LSTA Goal 1 Application Instructions
This guide is intended to provide all the information you need to complete an application for California’s Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Goal 1 Grant Opportunities, including how to answer the questions you’ll find in the State Library’s grants management system.
Read this instruction guide carefully before you begin filling out the application.
These instructions are specific to LSTA grant opportunities that fall under goal one of the CA State Library’s five-year plan.
Goal 1: Strengthen the ability of California libraries to design equitable programs and services in collaboration with their local communities.
Objectives
- Increase library workers’ knowledge of equity principles and practices.
- Equity is providing fair treatment, access, and opportunity for the advancement for all people, while at the same time striving to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented full participation from some individuals or groups. Improving equity involves increasing justice and fairness within the procedures and processes of institutions or systems, as well as in their distribution of resources.
- Develop and implement library practices to foster equity-based community involvement.
- Reduce barriers to service for underserved and marginalized populations.
Success Indicators for Goal 1
- Library workers and their communities articulate a shared understanding and common language of equity principles and practices.
- Library workers engage in professional development activities that integrate learning with practice, embed co-design, focus on aligning goals with stakeholders, and use a targeted approach to services to guarantee all community members are served in ways that respond to specific challenges.
- Libraries engage in new or expanded partnerships and collaborations with community stakeholders and groups from targeted populations.
- Libraries remove barriers to service for marginalized populations.
Application Instructions
This section includes all questions in the grant application, guidance for answering them, and the criteria reviewers will use when assessing your responses.
The application consists of separate forms 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 forms.
While working on the draft of your application you will need to select the “Save and Continue” button at the bottom of the page in order to move from page to page. You will need to select the “Mark Complete” button at the bottom of the page once you have completed each section in order to submit. The forms do not autosave your work, be sure to click the green save button often incase your session times out.
Project Information
Application Name
The title of the proposed project.
Award Requested
Enter the total amount of LSTA grant funding you are requesting should you be awarded.
Primary Contact Information: The Project Coordinator is the person who would manage the day-to-day activities of the proposed project, and who would serve as the primary point of contact with the State Library. This person should be entered as the primary contact.
Applicant Information
1 & 1b. Is your organization a California Public Library?
If your organization is a California Public Library, select your organization name from the drop down below. If it is not, you will be prompted to write in your organization’s name.
1 c & d. Will the proposed project be implemented in a public library?
If your project will be implemented in a public library, then select the public library name from the drop down below.
3. Authorized Representative First and Last Name
The Authorized Representative is the legally designated representative of the applicant organization. The legally designated representative has the legal authority to enter into an agreement executing the agreement and is authorized to receive and expend funds in order to administer the proposed grant project. The individual designated in the application as the Authorized Representative will be responsible for signing any potential award materials requiring signature such as award agreement, payment claim forms, report forms and budget modification requests. The Authorized Representative must have signatory power within their organization.
4. Authorized Representative Title
5. Authorized Representative Business Phone Number (Enter in the format 123-456-7890)
6. Authorized Representative Email Address
7. Authorized Representative Street Address
8. Authorized Representative City
9. Authorized Representative Nine-digit zip code (Enter in the format 12345-6789)
10. Organization’s Eligibility
Organizations applying for any LSTA opportunity must meet the general guidelines for LSTA eligibility.
11. Organizations Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
This should be a 12-digit, alphanumeric identifier.
12. Organization’s Federal Employee Identification Number (EIN)
This should be a 10-digit number.
Project Details
1. Primary Project Audience
Identify the audience(s) for this project. Select all that apply.
- Adults
- Families
- Immigrants/Refugees
- Intergenerational Groups (Excluding Families)
- Library Staff, Volunteers, and/or Trustees
- Low Income
- Non/Limited English Speaking
- People with Disabilities
- People with Limited Functional Literacy
- Pre-School Children
- Rural Populations
- School Age Children
- Senior Citizens
- Statewide Public
- Suburban Populations
- Unemployed
- Urban Populations
- Young Adults and Teens
2. Abstract
Provide a brief summary of your project including what you will do, for whom, and for what expected benefit. This statement may be used for publicity purposes. (Word limit: 60) This statement may be used for publicity purposes.
