Grant Application Guidelines
PURPOSE: The Association of South Dakota Museums (ASDM) believes that museums have an irreplaceable role in South Dakota as guardians of our cultural and natural history legacies. They are vital educational resources and drivers of economic prosperity. Museums add greatly to the quality of life for South Dakotans. ASDM supports its organizational members through grants which are designed to help museums of all sizes, types and budgets fulfill their important missions.
ELIGIBILITY: ASDM grants can be awarded to any ASDM Institutional Member who has an eligible 501c3 status. Grant applications will be considered in two institutional budget categories – Large (over $75,000 annual budget) and Small – (under $75,000 annual budget). Every effort will be made to award ASDM grant monies to institutions in each budget category but this is not guaranteed. Grant awards are determined on the merit of each application. In any given year the winning applications may come from either or both budget categories.
REQUIREMENTS
- Applicants MUST BE CURRENT ASDM INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS and have a qualifying 501c3 status, be a government entity or other IRS-recognized charitable organization.
- Grant projects must meet the standards set forth in the ASDM Grant Project Standards (below).
- A 1-to-1 grant match is required. In-kind services can be used to meet the grant match.
- Institutions may submit only one application per year. Grant winners are not eligible to reapply for three years after receiving an ASDM grant.
- Grant recipients are required to complete their grant-funded project within twelve months of the date awarded.
- Grant maximum award is $500
- Recipients must submit a follow up report on the grant project no later than May 30th of the next calendar year to ASDM for use in marketing materials, newsletter, or website.
APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY August 31, 2023 Applications must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. MST for consideration. Notification of awards will be made within a month following the deadline.
PROJECT STANDARDS
The scope and variety of grant projects is wide, but winning projects must demonstrate practical standards for museum improvement.
ASDM will consider grants for the following types of projects: general collections care; public programming; critical maintenance projects; exhibit design and development; collections storage; improved technology; collections consultants; staff training; security issues. This list is not exhaustive, and ASDM will consider other projects and encourages creativity in applicants for funding.
ASDM will not consider grants for: General operating support; fundraising events; food or catering services; staff salaries or stipends; travel expenses; cosmetic building improvements. Regranting ASDM monies is not allowed.
AMOUNTS: No ASDM grant award will exceed $500. Recipients may be awarded partial grant funding less than the total amount requested in their application. The number of awards granted each year will vary as funding is determined by ASDM’s annual revenue, which may fluctuate.
SELECTION PROCESS: Applications will be reviewed by a committee of peer reviewers using a written rubric to score each application. The committee will make recommendations for grant awards to the ASDM Board. The Board will make final decisions and approval of grants via a board vote. Any grant reviewers or board members from organizations submitting grant applications will abstain from the selection process. Applicants will be notified of their status within thirty days of the grant deadline. Successful applicants will be announced at the annual ASDM conference.
PROJECT NARRATIVE
ASDM grant funds can be used for projects that are part of an institution’s on-going activities (for example, buying supplies to continue rehousing collections) but the specific part of the ongoing activity being funded by the grant must be explained clearly in the narrative and completed within 12 months of a grant award. Please attach a narrative, not to exceed two typed pages.
The narrative must include information or responses to ALL of the following:
a. The institution’s mission and how the project meets this mission.
b. Project summary:
i. Clearly specify activities the grant will support. Indicate if the project is part of a larger project or ongoing institutional activities or a stand-alone project. Identify the institutional needs the project meets and explain why the project is reasonable and appropriate for meeting the need.
ii. Explain what impact the project will have on the institution. How will the project be sustained beyond the grant period?
iii. Specify if grant funding is vital for project completion or if the project can proceed without it. Will other resources be used to complete the project if no grant is awarded?
c. Proposed completion schedule for project. (The project specifically funded by the grant must be completed within 12 months of the grant award.) Provide a detailed timeline of activities for the project. List personnel involved, supplies, and venders if needed.
d. Describe the institution’s match grant funding. Where will the monies for the match come from? If in-kind services will be used for match funding, explain what the services are and how the in-kind dollar amount was calculated.
PROJECT BUDGET
Provide a written project budget, not to exceed one page. Include a list and description of supplies, personnel, consultants, equipment and other costs required for the project. Complete and include a budget table on the project budget page.
