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Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)

This guide provides information on LSTA grant opportunities in Pennsylvania.
Tags: grants, LSTA

Sign up for eSignatures

Before applying for a grant, organizations should decide if they want to use eSignatures in eGrants.

eSignatures streamline the contract signing process by not requiring you to manually sign, scan, and email grant agreements, which is a slower process.  Instead, authorized individuals sign documents electronically in eGrants and submit them online.  This makes the Commonwealth's contracting process faster and reduces copying.

Although it is strongly recommended, the use of eSignatures is voluntary.  If your organization does not want to use eSignatures, it can still print, manually sign, and e-mail grant agreements.

Sign Up before Submitting an Application

Before using eSignatures, your organization must have:

  • an eGrants Agency User Administrator account; and
  • a user profile for the authorized signer in eGrants.
Processing of an eSignature Resolution does not prevent application submission.  However, it is recommended to submit the Resolution for processing before applying for a grant.  Doing so will allow the system to be updated in time for you to use it when needed.

The eGrants eSignature Resolution identifies and authorizes an organization employee to sign electronic documents on eGrants. the resolution must be adopted as is and processed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Bureau of Management Services (BMS) before the grant agreement can be electronically signed.

Instruction for eSignature Resolution

  1. Ask your board of directors to adopt the resolution.
  2. The eGrants eSignature Resolution (PDF) must be:
    • Completed and adopted as it is written.
    • Signed by the appropriate board officers;
    • Attested to by the governing body's secretary; and
    • Signed by the authorized representative.
  3. Submit resolutions with real signatures. General steps are:
  4. Update or create a user profile for the authorized signer in eGrants.
    • Remember, the authorized signer's user profile must already exist for PDE to complete the eSignature process.

Contact BMS at RA-EDGRANTSFIRST@pa.gov with any questions about eSignatures.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) will grant electronic signature as requested per the Resolution upon completion of the following:

  1. Ensure all fillable areas are completed with the appropriate, relative information.

  1. The “Attest” section of the Resolution (page 1) must be signed by the President/Chair or Vice-President/Chair AND the Treasurer/Secretary.

Note:  The individual who is being granted the signatory authority may NOT attest on behalf of themself.

  1. The governing body (school board, board of directors, board of trustees, etc.) must adopt the Resolution, identifying and authorizing the administrator (Superintendent, Executive Director, CEO, etc.) to sign electronic agreements with PDE.

  1. Once the resolution is adopted by the governing body, the Secretary of the governing body must sign the top “certification” section of page 2. 

  1. The authorized administrator (who received signatory authority) must sign the bottom “agreement” section of page 2.

  1. Email the documents to the Bureau of Management Services (BMS) at RA-EDGRANTSFIRST@pa.gov.  Please use the options for providing acceptable electronic signatures to PDE.

Once received, the resolution will be reviewed by the PDE’s legal office. Once approved by legal, the BMS will grant electronic-signature access in the eGrants system.

Note: To receive eSignature approval, the user must already exist in the eGrants system. Ensure the authorized signer (who is receiving the signatory authority) has been setup as a user and has appropriate roles prior to emailing the resolution.

Timeframe: Please allow up to seven (7) business days for processing once received by PDE, BMS.

Feel free to contact the provided resource account with any questions regarding the electronic signature resolution process.