Webinar for Grant Applicants

May 23, 2012

Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums

Connecting to the Webinar

• Be sure you can hear through your speakers,

headset, or phone.

• Dial in: 1 877 739 5903

• Access Code: 676-622-895 (PIN code)

• You will remain muted during this session.

• Please type questions into the question box.

• Questions will be saved and answered.

• To ensure confidentiality, attendee list is blocked.

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Agenda

• Program Description

• Applying for a Grant

• Award Timeline

• Questions

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Learning Labs Program Partners

• Joint initiative funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

• Marsha Semmel, Director, Strategic Partnerships

• Urban Libraries Council (ULC) and Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) are partner cooperators

• Amy Eshleman, ULC

• Margaret Glass, ASTC

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Program Description

“Grants support the planning and design of learning labs in libraries and museums intended to engage middle-and high-school youth in mentor-led, interest-based, youth centered, collaborative learning using digital and traditional media.”

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IMLS and MacArthur Foundation

Public/private partnership: “Educate to Innovate”

Goal to create a national network of Learning Labs in libraries and museums

Learning Labs will be spaces for experimentation and creativity for teens and pre-teens around digital and traditional media based on research

Grants – to support planning and design

Community of practice – to support sustainable network

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Program Goals

• Promote libraries and museums as innovation hubs for middle and high school youth

• Use current research, design and programming principles to develop 21st century skills

• Build capacity of library and museum professionals

• Produce model, replicable plans for the field

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Desired Outcomes

A national network of Learning Labs distributed across libraries and museums

Increased connection of museums and libraries to community networks of learning

Libraries and museums placed at the forefront of 21st century learning for youth

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Target Audience/Setting

• Middle- and high-school aged youth

• Out-of-school time learning actively managed by a library or museum

• Accessible program settings

• Applications encouraged from libraries and museums serving populations across a broad range of social, economic, and geographic contexts

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Overview of Grant Activities

Awardee Support

• Up to $100,000 for planning and design of a Learning Lab

• Technical assistance and support for staff through in-person meetings and online events

• Access to the most up-to-date research about youth learning and digital media

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Overview of Grant Activities

Awardee Expectations

• Budget resources and time for professional development meetings and events

• Formulate and carry out evaluation for proposed Learning Lab

• Develop a feasible plan for implementation and sustainability of the Learning Lab

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Program resource: www.youmedia.org

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Applying for a Grant

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www.imls.gov

Grant Basics

• Eligible Institutions: Museums, Libraries

• Application deadline: June 15

• Awards up to $100,000 each

• Cost sharing of at least one-third is encouraged

• Up to 14 Learning Labs will be awarded for 2013

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Program Guidelines

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Eligibility - General

• Learning Labs will be in Libraries and Museums

• Criteria for organizations identified by IMLS in Learning Labs program guidelines

• Either a unit of state or local government, or a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, whose primary mission is to serve libraries, archives, or museums

• Located in one of the 50 states or territories

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Application Components

A competitive application will demonstrate:

• Knowledge of the research on youth learning and digital media

• Support of leadership: institutional and community

• Capacity to create physical and online spaces that follow research-based design principles about youth learning and digital media

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Narrative Components

• Statement of Need

• Project Goals and Impact

• Project Design

• Project Resources: Personnel, Time, Budget

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Submitting Your Proposal

• Submit through Grants.gov.

• Register with Grants.gov at least two weeks prior to the grant program deadline.

• Need a D-U-N-S® Number to register with Grants.gov. You may need additional time to get this number.

• Applicants need Central Contractor Registration (CCR). User’s guide at www.bpn.gov/ccr/doc/CCRUsersGuide.pdf. CCR registration must be renewed annually.

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Apply through Grants.gov

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Selection Process

• Competitive process

• Peer review with field and panel reviewers representing museums, libraries, digital media and learning science professionals

• Final award decisions made by IMLS

• All applicants will be notified of their proposal status in late Fall, 2012

• Up to 14 Learning Labs will be awarded for 2013

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Award Timeline

• June 15: Final day for proposals

• July – September: Peer review process

• Late Fall, 2012– New Learning Labs announced

• January 1, 2013 – Award start date

• June 30, 2014 – Award end date (18 months)

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Questions?

• Please type questions into the question box.

• “Office Hours” for applicants: June 5, 11

• View presentation, see FAQ on Learning Labs Technical Assistance tumblr:

http://learninglabswebinar.tumblr.com/

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Contact Us!

For program information:

Margaret Glass, mglass@astc.org

202.783.7200 x 129

Amy Eshleman, aeshleman@urbanlibraries.org

312.676.0958

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Thank you!

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