Government of Ontario: Ministry of Culture

Programs and Services Branch

LIBRARY STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT FUND
Guidelines

CONTENTS

The Ministry’s Vision

Goal of The Library Strategic Development Fund (Lsdf)

Government Priorities

Eligibility

Criteria

Performance Measures

Examples of Eligible Projects

Funding Guidelines and General Terms

Project Budget Questions and Answers

Deadline

Evaluation

Interim and Post Project Reports and Results Analysis

Administration of The Program

Library Strategic Development Fund 2009-2010

The Ministry’s Vision

The Ministry of Culture is providing leadership in building a strong and stable cultural sector that contributes to a prosperous creative economy and vibrant, liveable communities.

Goal of The Library Strategic Development Fund (LSDF)

The Library Strategic Development Fund is one of the mechanisms by which the Ministry will carry out its commitments.  The goal of
the fund is to strengthen the cultural and economic vitality of the province by making strategic investments in projects/initiatives designed to enhance the public library sector at the provincial and regional levels.

Government Priorities

The LSDF helps the public library community to address government priorities.  These are strong economy; education and training; health care and the environment.

Eligibility

The lead applicant must be a public library board established under the Public Libraries Act, a public library established by a First Nation that is funded under the Public Libraries Act, a public library established by a local services board that is funded under the Public Libraries Act, an incorporated Ontario public library organization representing or working on behalf of public libraries, or an Ontario Library Service agency. 

Criteria

The completed funding application must clearly state why the project is needed, involve one applicant and one or more partners, and demonstrate:

• Measurable benefits to the public library sector at a provincial or regional level; or be a model or pilot for the public library sector;
  
  
• Clear links to delivery of Ministry Vision and at least one government priority;
  
  
• Contribution to the achievement of a sustainable public library sector;
  
  
• Innovation and creativity in the use of best practices and models;
  
  
• Partner participation in the project (see below);
  
  
• Ability to fulfill clear project goals and objectives within the resources provided;
  
  
• Project timelines and plans for monitoring results and tracking effectiveness;
  
  
• Sufficient project resources, management capability and programming track record to carry out the project within an acceptable level of risk; and
  
  
• Copyright requirements will be met for any publication or digital service or collection.
  
  

Partners could include:

• Public library boards, and public libraries established by First Nations and local services boards;
  
  
• First Nations;
  
  
• Municipalities;
  
  
• Boards of Health;
  
  
• Local Services Boards;
  
  
• Not-for-profit organizations including museums, heritage organizations and cultural organizations or for-profit organizations;
  
  
• Provincial Crown and cultural agencies;
  
  
• Provincial organizations;
  
  
• National organizations with Ontario representation.
  
  

Lead applicants can include business partners in their projects.

Performance Measures

The project must demonstrate its contribution to the public library sector through two or more of the following:

• Improved strategic planning or organizational management capabilities to enhance/support the public library sector;
  
  
• New partnerships or strategic alliances and active project involvement by partners;
  
  
• Increase in the number of jobs created in the public library sector;
  
  
• Enhanced recognition for public libraries;
  
  
• Enhanced recognition of public libraries contribution to community development;
  
  
• Enhanced public library services;
  
  
• Enhanced educational opportunities for students and life-long learners;
  
  
• New and innovative tools, standards or models to strengthen and build capacity of the public library sector;
  
  
• Plans to share project experience with the Ontario public library community for pilots, models and digital projects.
  
  

Examples of Eligible Projects

Projects likely to be funded will be strategic province-wide initiatives and projects that benefit or serve as models for the provincial library system as a whole.  Projects must involve partnerships.  Projects can address one or more of the following priorities, including:

• New technical support services for the broader public library sector;
  
  
• Research initiatives on key issues that impact the public library sector(s), e.g. public library capital, human resources needs; economic and social impact of the public library sector;
  
  
• Increased capacity to address emerging issues within the public library community;
  
  
• Innovative projects to improve access to or use of the public library system;
  
  
• New standards, guidelines, templates or best practices that could be adopted to benefit the public library system;
  
  
• Partnerships that develop and implement new products or services;
  
  
• Digital collections, digital centres of expertise, and new and innovative digital services.
  
  

Funding Guidelines and General Terms

• Projects will be funded up to 50% of eligible project costs in larger communities and up to 80% of eligible project costs for communities with a population of 20,000 or under, to a maximum of $50,000.  The Ministry’s contribution will not exceed the actual cash expenditure for the project.
  
  
• Projects may receive financial support from other levels of government, including Ontario ministries.  However, the combined contribution from all levels of government may not exceed 75%; 80% for communities with a population of 20,000 or under of the total project costs.
  
  
• In cases where funding from other Ontario government sources is included, this funding must be for a component of the project that is separate and distinct from the portion to be funded by the LSDF.
  
  
• Donated labour and materials are included in the calculation of the total project value/expenditures.
  
  
• The Ministry’s contribution will not exceed the actual cash expenditure for the project.
  
  
• Funding will be provided on a single or one-time only, project basis.
  
  
• Projects will be supported on a cost-sharing basis, depending on the nature of the project.
  
  

The following expenses will not be considered eligible when calculating the total eligible project costs:

• Any operating, hospitality or capital costs;
  
  
• Hiring interns to replace existing staff;
  
  
• Credit course from a college or university, and non-credit course costs.
  
