Library Grants

Dollar General Youth Literacy Grants

2012-01-27T15:21:00.002-07:00

Deadline: May 16, 2012

Dollar General Literacy Foundation Youth Literacy Grants provide funding to schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations to help students who are below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading. Grant funding is provided to assist in the following areas:

Implementing new or expanding existing literacy programs
Purchasing new technology or equipment to support literacy initiatives
Purchasing books, materials or software for literacy programs

For more information and to apply online visit the Dollar General website.

Dollar General Summer Reading Grants

2012-01-27T15:17:00.002-07:00

Deadline: February 28, 2012

Dollar General Literacy Foundation Summer Reading Grants provide funding to local nonprofit organizations and libraries to help with the implementation or expansion of summer reading programs. Programs must target Pre-K through 12th grade students who are new readers, below grade level readers or readers with learning disabilities.

For more information and to apply online visit the Dollar General website.

Dollar General Family Literacy Grants

2012-01-27T15:08:00.003-07:00

Deadline: February 28, 2012

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation Family Literacy Grants provide funding to family literacy service providers. The Foundation uses the federal government's definition of family literacy when reviewing grant applications. Organizations applying for funding must have the following four components:

Adult Education Instruction
Children's Education
Parent and Child Together Time (PACT)
Parenting Classes

For more information and to apply online visit the Dollar General website.

Dollar General Adult Literacy Grants

2012-01-27T14:55:00.003-07:00

Deadline: February 28, 2012

Dollar General Literacy Foundation Adult Literacy Grants award funding to nonprofit organizations that provide direct service to adults in need of literacy assistance. Organizations must provide help in one of the following instructional areas:

Adult Basic Education
General Education Diploma Preparation
English Language Acquisition

For more information and to apply online visit the Dollar General website.

NEA Challenge America Fast-Track Grants

2012-01-26T08:49:00.002-07:00

Deadline: May 24, 2012

The Challenge America Fast-Track category of Grants for Art Projects from the National Endowment for the Arts offers support primarily to small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations - those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. Grants are available for professional arts programming and for projects that emphasize the potential of the arts in community development. For more information and application guidelines, visit the NEA website.

National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award

2011-12-29T15:36:00.000-07:00

Deadline: January 31, 2012

The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, is pleased to invite applications for the 2012 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards.

The twelve award-winning programs this year will receive $10,000 and an invitation to accept their award from the President’s Committee’s Honorary Chairman, First Lady Michelle Obama at a ceremony at the White House. In addition, winners will receive an award plaque, the opportunity to attend the Annual Awardee Conference in Washington, DC in the summer of 2012, and will be featured on the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award website.

After-school and out-of-school time arts and humanities programs sponsored by museums, libraries, performing arts organizations; educational institutions (e.g., preschools; elementary, middle, and high schools; universities; and colleges), arts centers, community service organizations, businesses, and eligible government entities are encouraged to consider submitting an application. Programs applying for the award must meet all of the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award’s Eligibility Criteria.

Completed applications will only be accepted via the online process. Additional information and a link to the online National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards Application is available on the website.

America's Historical and Cultural Organizations Grants

2011-12-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

Deadlines: January 11, 2012, and August 15, 2012.

The Division of Public Programs at the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities funds humanities projects that are intended for broad public audiences at museums, libraries, historic sites and other historical and cultural organizations.

New application guidelines are now posted on the NEH Web site for the America's Historical and Cultural Organizations grant competition.

Grants support interpretive exhibitions, reading or film discussion series, historic site interpretation, lecture series and symposia, and digital projects. NEH especially encourages projects that offer multiple formats and make creative use of new technology to deliver humanities content.

America’s Historical and Cultural Organizations awards typically do not exceed $400,000, projects of a smaller scope are also considered. Example grant projects include:

traveling exhibitions that are presented at multiple venues;
long-term exhibitions at one institution;
interpretive websites or other digital formats;
interpretation of historic places or areas;
reading and discussion programs;
panel exhibitions that travel widely, reach a broad audience, and take advantage of complementary programming formats (e.g., reading and discussion series, radio, or other media) to enhance the visitor experience; and
other project formats that creatively engage audiences in humanities ideas.

