The document provides guidance on developing a grant proposal for preservation services funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). It outlines essential questions to address, including community needs, project objectives, budget, and sustainability, while also offering resources and support available through LYRASIS. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of a well-structured proposal and provides contact information for further assistance.

1. Developing a Grant Proposal
LYRASIS
Preservation Services
Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment
for Humanities, division of Preservation and Access.

2. LYRASIS Digital &
Preservation Services
We offer:
• Education and training: full-day workshops, live
online and self-paced classes.
• Information and referral: call us with your
preservation questions!
• Loan services: we have environmental monitoring
equipment available for loan.
• Publications: all types of preservation publications,
downloadable for free.
• Disaster assistance: We are available 24/7 to assist
you.
• Consulting: personalized assistance for your specific
preservation needs.

3. Welcome
• This short class is intended to introduce participants to
a few of the top questions to ask when developing a
grant proposal.
• Your particular needs will vary, depending on the type
of grant you are applying for and the conditions
outlined in the proposal.
• LYRASIS Preservation is available to assist you with the
NEH-PAG grant. We can issue a letter of commitment
and help review your final proposal.
• For more information on LYRASIS Preservation and a
wide variety of classes available thru LYRASIS, please
visit: http://bit.ly/LYRPresHome

4. To develop an idea into a
proposal/plan, answer these questions:
• 1. What is the community need that the plan is addressing?
– Ask yourself “why should they give me funding?” Focus on how the
grant will serve the community, not just on how receiving the grant
would make your job easier! This is where you can really hook your
funders with a strong statement and a viable need.
• 2. What would an improved community situation look like?
– This is the objectives part of the proposal- state specific goals and
measurable results.
• 3. What can my organization do to improve the situation?
– These are the methods by how your objectives will be achieved.
Define how the project will be administered, the selection and
preparation of materials, timeline, co-ordination of staff and how
the project can fit with potential program building.

5. To develop an idea into a
proposal/plan, answer these questions:
• 4. How will it be determined that the project has
succeeded? (evaluation)
– You will want numbers here- measurable goals that you might track
to evaluate your project. The measure of an outcome can often be
judged by the following statement: Has our target audience
changed or improved skills, attitudes, knowledge, behavior, status,
or life condition by experiencing our program?
• 5. How much will the project cost? (budget)
– The budget translates methodology into money – and delineates
costs. You will need to follow funder forms and guidelines – they’re
all different, and the rules are very important.
• 6. How will this project be funded in the future?
(sustainability)
– Will you finish the grant within an allotted period of time, or what
other support or programs will carry it on into the future?

6. For the summary/abstract part of the
proposal, you will need to answer:
(*in one or two pages)
• 1. Who are you and what is the mission of your
organization?
• 2. What is the proposed project (title, purpose, target population)?
• 3. Why is the proposed project important?
• 4. What will be accomplished by your project during the
time period of the grant?
• 5. Why should your organization do the project?
• 6. How much will the project cost during the grant time
period? How much is being requested?

7. In the introduction to the proposal, you
will want to include the following:
• Name
• Location
• Legal Status
• Date of Beginning
• Your Mission
• The target population
• Programs that your institution already have in
place
• Accomplishments
• The personnel/staff that are “on board” for the
project

8. Your statement of need/purpose
• 1. Who are the people with the need?
• 2. Where are the people with the need?
• 3. When is the need evident?
• 4. What is the need?
• 5. Why does this need occur?
• 6. What evidence do you have to support your claim?
• 7. What are the consequences of meeting the need?
• 8. How is the need linked to your organization?

9. Listing the goals and objectives for
the grant:
• 1. What is/are the key areas you are seeking to
change?
• 2. What segment of the population will be involved in
the change?
• 3. What is the direction of change (increase or
decrease, improvement or reduction)?
• 4. What is the degree or amount of change you’ll be
looking for?
• 5. What is the deadline to reach the degree of
change?

