PURSUE THE FUNDING
Issues
of Importance
Grant funding may be available to support the needs of your digital projects.
Federal agencies such as the Institute for
Museum and Library Services (IMLS), National Leadership Grant program
provide dedicated funds to support digital projects in libraries and museums.
In Washington State additional IMLS funds are available through grant
programs administered by the Washington State Library to assist libraries
to complete digital projects.
Writing good grant applications takes experience and planning. Most funding agencies are impressed by well thought out, well planned projects that meet one or more of the funding criteria. It is important to do your homework ahead of writing the grant proposal. Grant requests that clearly prove a need that is documented with survey information or statistical facts will be well received. Most government granting agencies such as IMLS, the National Endowment for the Humanities, (NEH) and the State Library have staff available to assist you with questions concerning your grant application. Make use of that resource, it can save you time and prevent many mistakes in your grant application.
The national funding agencies and the Washington State Library grant funding programs favor collaboration in digital projects. Partnering between museums or heritage organizations and libraries or between libraries is a goal of the funding programs. For libraries of all sizes digital projects that feature collaboration in the use of collections, sharing of staff expertise, or building common access to digital collections are given priority for funding programs.
Using grant funding for a pilot project or a development project is a good way to get started building your organization's digital collections. Over time library and heritage organizations will need to develop resources within organizational budgets to conduct digital projects. Plans should be made to provide resources for digital collections just as print based collections and museum collections are funded.
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Options to consider:
When beginning to assemble the materials to write a grant request, ask the funding agencies if they can provide examples of successful grant proposals from past grant cycles. Often you can get many useful ideas from reading a few successful grant proposals. Consider how you will support your request with statistics. Use local examples to support and prove the need. Provide specific information on the impact of the project. Seek community support in the form of partnerships or contributions of time, volunteers or in-kind resources whenever possible. The grant proposal should be built around a clear set of needs and goals, with logical steps outlined. Describe how the project will move toward meeting the need or solving the problem.
Some granting agencies
offer planning grants. Consider pursuing funds to complete a planning
cycle before pursuing a larger grant to support a complex digital project.
When using a consultant to help prepare a grant proposal, examine examples
of successful grants written by the consultant. Ask for and contact references.
Good writing skills are essential. Consultants can be useful in helping
to focus and clarify a grant project. A consultant could be a wise investment
if you are considering a complex or multi-phased grant proposal.
"Digitization Grants and How to Get One: Advice from the Director,
Office of Library Services, Institute of Museum and Library Services"
in the October 15 edition of "RLG DigiNews", the bimonthly
Web-based newsletter of the Research Libraries Group. The Research Libraries
Group (RLG) is a not-for-profit membership corporation devoted to the
mission of "improving access to information that supports research
and learning." TOP
