2002 US Code
Title 20 - EDUCATION
CHAPTER 72 - MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES
SUBCHAPTER III - MUSEUM SERVICES
Sec. 9173 - Museum services activities

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§9173. Museum services activities (a) Grants

The Director, subject to the policy direction of the Museum Board, may make grants to museums to pay for the Federal share of the cost of increasing and improving museum services, through such activities as—

(1) programs that enable museums to construct or install displays, interpretations, and exhibitions in order to improve museum services provided to the public;

(2) assisting museums in developing and maintaining professionally trained or otherwise experienced staff to meet the needs of the museums;

(3) assisting museums in meeting the administrative costs of preserving and maintaining the collections of the museums, exhibiting the collections to the public, and providing educational programs to the public through the use of the collections;

(4) assisting museums in cooperating with each other in developing traveling exhibitions, meeting transportation costs, and identifying and locating collections available for loan;

(5) assisting museums in the conservation of their collections;

(6) developing and carrying out specialized programs for specific segments of the public, such as programs for urban neighborhoods, rural areas, Indian reservations, and penal and other State institutions; and

(7) model programs demonstrating cooperative efforts between libraries and museums.

(b) Contracts and cooperative agreements (1) Projects to strengthen museum services

The Director, subject to the policy direction of the Museum Board, is authorized to enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with appropriate entities, as determined by the Director, to pay for the Federal share of enabling the entities to undertake projects designed to strengthen museum services, except that any contracts or cooperative agreements entered into pursuant to this subsection shall be effective only to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriations Acts.

(2) Limitation on amount

The aggregate amount of financial assistance made available under this subsection for a fiscal year shall not exceed 15 percent of the amount appropriated under this subchapter for such fiscal year.

(3) Operational expenses

No financial assistance may be provided under this subsection to pay for operational expenses.

(c) Federal share (1) 50 percent

Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Federal share described in subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall be not more than 50 percent.

(2) Greater than 50 percent

The Director may use not more than 20 percent of the funds made available under this subchapter for a fiscal year to make grants under subsection (a) of this section, or enter into contracts or agreements under subsection (b) of this section, for which the Federal share may be greater than 50 percent.

(d) Review and evaluation

The Director shall establish procedures for reviewing and evaluating grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements made or entered into under this subchapter. Procedures for reviewing grant applications or contracts and cooperative agreements for financial assistance under this subchapter shall not be subject to any review outside of the Institute.

(Pub. L. 94–462, title II, §273, as added Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, §101(e) [title VII, §702], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–233, 3009–303.)