Frequently Asked Questions: Adult and Family Literacy Grant Program
Q. Who is eligible?
A: To apply for the grant:
A public or association library and public library systems.
Adult Literacy only: A library or library system can apply for an Adult Literacy Library Services program grant if the project includes direct work with a literacy provider such as a Literacy Volunteers office or a School or BOCES that offers adult (ages 16 and over and not enrolled in school) literacy instruction.
To participate in a project resulting from this grant:
Adult Literacy only: Any adult ages 16 and over who is in need of literacy instruction/assistance and is not enrolled in school.
Q. Are member libraries considered partners?
A. NO, a system or a library would need a literacy provider as a partner. The libraries participating could all have the same literacy provider but there must be one partner in the program that is an actual provider/teacher. The library or system can use the grant funds to pay for the services of a literacy provider.
Q. May a literacy agency be a part of more than one grant application?
A. Each grant request is reviewed on its own merits. So a literacy agency could be part of more than one application in each category--Family Literacy and Adult Literacy. Be sure that the responsibilities of the literacy agency are clearly defined in each application.
Q. We have a question regarding the partnership requirement, which states that the library applicant must partner with a local literacy provider (Adult Literacy only). When a library is already a literacy provider itself, is the library able to serve as the literacy provider for a proposed project (with support from a community-based partner), or would our partner be required to deliver the literacy services?
A. When the library is an adult literacy provider it may serve as the local literacy provider for the grant application. Support from a community-based partner will result in the application receiving reviewer's points in Section II under collaboration.
Q. If a library applies for the Family Literacy Library Grant, can the same library also apply for the Adult Literacy Grant?
A. YES. A library may submit one application for an Adult Library Literacy Grant and a different application for the Family Literacy Grant. Be sure that each application meets that program's guidelines.
Q. Can passwords be shared between Adult Literacy Program and Family Literacy Program?
A. YES, if your library or system already has user names and passwords for Family Literacy, you can use the same for Adult Literacy.
Q. Are organizations or educational institutions that provide literacy services eligible to submit Grant applications?
A. No. Only public and association libraries that are members of a public library system, or public library systems may submit applications.
Adult Literacy only: Literacy providers must partner with public/association libraries and public library systems on Adult Literacy Library Services projects.
Q. Since projects may involve partnerships with literacy providers, cultural or educational organizations and libraries/library systems, whose board signs the Board Certification?
A. The Family Literacy Library Services Program grant awards are made to public/association libraries and public library systems. Although the Family Literacy project application may include one or more project partners and the Adult Literacy project application requires a literacy provider as a partner, the grant is made to the library or library system, not to any partner. Therefore the library or system board which has submitted the application signs the Board Certification.
Q. Can a public library system and one or more public/association libraries within the system each submit an application? Is there a limit to the amount they can request?
A. A library system and all libraries within the system may submit individual applications. Each applicant may apply for up to the maximum grant amount of $45,000 per year for Family Literacy grants or $20,000 for Adult Literacy grants.
Q. Is equipment that helps to provide literacy services an allowable cost?
A. Equipment purchased in support of a project is an eligible expense. If the unit cost is $5,000 or more, it is itemized in the Equipment budget category. If the unit cost is less than $5,000, it is itemized under Supplies and Materials. For equipment over $1,000, vendor quotes must be attached.
Q. When are vendor quotes required?
A. When requesting funding for a contracted service and when the unit cost of equipment exceeds $1,000, the project budget must have vendor quotes attached.
Q. How does an applicant decide which budget category to use for project personnel?
A. If the project personnel will be paid through the applicant’s payroll, the payment amount is entered into Code 15, Salaries for Professional Staff. If the person will be an independent contractor, or will be paid on a per diem basis, the amount is entered in Code 40, Purchased Services.
Q. May an applicant request grant funds for current full-time staff who will work in the proposed literacy program? What if the staff is currently part-time and the project will require increased hours?
A. Grant funds MAY NOT be used to replace payroll funds for existing staff. Grant funds MAY be used to add staff or increase hours of current staff in order to deliver proposed services. Enter the amount under Budget Code 15: Salaries for Professional Staff and describe how the positions identified will support the project activities and contribute to program goals.
Q. Is there a space limit or word limit for the narrative sections of the application?
A. No. Clarity is most important.
Q. What is the difference between professional staff and support staff?
A. If the project personnel is an Administrator of the program or is a Librarian or other expert in the project field they are entered under Professional Salaries - Code 15. If the project person provides Support services then the payment is entered under Support Staff - Code 16. If the person is an independent contractor, or will be paid on a per diem basis, the amount is entered in Code 40, Purchased Services.
Q. If the library will hire a new part time worker for the project, may we attach a job description instead of a résumé?
A. Yes, a job description listing duties and qualifications is acceptable.
Q. May library or system overhead and administrative costs that are already part of library operations be paid for through a Literacy Library Services grant?
A. These costs are not eligible for funding through this program.
Q. My library or system board is not meeting again until after the December 10 deadline. Does the Board Certification have to be submitted with the application or may it be submitted later?
A. If necessary, you may submit the Board Certification during January if: 1) you submit a statement with the application as to the board's next meeting date and 2) let us know that the certification will be submitted during January.
Q. May an applicant purchase services from a collaborating (partner) agency to support the project activities?
A. Yes. The applicant may contract with the agency to deliver services that support project activities. Contract cost is entered in Budget Code 40: Purchased Services.
