The following is an article that appears on the Institute of
Museum and Library Services Web site at
http://www.imls.gov/grants/museum/info_log.htm
                Learning Opportunity Grants: Application Now Available

                Have you received your Learning Opportunity Grant
application in the mail yet? If not, you should receive it very shortly. Or,
you can access the application on the IMLS Web site at
http://www.imls.gov/grants/appl/index.htm#log
<http://www.imls.gov/grants/appl/index.htm>

                How was the interim Learning Opportunity Grants Program
developed?

                After a three-year process of consulting with the field in
surveys, focus groups, and dialog at regional and national meetings, IMLS
has refocused its major grant program for the 21st century. The evaluation
of the General Operating Support Program, which served the museum field for
25 years, was a major step in the transition process. A new interim program,
Learning Opportunity Grants, has been announced. IMLS expects to use
feedback about this program to continue to inform the development of a
replacement for GOS. The new program will be in place in 2004.

                What will the interim program support?

                IMLS has already begun to get feedback about the interim
Learning Opportunity Grants. Application materials were discussed at
regional and national museum meetings this fall, and staff at IMLS has
received feedback through phone calls and e-mail messages as well. The most
commonly asked question is about what types of activities can be funded
through the program. In particular, people have wanted to know whether this
program would still support costs associated with collections care and
conservation, operating costs, and membership programs.

                The short answer is the interim program maintains the
flexibility so valued in the General Operating Support program. The interim
program encourages museums to define their own greatest needs. Ongoing
activities, as well as new initiatives are eligible for funding. However, a
difference from General Operating Support is that Learning Opportunity
Grants applicants will need to define their goals and activities before
funds are awarded and tie them to their own institution's strategic plan and
goals.

                Applicants will apply to further one of three strategic
goals: building public access, expanding educational services, and reaching
families and children. Museums are encouraged to use technology to more
effectively support these goals. Reviewers will consider how the project
furthers these strategic goals and fits into the museum's strategic plan and
mission.

                Building Public Access

                At first glance, this goal appears to focus on public
programs, but this category is also meant to encompass behind-the-scenes
museum activities that help an institution serve their public more
effectively.

                The cornerstone of many museum mission statements is
educating the public. This is done through exhibits and programs about the
collections that the museum holds. Collections care activities ultimately
expand public access by providing more information about objects and
allowing objects to be preserved for future interpretation.

                Funds could be used under the strategic goal of public
access to:
*       Buy software and pay staff salaries to migrate a paper card
cataloguing system to an automated collections system. This expands public
access by assisting the staff to group the collections for exhibits, to
understand the objects and their conservation needs and ultimately to
determine what can be placed on exhibit.
*       Develop, expand, or improve membership activities, thus allowing
museums to more effectively reach the people who support activities, as well
as to cultivate new audiences.
                Expanding Educational Services

                Traditional, ongoing outreach and school programs would be
eligible under this goal. However this goal could also support collections
activities. Funds could be used to:
*       Catalog portions of a museum's collection that had not yet been
catalogued. By gathering information about the collection, the museum can
develop more educational programs for local schools, thus expanding its
educational outreach.
*       Support staff to digitize a small portion of the museums' collection
and create online exhibits with these images for both the adult audience as
well as local schools.
                Reaching Families and Children

                This goal could support:
*       Operating costs to support targeted programming. For example,
suppose the local community wants to be able to take advantage of the museum
on a weekday evening. Learning Opportunity Grant funds could be used to pay
staff to keep the museum open one night a week to serve those families.
*       Salary support for staff to research a part of the collection.
Museums may use Learning Opportunity Grant funds for collections research
that will support the development of a guide for grandparents and children
who visit the museum.
                Furthering Institutional Planning and Evaluation

                Evaluation will be a very important part of the interim
program. However, applicants will not be required to provide an assessment
plan with their application. After awards have been made, IMLS will work
with grantees to develop assessment plans. For more information on outcome
based evaluation, see <http://www.imls.gov/grants/current/crnt_obe.htm>.

                We hope that museums will be very creative in the
interpretation of Learning Opportunity Grants. The funds are intended to
help museums with ongoing activities as well as to support new activities
that further the museum's institutional plan. Projects can be for
collection-based activities such as research, cataloging, and collections
care, or for education-based activities such as programs and new exhibits.
IMLS expects to make awards to fund a broad range of museums and activities,
and envisions that Learning Opportunity Grants will help museums reach a
variety of goals, helping museums serve their public better.

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