Become a Foundation Center Cooperating Collection

2011-10-31T16:10:00.002-07:00

The Foundation Center is looking for host organizations to join their network of more than 450 Cooperating Collections across the country and in several locations around the world. These funding information centers are available to grantseekers at no cost and and provide access to Foundation Directory Online grantseeking database, Foundation Grants to Individuals Online, Philanthropy In/Sight, an interactive mapping tool that reveals patterns of giving and funding relationships, a core collection of Foundation Center directories and publications, and a selection of supplementary materials and services in areas useful to grantseekers. The CCs offer educational sessions for the public, including classes on the basics of grantseeking and dialogues with local donors. And they serve as hosts for free Center webinars and the Center's fee-based, full-day grantseeker training courses.

The Foundation Center is expanding the CC network to ensure that grantseekers across the nation, and selectively in other locations around the globe, have access to high-quality resources and expertise, enabling them to attract and sustain support for their organizations. Qualified institutions include (but are not limited to):

Public, academic, or special libraries
Nonprofit resource centers
Community or other foundations
State associations
United Way agencies
Non-governmental organizations in locations outside the U.S.

Host institutions must:

Be open to the public, without restriction, at least 25 hours per week
Be located in an area serving at least 100 nonprofit organizations
Provide access to a computer(s) connected to the Internet for public use
Have staff available to develop expertise in foundation funding resources and to assist the public in their use
Be prepared to offer public training on the basics of grantseeking
Send a representative to regional and/or national meetings of Cooperating Collection supervisors held at various locations and/or participate in virtual conferences held by the Center
Pay an annual membership fee of $995 (billed on a calendar year basis)

More details are available on the Foundation Center website.

NEA The Big Read Grants

2011-10-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

Deadline: February 1, 2012

The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. Seventy-five organizations will receive grants ranging from $2,500 to $20,000 to participate in The Big Read from September 2012 through June 2013.

Applicants for The Big Read must be a tax-exempt public library, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit; or a division of state, local, or tribal government, including such organizations as literary centers, libraries, museums, colleges and universities, art centers, historical societies, arts councils, tribal governments, humanities councils, literary festivals, and arts organizations. Community organizations participating in The Big Read develop and produce a well-planned, well-attended, community-wide read with innovative, diverse programming, and widespread community involvement and participation. Activities last approximately one month and focus on one book or poet from The Big Read Library.

The Big Read gives communities the opportunity to come together to read, discuss, and celebrate one of 31 selections from U.S. and world literature. This program supports innovative reading programs in selected communities, providing engaging educational resources for discussing outstanding literature and conducting expansive outreach and publicity campaigns, and a website offering comprehensive information about the authors and their works. Each community’s Big Read includes a kick-off event to launch the program; activities devoted specifically to its Big Read selection (e.g., panel discussions, lectures, public readings); events using the book as a point of departure (e.g., film screenings, theatrical readings, exhibits); and book discussions in diverse locations aimed at a wide range of audiences.

You can access the full guidelines and application on The Big Read website.

DonorsChoose.org

2011-09-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

While not officially a grant, I couldn't resist posting this wonderful website for public school teachers AND public school librarians. You can post your project and list resources requested and then individual donors view proposals and make donations. 63% of projects get fully funded, and $86 million dollars has been donated to over 210,000 projects. Each proposal gets its own page with a written description from the teacher and detailed information on the classroom, project, school and funding needed. Since many individuals prefer to give locally, make sure your school library has a proposal available on DonorsChoose.org for funding!

Beyond Words: the Dollar General School Library Relief Fund

2011-06-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

Deadline: Ongoing, applications reviewed monthly,

Dollar General, in collaboration with the American Library Association (ALA), the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) and the National Education Association (NEA), is sponsoring a school library disaster relief fund for public school libraries in the states served by Dollar General.

Grants will be awarded to public school libraries that have incurred substantial damage or hardship due to a natural disaster (tornado, earthquake, hurricane, flood, avalanche, mudslide), fire or an act recognized by the federal government as terrorism. Grants for $5,000 to $15,000 are to replace or supplement books, media and/or library equipment in the school library setting. The impact can be through direct loss or through an increase in enrollment due to displaced/evacuated students. More information and the grant application are available through the AASL website.

ALTAFF Major Benefactor Citation

2011-03-24T11:05:00.000-07:00

Deadline: Ongoing

While this is not a grant, it could be a nice way to recognize your library's major contributors and grant funders. The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), awards the Major Benefactor Citation to recognize individuals, families, or corporations that have given them major tangible gifts. The citation comes with a plaque for the library, a plaque for the donor, a library celebration, and a library press release to let the community know that gifts to the library are truly appreciated and make a real difference.

