COSLA-IMLS National Book Festival Support 2024
Building on the experiences and lessons learned in 2022 and 2023, the program continues to evolve for 2024.
Information Session
April 30, 2024
3:00 – 4:00 PM Eastern
Recording HERE
Passcode: cR.5z7^p
Each participating state will designate their primary point of contact (PPOC) (both an agency and an individual), each entity must submit a W-9.
Awards will be made ONLY to entities – Center for the Book, State Library Agency, Humanities Council, or other host entity. No payments will be issued directly to individuals.
Funding is available in two functional areas:
Participation Stipends: Funding is available for the attendance at, and engagement in, the 2024 Nation Book Festival. Allowable expenses include: travel, lodging, meals, materials development and production, shipping, talent (author) engagement, and other supplies.
Local Programming Stipends: Funding is available to support local programming developed and implemented to promote the National Book Festival and Centers for the Book at the local level.
This funding is available to both states who participate in the NBF, and those who are not able to send representatives to D.C., but wish to promote the NBF and their state’s Center for the Book. Allowable expenses include: materials development and production, talent (author) engagement, space fees (rental), and staff time. Note – hospitality (food and beverage) for any local program is NOT an allowable expense.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Each state will submit a single application for 2024 support.
The application form will collect complete details on the applying entity and the primary point of contact for the entity.
An estimated expense budget will be required – broken out by functional program area, and allowable expense.
A FIRM application deadline will apply - Friday, May 31, 2024.
Once the deadline has passed, no additional applications will be accepted.
Following the closing of the application window, the available funds across the two functional areas will be disbursed across the received applications. All available funding will be distributed as a percentage of each applicant’s projected expenses.
States that receive funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) will be eligible for a reduced level of funding, as an offset to the NEH funding they receive.
TIMELINE
May 1 (April 19) Application Opens
May 31 Application DEADLINE
Jun 14 Awards Confirmed
August 23-24 National Book Festival 2024
September Awards Distributed
October Feedback Collected
Register Your Local Event with the LOC
The Library of Congress is collecting details regarding National Partnership Events for cross-promotion.
Register your NBF Local Programming event with the LOC here:
Link to Local NBF Event Registration Form
Note: this is a separate process and not part of the funding application process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Our state XYZ agency is serving as the PPOC, and does not receive any funding from the NEH, but the ABC entity that we are partnering with does, are we eligible for the higher reimbursement rate?
A: No. The higher reimbursement rate is intended for those states that are not receiving any other Federal support for this project. If any NEH funding is received, the lower award rate is used.
Q: Our state XYZ agency is partnering with the ABC entity to coordinate our presence at the National Book Festival, who should be the PPOC?
A: COSLA has no preference, but there can be only ONE PPOC per state. Each state can determine ‘internally’ which entity is best positioned to serve as the PPOC.
Q: Our state XYZ agency is partnering with the ABC entity to collaborate on our presence at the National Book Festival and both entities are incurring expenses. How does each entity receive reimbursement?
A: The participation stipend / local programming stipend allocation is the total funding available per state. The award will be distributed to the PPOC’s entity, and that entity is responsible to sub-divide / distribute funds as agreed to within that state.
Q: Do we need to submit receipts for travel, lodging, materials production or shipping?
A: No. The program is now built on a flat award model that does not require any receipts. That said, it is recommend that the PPOC for each state maintain records of all related expenses should an audit of records be requested.
Q: When will stipend award funds be distributed?
A: Following the event, disbursements will be made in the previously noticed amounts.
Q: The participation stipend and local programming stipend funds are divided into allocable expense categories. Do the expense amounts need to match the category allotments?
A: No. The category allotments are guidelines for how the overall allocation was determined.
Q: Why can’t awards be made directly to individuals?
A: Moving to a flat stipend model, and completely eliminating the collection of receipts requires that payments be issued strictly to entities.
Q: How are awards calculated?
A: The total available funds are divided equally between the number of applicants, setting a baseline. Requests made below that baseline are ‘fully funded’. Remaining requests are separated into ‘bands’ based on the amount requested with a diminished rate of funding in inverse proportion to the total amount requested. (The larger the requested total amount, the larger the ‘reduction’ incurred.) Note, entities that receive NEH funding have that support accounted for in their award from this program.)
Q: Can I pay for travel / lodging expenses for an author from my state to attend the NBF?
A: YES! Authors are included as eligible in your travel / lodging expenses.
Q: How do I submit my entity’s W-9 to COSLA?
A: Email your entities current W-9 to [email protected] – and please provide any additional information about how payment should be made in that email.
Q: Do we have to participate in both functional areas (Participation in DC AND Local Programming)?
A: NO. You can apply for funding from either or both functional areas.
Regarding Volunteering at the IMLS Roadmap to Reading Booth:
Q: What can we expect if we volunteer at one of the IMLS Roadmap to Reading booths during the 2024 National Book Festival?
A: Any CFTB representative attending the Festival in person is welcome to volunteer for 2 hours at one of two IMLS booths; historically, duties include distributing maps and completion giveaways, and assisting with selfie stations.
Q: Will there be a schedule (including where and when to report) of CFTB volunteers at the IMLS booths provided prior to the Festival?
A: Yes! As we approach the Festival, an IMLS booth schedule will be distributed to CFTB helpers.
Q: What if a CFTB representative is unable to commit to the full 2 hours?
A: As of right now, we’re looking for a 2-hour ‘shift.’ It’s a pilot year, so if you can’t commit this year, there may be opportunities again in the future.
Q: Will any CFTB representative participating in this pilot volunteering opportunity receive special dispensation or funding?
A: No. This is a completely voluntary opportunity that might give representatives a more holistic experience of the Roadmap to Reading.
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