Library Grants

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.

Books Across America Awards for School Libraries

2009-11-05T09:27:00.002-07:00

Deadline: November 20, 2009

The NEA Foundation is accepting applications for the Books Across America Library Books Awards. Presented in collaboration with the National Educational Association, Books Across America will make approximately fifty awards of $1,000 to public schools serving economically disadvantaged students to purchase books for school libraries.

Applicants must be practicing preK-12 school librarians, teachers, or education support professionals. To be eligible, seventy percent of students in applicant schools must be eligible for the free or reduced-price lunch program. For additional information, and to apply, visit the NEA Foundation web site.

Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program

2009-11-05T09:23:00.002-07:00

Deadline: December 15, 2009

This program supports projects to develop faculty and library leaders, to recruit and educate the next generation of librarians, to conduct research on the library profession, and to support early career research on any area of library and information science by tenure-track, untenured faculty in graduate schools of library and information science. It also supports projects to attract high school and college students to consider careers in libraries, to build institutional capacity in graduate schools of library and information science, and to assist in the professional development of librarians and library staff.

Grant amounts from $50,000–$1,000,000 are available over a 3–4year period. A fifty percent of total project costs match is required. Funds requested for student support and for research projects are not subject to matching requirements.

IMLS will be holding a conference call to answer questions about applications, procedures, etc. on Tuesday, November 10, at 2pm (ET), 1 hour call. Those wishing to join the conference call should phone 800/603-9527 and when prompted, provide the conference id, # 39706057.

For more information, visit the IMLS web site or the Grants.gov web site.

Laura Bush Foundation School Library Grants

2009-11-05T09:20:00.002-07:00

Deadline: December 31, 2009

In order to promote a love of reading, the goal of the Laura Bush Foundation (LBF) is to provide books to the school libraries and students that most need them. Consequently, funds are available only for library books and magazine/serial copies and subscriptions.

The Foundation strives for wide geographic distribution in the support it offers, making grants of up to $6,000 to update, extend, and diversify the book collections of the libraries that receive them. All LBF grants are made to individual schools rather than to school districts, county systems, private organizations, foundations, or other entities. Only one application per school is allowed per year.

Because research demonstrates a clear relationship between family income and a student’s access to books, the LBF gives selection preference to schools in which 90% or more of the students receive free or reduced lunches (FRL) and are likely to have the fewest books at home.

More information and the online application are available on the LBF website.

Grants to Support Youth-Led Projects Addressing Teen Dating Abuse

2009-10-12T08:10:00.003-07:00

Deadline: November 15, 2009

Do Something and Liz Claiborne, Inc. seek to support young people across the US who are taking a stand against teen dating abuse. This might be a good fit for a public teen advisory group program or a school library event.

Do Something will award ten grants of $250 each to help run projects started by young people that are fighting teen dating abuse. Programs may include activities such as holding an abuse awareness week, setting up a peer-counseling program, or posting fliers to alert people about dating abuse hotlines. Special consideration will be given to projects that include an event on It's Time to Talk Day (December 3, 2009), or culminate in some way on that day.

Visit the Do Something Web site for complete program guidelines.

"We the People" Bookshelf Grant from NEH and ALA

2009-10-04T18:36:00.000-07:00

Deadline: January 29, 2010

The We the People Bookshelf, a collection of classic books for young readers, is a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities’ (NEH) We the People program, in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office.

The theme for the 2009-2010 Bookshelf is "A More Perfect Union". A total of 4,000 public and school (K-12) libraries will be selected to receive the "A More Perfect Union" Bookshelf, a set of classic hardcover books for young readers, all related to the theme. The set includes sixteen books in English appropriate for reading levels from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Applicants may choose to receive some of these books in Spanish translation. Three bonus selections will appeal to audiences of all ages. Libraries will also receive supplementary materials for programming, including bookplates, bookmarks, and posters. Awards will be announced in April 2010.

The “A More Perfect Union” Bookshelf grants are part of the NEH's We the People initiative, which aims to encourage and strengthen the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture through libraries, schools, colleges, universities, and cultural institutions.