Libraries may apply for the Major Benefactor Citation at any time by visiting the website. Requirements include benefits to the library in the form of money, real or personal property, negotiable paper or other tangible contributions, endorsement by the Board of Trustees of the library involved and a fee of $400 ($300 for ALTAFF members) to cover all administrative costs and materials.

Libri Foundation Grants for Children's Books

2011-03-09T08:30:00.001-07:00

Deadlines: Annually, January 23rd and April 15th. (Note new dates for 2011)

The Libri Foundation is a nationwide non-profit organization which donates new, quality, hardcover children's books to small, rural public libraries in the United States through its BOOKS FOR CHILDREN program. The Foundation awards grants twice a year.

Libraries are qualified on an individual basis. In general, county libraries should serve a population under 16,000 and town libraries should serve a population under 10,000 (usually under 5,000). Libraries should be in a rural area, have a limited operating budget, and an active children's department. Applications are accepted from independent libraries as well as libraries which are part of a county, regional, or cooperative library system. A library system may also apply if all the libraries in the system meet these requirements.

The librarian of each library participating in the BOOKS FOR CHILDREN program selects the books her library will receive from a booklist provided by the Foundation. The 700-plus fiction and nonfiction titles on the booklist have been judged as outstanding or highly recommended by recognized authorities in the library and education fields and have been published in the last 3 years. The application guidelines and forms contain details on eligibility for grants and the procedures.The Foundation will match any amount of money raised by your local sponsors from $50 to $350 on a 2-to-1 ratio. Thus, your library could receive up to $1,050 worth of new children's books (about 70 books). Local sponsors have five months (or longer, if necessary) after their library has been selected as a participant in the BOOKS FOR CHILDREN program to raise the matching funds.

The Wish You Well Foundation Literacy Grants

2011-02-27T18:57:00.000-07:00

Deadline: Ongoing

Established in 2002, the Wish You Well Foundation has the mission of "supporting family literacy in the United States by fostering and promoting the development and expansion of new and existing literacy and educational programs." Visit the foundation website for a link to the short proposal and a list of past funded programs, including public and school libraries. The Wish You Well Foundation reviews donation requests with a wide array of funding needs. Most requests range from $200 to $10,000. Organizations are reminded to base their requested amount on the program's unique needs for funding.

Winning Grants Is Published!

2010-07-08T13:41:00.004-07:00

WINNING GRANTS: A HOW-TO-DO-IT MANUAL FOR LIBRARIANS WITH MULTIMEDIA TUTORIALS AND GRANT DEVELOPMENT TOOLS

By Pamela H. MacKellar and Stephanie K. Gerding

The step-by-step tutorial you need to win grants for your library! Written by two experts who have won millions in grants from an astonishing variety of funding sources, Winning Grants is a combination workbook, how-to-manual, and multimedia workshop. Now presented in Neal-Schuman’s newly-revised How-To-Do-It series layout, Winning Grants gives you MacKellar and Gerding’s combined decades of successful grant-getting techniques in an accessible design so you can master these complex processes more easily.

Winning Grants: A How-To-Do-It Manual For Librarians With Multimedia Tutorials And Grant Development Tools will help you stay on track, keep you organized, and take you through the grant process cycle, starting with your library goals and finishing with a successful grant proposal.

For more information visit the Winning Grants website, or order now from Neal-Schuman Publishers.

ISBN 978-1-55570-700-2. 2010. 8.5 x 11. 275 pp. Book and Multimedia DVD: $99.95.

NEA Grants to Educators: Learning & Leadership Grants and Student Achievement Grants

2010-04-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

Deadlines: June 1, October 15, and February 1.

The National Endowment for the Arts Foundation has two primary grant categories open to public education professionals: Student Achievement Grants and Learning & Leadership Grants. Applications for both can be completed online.

Learning & Leadership grants provide opportunities for teachers, education support professionals, library media specialists, and higher education faculty and staff to engage in high-quality professional development and lead their colleagues in professional growth. The grant amount is $2,000 for individuals and $5,000 for groups engaged in collegial study.

Student Achievement grants provide $5,000 to improve the academic achievement of students by engaging in critical thinking and problem solving that deepen knowledge of standards-based subject matter. The work should also improve students' habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection.

