may be able to find. Themselves a able to apply to the national leadership grant program for museum grants for African-american history and culture, we are looking specifically at institutions that have presented and interpreting African-american history and culture as their primary mission, as well as HBCUs are eligible in that program.
And in our Native American Native Hawaiian services program, eligible entities are federally recognized tribes.
And non-profits. Whose mission is primarily to serve Native Hawaiian populations.
Again, more detail on that eligibility is available in the solicitations for each one of these programs.
Okay, and I see there are some questions in the chat and we'll come back to those later.
I wanna acknowledge that they're there. And some of these we are going to, cover.
Now one of the biggest questions we get are what are allowable costs. And once you've determined whether you think your organization is eligible for a program, it's good to know what are the kinds of activities that we can fund.
Here are some specifics, but the most important thing to know is that for IMLS you have to submit a project.
And all of your costs have to align to specific project activities, not the general operations of your institution.
That said, again, we have very flexible approach to what are the kinds of activities that can be funded.
Through. Any IMLS, funding program. And while what we do fund is very flexible.
There are some very specific. Activities that cannot be funded. As through any of our programs. These include and or put up as cost share.
These include general fundraising costs such as development office staff or other staff time that's devoted to general fundraising, your gala or any fundraising events or examples of that.
Those are not allowable costs, your gala or any fundraising events or examples of that. Those are not allowable costs across our programs, contributions are examples of that.
Those are not allowable costs across our programs, contributions to endowments, general operating support, our programs, contributions to endowments, general operating support, acquisition of collections, construction or renovation of our programs, contributions to endowments, general operating support, acquisition of collections, construction or renovation of facilities, or social activities support, acquisition of collections, construction or renovation of facilities, or social activities, receptions
and specifically tied to the goals and the outline of your. Proposed project.
Those are some big. Stakes in the ground for you all to think about How do you think about eligibility and what are some of the orientations of the things you can and can't apply.
For funding. To IMLS for. So now let's talk about.
The programs.
As I mentioned, we have 6 major funding programs and of those programs I think that there are 5, which I've noted here with the stars that are the most applicable for supporting semi-quintennial related activities.
And we will go through them. Quickly I am going to actually only cover the ones with the stars today.
So at first I'm going to start with our museums for America program or MFA and this is our largest grant program which receives the most number of applications.
Per year in which we make the most awards. Mfa supports museum projects. Focusing on exhibits, educational interpretive programs, digital learning resources, professional development.
Audience focus studies and or collections. Management, curation, and care. These projects should address a key component of your institutions strategic.
Plan. We have 3 big categories. That you'll have to choose from. In your application, lifelong learning, which is basically all of the programmatic activities that an entity would take.
Undertake like a public program or an exhibit. Community engagement, which again is focused on maybe listening sessions or audience development work that you might need to engage in.
And again, collection stewardship and access. programs can run from one to 3 years and the grant requests may range from $5,000 to up to $250,000.
This program does require a one to one cost share. And this means that for every dollar that you request from IMLS, you must plan to provide a matching dollar.
From a non federal source. And this can be staff or volunteer time or third party in kind contributions as well as cash match.
So it does not have to be a cash match. There are many in kind, opportunities for you to make that cost share.
Again, those projects can last from one to 3 years and they would be, if you apply in the cycle and are awarded, they would begin on September first, 2024.
The next program is our inspired grants for small museums, which is a special initiative of the museums for America program and it is designed specifically to help small museums address the priorities identified in their strategic plans.
And again, the categories mimic what you saw in museums for America, pretty closely.
With a focus on lifelong learning, collection stewardship, and in the inspired program we have a category for institutional capacity building.
So if you are a small organization and prepar and preparing for the semi-quincentennial is a critical part of your strategic plan.
Inspire could be a target for you. What is a small museum? Again, our approach is to let you, make the argument for why you're institution should qualify as a small institution.
You can use attributes such as your staff size, your operating budget, size relative to organizations in your discipline or even within your region because we know that the budget of a small zoo looks very, very different than the budget of a small historical society.
So there's lots of flexibility in the application process for you to make your case. There are 2 funding levels and inspire and each has its own cost share requirement.
For smaller scale projects the You can request from 5,000 to $25,000 and no cost share is required.
For larger projects requesting $25,001 up to $75 a one-to-one cost share is required.
Just like MFA and, the museum's empowered program, this opportunity is only available to entities that would qualify as a museum in our museum eligibility.
These projects would also, if awarded, start on September first of 2024 and can run from one to 2 years.