Public and school (K-12) libraries are invited to apply online now at http://publicprograms.ala.org/bookshelf.

H.W. Wilson Library Staff Development Grant

2009-09-30T06:46:00.012-07:00

Deadline: December 1, 2009

This annual award of $3,500 and a 24k gold-framed citation and donated by the H.W. Wilson Company is given to a library organization whose application demonstrates greatest merit for a program of staff development designed to further the goals and objectives of the library organization. For more information visit ALA Grants and Awards.

Great Stories CLUB grants

2009-09-20T10:50:00.002-07:00

Deadline: Nov. 2, 2009
The ALA Public Programs Office and YALSA have announced the theme ("New Horizons") and book titles for the next round of Great Stories CLUB grants. The Great Stories CLUB (Connecting Libraries, Underserved teens and Books) is a book club program designed to reach underserved, troubled teen populations through books relevant to their lives.

All types of libraries (public, school, academic and special) located within or working in partnership with facilities serving troubled teens in the US and its territories are eligible to apply for a Great Stories Club grant. Potential organizations for Great Stories CLUB partnerships include juvenile justice facilities, drug rehabilitation centers, nonprofits serving teen parents, alternative high schools, agencies serving teenaged foster children, shelters serving homeless and runaway youth and other agencies. For tips on creating a partnership, visit www.ala.org/greatstories.

265 libraries will be selected to develop a book discussion program for teens based on the three theme-related titles and will be given copies of the books to share with each participant. Participating libraries will also receive access to an online toolkit to support the program, including sample discussion questions, recommended titles for further reading and other resources. Small cash grants ($100-$200) will be awarded to as many as 25 sites for the support of program-related expenses.

For more information on the Great Stories CLUB, including guidelines, book descriptions, application instructions and feedback from past participants, visit www.ala.org/greatstories.

Scholastic Library Publishing National Library Week Grant

2009-09-20T10:47:00.001-07:00

Deadline: October 16, 2009

The Scholastic Library Publishing National Library Week Grant is sponsored by Scholastic Library Publishing and is administered by the Public Awareness Committee of the American Library Association. All types of libraries in the US are invited to apply.

The grant of $3,000 will be awarded to a single library for the best public awareness campaign incorporating the 2010 National Library Week theme, "Communities thrive @ your library." National Library Week is April 11-17, 2010.

Grant guidelines and application forms are available on the Scholastic Library Publishing National Library Week Grant web site.

State Farm Service-Learning Grants

2009-09-20T10:41:00.002-07:00

Deadline: Oct. 2, 2009
The State Farm Youth Advisory Board grants funds for student-led service-learning projects in the US and in Canada. These grants address the issues of environmental responsibility, natural and societal disaster preparedness, driver safety, financial education, and accessing higher education/closing the achievement gap.

The minimum grant amount is $25,000 and the maximum grant amount is $100,000. Primary applicant should be either an educator who currently teaches in a public K-12 public, charter, or higher education institution, or a school-based service-learning coordinator whose primary role is to coordinate service-learning projects in a public, charter, or higher education institution. Non-profit 501(c) 3organizations are also eligible if they are able to demonstrate how they plan to actively interact with students in public K-12 schools.
Application and details are available on the website.

Target Field Trip Grants Program

2009-09-20T10:35:00.002-07:00

Deadline: November 3, 2009

The Target Corporation will award 5,000 field trip grants of up to $800 each for the coming K-12 school year.

Managed by Scholarship America, the program is open to education professionals who are at least 18 years old and employed by an accredited K-12 public, private, or charter school in the US with a 501(c)(3) or 509(a)(1) tax-exempt status. Educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, or classified staff of these institutions must be willing to plan and execute a field trip that will provide a demonstrable learning experience for students.

Grant funds may be used for visits to art, science, and cultural museums; community service or civics projects; career enrichment opportunities; and other events or activities away from the school facility. Funds may also be used to cover field trip-related costs such as transportation, ticket fees, resource materials, and supplies.

Complete program information is available at the Target Web site.

