The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has revised the guidelines for two of its grant programs. IMLS is seeking public comments on the draft guidelines for the Museums for America and National Leadership Grants for Museums programs. The guidelines for these programs have been revised to align with the IMLS Strategic Plan. IMLS is seeking comments to assess how well these guidelines accomplish the following goals:
- Make federal dollars more accessible by reducing complexity;
- Increase clarity and readability;
- Make it easier to see where a project idea fits best;
- Make it easier to articulate the impact of project ideas;
- Allow grantees greater ability to pursue comprehensive collections care projects by combining the purposes of the current Conservation Project Support and Museums for America programs;
- Allow grantees greater ability to pursue professional development activities by combining the purposes and funding for the current 21st Century Museum Professionals and National Leadership Grants for Museums programs;
- Provide greater ability for museums and organizations that serve museums to pursue National Leadership Grants that have broad impact for their communities and create models that can be adapted by others; and
- Make it possible for IMLS to continue to support the full range of museums, large and small, and representing every museum discipline and every geographic area.
The draft guidelines are available for review at Museums for America (http://www.imls.gov/applicants/draft_fy13_guidelines_mfa.aspx) and National Leadership Grants for Museums (http://www.imls.gov/applicants/draft_fy13_guidelines_nlg.aspx).
Comments will be accepted through 6 July 2012. Please send comments to comments@imls.gov. Final guidelines will be posted no later than October 15, 2012.