No, I wanna move to our national leadership grants for museums program. This program supports projects that advance the museum fields ability to provide engaging and learning opportunities, address community needs and steward collections through projects that result in model tools and resources, training and professional development, research findings, and forums or networks that explore current challenges and emerging issues.
And LG is open to museums. Organizations or associations that engage in activities designed to advance the well-being of museums and the profession and to institutions of higher education.
There are 2 and LG project types. There's the non research projects that support efforts that result in tools and resources for the field.
Those non research grant requests may range from 50,000 to 750,000 for projects scheduled to last one to 3 years and requires a one-to-one cost share.
Research projects pose questions of importance to the field. And using good research methodologies to collect analyze and share data that answer those questions.
The request amount is the same. 50,000 to $750,000 for project scheduled to last one to 3 years.
Research projects do not have a cost share requirement. I wanna spend a moment here to talk. NLG and the non research type.
Projects. What that means is that in this program we are looking for projects that will affect multiple institutions. And have the ability to or the potential to raise capacity.
In multiple institutions and provide some lessons learned in the field. So this is where we see multi-institution collaboration.
So I'm seeing in the chat that some of you are talking thinking about multi-site projects for capacity building.
NLG would be the program that might be the best fit for you there. If you're also looking to do work that convenes and coordinates multiple sites to do work that convenes and coordinates multiple sites to ramp up.
For work. 4, 26. This would be the program. That might be the best fit, especially if you're entity doesn't cleanly fit into the definition even our loose definition of what a museum is.
National leadership grants might be the best fit. For you. Again, most of our museum based programs are about building the internal capacity and helping to fulfill the mission of an individual museum.
And national leadership grants are about projects that involve multiple institutions and have the potential to raise awareness. And advance practice in the field.
Okay.
Now I'm going to move on to our last 2 programs. Which are relatively specialized, but I think that we might have, representatives on this call.
Whose institutions, might find themselves. In these programs and the first is our museum grants for African American history and culture.
Program. And the goal of this program, the AAHC program, is to build the capacity of African-american museums and to support the growth and development of museum professionals at African-american museums and historically black colleges and universities.
Interpreting African American history and culture as well as historically black colleges and universities. There are 2 funding levels in the AAHC program.
Small projects where can accept requests from 5,000 to $100,000. There's no cost share required.
And then larger projects from a hundred $1,001 to $500,000 that does require a one to one cost share.
Again, these projects can run from one to 3 years. And, the start date for these projects while the application date is the same for all of our program.
The start date for this program for projects would be July first, 2024.
And last but not least in our overview as our Native American Native Hawaiians Museum Services program.
This program is open to federally recognized tribes, including Alaskan Native villages and corporations and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians.
Other types of organizations such as museums can partner but cannot serve as the lead applicant for this program. The goal of the program is to build the capacity of Native American tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations.
To provide museum services to their communities. And museum services is defined very broadly for this program, but we're really looking at projects that are meant to support and sustain Indigenous heritage, culture, and knowledge.
And this can take place through exhibitions, educational programs, language preservation. Training and professional development and collection stewardship.
Again for this program. Projects can run one to 3 years and would also begin on July first.
2024. Grant requests, range from $5,000 up to $250,000 and no cost.
Share is required. For this program.
That was a very, very quick overview of our 6 programs. But what I really want to share with you all is that there are many entry points at IMLS.
Potential entry points for projects, preparing and supporting preparations for the semi-quincentennial.
There are a number of different flavors. Each one of the Grant programs has its own program page with more details than its own solicitation that you can find online.
Keep in mind that there is no limit to the number of programs that you can apply to. But if you submit multiple applications, they must be for separate and distinct projects.
Do not submit proposals for the same project to multiple programs. You are also, there is no limit on proposals from folks that are already grantees.
Or part of other. Projects. I know there was a question in the chat about being involved in an IML and existing IMLS.
Take days. It can even take a couple of weeks to get through the external processes if you're doing them for the first time.
So this is not a start at the night before process.
The first step in applying, for our funding opportunities is to register for Sam. Gov. And Sam.
Gov is the system for award management and it's a. Federal repository that centralizes information about grant applicants and recipients and it is free to all users. This is important.
There are entities out there. That offer paid a fee for service to register you for Sam. Gov that is not necessary Sam.
Gov is a free service that anybody can register for. You must be registered through this system before you're able to register for.
You must be registered through this system before you're able to register for grant. sam.gov is also the system that allows you to request and receive payments.
From the government. And so you wanna make sure that you've got your financial information ready.
To complete that registration process. This registration must be complete and up to date. So if you have a Sam.
Gov registration and you don't know if it's updated, please check that also as soon as possible.