Pepsi Refresh Grant Project

2010-02-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

Deadline: New Grant Cycle Every Month

In an effort to support those who generate innovative, optimistic ideas, the Pepsi Refresh Project (www.refresheverything.com), will award more than $20 million in 2010 to move communities forward. The program launched on January 13 and exceeded expectations by receiving the monthly limit of 1,000 submissions in less than seven days with at least one from each state in the U.S. So submit your grant project as close to the first of the month as possible.

Individuals and organizations can apply for grants to benefit a variety of projects and site visitors vote for the best ideas for funding. Pepsi will fund projects that make a difference in six categories: Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet, Neighborhoods and Education. Simply submit an idea and get your supporters to vote and vote and vote — the projects with the highest number of votes each month win the grant. Grants are accepted for $5,000, $25,000, $50,000 or $250,000.

USDA Funding for Rural Libraries

2010-02-08T15:13:00.004-07:00

United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Housing and Community Facilities Program - Designated Funding for Public Libraries

This American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funding for Rural Libraries is a grant and/or loan opportunity for libraries serving communities of 20,000 and less. The Secretary of Agriculture has designated $100 million of USDA’s Community Facilities funds for public libraries. The stimulus funding will help give rural communities the opportunity to improve their library facilities, enhance educational opportunities, and improve economic conditions in America’s rural communities.

Loans and grants are available to public entities such as municipalities, counties, and special-purpose districts, as well as non-profit corporations and tribal governments. Applicants must have the legal authority necessary for construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed facility. They must also be financially sound and able to organize and manage the facility effectively.

Funds may be used to construct, enlarge, or improve public libraries. This can include costs to acquire land needed for a facility, pay necessary professional fees, and purchase equipment required for a facility’s operation. Funds can be used to purchase shelving, furniture, computers, audio-visual equipment, distance learning equipment, and bookmobiles. A loan may be made in combination with other Community Facilities financial assistance such as a grant, applicant contributions, or loans and grants from other sources.

Applications are handled by USDA Rural Development field offices. Rural Development staff will be glad to discuss a community’s needs and the services available from USDA. Field staff can provide application materials and current program information, and assist in the preparation of an application. You may also visit their website at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs.

Interested applicants and lenders may also contact the Housing and Community Programs National Office staff at the following address:
USDA Rural Development, Community Programs Division, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-0700 Phone: (202) 720-1490; Fax: (202) 690-0471

There is also a fact sheet available at: http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/USDA.pdf

Ezra Jack Keats Foundation Minigrant Program

2010-02-01T10:05:00.001-07:00

Deadline: September 15, ongoing

The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation offers minigrants of $500 to Public School and Public Libraries for programs that encourage literacy and creativity in children. Programs relating to the work of Ezra Jack Keats (writer and illustrator) are welcome, but not required. An application form is available on the website.

Creative programs funded in the past have included:

Ongoing pen-pal projects bringing disparate communities together,
Multi-cultural portrait projects,
Art projects culminating in art shows, murals, or quilts,
Bookmaking,
Creation and performance of puppet shows,
Inter-generational journals.

Funding Resources for Libraries Handout

2009-11-19T13:30:00.001-07:00

Today, Pam and Stephanie are presenting an online webinar, "Winning Grants for Libraries 101", as part of the Alliance Library System and Learning Times “The Art of Grant Writing and Fundraising” conference. We have a handout to share that lists resources for finding funding. It is available online:
http://www.pamelamackellar.com/Resources.doc

Our publisher is giving a 10% discount on our book, Grants for Libraries: A How-To-Do-It Manual and CD for Librarians. They've also extended this to you, our grant blog readers! The code is GLIB10, and can be used on the Neal-Schuman website during check-out.
For more information about the conference, visit: http://www.learningtimes.net/fundraisingconference.

A discount code for our blog readers!

2009-11-09T09:54:00.003-07:00

As part of an online class we are giving next week, our publisher is giving a 10% discount to attendees on our book, Grants for Libraries: A How-To-Do-It Manual and CD for Librarians. They've also extended this to you, our grant blog readers! The code is GLIB10, and can be used on the Neal-Schuman web site during check-out.

Stephanie and Pam's online webinar, "Winning Grants for Libraries 101", is part of an online conference next Thursday. Hope to "see" you there!