3. Project Description
Provide a description that will enable the reviewers to understand the overall project if they were to read only this response and no other part of the application. (Word limit: 300)
See Appendix E in the Application Instructions and Guidelines for an example.
The text should be a summary of:
- the needs and aspirations your project responds to
- how your project contributes to the State Library Goal for this funding opportunity (see Application Instructions & Guidelines)
- your planned activities
- how the activities you propose will achieve your desired outcomes and goal
Organize your text in a readable format. Use subheadings as needed.
Provide a description that will enable the reviewers to understand the proposed project if they were to read only this response and no other portion of the application. The text should summarize your planned activities, describe the needs and aspirations your project responds to and how it contributes to Goal One in the State Library’s Five-Year Plan. Also describe why the activities you propose will achieve your desired outcomes and goals and connect to activities in the timeline and items in the budget.
Reviewers will consider the following:
- Is this a well thought-out, feasible project that:
- is aligned with Goal One in the Five-Year Plan,
- includes library programming activities or supports the development of new library services;
- is of direct service to Californians; and (d) is likely to have an impact?
- If the request is part of a multi-year project: Are the activities sufficient and complete in and of themselves if funding is not available in future years?
- Does this project support improvement, innovation, and experimentation in library services?
4. Agency Information
Describe how the proposed project aligns with your agency’s mission, values, strategic plan, goals, and/or other activities. (Word limit: 150)
Reviewers will consider the following:
- Does the project align with the agency’s mission, values, strategic plan, goals, and/or other activities?
5. Will this be a brand-new project?
A new project is one that has not been implemented before at your organization. This is a project that you are starting from scratch.
If the response to this question is no, then you will move onto the next question. If the response to this is yes, you will need to respond to the following multi-year project question.
5b. Multi-Year Project: Impact to Date
Describe the project’s current status, any results, lessons learned, and impact to date and why you are seeking additional funds. (Word limit: 150)
Strong reasons might include, but are not limited to:
- applying lessons learned extending impactful projects to new audiences
- building on successful projects with new innovations, etc.
If the answer to the previous question was no, then this question will populate.
Reviewers will consider the following:
- Are the project’s status and any impact, lessons learned, or successes evident and well-supported, and does the applicant have a strong reason for seeking additional funds?
- Strong reasons might include, but are not limited to, applying lessons learned, extending impactful projects to new audiences, building on successful projects with new innovations etc.
6. Is this project expected to take more than one year to implement fully?
If the response to this question is no, then you will move on to question 7. If the answer is yes, you will be prompted to respond to question 6b.
6b. Describe your plans for future years and how this year’s activities contribute to your plans as a whole. (Word limit: 150)
If the answer to the previous question was yes, then you will be required to respond to this question.
7. Focus Population: Who is the focus population for this project? (Word limit: 25)
Describe the focus population for your proposed project
8. What are the barriers, unmet needs, and aspirations of the focus population that this library project will address? (Word limit: 200)
Describe barriers and needs experienced by this population. Describe their hopes and aspirations. Support your description with data, information, and feedback you have received from your community.
Reviewers will consider:
- Have the barriers, unmet needs, and aspirations of the focus population been identified? Are they well-supported with data, information, and feedback from the community?
9. How does this project address barriers and needs experienced by the focus population and align with the population’s needs and aspirations? (Word limit: 150)
Describe what you plan to do to help address the barriers and unmet needs and align with the aspirations of the focus population.
Reviewers will consider: Does the proposed project address the barriers and needs experienced by the focus population and align with their aspirations?
10. How will you connect with the focus population, inform them about the project, remove barriers, and encourage their participation? (Word limit: 300)
Describe your outreach efforts to connect the focus population with the project, increase their participation, and address obstacles to their participation.
Reviewers will consider:
- Does the applicant demonstrate feasible and effective plans for outreach including:
- Connecting with the focus population of the project,
- encouraging their participation,
- and removing obstacles to participation?
- Are outreach activities included in the project description, budget, and timeline?