It is very, again, very, very important that should be an up-to-date status through this system in order for us to even consider your application.
Sam.com has its own help desk that is available Monday through Friday, 8 am to 8 pm if you need any support there.
After you are set up in Sam. Gov then you'll need to take your unique Entity identifier, UEI.
That you received from that registration process to register with grants.com. Again. You will need to.
Complete this registration in order to submit your application. 2 IMLS.
The grants.com website is owned and operated by the federal government and is also free to all users.
Again, it can take. Several weeks. I should say one to 2 weeks. For you to complete the grant.
Dot com registration process if you have any issues. That said, the help capabilities@grants.com are extensive.
And very, very well staffed. Staffed and that support is available. 24 7. So if you have not ever pursued a federal grant before and these systems are new to you.
I would encourage you to start looking into them and getting your registrations. Taken care of right away.
These are the most time consuming parts of the grant process and these are the ones over which I am a less has no control.
So we encourage you to explore this as soon as possible.
After you get, through all of that. It'll be a breeze to upload.
Your application to imos.com. It's very straightforward. So, after all of that, if you still have more questions, there are lots of resources available on Iml's website.
That you can reference to help you in preparation for your proposal. You can find I am Melissa's strategic plan there that might help you align and understand better what category your project might fit into, excuse me.
You are going to find the notices of funding, fit into, excuse me, you are going to find the notices of funding opportunities or no foe, which is the technical document that gives you all of the requirements, all of the priorities for each of these programs on the website.
You can also under the grants tab and search awarded grants. Search. All of our history of awarded grants and see projects that might be similar to what you're thinking about or what other organizations you might know have been funded to do in the past.
We also have sample applications. Successful proposals on the website. The full A plus application so you can see what your peers have submitted, how they've organized their narratives, how they filled out their forms.
Again, as a guide and a little bit of a crib sheet to help you in writing your own proposal.
They are that's a very underutilized resource and we highly encourage you all to look every program has a sample proposal successful proposal up there from the last grant cycle.
Directly to talk to about your questions, about your eligibility, which I'm again program might be the best fit for you and your project idea and all of these other.
Components that I've walked through very quickly today.
Here's a quick. Snapshot of what one of these program pages looks like and you can see in these program contacts at the bottom of the page.
There is a link. It says click here. And you will get access to book. directly book a time, to speak with one of our staff.
These are 30 min meetings and there is not a limit to how many counseling calls you can have.
Our team has already completed more than 300 counseling sessions. This is something we really believe in and there's never a time that's too early to book.
To book a call.
So that, concludes my overview of our, of our funding.
Opportunities through the Office of Museum Services. A final just reminder, I am a less.gov. All of this information can be found on our website.
Lara. Remember that if you are. Thinking about registering for this application cycle or even next year. It is never too soon to register via Sam.
Gov and Brant. Gov. It is never too soon to register via sam.gov and grants.
Dot gov because, those are just such important, entry steps for your organizations to access almost all federal funding.
For all of the programs that I provided an overview for today, the Office of Museum Services, the application deadline is November.
Fifteenth. 1159 pm eastern to have all of your documentation submitted and there are a number of additional resources.
There are in-depth videos even YouTube pre recorded informational videos on every one of those sites that walks you also step by step.
Through many of the details of each of these programs. For you to access as well.
And to share with your colleagues.
Lern. Okay. I think that is it for my slides. And, so I'll pull those down and I know that we've got we wanna have time for,
For question and answer.
Yeah, in addition to the questions in the chat, there's also a series of questions that were in the QA, I can read those out.
Sure. Somewhere actually posted at the time. I think you were discussing something. So if anyone posed that question and can help clarify just in case it's not clear just Please let me know.
Alright. We are a small nonprofit operating the historic house museums. Can we count?
In this very specific, can we count every day open? At each property towards our total. For example, if one house is open Saturdays and Sundays.
And the second on just Saturdays, does that count as 3 days? Open or only 2 and you will see a series of questions that are very specific.
I was gonna say that you know what? That's really up to you on how you would like to. Apply. If you're the parent and you would like to apply. If you're the parent entity and you count all of your satellites and you count all of your satellites.
At cumulatively. I'd say that was probably sufficient.
Yeah, and the rule of them here is that. We're trying to make sure these eligibility guidelines are really about making sure that you are.
A stable functioning organization that is providing museum services. We're really trying to be as inclusive as possible.
Rather than exclusive. Thank you just answered the nice question. If you aren't eligible, can you partner with the museum that is to do a cooperative program or project?
Sure. Absolutely. Absolutely. We have no limits or strictures on who can be a part on a grant, whoever that lead museum institution is.
