FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2004

WASHINGTON, DC - IMLS National Leadership Grants program will provide a new opportunity. Beginning in 2005, IMLS will support museum research and demonstration projects. Museums, museums service organizations, and institutions of higher education can now apply for grants that research theories on museum-based learning, for example, or to validate strategies for delivering service:

Research and Demonstration supports research in library science and museum services and demonstration projects that test potential solutions to problems in real-world situations. Proposals to research theories on museum- and library-based learning and to validate strategies for delivering service are encouraged.

Dr. Robert Martin, Director of IMLS, said, "This change will allow IMLS to support critically needed museum research."

The 2005 National Leadership Grant guidelines will be available on the IMLS Web site in October of 2004 (http://www.imls.gov). The application deadline is February 1, 2005. Grants will be awarded in mid-September. Applicants may request $25,000 to $1,000,000.

To learn more about National Leadership Grants and other funding and award opportunities from IMLS, please see the 2005 Grant and Awards Program Brochure at: http://www.imls.gov/pubs/pdf/2005programs.pdf

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is an independent Federal grant-making agency dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of learners by helping libraries and museums serve their communities. The Institute fosters leadership, innovation, and a lifetime of learning by supporting the nation's 15,000 museums and 122,000 libraries. The Institute also encourages partnerships to expand the educational benefit of libraries and museums. To learn more about the Institute, please log onto: http://www.imls.gov