National Leadership Grants

NLG supports projects that address critical needs of the museum and library fields and that have the potential to advance practice in these professions so that museums and libraries can strengthen services for the American public. NLG-Museums has three program goals with three associated objectives each. GOAL 1:Advance museum-based learning and engagement practices in the museum field. Obj. 1.1: Support the development, implementation, and dissemination of model programs that facilitate adoption across the field. Obj. 1.2: Support research focusing on the role of museums in engaging learners of all types. Obj. 1.3: Support forums that convene experts and stakeholders, including those from adjacent fields as appropriate, to explore current and emerging issues and inform the field. GOAL 2: Advance the museum field�s ability to respond to community needs. Obj. 2.1: Support the development of new and innovative methods for addressing community challenges through partnerships, services, processes, or practices for use across the museum field. Obj. 2.2: Support research focusing on museums' roles in responding to community needs. Obj. 2.3: Support forums that convene experts and stakeholders, including those from adjacent fields as appropriate, to explore current and emerging issues and inform the field. GOAL 3: Identify new solutions that address high priority and widespread collections care or conservation issues. Obj. 3.1: Support the development, implementation, and dissemination of new tools or services that facilitate access, management, preservation, sharing, and use...

An applicant must meet geographic and governance criteria and qualify as one of the following six types of organizations: 1. A library or a parent organization, such as a school district, a municipality, a State agency, or an academic institution, that is responsible for the administration of a library; 2. An academic or administrative unit, such as a graduate school of library and information science that is part of an institution of higher education through which it would apply; 3. A digital library or archives, if it makes materials publicly available and provides library or archival services, including selection, organization, description, reference, and preservation, under the supervision of at least one permanent professional staff librarian/archivist; 4. A library or archival agency that is an official agency of a State, tribal, 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 or archives 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 or archives, as defined above, and information centers that work to improve the services delivered to the clientele of these libraries or archives;...

Successful proposals in National Leadership Grants are structured to result in far-reaching impact beyond the institution and influencing practice across one or more disciplines within the library/archive or museum profession; reflect a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about the subject matter and an awareness of current strategic initiatives and agendas in the field; employ novel approaches or techniques to strengthen library or museum services; incorporate audience, stakeholders, and/or other partners in strategic collaborations; and have the potential to generate new tools, research findings, models, services, practices, and/or alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend the benefits of Federal investment. IMLS staff review applications for eligibility and completeness. IMLS uses a peer review process to evaluate all eligible and complete applications. Peer reviewers are experts in the field with relevant knowledge and expertise in the types of project activities identified in the applications. IMLS instructs reviewers to evaluate applications according to the review criteria outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Peer reviewers must comply with Federal ethics and conflicts of interest requirements.

NLG-Libraries: One-to-one cost share from non-federal sources is required for National Implementation Project requests of more than $299,999, excluding Student Support costs. Cost share is allowed but not required for all other project types. NLG-Museums: One-to-one cost share from non-federal sources is required for Non-Research Grant requests. Cost share is allowed but not required for Research Grant requests.