AmpliFund Application Instructions
Beginning an Application
Complete and submit your application using the State Library’s grants management system, AmpliFund.
Before you can apply you must determine if your organization already has an AmpliFund account. Typically, these are managed by the library director or head of your organization.
If you need to be directed to the Account Administrator at your organization, or need further assistance with AmpliFund, reach out to the State Library Agency Contact (Grant Monitor) listed for the opportunity.
Organizations with an AmpliFund Account
If your organization has an AmpliFund account but you do not have a user account, ask your Account Administrator to add you as a user before applying. Do not create a new account.
If your organization has an AmpliFund account and you have a user account connected, log in to apply. If you can’t access the application, check your user permissions to ensure you have access to the Application Portal. If needed, contact the Account Administrator at your organization to update your user permissions.
Account Administrators can find instructions for adding users and updating permissions on the Account Management page.
Organizations new to AmpliFund
The AmpliFund Organization Account will be used to apply for and manage all grants from the California State Library. The contact information provided on the create an account page will become Account Administrator for the Organization. Work with your library director or head of your organization to determine the appropriate person to manage the Organization account.
The information provided under the Organization Information section must reflect the official name and contact details for the organization. This information will be used on all award materials such as the grant agreement and claim forms.
After the organization account has been created, review the complete AmpliFund Account Management Instructions for details on how to manage AmpliFund, add additional users, and set user permissions.
Navigating the Application
The application consists of four sections that must be completed. Click through the progress bar (the green circles) at the top of the page to navigate back and forth through your application and the various sections.
While working on the draft of your application you will need to select the “Save and Continue” button at the bottom of the page to move from page to page.
You will need to select the “Mark Complete” button at the bottom of each page once it is completed.
Watch out! The forms do not autosave your work, be sure to click the green save button often in case your session times out.
Creating a Budget
When you click on the “budget” circle in the navigation bar, you will be directed to the proposed budget entry page. Enter your complete line-item budget into the application. Refer to the opportunity’s application guide for specific details on budget categories, allowable costs and any matching requirements.
Under the Budget View Settings select both the Line Items and Non-Grant Funded options.
The total revenue budget at the bottom of the screen is populated from the amount you entered on the Project Information page for amount requested (grant funds), cash match, in-kind or other funding.
To enter a new line item, click the “+” sign next to the category name and enter the following information:
- Category: This should reflect the budget category the line item belongs under.
- Item Type: Always select “Non-Personnel.”
- Name: Enter the name of the item. Where possible, under each budget category, group individual items into logical subdivisions with a descriptive name.
- Direct Cost: Enter the total amount requested for that budget category. This amount must include both grant funded costs and any match, in-kind or other funding amounts.
- Non-Grant Funded:
- No: the line item entered is funded solely though grant funds.
- Yes: part or all of this line-item is funded through cash match, in-kind or other funds.
- Cash Match: enter the dollar amount of the item that is funded by cash match. Select the box dollar.
- In-Kind: enter the dollar amount of the item that is funded by in-kind. Select the box dollar.
- Other Funding: enter the dollar amount of the item that is funded by other funding. Select the box dollar.
- Narrative: Enter all required details into the narrative box. The narrative should provide enough information to determine allowability and a clear connection to the project activities, see the opportunity’s application guide for any specific details required. If the line-item represents a group of items, the narrative box should include the specific items you intend to purchase under the line item.
- Example: Craft Supplies: Craft supplies include crayons, markers, glue, construction paper, glitter, tissue paper, paper plates, pipe cleaners, pompoms, google eyes and scissors in support of story time program, estimated 300 participants.
Attachments: Not required. Please enter all details into the line-item entry and narrative fields. Do not attach items and enter see attachment for details.
As you continue to add proposed line-items, the total revenue and overall budget cost numbers will update at the bottom of your budget. Once your overall budget cost is displayed at $0, your budget is complete.
If you see red text at the bottom indicating you have not yet entered the appropriate amounts to complete the budget, check that the category amounts add up to the amount listed on the Project Information page for amount requested (grant funds), cash match, in-kind or other funding.
Cash Match
Cash match refers to the applicant’s estimated cash outlay, including money that may be contributed to the applicant by other public agencies and institutions, private organizations and/or individuals. If the applicant will be appropriating funds specifically for the project, then that would be a cash match.
In-kind
In-kind refers to the value put on materials, equipment, staff time or services that are given without charge to the program or organization. In this case the applicant should be able to substantiate the value assigned to the contributions and how they assist the project.
In-kind and cash match funds cannot include any funding, salaries, resources, or services that are not eligible for grant funding. For details on unallowable costs, refer to the opportunity’s application guide.
Other Funding
Other funding refers to contributions to the project made directly by other public agencies and institutions, private organizations and/or individuals.
Submitting Your Application
Before submitting make sure each section contains the information you would like to be reviewed for funding. Review your application by using the progress bar (the green circles) on the top of the page. This will allow you to navigate through each section. Once a section is complete you will see a green check mark in the circle.
Clicking the green review button at the bottom of the page before submission will download a copy of your application as a zip file.
When your application is fully complete and reviewed select the submit button at the bottom of the page.
If you see red writing populate on this page after you click submit, you will need to make the changes as instructed.
Note: Your application has not been submitted unless you receive a notification on the final page stating so. Any unaddressed red writing will prevent your application from being submitted.
Navigating to the Application Portal from Your AmpliFund User Account
The Application Portal is a separate area within your AmpliFund user account. User accounts must have the security permission for Applications (Application Portal) selected in order to access it. You must also have the role of Editor to edit an application or Admin to edit and submit an application.
After logging in to AmpliFund, click on your name in the top right-hand corner. (Note: If you have multiple organization accounts make sure you are in the correct organization before proceeding.)
Select Applicant Portal from the drop-down menu. If you do not see Applicant Portal connect with your Account Administrator to request that your user permissions are updated.
To navigate back to your active grants, follow the steps above but select AmpliFund from the drop-down menu.
Continuing Work on a Saved Application
Once an application has been started by a user within your organization and saved it will appear the listing of your organization’s applications in the Application Portal.
After logging in to AmpliFund and navigating to the Application Portal, a listing of all grant applications for your organization will appear with their status. To continue to work on an application select it from the list.
All users within your organization who have permissions for the Application Portal can view or edit any unsubmitted applications in this list. Note: submission of an application is limited to the Applications Admin role.
If the status of the application is submitted, approved or rejected the application is no longer available to edit. Reach out to the State Library Agency Contact (Grant Monitor) listed for the opportunity if you need further assistance.