Grant
Guidelines
and Application
Forms

Final
Report

Funded
Projects

Five-Year
Plan

General Grant Instructions

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Getting Started
Eligibility
Deadlines and Timetable
LSTA Statewide Five-Year Plan
New and Continuing Projects
Partnerships
Outcomes, Activities and Evaluation
Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA)
Budget Considerations
Grant Recipient Workshop
Completing the Application Form

Getting Started   Back

• Review this project manual. Determine the best grant category for your project.
• Call the appropriate Arizona State Library program contact and discuss your project. Call your county librarian to explain your project, checking to see if it overlaps with other county projects and how it fits into the county’s technology plan.
• Determine whether you’ll complete an online application or submit a paper application by mail. The online application is available at www.lib.az.us/lsta/GrantApp/.

Eligibility   Back

To be eligible, libraries must meet the following criteria:

• Be open to the public on a regular basis with regular, posted hours;
• Provide library services free of charge to all residents within the library area;
• Arizona public libraries must participate, upon patron or library request, as a lender and/or borrower in the statewide interlibrary loan of circulating print materials, regardless of subject or genre, without charge to their patrons or to other Arizona libraries. The sharing of circulating non-print materials is encouraged, but not required.  Libraries may limit ILL requests to six per patron at any one time and may limit requests to materials published more than one year ago; not currently on a nationally recognized best-seller list; or not needed by the library’s own patrons. With prior notice to the patrons, public libraries may pass on to their patrons real and actual charges incurred from out-of-state libraries in the filling of those patrons’ interlibrary loan requests, including postage;
• Receive a minimum of 50 percent of funding from public sources; and
• Be in good standing with the State Library by submitting library statistics and all other reports in a complete, accurate and timely manner.
• Libraries serving K-12 schools may apply for grants in the “Families and Children Part” area.

Deadlines and Timetable   Back

The online application must be submitted by midnight March 19, 2007 (after that the forms will not be available), and the Certification of Application with original signature, and any paper attachments, must be mailed and postmarked by March 19, 2007; or the complete paper application must be postmarked by
March 19, 2007.

	March 19, 2007	2007 LSTA application electronically submitted and/or postmarked
	May 21, 2007	Grant awards announced
	June 11, 2007	Grant funds available
	June 20, 2007	Grant recipient workshop
	August 1, 2008	2007 LSTA funds must be spent
	September 4, 2008	2007 LSTA final reports due

LSTA Statewide Five-Year Plan   Back

The Statewide Library Development Commission, made up of 30 members including librarians, library educators, library advocates, representatives from other cultural institutions, and private citizens, developed the LSTA Five-Year Plan for 2003-2007.

The State Library encourages grant proposals that address the plan’s details. For a complete copy of the LSTA Five-Year Plan, check the State Library’s Web site at www.lib.az.us/lsta/fiveyrplan.cfmor call the Library Development Division.

Partnerships   Back

Libraries are encouraged to partner with other organizations when applying for LSTA funds. Libraries should consider partnering with museums, archives, cultural organizations, schools, tribal and governmental entities, social service agencies, local businesses or organizations that promote or enhance economic development. 

All partners must benefit from the project, and those benefits should be clear in the application. The library must serve as the applicant, and assume fiscal responsibility, if the grant is awarded. Be sure that all potential partners have been contacted before including them in the grant proposal. Include a letter of support from each partner.

New and Continuing Projects   Back

LSTA funds are primarily targeted for new projects that serve as models or pilots. Libraries may apply for subsequent phases of a project that is underway. Libraries may also apply for funding of an ongoing project if it reaches new audiences, incorporates new methodologies or significantly expands the reach of the project.

Outcomes, Activities and Evaluation   Back

You’ll note that these items have been grouped together in the Project Narrative. Begin by writing clear, concise, and measurable outcomes. Use the outcomes listed in your grant category either directly or as a model. Remember, outcomes should be a change (preferably an improvement) in the target audiences’ skills, attitudes, knowledge, behaviors, and status or life conditions. Activities should be designed to bring about the change. The evaluation methods should measure the success of the activities to bring about the desired change. Incorporate the evaluation throughout the project, not just as an add-on at the end.

You may present this information as a narrative, as a chart, or as both.

IMLS has information on outcomes at www.imls.gov/grants/current/crnt_obe.htm. You may find the IMLS Web site, e-services.imls.gov/project_planning/, helpful as you determine outcomes and evaluation methods. This planning tutorial was designed for IMLS’ National Leadership Grants, but is valuable to most any library program planner.

Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA)   Back

Public and school libraries must certify that they are CIPA compliant to receive 2007 LSTA funds to purchase computers to access the Internet or to pay for the direct cost associated with accessing the Internet. For more information about CIPA, go to www.imls.gov and look for “Children’s Internet Protection Act”; or visit www.cosla.org.

Budget Considerations   Back

LSTA funds may be used for many project costs. However, funds may not be used for existing staff salaries and benefits, administrative fees, indirect costs, food or entertainment. Travel and per diem expenses may be included only for project personnel at the rate authorized by the State, which is generally $60 per night for lodging; $29.50 per day for meals and incidentals; and 40.5 cents per mile.

The total budget should reflect the costs for the project outlined in the application. Local funds, whether in-kind or cash, are encouraged but not required. Local funds, support and commitment are considered when reviewing the proposal. For more information on the LSTA budget, refer to the Grant Administration Requirements on page 13.

Grant Recipient Workshop   Back

The project contact person for each 2007 LSTA funded project must attend a grant recipient workshop on Wednesday, June 20, 2007, at the Carnegie Center, 1101 W. Washington, Phoenix. During the workshop, Arizona State Library staff will review grant procedures. Project directors will also have the opportunity to meet Library Development Division staff, and to hear about other funded projects. Include travel costs to this meeting in your budget, if needed.

Completing the Application Form   Back

A complete application consists of:

• Cover sheet
• Project narrative
• Budget form
• Certification of Application form (signed)
• Support letters from project partners
• Brief resume from paid project consultants
• No more than two, brief additional attachments

If you submit your application electronically, complete the cover sheet, project narrative and budget form online. Mail the Certification of Application and any support letters and resumes to the address below.

If you complete a paper application, mail the entire application.

Send the materials to:

Grants Administrator Library Development Division 1100 W. Washington Phoenix, AZ 85007-2935

 

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Updated:  11/22/2006

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