Applying for a Grant

General eligibility

Libraries in Washington State eligible for funding under the LSTA are those libraries included within item 1 or 2 below and that also meet the criteria identified within item 3.

1. Libraries identified in the legislation, as further defined below.
2. Libraries operating as not-for-profit entities (i.e., 501c3 status or a similar non-profit designation), or as part of not-for-profit entities.
3. Those libraries that report to a governing body and have:
   • Written mission statement
   • Fixed location
   • Established and posted hours of service
   • Organized collection accessible to its clientele
   • Designated staff with authority and responsibility for library operations and services
   • Adopted policies consistent with accepted library practices
   • Budget with a defined, ongoing revenue source
   • Legal basis for operation
   • Clearly defined governance structure

Libraries eligible to apply for LSTA funds

Public libraries
Libraries supported wholly or substantially from public funds, available to the general public, and organized under the provisions of RCW 27.12.010.

Academic libraries
Libraries of universities, university colleges, and all other institutions forming part of, or associated with, institutions of higher education.

Research libraries
"…a library that (i) makes publicly available library services and materials suitable for scholarly research and not otherwise available to the public, and; (ii) is not an integral part of an institution of higher education." (LSTA, §9122)

Private or Special libraries
Private or special (e.g. corporate, association, or government) libraries that have been determined by the state to be considered an eligible library.

School libraries
Libraries of public elementary and secondary schools that are organized for the use of students, teachers, and parents. Such libraries, or "resource centers," or "instructional media centers," will include books and print and non-print resources, and will have an ongoing funding source and designated staff with responsibility for library operations and services.

Tribal libraries
Libraries or research centers operated by Washington tribes.

Library Consortium
"The term 'library consortium' means any local, statewide, regional, interstate, or international cooperative association of library entities which provides for the systematic and effective coordination of the resources of school, public, academic, and special libraries and information centers, for improved services for the clientele of such library entities." (LSTA, §9122) Under this definition, a library consortium in Washington State will be eligible for LSTA funding if such an entity has among its members one or more libraries that meet eligibility requirements as stated above. Furthermore, only those libraries that meet these criteria will be eligible as individual recipients of such funding.

Children's Internet Protection Act

Public libraries currently receiving E-Rate discounts or participating in LSTA funded programs should be aware of this legislation and how it affects the funding of your library. More information can be found on our CIPA page.

Identification numbers needed to apply for federal funds

Grant recipients must be registered in the federal System for Award Management (SAM) at SAM.gov and provide the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) for their organization. This identifier replaced DUNS in April 2022. Section 2 CFR § 25.300 describes the transition away from using DUNS numbers (from Dun & Bradstreet) as entity identifiers to Unique Entity Identifiers.

Requirement for recipients to ensure subrecipients have a unique entity identifier.

(a) A recipient [Washington State Library] may not make a subaward to a subrecipient [public, academic, special, and tribal libraries or any other recipient] unless that subrecipient has obtained and provided to WSL the UEI for their organization. Subrecipients are not required to complete full SAM registration to obtain a UEI.

(b) A recipient must notify any potential subrecipients that the recipient cannot make a subaward unless the subrecipient has obtained a unique entity identifier as described in paragraph (a) of this section.

What does this mean for my library?

For a library to be eligible to apply for and access federal funds after April 2022, your library (or local government unit or university or tribal authority acting as a fiscal agent) will need to obtain a UEI. If your library’s county/municipality (inclusive of cities, villages, towns, tribal governments and tribal associations, and school districts that operate a library) holds the DUNS number for your library, please contact your municipality/county to get the new UEI number.

1. If your library already has a DUNS number AND is registered in SAM.gov, that DUNS number was automatically updated to a UEI. This scenario is most likely for libraries using a municipal/county DUNS number and libraries that have received direct federal assistance through a grant from IMLS or another federal agency. Use the SAM Status Tracker to check your organization's registration status with SAM.

2. If your library already has a DUNS number but is NOT registered in SAM.gov, you need to complete SAM.gov registration to have your DUNS number transitioned to a UEI. This scenario is likely for libraries that hold their own DUNS numbers and have not applied directly to a federal agency for a grant. Use the SAM Status Tracker to check your organization's registration status with SAM. Refer to New to SAM.gov for Financial Assistance from the U.S. General Services Administration for details on how to register for a SAM.gov account and maintain that registration.

3. If your library has neither a DUNS number nor is registered in SAM.gov, you will want to decide whether you will proceed with SAM.gov registration to obtain a UEI. Washington State Library believes it is important for libraries and/or their local government unit to be able to apply for and receive federal assistance, particularly considering the volume of federal financial assistance that has been provided since March 2020. Having the ability to be flexible and request federal assistance can provide substantial financial assistance in improving library services in your community. Refer to the “New to SAM.gov for Financial Assistance” PDF from the U.S. General Services Administration for details on how to register for a SAM.gov account and maintain that registration.

How long does it take to register with SAM?

(From Grants.gov) Generally, after completing the online registration and sending your notarized letter confirming the entity administrator, it takes up to two weeks to register with SAM, then one business day for updates made in SAM to be reflected in Grants.gov. However, your organization must first have an EIN. If your organization does not have an EIN, you should allow an additional 5 weeks to request and obtain an EIN from the IRS.

Summary

• Unique Entity Identifiers (UEI) have replaced DUNS.
• Libraries need a UEI to receive federal funds (e.g., LSTA).
• The UEI can be obtained by registering in SAM.gov for financial assistance.
• If your library uses a municipal/county DUNS number to access federal funds, contact your municipality/county to ensure you are registered in SAM.gov.
• If your library uses its own DUNS number or does not have a DUNS number, you should register in SAM.gov to obtain a UEI.
• You may need to confirm your entity administrator by sending a notarized letter.

Additional Resources

• Entity Registration Walkthrough
• Federal Service Desk – SAM.gov Help Desk