  

Questions and Answers

The Ministry is providing these questions and answers to assist libraries in completing the LSDF application.  If you have questions about the information provided, or require further information, please contact Gartly Wagner, Library Programs Advisor in the Ministry’s Programs and Services Branch at 416 314-7629, email: gartly.wagner@ontario.ca

Total Expenditures /Project Value

Q 1.     What are eligible project costs and where are they reported in the Project Budget?

A 1.      Eligible project costs are reported as Expenditures in Category A, located on the left hand side of the Project Budget financial statement.  They include all expenditures on goods and services that the applicant intends to make to undertake the project, except those which are cited as ineligible in question 2 below.  Eligible project costs include the cost of hiring additional staff or the cost of extending staff hours that are specifically required for the applicant to undertake the project.

Q 2.    What are ineligible project costs and where are they reported in the Project Budget?

A 2.     Ineligible project costs are reported as Expenditures in Category B, located on the left hand side of the Project Budget financial statement.  They are all expenditures on goods and services related to the project that the applicant intends to make which are ineligible for LSDF funding.  For example: hospitality, operating and capital costs, and the value of library volunteer hours.

Q 3.    What are donated services and materials and where are they reported in the Project Budget?

A 3.     Donated services and materials are reported under Total Expenditures/ Project Value in Category C, located on the left hand side of the Project Budget financial statement.  In this section of the LSDF Project Budget, applicants report the value of any donated goods and services that the applicant expects to receive from another organization to support the project (e.g. donated equipment).

Project Revenues

Q 4.    What is the maximum amount of LSDF funding that an applicant serving a community of 20,000 population or less can receive?

A 4.     No project will receive more than $50,000 in LSDF funding.  Applicants in communities with a population of 20,000 or under:

• are eligible to receive up to 80% of eligible project costs, and,
  
  
• the combined contribution from all levels of government may not exceed 80% of the total project costs.
  
  

Q 5.    What is the maximum amount of LSDF funding that an applicant serving a community of more than 20,000 population can receive?

A 5.     No project will receive more than $50,000 in LSDF funding.  Applicants in communities with a population of more than 20,000:

• are eligible to receive up to 50% of eligible project costs, and,
  
  
• the combined contribution from all levels of government may not exceed 75% of the total project costs.
  
  

Holding of LSDF Grant Funds and Interest Earned

Q 6.    What requirements does the LSDF have with regard to the holding of LSDF grant funds and interest earned on grant funding?

A 6.     Until it is used in accordance with the LSDF agreement, LSDF funding must be placed in an account that:

1. resides at a Canadian financial institution; and
   
   
2. is in the name of the applicant.
   
   

If the Ministry flows the funding to the applicant prior to the applicant’s immediate need for the funding, the applicant must place the funding in an interest bearing account.  If the applicant earns any interest on the funding, it must be reported to the Ministry.  The Ministry may deduct the interest amount from any further Funding instalments; and require the applicant to pay any interest to the Ministry as directed by the Ministry.

Q 7.    Can an applicant acquire more funding for an approved project if costs increase?

A 7.     No.  There are no provisions in the LSDF to increase funding for an approved project if the costs to deliver that project increase.

Q 8.    What if the amount that an applicant expects to spend increases on one item, and decrease on another?  Is there any flexibility?

A 8.     Applicants are advised to discuss any proposed changes to the project budget with the Ministry’s Library Programs Advisor.  The LSDF provides for some flexibility in s. 4.5 of the LSDF Terms and Conditions, which state:

4.5       Despite the provisions of section 4 of the Terms and Conditions, the Recipient shall be entitled to move Grant funds equalling up to ten percent (10%) of the allocation in one line within a budget category to another line within the same budget category.

Project Partners

Q 9.    The LSDF requires projects to have at least one partner. What evidence of the partnership in the project is required?

A 9.     Applicants must include signed letters from each partner indicating their involvement in the project.  If the partner is making a contribution to the project, that support must be noted in the project financial statement.

Deadline

The deadline for applications is October 1, 2009.

Evaluation

All qualified applications will be evaluated.  Projects must meet the Criteria and address Performance Measures.  Lead applicants must describe how this will be done in a detailed project description and complete the Ministry LSDF Program Application form.  A public library peer evaluation team will review applications in comparison to the Criteria and Performance Measures and make recommendations to the Ministry.

Interim and Post Project Reports and Results Analysis

• All clients who receive LSDF support must complete a post project report (PPR) form including a financial reconciliation of the project and a report on results that includes a report on performance measures within three months of the project completion.
  
  
• Interim reports may be required for some projects.
  
  

Administration of The Program

The Ministry’s Programs and Services Branch Culture Programs Unit will administer the program.  Applicants are encouraged to discuss potential projects with the Ministry’s Culture Programs Unit before proceeding with a project.  Such a discussion does not mean a project will be recommended for approval. The Ministry anticipates that it will receive more projects than can be funded with available funding.

For further information contact:

Gartly Wagner
Programs and Services Branch
Ontario Ministry of Culture
400 University Ave., 4th Floor
Toronto ON  M7A 2R9
Telephone: 416 314-7629
Fax: 416 314-7175
Email: gartly.wagner@ontario.ca