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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Nevada State Museum Curatorial Program (L14AS00069)

What is the Nevada State Museum Curatorial Program (L14AS00069)?

The Nevada State Museum Curatorial Program (Funding Opportunity Number L14AS00069) was a discretionary federal grant opportunity offered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) under the Natural Resources funding activity category, with an emphasis on cultural resource management (CFDA 15.224).

What was the purpose of this grant opportunity?

The purpose was to provide financial support to improve how the Nevada State Museum stores and manages collections. The focus was on practical upgrades that make collection storage more efficient and the overall curatorial process smoother, strengthening the museum's capacity to care for cultural and natural history materials through better systems and infrastructure.

What kinds of activities or improvements were the funds intended to support?

Funding was intended to support improvements that help reorganize, process, and properly curate museum holdings. The description highlights needs such as making collection storage more efficient, smoothing curatorial workflows, reducing bottlenecks, and improving accountability and long-term manageability of collections.

What were the allowable uses of grant funds?

The grant specifically allowed funds to be used for staff time (personnel work hours) and for equipment purchases that would help reorganize, process, and properly curate museum holdings.

Was this funding intended just to buy supplies or add short-term staffing?

No. The overall intent was not simply to buy supplies or add short-term staffing, but to strengthen the museum's capacity to responsibly care for cultural and natural history materials through improved systems and infrastructure.

What was a central priority for the program?

A central priority was the curation and integration of previously held collections that had been housed at two separate institutions in Nevada: the Harry Reid Center in Las Vegas and the Desert Research Institute in Reno. The goal was to bring order, consistency, and long-term manageability to those collections as they were integrated.

Which institutions were specifically mentioned as holding collections to be integrated?

The opportunity specifically mentioned the Harry Reid Center in Las Vegas and the Desert Research Institute in Reno as the two institutions where relevant collections had been housed.

What types of collection work were implied by the program description?

The description suggests work likely involving inventorying, rehousing, cataloging, improving environmental or physical storage conditions, and setting up workflows that reduce bottlenecks and improve accountability.

What federal agency offered this opportunity?

The opportunity was offered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

What funding category and program identifier were associated with this opportunity?

The funding activity category was Natural Resources, with an emphasis on cultural resource management. The CFDA program identifier listed was 15.224.

What type of award instrument was used?

The award was structured as a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that the award was a cooperative agreement?

In this context, a cooperative agreement typically means the federal agency expects to have substantial involvement during the project period, such as coordination on deliverables, technical guidance, or oversight aligned with BLM cultural resource responsibilities.

How many awards were expected?

Only one award was expected.

What was the total estimated program funding?

Total estimated program funding was listed at $250,000.

What was the anticipated award size range?

Individual awards were anticipated to range from $50,000 (floor) up to $200,000 (ceiling).

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants were not required to provide non-federal funds to qualify.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility included state governments; city, township, and county governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; and Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations (including both federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations).

Were Native American tribal entities eligible?

Yes. Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations were eligible, including federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations.

When was the opportunity posted and created?

The opportunity was originally posted on April 4, 2014, and was created on May 6, 2014.

What were the application closing dates?

The original closing date was May 2, 2014. The closing date was later extended to a final closing date of May 20, 2014.

When was the opportunity archived?

The opportunity was archived on June 2, 2014.

Who was the point of contact for applicants who could not access the full announcement electronically?

The listed point of contact was Robert Saxton, Grants Management Specialist at BLM.

How could the point of contact be reached?

Robert Saxton could be reached by phone at (775) 861-6616 or by email at rtsaxton@blm.gov.

What was the grant trying to improve at the Nevada State Museum?

The grant was intended to improve the museum's collection storage efficiency and to make the overall curatorial process smoother, with an emphasis on long-term manageability, consistency, and accountability in how collections are stored and managed.