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Sign Up for eSignatures

Before applying for a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, organizations should decide if they want to use e-signatures in the  eGrants system. 

eSignatures streamline the LSTA agreement and contract signing process by not requiring you to manually sign and mail grant agreements.  Instead, authorized individuals sign documents electronically in eGrants and submit them online.  This makes the commonwealth’s contracting process faster and it reduces copying and postage costs.

The use of eSignatures is voluntary.  If your organization does not want to use eSignatures, it can still print, manually sign, and mail grant agreements. 

Sign Up Before You Submit an Application

Before using eSignatures, your organization must:

  1. Have an eGrants Agency User Administrator account; and

  2. Sign-up for eSignatures before submitting an LSTA grant application.

    • Processing of the eSignature Resolution does not prevent applicants from submitting the application for Peer Review.  However, it is recommended to submit the Resolution for the eSignature prior to submitting the grant application for timely processing.

How to Sign Up

  1. Ask your board of directors to adopt the required eGrants eSignature Resolution. The resolution identifies and authorizes the library director to sign electronic documents on eGrants. Remember, the resolution must be adopted as is and processed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) before you can submit a grant application:
  1. The eGrants eSignature Resolution (PDF) must be:
    • Completed and adopted as it is written
    • Signed by the appropriate board officers in blue ink
    • Attested to by the governing body's secretary; and
    • Signed by the authorized representative in blue ink
  1. Submit resolutions with real signatures. General steps are:
    • Save the completed Resolution to your PC
    • Print a hardcopy
    • Sign by hand (in blue ink)
    • Scan completed document into PC
    • Email completed Resolution to: RA-EDGRANTSFIRST@pa.gov
    • As always, please be sure to retain items in your "Sent" folder in your e-mail system as a reference and confirmation for yourself that your Resolution has been submitted.
  1. 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.

If you have any questions about eSignatures, contact the Bureau of Management Services at RA-EDGRANTSFIRST@pa.gov.