11. How is your project being created, planned, and implemented in collaboration with the focus population? (Word limit: 300)
Describe how members of the focus population are working and will work with you on the project as you create, plan, and implement it.
Reviewers will consider:
- Is the focus population involved in creating, planning, and implementing the project?
- Are community involvement activities included in the project description, budget, and timeline?
12. Project Outputs: List your anticipated project outputs.
Include services to be provided and/or products to be created in this project as well as the approximate number of each.
Outputs are quantifiable measures of services and/or products to be created or provided. Be sure to include the number of people you anticipate will participate in and/or benefit from each activity, if applicable.
Example list of outputs:
- Three training workshops will be held; 25 people will attend each workshop
- 15 story hours will be held
- 100 promotional bookmarks will be created and distributed
- 150 individuals will be trained
- 50 children and caregivers will have participated
- 1,000 photographs will be digitized
- Five kits will be created and given to each branch
Reviewers will consider the following:
Do the outputs connect to the project description, activities, and budget, and will they help to address the stated needs and aspirations and achieve the project goal and objectives?
13. Additional Evaluation: Beyond the framework required by the State Library and IMLS, describe additional local plans, if any, for evaluating the impact of your project in response to your stated need. (Word limit: 300)
14. Future Plans: If this project is successful, how will it be supported and sustained in the future, and if it’s not, how will you use any lessons learned? How will you share successes and lessons learned? (Word limit: 150)
Reviewers will consider:
- Is the plan for supporting and sustaining a successful project or learning from a less successful project well thought-out and feasible?
- Does the applicant demonstrate a feasible and effective plan for sharing successes and lessons learned?
15. Do you have a project partner to report?
A partner is an organization that will contribute resources to your project (materials, funds, staff, etc.) and with which you have a signed agreement. If you are requesting more than $75,000, you are required to have at least one partner.
Contractors paid for their involvement with the project are NOT partners.
15b. Partner Organization Name
List the partner organization name for each partner listed.
15c. Describe what resources that partner will contribute and how the partner will help achieve the project’s goals and objectives.
15d. Partner organization type:
Select the organization type the project partner falls under.
- Museum
- Archive
- Cultural Heritage Organization
- Preschool
- School
- Adult Education
- Human Service Organization
- Library
- Other
15e. Partner legal type: Select the legal type that the organization falls under.
- Government
- Local Government (excluding school districts)
- School District
- Non-profit
- Private Sector
- Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization
15f. Attach a copy of the signed agreement with this partner.
The agreement should confirm the partner’s role and the resources the partner will contribute to the project.
15g. Do you have a second project partner to report?
If additional project partners will be a part of the project, select yes and enter the same information for each organization as noted above.
Reviewers will consider the following:
- Are the proposed partners and community connections appropriate to the project and will they contribute to the achievement of the project goals and objectives?
16. Do you have a Community Connection to report?
A community connection is defined as an organization that supports your project but with whom you have no formal, signed agreement.
At least one community connection is required to be listed in this application.
Organizations or individuals who are contractors under the project are not considered community connections.
16b. Community Connection Name
16c. Describe resources the connection will contribute and how it will contribute to the project and help achieve project goals.
Reviewers will consider the following:
- Are the proposed partners and community connections appropriate to the project and will they contribute to the achievement of the project goals and objectives?
17. Project Partner and Community Connection Letters of Support
Attach any letters of support to your application. If you have more than one letter of support, click Choose File again to upload multiple files.
Your letters of support should be named OpportunityName_LetterofSupport1_OrganizationName
Activities
Activity Name
What activities will be used to accomplish your project and achieve your outcomes?
- An Activity is an action or actions that help you accomplish the goal of your project.
- Your project will likely have between one and four activities.
- You should only report on major activities.
- Include all activities that account for at least 10% of your project budget.
- Routine actions such as purchasing supplies to support programs are not activities.
For guidance on Outcome Surveys, visit Appendix D of the Application Guide
Activity Description
Choose your Activity
- Instruction: Involves an interaction for knowledge or skill transfer.
- Content: Involves the acquisition, development, or transfer of information.