Right.
How you know how you structure your program with partners and those partners getting funded through sub awards is completely allowable.
Explain. We recently became a sub-recipient of an IMLS grant.
We were not the applicant. Does that impact our eligibility? Also, are we? Small, so we have not crossed the threshold for a full just just an annual financial review.
Is that okay?
You will need to be able to provide your need to look at your, at the inspire program if you're trying to, apply as a small museum.
You do have to be able to provide a minimum number of financial statements, but I would suggest reaching out to my, the program officers in my team to talk specifically about.
What you have what you are able to produce they're really gonna be able to provide you that technical expertise
And eligibility, I think, community centers. Is that an eligible?
So it will all depend on how you frame your programming. So I would say that, again, looking at our NFO.
And
Looking at how we talk about museum eligibility in the kinds of programming and if you feel like you function as a museum looking in that way?
Are you providing exhibits? Are you providing that kind of historical programming? It's worth It's worth looking into and even, consulting with again my staff.
On that question.
And I think similarly about, are the grants open to libraries and I think it follows under this, have the same answers, community centers.
That's correct. You know, we have we have made awards to libraries before because they are applying for a project that is leveraging a gallery space or an exhibition space that they might have.
Or maybe they have an exhibit practice. So, you know, it that is not a hard and firm no.
It's really about are you providing museum like services. Bear with me. Anymore. We run a program at our college. Where we place students from 7 different colleges, universities, and historic sites across New York State.
Yeah.
And the sites differ from year to year, dependent on the students who apply. I am not certain from this if we might be eligible.
So remembering that this all has for I am a less funding, it all needs to be situated in.
Museum type or humanities type activities. So, if your entity is not a museum.
If you're in, if you're in a program under college. That might be an a national leadership grant.
Again, if you're not a museum, I would look there and think about your project. And it has to be a project.
So we, if you've got a standing program that you're just looking for additional funding for to do the same old same old on.
That's general operating support. That is not what we are going to fund. So you have to think about what is the innovation funding or extra.
Extra layer that funding additional funding is going to enable. For your program. And that's gonna be true across all of our programs again.
This one may need some clarification. Last year we applied and our reviewers rated us between a 3 and an 8.
It is hard to improve the application from such a range of reviews. Does anyone review applications? Have such a swath of ratings.
That is not unusual. And again, if you have not followed up with the program officer that sent you your application, if you applied last year and are thinking about wanting some more context around the content of your reviews.
Follow. Follow up with that program officer from whom you received that rating because they are happy to counsel you on that.
But it does bring up a more general tip. You are not writing your proposal to IMLS.
Staff. Every single proposal is read by at least. 3 museum professionals. Sometimes up to 6.
And so your program proposal is talking to your peers. And I would say that when we see reviews that are that disparate.
That's often because they're. It may not be that your project plan wasn't good, but that they were not.
There were some. Different interpretations of what you were trying to do. I am LS funding is public funding.
What we are looking for are clear, understandable project plans that meet the requirements and criteria for each of the programs.
And that again, align with your advancing your mission. Have a believable budget. And having a clear plan of action are probably the The most important components to a good proposal.
And you should also know that we have a 25 to 30% award rate across our program.
So only a quarter to a third of the proposals that we receive are do we have enough funding? To support.
Thank you. And those tips are excellent. And the slides will be included with the recording. Is that correct? We will not be sending out the slides separately, but the recording will be sent out. Correct.
Correct. I wrote that answers. I wanna make sure I was correct. Are there limitations if the project is partially funded by or cleverly developed with assistance from a foreign government?
Probably not. But we cannot fund foreign entities. So again, this is all about scoping and how you carve off.
What you're applying to IMLS for. For funding.
Curiosity question when the I when will the IMLS
Urban Institute Report, the Latino History and Culture Grant be released.
That is like going to be released in January, 2024. For folks who don't have context for that. I am a less received appropriation to crew. To create a new program. For American Latino history and culture.
Can you repeat it?
Can repeat the date again?
I will get, yeah, to January, 24. Yeah, you're breaking up a little bit.
But just for folks to know, we received a new appropriation to create a new program for American Latino history and culture and of designing that program based on some field engagement.
And so the findings of that work will be released in January of 2024. That's our expected release date.
You got it. Sorry, give repeat the release date.
I think, CEO, you're breaking up a bit.
Ed, can you still hear me?
It's me. I'm in the office. Yeah.
Yeah, okay. So. Let's see.
I wanna make sure. Yeah, yeah, you're breaking up. I think I can see the chat here.
Okay.
Then I will pause. I'm I have a lot of questions here about. Is, what a small project an African American cowboy is in eastern Colorado.
