FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2005

Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Eileen Maxwell, emaxwell@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov

IMLS Calls for National Leadership Grant Applications

WASHINGTON, DC - The guidelines for National Leadership Grants for Libraries and for Museums are now available on the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Web site as a PDF file.

National Leadership Grants build skills for the 21st century, sustain and provide access to cultural heritage, support learning for all ages and in many types of communities, and encourage civic participation. These awards help libraries and museums develop models and produce results that help to foster individual achievement, community responsibility, and lifelong learning.

This year, IMLS plans to support a wide range of projects under its three grant categories: Advancing Learning Communities, Building Digital Resources, and Research and Demonstration. Among the prioirties for each category is a focus on youth development. Read more about the agency's Museums and Libraries Engaging America's Youth initiative at http://www.imls.gov/youth.

Mary Chute, Acting Director of IMLS, said, "As core agencies of lifelong learning, museums and libraries must respond to the evolving needs of our learning society. National Leadership Grants help these institutions better structure and deliver their services so that learners of all ages have access to their unique cultural, scientific, and artistic collections."

The deadline for all National Leadership Grant categories is February 1, 2006. Grants will be awarded in mid-September. Applicants may request $25,000 to $1,000,000.

To learn more about IMLS National Leadership Grants and other funding opportunities for libraries and museums, please see the 2006 IMLS Grants and Awards program brochure.