6. Applications for historical records program projects. a. Filing. By dates determined by the commissioner each year, an eligible institution may file an application, in a form prescribed by the commissioner, for a grant to support the approved costs of a proposed historical records project. b. Content. Such application shall include, but need not be limited to:

1. (1) a statement describing the applicant's need for the funding requested;
2. (2) collection statements and policies used by the institution to guide its acquisition efforts;
3. (3) a summary description of the records included in the historical records program of the institution;
4. (4) the status of finding aids and published guides for the historical records held by the institution;
5. (5) the current and/or anticipated level of use and audience for the historical records;
6. (6) the importance of the historical records for documenting life in New York;
7. (7) the expected impact of the grant upon the historical records program;
8. (8) the plan of work for the activities for which the funding is sought;
9. (9) the proposed project budget, including cost-sharing which would be committed to the project; and
10. (10) the staff and other resources devoted to the institution's historical records program on an ongoing basis. c. Approval. In approving any application pursuant to this subdivision, the commissioner shall consider:
11. (1) information in the proposal as set forth in paragraph b of this subdivision;
12. (2) the capacity of the institution to make the historical records known and accessible for research, education, public programs, improved policy making and other public benefits;
13. (3) the potential for improving the documentation of the heritage of any racial and ethnic group; and
14. (4) the potential for improving the documentation of under documented subjects, institutions, or activities.

7. Application for cooperative projects. a. Filing. By dates to be established by the commissioner each year, a service provider or an eligible institution acting as fiscal agent on behalf of a group of eligible institutions, may file an application, in a form prescribed by the commissioner. A group of cooperating institutions may be formed because of a common purpose, rather than because of geographical proximity. b. Content. Such application shall include, but need not be limited to:

1. (1) a statement describing the applicant's need for the funding requested;
2. (2) a description of the issue, problem, or need that the project will address;
3. (3) a description of the historical records programs to be served and how the effort to be undertaken in a cooperative project relates to and will strengthen these programs;
4. (4) description of the plan of work for the project;
5. (5) outcome or product of the project and how it will improve the identification and administration of historical records or contribute to the strengthening of historical records programs; and
6. (6) the proposed budget, including cost-sharing that would be contributed to the project. c. Approval. In approving any application pursuant to this subdivision, the commissioner shall consider:
7. (1) information in the proposal as set forth in paragraph b of this subdivision;
8. (2) the importance of the records involved for the documentation of life in New York state;
9. (3) the importance of the project and the intended outcome or product in terms of strengthening the programs of the cooperating institutions and promoting improved historical records management;
10. (4) the capacities of the cooperating institutions or service providers for carrying out the project, including prior experience with cooperative or service projects; and
11. (5) the potential for cooperating institutions to sustain an ongoing productive cooperative relationship as a result of the project.