- Planning/Evaluation: Involves design, development, or assessment of a project, program, service, operation, resource and/or user group.
- Procurement: Involves purchasing facilities, equipment/supplies, hardware/software, or other materials (not content) that support general library infrastructure. NOTE: contact LSTA@library.ca.gov before choosing this activity.
If Instruction, choose the Type that best describes the instruction activity. (**Outcomes survey(s) must be issued during project period.)
- Program: Formal interaction and active user engagement (i.e. a computer class)**
- Presentation: Formal interaction and passive user engagement (i.e. an author talk)
- Consultation: Informal interaction with an individual or group of individuals; the provision of expert advice or reference services to individuals, units or organizations.
Choose the format that best describes the instruction.
- Virtual (mediated by a computer, computer network, or mobile device)
- Combined In-person & virtual (delivered both in-person and via a computer, computer networked, or mobile device)
- Other (describe)
Is the activity directed at the library workforce (includes volunteers and trustees) or the general population?
- Library Workforce
- General Public
If Content, choose the Type that best describes the content activity and aligns with the intent (**Outcomes survey(s) must be issued during the project period if beneficiary is library workforce.)
- Acquisition: Selecting, ordering, and receiving materials. May also include obtaining software or hardware for the purpose of storing and/or retrieving information.**
- Creation: Design or production of an information tool or resource such as digital objects, curricula, manuals. Includes digitization or the process of converting data to digital format.**
- Description: Apply standardization descriptive to items in a collection for the purposes of intellectual control, organization, and retrieval.
- Lending: Circulation of materials, both general circulation and reserves. May also refer to the physical or electronic delivery of documents from a library collection to a library user, upon request.
- Preservation: Effort that extends the life or useful life of a living or non-living collection, the individual items or entities included in a collection, or a structure, building, or site by reducing the likelihood or speed of deterioration.
Choose the format that best describes the Content
- Digital (computer-mediated). The term includes commercial or not-commercial hardware, software, and/or data transfer connections and protocols, systems at any scale, and metadata.
- Physical (medium in or on which information [data, sound, images, etc.] is stored [for example, paper, film, magnetic tape or disk, etc.]. The medium may be encased in a protective housing made of another material [plastic, metal, etc.])
- Combined digital and physical.
Is the activity directed at the library workforce (includes volunteers and trustees) or the general population?
- Library workforce
- General Population
If Planning/Evaluation, choose the type that best describes the planning/evaluation activity (**Outcomes survey(s) must be issued during the project period if beneficiary is library workforce.)
- Retrospective: Effort that involves historical assessments of the condition of a project, program, service, operation, resource and/or user group**
- Prospective: Effort that involves assessments of a future condition of a project, program, service, operation, resource, and/or user group.**
Choose the format that best describes the planning/evaluation
- In-house: Conducted by people within your organization
- Third-party: Conducted by an outside individual or group, such as a consultant
Is the activity directed at the library workforce (includes volunteers and trustees) or the general population?
- Library workforce
- General population
(There are no types, formats, or audiences for Procurement activities.)
Do you have a second activity to report?
If no, scroll to the bottom of the online form.
Project Timeline
The timeline should capture when project actions will occur.
- It must include all Project Activities listed in the application and connect to the Project Description.
- List actions in chronological order.
- Actions must be within the project implementation dates.
For each action you will need to enter a description, a start date, and an end date. Note: actions should only fall within the award period.
Additional Information/Uploads
Applicant Organization Assessment
Complete the organization assessment portion of the online application. This brief organizational assessment will help us determine the type of support awardees need from the State Library
1. Project Coordinator Name
2. Is the project coordinator new to your organization (joined within the past year)?
2b. How long has the project coordinator worked in your organization? (Enter in years. Example: (Enter in years. Example 3.5)
3. Has the project coordinator previously managed any LSTA or other federal grant projects within the last three years?
3b. How many grant projects has the coordinator previously managed?
4. How long has the organization’s director been in his/her current position? (Enter in years. Example: 3.5)
5. Has the applicant organization received any grants from the California State Library in the past three (3) years?
5b. How many grants has the applicant organization received from California State Library in the past three (3) years?
