A. Eligible institutions may contact the Chair of the Program Committee to explore ideas and proposals, or may submit an application form directly. Address all correspondence to:

Dr. Dan Hazen, Associate Librarian of Harvard College for Collection Development, 140 Widener, Harvard College Library, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.

Fax: +1 (617) 496-8704    E-mail: dchazen@fas.harvard.edu

B. Application forms require the following information: (download the application form)

1. Basic data about the institution, including the director's career biography, information on current staffing, a description of the current system for bibliographic control and an estimate of the proportion of the collection represented within this system, the two most recent budgets or financial reports, and information on the sources and amounts of all external support received during the last five years.

2. Information about collections and services, including requirements for users wishing to consult the collections and the names (and whenever possible addresses) of scholars who have recently conducted research in the repository.

3. A project description and workplan. The workplan should discuss:

Activities and expected result.

Timetable.

Itemized costs, including institutional contributions or matching funds.

An evaluation process and criteria for assessing project results.

4. A statement of responsibility, signed by the institution's president, director, or chief executive officer, affirming that the institution can contractually commit itself to complying with the terms of any grant, that it will submit periodic (usually quarterly) narrative and financial reports concerning grant activities, and that non-compliance with contract terms is understood as grounds for forfeiting the award and returning any funds.

Applicants are welcome to submit supplementary materials such as publications, videocassettes, and the like. Since the Program Committee consists of six individuals in different locations, however, most such materials will not be seen by most of the members. Extensive appendices are similarly unlikely to be circulated. Please respect the guidelines with respect to application length.

Please number the pages of your application. North American photocopy and fax machines use paper that measures ca. 21.5 cm. by 29 cm. (8.5 by 11 inches). Whenever possible, please submit applications on paper of this size. Applications sent electronically have often proven problematic; please do not rely solely on this method to submit formal proposals. Please send paper copies of all applications, even those that are also submitted electronically or via fax.

C. The Program Committee chair will, as necessary, correspond with applicants to clarify requests and to collect all required information. References may be contacted to verify statements of need and to assess each repository's ability to carry out its plan.

D. All proposals are acknowledged upon receipt. Completed applications will be copied to all Program Committee members after the appropriate deadline. Applications will be reviewed three times per year, on May 1, August 1, and December 1. Program Committee members have about two months to evaluate the applications. Results are compiled as soon as all the evaluations have been returned, after which applicants are notified as quickly as possible. Awards will be announced within approximately four months of each application deadline.

E. Grants will be awarded upon Program Committee recommendation, subject to formal agreements between recipient institutions and Harvard University. These agreements will require periodic narrative and financial reports. In cases requiring no clarifications or changes, grantees should receive their first check within about five months of the application deadline. In some instances, payment will be split into two installments, with the second check contingent on documentation of satisfactory progress during the first phase of work.

It is expected that three copies of any publication or guide resulting from a grant will be made available to the Program Committee.