10. Methodology
• 1. What are the “givens” that are inflexible? (such
as date of completion, dollars and staff available)
• 2. What activities need to be done in order to meet
the objectives?
• 3. Who has responsibility for completing each
activity?
• 4. How will participants be selected? (not always
applicable)
• 5. Why did you choose this method? Does it build
upon existing models? Is it a different approach, if
so, why is it better?

11. The Organizational and
Administrative Plan
• 1. How will the project be administered?
• 2. Who is responsible for what?
• 3. How will staff be hired? Trained?
• 4. What are the qualifications for staff? (Job
descriptions, resumes, etc.)
• 5. Include information about consultants,
their qualifications, why they were chosen,
etc.

12. The budget
– Estimate your DIRECT expenses- revision will usually
become necessary as the costs become clear. These
expenses cover costs associated specifically with the
project objective, such as:
• Salaries and benefits
• Equipment and supplies
• Travel, lodging
– INDIRECT expenses are not usually covered (overhead),
but a grant may pay a percentage of these costs –
government agencies often assign a maximum
allowable/total percentage for this. These expenses can
include:
• Building costs, Lighting, etc.
• Liability insurance
• Equipment leases

13. The budget
• Cost sharing or matching means that a portion of project or program
costs is not covered by the grant.
– Cost share includes cash contributions from the organization that
received the grant for the project, in-kind contributions from third-
parties, and matching funds from third parties.
• Third party in-kind contributions' means the value of non-cash
contributions provided by non-Federal third parties. Third party in-kind
contributions may be in the form of real property, equipment, supplies
and other expendable property, and the value of goods and services
directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the project or program.
– These are part of the direct expenses of the project and usually are
reflected on the cost-share (not the federal or grant) side of the
budget.
• Matching funds are cash contributions to the project, to the cost-
share side of the project. If they are eligible, NEH will match them
dollar to dollar, but only for a specified amount made at the time of the
grant award.

14. Where to look for grants:
• There are a wide variety of granting agencies that can help
you preserve your materials. Here are a few places to start:
– National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH):
http://www.neh.gov/
– Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS):
http://www.imls.gov/
– National Historical Publications and Records
Commission (NHPRC): http://www.archives.gov/nhprc/
– State Historical Records Advisory Boards (SHRABs):
http://www.statearchivists.org/shrabs.htm
• Foundation grants for preservation in libraries, archives,
and museums, 2010 edition from the Library of Congress:
http://www.loc.gov/preservation/about/foundtn-grants.pdf

15. LYRASIS is available to assist you
with the NEH-PAG Grant!
• The Preservation Assistance Grant for Smaller
Institutions is funded by the National Endowment
for the Humanities.
– These grants are for up to $6,000.00 with no
matching or cost-sharing required.
– The PAG encourages first-time participants.
– The deadline for this grant is generally in May but
check NEH PAG guidelines for specific date.
– Due to online submission traffic it is highly
recommended to submit before the dealine date.

16. NEH-PAG: some details
• Submissions only accepted online.
• You MUST be registered at www.grants.gov
to submit a proposal to the NEH. Do it today!
• PAG grant information is available at:
http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/pag.
html

17. NEH-PAG: who to contact
• Contact the NEH for answers to discuss specific
project proposals if you are unsure your idea fits
within the grant guidelines.
– Phone: 202-606-8570
– Email: preservation@neh.gov
• Contact LYRASIS Preservation for general PAG
questions, to obtain a letter of commitment, or to
request for a LYRASIS Preservation staff member
to review your grant proposal before submission.
– Phone: 800-999-8558
– Email: preservation@lyrasis.org

18. For more information on grant writing:
• Foundation center: proposal writing short
course:
– http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials
/shortcourse/index.html

19. Follow Us on
• http://www.facebook.com/LyrDigPres

20. Thank You!
Contact us if you have any questions
LYRASIS Preservation Services
preservation@lyrasis.org
1-800-999-8558