6. Has the applicant organization been awarded a grant not issued by the California State Library in the past three (3) years?
7. For any grants received within the past three (3) years, has the applicant organization been late submitting any of the following (select all that apply)?
- Amendments
- Budget modifications, augmentations and/or revisions
- Fiscal and/or narrative reporting
- The applicant organization has not been late in any of the above
- N/A – The applicant organization has not received any grants within the past three (3) years.
8. For any grants received within the past three (3) years, has your organization failed to meet any grant requirements?
8b. Explain failed grant requirements.
9. In the past two years, has your organization undergone a reorganization or major shift in management that would affect this program?
9b. Provide information on the changes that took place (i.e. new leadership/director, new management systems, etc.) that would affect your organization’s administration of grant funds and programs.
10. Has the applicant organization ever been convicted of violating federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations?
10b. Explain violation.
11. Does the applicant organization have a current lawsuit filed against them or previously had a lawsuit filed against them in the last five (5) years?
11b. Explain lawsuit (include the name of the parties who filed, reason for lawsuit, and final judgement rendered).
12. How many times in the past five (5) years has the applicant organization received an audit and/or monitoring finding(s)?
The applicant organization has not received an audit finding in the past five years
- 1-3 findings
- 4-6 findings
- 7+ findings
13. Select the type of audit(s) or monitoring that resulted in findings (select all that apply):
The applicant organization has not received an audit finding in the past five years
- Federal audit
- Financial audit
- LSTA monitoring
- State audit
- Any other type of audit not identified above:
13b. If ‘Any other type’ was chosen, explain audit type.
14. Does your accounting system identify and track expenditures and receipt of program funds separately for each grant award?
14b. Briefly explain how your organization would track grant expenditures.
15. Is your organization facing bankruptcy or major budget deficits?
15b. Provide more information about the nature of the financial problems?
Applicant Organization Travel Policy
Applicants with a travel policy in place may use their organization’s local travel reimbursement rates for most allowable travel-related expenses.
If you plan to use your organization’s approved travel policy for travel reimbursement, you must attach it to this application.
Policy rates must be reasonable. Reimbursement is subject to rate approval by the California State Library. The mileage rate used cannot exceed the current state mileage rate. See Travel in the Budget Information section of this document for more information.
Attach a copy of the travel policy you will be using if applicable. Your travel policy should be named OpportunityName_TravelPolicy_OrganizationName
Additional Documents
Attach additional supporting documents to this application. Acceptable file formats for supporting documents include Word (.doc, .docx) and PDF.
Supporting attachments should provide data for information provided in the narrative. Examples of attachments include:
- Letter of support from individuals or groups (not partner or community connections);
- Citations from reports supporting the needs statement;
- Staff position descriptions;
- Sample evaluation tools;
- Description and expertise of any consultants to be used
Attach additional supporting documents to this application. Acceptable file formats for supporting documents include Word (.doc, .docx) and PDF. If you have more than one file, click Choose File again to upload multiple files. Your additional documents should be named OpportunityName_UpToThreeWordDescription_OrganizationName
Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) Certification
The Institute of Museum and Library Services establishes guidelines to ensure that the California State Library’s implementation of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) complies with the 2003 decision of the US Supreme Court. The California State Library is required by 20 U.S.C. Section 9134(b)(7) to provide assurance that we will comply with 20 U.S.C. Section 9134(f), which sets out standards relating to Internet Safety for public libraries and public elementary school and secondary school libraries. Under CIPA, California State Library must assure the Federal Government that no funds will be made available for public libraries and public elementary and secondary school libraries to purchase computers to access the Internet or pay for the direct costs of accessing the Internet unless the libraries have certified that they have Internet safety policies and technology protection measures, e.g., software filtering technology, in place. California State Library must collect certifications from libraries subject to CIPA that apply to the States for Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funding. Public libraries and public elementary and secondary school libraries must be in compliance with CIPA to obtain IMLS State Program funding which will be used to purchase computers used to access the Internet or to pay for direct costs associated with accessing the Internet. The authorized representative applying for LSTA funding must certify that the library is one of the following:
- A single applicant that is CIPA compliant.