The Art of Grant Writing and Fundraising
When: November 19, 2009

In these tough economic times, libraries are relying more and more on fundraising and grant writing. Alliance Library System and Learning Times are co-sponsoring “The Art of Grant Writing and Fundraising” as an online conference to help libraries meet the challenge of finding funding in these tough times. This exciting program will offer a number of programs for beginners through intermediate and advanced levels of all aspects of grant writing and fundraising.

The cost of the one day online event is $69.00. For a group, the price is $99.00. If this registration fee is a hardship, please email Alliance Library System Director of Innovation Lori Bell, lbell @ alliancelibrarysystem, for a discount coupon of $20 off registration price.

Library students can attend for free.

More information, including registration, is available at: http://www.learningtimes.net/fundraisingconference.

Jenny Jones Community Grant Program

2008-12-21T12:42:00.003-07:00

Deadline: Ongoing
Talk show host and philanthropist Jenny Jones has announced that she will donate an additional $1 million to continue her Jenny's Heroes ( http://www.jennysheroes.com/ ) community grantprogram. The Jenny's Heroes program awards grants to individuals who submit the best ideas for tangible, lasting community projects. Jenny's Heroes provides grants of up to $25,000 each to fund projects that promise long-term community benefits. Through the fifty grant recipients so far, funds have been used to provide items and services such as library books, school computers, and coats for children in domestic violence shelters. The program's focus is primarily on smaller communities where fundraising can be difficult. For more information on Jenny's Heroes and grant guidelines, visit the program's Web site. RFP Link: http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/15016232/jennysheroes

Seeds for Education Grant

2008-07-09T10:22:00.003-07:00

Deadline: Nov. 15

Are you planning a library garden? Wild Ones is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the use of natural landscaping with native plant species as an ecologically better alternative to traditional landscaping practices. Eligible applicants include schools, nature centers and other non-profit and not-for-profit places of learning including houses of worship. Project goals should focus on the enhancement and development of an appreciation for nature using native plants. Projects must emphasize involvement of students and volunteers and increase the educational value of the site. Creativity in design is encouraged, but must show complete and thoughtful planning. The use of and teaching about native plants and the native plant community is mandatory, and they must be appropriate to the local ecoregion and the site conditions (soil, water, sunlight).
Examples of appropriate projects are:

The design, establishment and maintenance of a native plant community such as prairie, woodland, wetland etc. in an educational setting such as an outdoor classroom.
Developing and maintaining an interpretive trail landscaped with native plant communities.
Developing a wetland area to study the effect of native vegetation on water quality improvement.
Group student-teacher research projects aimed at documenting the presence, behaviors, needs and contributions of various forms of wildlife and the impact of native plant species.

Cash awards range from $100 to $500 for the purchase of native plants and seed. More information and the application are available on the Seeds for Education Web Site.

Usborne Literacy for a Lifetime Matching Grants

2007-09-18T07:59:00.001-07:00

Deadline: Ongoing

This is a matching grant program for schools and organizations that support literacy, including churches, to buy Usborne books. If your school or organization receives a grant or donation and uses it to purchase Usborne Books, EDC (Educational Development Corporation) will match it by 50% in additional books.

For example, a $1,000 grant is matched with an additional $500 and the organization receives $1,500 in educational Usborne Books for their use. Literacy for a Lifetime can be used as often as grants or donations become available, and there is no cap on the amount matched. The receiving school or organization can select the books, from over 1,400 titles. The books are shipped free (within the US).

For more information, visit www.literacyforalifetime.com. To view titles, visit www.readingstars.us.

If you would like a free informational packet, e-mail Krissi Newtown krissi @ readingstars.us, Certified Educational Consultant.

Pathways Within: Roads to Reading Initiative

2007-09-18T07:46:00.000-07:00

Pathways Within: Roads to Reading Initiative
Deadlines: March 15th & October 15th

Pathways Within, Inc. is a 501(c) 3 organization that was established in 1993 to assist communities that are underserved. The Road to Reading Initiative's mission is to provide quality reading and educational materials to underserved small and rural communities (with a population of fewer than 50,000) in the United States.

Eligible programs for book donations include: after-school or community literacy programs, day-care centers programs, library reading programs, storytime programs, and reading centers. They will make donations to library collections available for students and for direct use. Most titles are in English with a limited number of books in Spanish (titles are listed on the website). On average 100 to 200 books are awarded per grantee.

Visit the website for application information or email Pathways Within, Inc. at biannual@pwirtr.org.