Express Welcome Award
The National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) Southeastern/Atlantic Region (SE/A), as part of its outreach plan, offers the Express Welcome Award to community or faith organizations affiliate members that wish to connect to the Internet and provide health information to community members.
Award Goals
The goals of the Express Welcome Award are:
- To improve access to quality electronic health information.
- To promote the awareness of and use of the information products and services of the National Library of Medicine.
- To promote and improve the use of technology for information access.
- To encourage partnerships and community/faith focused activities to help eliminate health disparities, promote healthy living, and promote health literacy.
Potential Projects
Potential projects include (this list is not meant to be inclusive):
- Community Connections
- Funding for the purchase of computer equipment or mobile technology and supplies.
- Funding for the purchase of Internet or mobile service for one year.
- Providing health information online to a minority or at risk population.
- Development of locally culturally sensitive health information website:
- Funding for the creation and hosting of a web site of culturally sensitive health information for a minority or at risk population that also benefits other Network members.
Awardee should check the National Training Center and Clearinghouse (http://nnlm.gov/ntcc/) prior to developing new classes. New classes developed must be submitted to the NTCC for inclusion in the Clearinghouse.
Eligibility Requirements
Minimum criteria for organizations to apply for this award are:
- Must be a community or faith organization, or American Indian tribe primarily serving an underserved population(s).
- Organization must also be an affiliate SE/A Network member in Alabama, District of Columbia, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Staffing:
- For community connections award, one staff member will be available for at least 10 hours per week to help community members find health information.
- For website development, the site must be reviewed and approved by a health care professional, professional librarian or another appropriate professional.
- Facilities/Equipment for community connections:
- Designated “library or resource center” space that is accessible to community members.
- Dedicated phone line or high speed line for Internet connection (cost included in project funds).
- Use of equipment must be primarily for providing health information.
- Facilities/Equipment for website development
- Equipment may be purchased to facilitate development of the site and should be used to demonstrate or provide access to the site once completed.
- Hosting of the site must be done on a publicly available website so the community and Network members can have access.
To see descriptions of funded Express Welcome Award projects - link to Projects Funded by SE/A Region and NN/LM - 2006-2011
Application Process
- Under an agreement, the NN/LM SE/A office will provide awards of up to $5,000.
- A minimum of two awards are planned each year of the contract (May 1 - April 30).
- Fullest consideration will be given to those applications received by August 28, 2009 for projects planned on or after October 1, 2009.
- The organization representative will be required to sign an agreement with the NN/LM SE/A office.
Complete the award application at: http://nnlm.gov/sea/funding/exwelcomeform.html
Budget Guidelines
Eligible funding includes: non-staff personnel, communication, equipment, supplies, and reproduction. No additional food costs are allowed.
No indirect costs are allowed for this award.
Provide an explanation for other costs needed not listed above.
No more than 10% of the direct costs can be spent on print or audiovisual resources.
No furniture purchases are allowed.
If mobile technology or computer hardware is proposed, please be prepared to submit the following upon approval of the award:
- For mobile technology computer hardware purchases under $3,000 – submit catalog pricing.
- For mobile technology or computer hardware $3,000 or more – submit three (3) vendor quotes (valid preferably for 60 days, minimum of 30 days). Quotes may include General Service Administration (GSA) price lists. Reference: http://www.gsa.gov.
- For personal appeal
Items such as cameras, MP3 Players, Smartphones, and laptop computers
the proposal must address the following:
- Purpose: There is a legitimate purpose for the items, and use of the items by the awardee will be managed in accordance with institutional policy.
- Appropriate Use: Items will not be used in a way that would discredit the NN/LM, the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health or the applicable Institution.
- Cost Effective: Must demonstrate requested items are cost effective and appropriate. For example, will generic brands satisfy the minimum requirements? If not, the proposal/request must describe 1) why it is necessary to purchase branded products, 2) benefits in brand name products. How will items further the mission of the NN/LM and achieve the objectives of the contract?
Vendor quotes are necessary to determine price reasonable for purchase of $3,000 or more. The absence of competitive quotes must be documented and justified.
Period of Performance
Projects should be completed within 12 months of project award.
Selection Criteria
Criteria for selection include: qualifications of organization, described need for the project, target community to be reached, experience and support of project personnel.
Reporting Requirements
Quarterly reports of project activities, including progress made toward goals and problems encountered, and completion of outreach reporting activity forms are required. A final report covering the entire period of performance is due within 30 days of the close of the project.
If training is conducted as part of the project, the awardee will complete a record of the event in the online outreach activity and reporting system within 2 weeks of the activity. The NN/LM SE/A office will provide an instruction manual for inputting this information into the system.
In addition to the aforementioned reporting requirements, the awardee shall provide copies of all communications, materials produced, press releases, advertisements, and articles for newsletters related to the project. In accepting the award, the awardee gives permission for use of such materials by the NLM and NN/LM.
Publication and Publicity
The awardee shall acknowledge the support of the National Library of Medicine whenever publicizing the work under this award in any media by including an acknowledgment substantially as follows:
This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. N01-LM-6-3502 with the University of Maryland Baltimore.
NIH Policy on Enhancing Public Access to Archived Publications Resulting from NIH-Funded Research
As of April 7, 2008, final peer-reviewed manuscripts arising from NIH funds must be submitted to PubMed Central upon acceptance for publication. The NIH Public Access Policy http://publicaccess.nih.gov/policy.htm ensures that the public has access to the published results of NIH funded research. It requires scientists to submit final peer-reviewed journal manuscripts that arise from NIH funds to the digital archive PubMed Central http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/ upon acceptance for publication. To help advance science and improve human health, the Policy requires that these papers http://publicaccess.nih.gov/FAQ.htm are accessible to the public on PubMed Central no later than 12 months after publication. The NIH Public Access site should be consulted for additional information: http://publicaccess.nih.gov/policy.htm.
Website Compliance
If a website is developed under this award, the website must adhere to Section 508 compliance. Resources for this compliance include the National Library of Medicine Web Applications/Site Development Guidelines (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/web/documentation/index.html) and Summary of Section 508 Standards (http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=11).
Resources for Planning, Implementing and Evaluating Outreach Projects
Measuring
the Difference: Guide to Planning and Evaluating Health Information
Outreach
Planning
and Evaluating Health Information Outreach Projects
Series
Logic
Model Development Guide - W.B. Kellogg Foundation (
)
NN/LM and SE/A
web sites have links to various training courses
that may be of interest. Or, awardee may consult with
the Outreach Evaluation Resource Center for assistance
with development of an evaluation plan.
Need Assistance?
For information or application materials contact our office at 1-800-338-7657.