- Representing a group of applicants. Applicants that are subject to CIPA requirements have certified they are CIPA compliant.
- Not Subject to CIPA Requirements.
Project Budget Detail Upload
- Download the Grant Award Budget Template.
- Complete the spreadsheet for your project.
- Upload your completed spreadsheet by using “Choose File” button below.
Ensure all costs are listed and the required justification for each cost is provided.
The total grant funds requested in each Budget Category in the Grant Award Budget spreadsheet must match the amounts included in the Budget form later in this application.
When calculating your budget, be sure to include resources for the following:
- Staff time for reflecting on your project’s progress, successes, and lessons learned.
- Staff time and other resources for engaging community members, connecting your targeted audience with your project, and raising awareness of your project.
- Training for project staff to supplement any support provided by the State Library.
- (If you are purchasing items for your project) Labels or stickers with the IMLS acknowledgement statement printed on them to place on your purchases.
- Program evaluation.
Upload your completed Grant Award Budget. Your file name should follow the format OpportunityName_BudgetDetail_OrganizationName.
Example: InspirationGrant_BudgetDetail_CaliforniaStateLibrary
Reviewers will consider the following:
- Is the budget realistic and feasible?
- Does the budget include sufficient detail?
- Does the budget connect to the project description, activities, and evaluation plan?
Budget Line Item Guidance
Salaries/Wages/Benefits
Includes all salaries, wages, and fringe benefits paid to staff directly employed by the awardee organization and contribute to the project regardless of funding type (LSTA/Cash Match/In-kind). Descriptions must include position titles but not individual names. Refer to Appendix G for guidance on calculating Full Time Equivalent (FTE) for your project. FTE is the proportion of a full-time employee’s time spent on the proposed project.
Consultant Fees
All expenses related to acquiring the services of a consultant for a specific activity within the project should be included in this category. Typically, consultants advise and are specialists in the specific area for which the advice is being provided. The Services category should be used to capture all other, non-consultation, services. Costs may include fees, travel, accommodation, and support services hired directly by the consultant. Include the proposed consultant fee and tasks to be carried out and deliverables to be provided for this fee.
Travel
Travel costs must be related to the project activities and must be incurred by the staff directly employed by the awardee organization or formal partners working on the project, or by participants in project activities if their participation is essential and they must travel to participate. Costs may include airfare, ground transportation, accommodation, meals, etc. For airfare, economy class must be used at all times when using LSTA funds. Description should include number of travelers, who they are, and types of travel expenditures, including how costs are calculated. (Consultant travel must be included under the Consultant Fees category.)
Awardees will not be asked to turn travel expense receipts into the State Library but must keep these receipts in their project file (in accordance with Exhibit A: Terms and Conditions, Item 6: Audit and Records Access which states: The Subrecipient (awardee) agrees to maintain such records for possible audit for a minimum of five (5) years after the final payment, or grant term end date, whichever is later, unless a longer period of records retention is stipulated, or until completion of any action and resolution of all issues which may arise as a result of any litigation, dispute, or audit, whichever is later). Per diem rates will not be accepted. Awardee organizations that use per diem rates must either provide allowable rates that have been approved by the organization and any applicable governing body OR use the U.S. General Services Administration rates.
Supplies/Materials
Supplies: Must be project-specific (see Appendix C for information on allowed expenditures). May include: office or craft supplies, educational materials, books that are an integral part of a project activity and enable participants to take part in the activity, small equipment (less than $4,999 per unit), communication costs, postage, printing and photocopying, publicity, etc. Per IMLS, subscriptions and licenses are not Supplies/Materials.
Materials: Books, periodicals, audiovisual formats, microforms, and other library materials to be part of the library’s cataloged collection. All materials must directly support the proposed project.
Equipment ($5,000 or more per unit)
Any single item valued at $5,000 or more per unit belongs in the Equipment category. Written approval from the IMLS Program Officer is required prior to the purchase of equipment over $5,000 per unit. Please note in order to comply with this federal requirement, the State Library will obtain approval from IMLS after funding for a project is approved, but before the award materials are sent out.
