Library, Museums and Press Grant Training

Types of Supported Projects

• Projects that promote the Library, Museums and Press’ mission

• Projects that support the Library, Museums and Press’ collection strengths

• Travel grants (generally smaller, individual grants). These are often offered by professional associations, such as ALA, DLA.

Types of grants

• Federal: PI is required and awards are governed by Uniform Guidance (rules and regulations).

• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), private foundations: This type of funding is not subject to federal rules and regulations. Rules may vary between different sponsors. Grants may range from hundreds of dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

• Small (less than $50,000) vs. Large (more than $50,000): If it’s a federal grant, all federal compliance policy and procedure applies, and entails more rigorous administrative work. 

• PI-required vs. PI-not required: For small awards, such as for travel, a PI may not be required. Any federal award will require a PI.

Important Players in the Grant-Writing Process 

• Principal Investigator (PI) - In general, the PI is responsible for grant writing and managing the grant once funded.

• Financial Administrator (FA) - The Financial Administrator is the Research Administrator for the Library, Museums and Press and, in this case, the Financial Analyst in the Office of the Vice Provost (Doris Miklitz).

• Research Office - Contract and Grant Administrator assigned to the Library, Museums and Press

Principal Investigator (PI) eligibility

• Mandatory PI training is available on ConnectingU as well as a conflict of interest form:

• Research Office Request for PI Approval Form

• PI Resources

• Library, Museums and Press information

  • Staff who are in positions classified at or above 31E (Associate Librarian rank) are eligible to serve as a PI or co-PI

  • Final decisions regarding who will serve in a PI role must be a collaborative decision made by the staff member, supervisor, Library Executive Council (LEC), and the Vice Provost. 

  • The Library now has an agreement with the Research Office to provide a list of librarians, curators and archivists (in grades 29E and 30E) who would be eligible to apply for grants and could potentially be a PI. The Vice Provost for Libraries and Museums will update the list annually.

Tips and Recommendations for Writing Proposals

• Gather information from staff who have already been awarded grants.

• Proposal Writing Resources (Library, Museums and Press Research Guide)

• Tips for Applying to the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts)

NEH Fellowships: Tips (National Endowment for the Humanities)