Sherry, your question, Ross, your question about an AME church being eligible for a grant.
I, I would say that. I don't see anything to say a hard no. But again, this is all gonna be about how you, dive into our application.
And really look to see if he fit. I would say more likely than not, you will find a space for yourself.
In one of our programs. Again, the intention is to be as inclusive, around where and how museum work happens.
In the field that's that's certainly our intention I know Nicole, you had a question here about the NFO.
Our language, our that priority text is on the web page. So that's really the invitation.
And is there specific that is our indication that there those are proposals that we are inviting and that we're looking forward to seeing in.
In our application process.
Let's see. I've got,
Let's see, I've got a question here if you've got a project focus grant.
Is it best to spit, carve out a specific portion of the scope for IMLS support?
Again, all of the or apply for general project support. Again. There are limits to the amount of funding you can have.
And the timeline and so I would say that it might make sense to have a carve out, but we have plenty of proposals.
That are for a larger initiative, but only one portion is being pursued for I am a less funding that often has to do with our funding limits, as well as the timing.
So remember you'll be applying in November and you wouldn't hear about your funding and for not up to 9 months.
So this is not a quick funding cycle. You know, projects are going to start June. First, July first, but most of them September first of 2024.
In terms of eligibility, we have some questions about eligibility about that a hundred 20 days of being open.
Again. The answer is I really want you to look at the NFOS. There is a lot of guidance there, new wants to guidance to help you understand whether that would be a yes or no.
And again, what we are looking for. Is a site. That is functioning a physical site that is functioning to the public.
For a total of a hundred 20 days. In the 12 months before November fifteenth.
You don't have to overthink it. We're really trying to make it simple. And you know, as flexible as possible.
For you all. Again you have to have a specific project scoped. For it.
And specific activities, a very aligned budget, as well as specific outcomes for your project. For a good solid proposal package.
Let's see.
Somebody is asked about our. Application cycle so for OMS we have one cycle every year so the next cycle will open generally in mid August.
Of 2024 with the same timeline just about likely mid November of 2024 and then awards would be announced in summer of 2025.
If you're thinking about, you know, your application. Timing so it will be a year from now that our applications for OMS will be open again.
Elizabeth, I see you have a question for any folks. Here whose sites, have participants might have participated in the CAP program, the conservation assessment program that is funded by FAIC.
That is an initiative of IMLS. Cap, even map the museum assessment program, which is run by the American Alliance of Museums.
If you have participated in either of those programs and would like to build on the findings of any assessment actually you've had.
Those are valuable, valuable resources. And motivators for being successful at an in an IMLS.
Award competition so those are great things to append to any to justify whatever the project is that you're proposing to us.
Let's see. I have some questions again about recordings. This recording will be made available.
I think that our system will automatically send a recording. Out to all registrants once it's done and you're able to pass that along in any case we will also be posting the recording to the IMLS website.
We'll send the link. To the foundation to also disseminate so that you can share that information with any colleagues that were not able to make it with you today.
Okay.
We will not be providing a transcript. Of today's meeting we will be providing the regular recording that again the best references for all of the information in today's overview are found in the IMLS website and that is the official documentation.
For all of our funding opportunities.
Okay.
Thea and Ed, are there any other topics that you think we should cover? That we didn't get to in the overview.
I think you hit everything. Great presentation. Appreciate it.
Thank you. Thank you. And well, thanks. Thea, to you and Ed for reaching out and for inviting us to, present these opportunities to this incredible community.
We're so excited. For those of you that were, this is your introduction to IMLS.
We're really glad to get to know you and for you to get to know us better. And maybe a final a parting thought as we think about I am Les's and the foundations approach to the semi Quintennial is that, we know that commemorating this anniversary is different.
Across communities, across GEOFFries. Across the country, but we are again, expansive and inclusive in our consideration of what our semi Quintennial programming.
And what 250 years of the United States might mean to your institution and your community. And so again, we invite you to think creatively, to think inclusively, and expansively about your Sembank Quintennial plans and we're so excited and really are very curious about what we will learn.
How you all are thinking about the semi-quintennial from the proposals that we receive from you all.
Again. On behalf of the Office of Museum. Services and IMLS, we are here to serve you.
Please do not hesitate to reach out. To our team for counseling and for questions over the next few weeks as you consider your applications to IMLS to support your semi-quinscentennial activities.
Likewise for, America 2 50 as well. Thank you.
Thank you.
Alright, thank you. Thank you. All. I'm going to close up the webinar.
Again, links will be, disseminated to all of you and we are here. To support you in your work.
Thank you so much.