Requests must detail the proposed expenditure, list the goal in the current LSTA Five-Year Plan that the purchase supports, and describe how the purchase supports this goal.
Allowable items costing $4,999 or under are considered small equipment and should be included under Supplies/Materials.
Services
Include any costs for individuals contracted to manage and/or implement the project activities. Services that should be described include items such as printing, subscriptions or licenses, project-specific media and marketing services, equipment and vehicle maintenance, and building equipment lease and rental. Description should include type of services provided and vendor names. LSTA funds cannot be used to fund portions of contracts that fall outside of and/or extend beyond the award period. If an awardee would like to enter into a contract that extends beyond the award period, the awardee must use other, non-LSTA funds to cover the portion of the contract that runs beyond the project period end date. The awardee must obtain and keep detailed invoicing which clearly shows the proration of the portion of the contract to be paid for by LSTA funds.
*A note on eBooks:
eBook costs involve licensing and belong in Services. Time-bound metered eBook titles must be limited to the project period dates and cannot exceed the project end date. Any use of metered eBook titles needs to take place within the grant period.
Indirect Costs
An indirect cost is the applicant’s incurred cost that cannot be readily isolated or identified with just one project or activity. These types of costs are often referred to as “overhead costs.” Typical examples of indirect costs are general telephone service, postage, office supplies, office space expenses, and administrative or financial operations for an entire organization.
You may choose to not request any indirect costs or use a current approved indirect cost rate with a federal agency or one pending review to be approved by project award date, i.e. June 30. Federal indirect cost rates are negotiated agreements between federal agencies and non-profit organizations. If your organization already has an existing negotiated indirect cost rate in effect with another federal agency, you may use this rate to calculate total project costs, as long as you apply the rate in accordance with the terms of the negotiated agreement and include a copy of the current negotiated agreement with your grant application. The State Library will only accept federally negotiated indirect cost rates that are current at the time awards are made. If you are unsure whether this applies to your library, consult the Code of Federal Regulations and your organization’s grants, finance, and/or legal department to determine how to proceed.
Use an indirect cost rate not to exceed 10% of modified total direct costs if you do not have a current or pending federally negotiated indirect cost rate and you are not subject to other requirements.
- Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and subcontracts up to the first $25,000 of each subcontract. Equipment, capital expenditures, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs, and the portion of each subcontract in excess of $25,000 is excluded.
- If you choose to use this rate, you must be careful to exclude from the budget all indirect-cost-type items, such as general telephone service, postage, office supplies and office space expenses, and administrative or financial operations for the applicant’s entire organization. As long as you are an eligible entity and have never had a federally negotiated indirect cost rate, you may use this rate with no additional documentation required.
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.
Unallowable In-kind and Cash Match funds include any funding, salaries, resources and/or services supported through other federal funding; and local funds used to purchase items that are not eligible for LSTA funding (See Appendix C for information on allowable/not allowable expenditures).
Budget
When you click on the “budget” circle in the navigation bar, you will be directed to the proposed budget entry page.
The total revenue budget at the bottom of the screen is populated from the amount you entered in the “amount requested” field on the first page of the application.
The amounts entered for each category should reflect that category total as entered in the Project Budget Detail Upload. You will not enter line items on this page, only the total amounts requested for each budget category. To do this, click the + sign next to the category name and enter the following information:
- Item Type: Always select Non-Personnel
- Name: Enter the name of the budget category
- Direct Cost: Enter the total amount requested for that budget category
You do not need to enter any information in the narrative box as this information has already been collected in the Project Budget Detail Upload.
As you continue to add proposed budget category amounts, 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 in the “amount requested” field on the first page of the application.
Submit
The final step of your application, shown as the final green circle at the top of the page in the progress bar, is to submit 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. When your application is fully complete and reviewed select the submit button at the bottom of the page.
Clicking the green review button at the bottom of the page before submission will download a copy of your application for you to review as a zip file.
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 submitting.