Q. If our library needs to make changes in our building to accommodate the literacy project, will the grant fund associated construction costs?
A. The grant will not fund construction costs. However, supplies, materials and equipment that are needed in the new area to provide project services are eligible for funding.
Q. Our project includes the purchase of computers. Do we need to worry about filtering and CIPA (Children’s Internet Protection Act)?
A. Filtering of computers in public libraries is not required by New York State Education Law. Education Law § 260(12) does require that public libraries establish policies concerning patron use of public access computer terminals. Any public library that offers public computing should already have such a policy in place. Federal CIPA requirements do not apply to these projects.
Q. In the sample project narrative, Section II: Need, Target Audience, Collaboration parts b) Long Range Plan and c) Library Programming are not explained. What information needs to be in those sections?
A. The full text of parts b and c is: b) Long Range Plan: Explain how the project relates to the system's Plan of Service and Library's long-range plan (5 points). c) How will the project improve of current library programming? (5 points)
Q. Please explain the FS-10 budget forms and accompanying narratives.
A. Each application requires submission of Two FS-10 budget forms - one for FY2011-12 and one for FY 2012-13. Each FS-10 form must be accompanied by a set of "budget category and narrative forms." Only submit narrative forms for the categories with expenses.
You may want to write the FY at the top of each "budget category and narrative form" submitted to prevent mix-ups of years.
Q. May grant funds be used for give-away items including books for children/families who participate in the project activities (Family Literacy only)?
A. No, grant funds may not be used for this purpose. Giving books away to children and families is a part of some projects and funding for these must come from other sources.
Q: The letters of support for my application are hard copies. How do I send them with the application?
A: Scan the letters of support and attach the documents as part of the online application. If you do not have access to a scanner, mail the letters to Library Development along with your FS-10 forms, and we will scan them into your application.
Q: Can a system level grant indicate that X number of libraries will participate or do they need to be named?
A: The more clearly the participating libraries are shown to be committed to the project, the stronger your application will be in a competitive environment. Participating libraries that are named and, through the narrative and/or letters of support, indicate why they want to participate, makes for a strong needs statement.
Q: As a system writing a grant which will include 10-12 member libraries -- does each library has to show / illustrate the connection to the grant and their long-range plans? Or just the system?
A: In a system-initiated grant, the system's long range plan is of primary importance. A reference to, or citations of participating libraries' plans provides additional information.
Q: I cannot type in or save any data on the FS-10 Form, why?
A: Do not type in any data on the FS-10 Form. Select the ‘Project Budget’ option from the drop-down menu. On the Project Budget page, enter your budget items and amount requested by budget category (Salaries, Benefits, Contracted Services, Supplies / Equipment, and Travel). Save all entries on the Project Budget pages.
Now, use the drop-down menu to select the FS-10 Form. It should pre-print the amount requested per budget category from your entries on the Project Budget pages. Print 3 copies of the FS-10 for each Fiscal Year, and sign in blue ink.
Q: I cannot save my Budget page, I get an error message that reads “Errors have been detected. Please correct the following errors in order to save.”
A: All required fields for each budget record need to be filled in before you click the Save button.
If you have 2, 3, or more ‘blank’ budget records, you MUST fill in data for each of those budget records, and then click the Save button. For example, if you clicked the link to ‘Add year 1 record’, and then clicked the link to ‘Add year 2 record’ – you now have 2 blank budget records on your screen. All fields in both of those budget records need to be filled-in, and then Saved.
Or, delete the extra budget records, and just ‘Add a record’, type in your data, and then ‘Save’ 1 budget record at a time.
Q: The Cover Page or the FS-10 Form has outdated address/city/zip code information? The Cover Page or FS-10 Form is missing the Library Director name, or has outdated Library Director information? How can I change it?
A: The applicant cannot change the institution address/city/zip code or Library Director information. This information is from the Education Department’s SEDREF database*. If the information is outdated, you MUST mail in a signed, completed "Payee Information Form" (in blue ink please) to the New York State Library/Division of Library Development, Albany, NY 12230.
You may access this form through the link in the online application.
SED will review the Payee Information Form, and update your institution’s information in SEDREF.
However, since the process of printing/mailing/approving/recording the payee info form can take a while, the applicant should just type in or hand write in any incorrect info on their cover authorization or FS-10 forms. Both the authorization and FS forms have director/address info from SEDREF.
*SEDREF is a NY State Education Department record management system and not every library in the state is yet included in it.
Q: I cannot attach my Microsoft Word/Excel document to the online application?
A: You cannot attach Microsoft 2007 documents to your online application (example, .docx, or .xlsx). Please convert these documents to Microsoft 2003 file extensions (example, .doc, or .xls), and then attach to your online application.
Q: I click the ‘Submit’ button on the Checklist page to submit my application, but the ‘Confirm Submission’ page has warning messages about my budget or narratives.
A: After the ‘Submit’ button is clicked, you will be taken to the ‘Confirm Submission’ page. A warning message will list any narratives you did not fill out and Save. You need to go back to the Application Narratives page, and fill out a narrative for each section of the application (Example: 1a. Summary Description, 2a. Project Need/Target Audience, 2b. Long-range Plan, etc)
The ‘Confirm Submission’ page will display a warning message if the Project Budget ‘Amount Requested’ field is not within the minimum/maximum amount allowable for each fiscal year.
The amount requested for each year of an Adult Literacy grant must be between $10,000 and $20,000.
The amount requested for each year of a Family Literacy grant must be between $10,000 and $45,000.