FINRA Investor Education Foundation

2009-09-20T10:29:00.002-07:00

Deadline: November 5, 2009
Funding for Research and Education Projects
Grants will be awarded to 501(c)(3) organizations and to state and other public colleges and universities working to give individuals the tools and information they need to better understand the markets and the principles of saving and investing.

More information and application are available on the website.

NEH Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections

2009-08-24T14:05:00.002-07:00

Deadline: December 8, 2009

Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections helps cultural institutions meet the complex challenge of preserving large and diverse holdings of humanities materials for future generations by supporting preventive conservation measures that mitigate deterioration and prolong the useful life of collections. As they strive to be effective stewards of humanities collections, cultural repositories are increasingly interested in sustainable preservation strategies. NEH invites proposals that explore and implement energy-efficient and cost-effective preventive conservation measures designed to mitigate the greatest risks to collections. Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections offers two kinds of awards: grants for planning and evaluation; and grants for implementation. For more information visit the NEH web site.

American Heritage Preservation Grants

2009-07-31T13:06:00.001-07:00

Deadline: September 15, 2009

Bank of America is partnering with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to provide American Heritage Preservation grants to small museums, libraries, and archives. The grants will raise awareness and fund preservation of treasures held in small museums, libraries and archives. Priority will be given to smaller institutions, but all libraries, archives, and museums that meet IMLS institutional eligibility criteria are eligible to apply. Grants will help to preserve specific items, including works of art, artifacts and historical documents that are in need of conservation. Applicants will build on completed conservation assessments of their collections, to ensure that the Bank of America/IMLS grants are used in accordance with best practices in the field, and underscore the importance of assessment planning. Grant amounts are available up to $3,000. Grant Program Guidelines are available at:
http://www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/pdf/AHPG_2010.pdf

2010 Scholastic Library Publishing National Library Week Grant

2009-07-31T12:53:00.003-07:00

Deadline: Oct. 16, 2009

US Libraries are invited to apply for the $3,000 Scholastic Library Publishing National Library Week Grant, which will be awarded to a single library for the best public awareness campaign incorporating the 2010 National Library Week theme, “Communities thrive @ your library®.”

The grant is sponsored by Scholastic Library Publishing, a division of Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, and is administered by the Public Awareness Committee of the American Library Association (ALA). National Library Week is April 11-17, 2010.

All proposals must use the “Communities thrive @ your library” theme, which incorporates The Campaign for America's Libraries’ “@ your library” brand, on any and all promotional and publicity material supporting National Library Week activities. Guidelines for using the brand are available on the campaign Web site at under the “download logos” section.

A grant application form and guidelines are available on the Scholastic Library Publishing National Library Week Grant Web site.

NHPRC - Detailed Processing Projects

2009-06-17T11:55:00.002-07:00

Deadline: October 6, 2009

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) seeks proposals for detailed processing and preservation of collections of national significance. The collections also should have high research demand or substantial preservation challenges. Applicants must have virtually all of their collections processed sufficiently so that researchers can find them, and they must have procedures in place to prevent the creation of new backlogs. For more information visit the NHPRC Web site.

NHPRC Archives - Basic Projects

2009-06-17T11:49:00.002-07:00

Deadline: October 6, 2009

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), a part of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), supports projects that promote the preservation and use of America's documentary heritage essential to understanding our democracy, history, and culture. The National Historical Publications and Records Commission seeks proposals for fundamental archival activities that promote the preservation and use of America's documentary heritage. Proposals must demonstrate how the applicant employs the best and most cost-effective archival methods. Activities included under Basic Projects may be any one or combination of the following: *Basic Processing; *Preservation Planning; *Collections Development; and *Establishing Archives. For more information visit the NHPRC Web site.

Books for Babies Matching Grants

2009-05-11T15:30:00.003-07:00

Deadlines: April 15 and October 1, 2009

In partnership with Nordstrom, the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF) will be granting 20 grants for $500 each to match $1,000 raised by selected Friends groups, women's groups, libraries, and other non-profit organizations for purchasing Books for Babies kits from ALTAFF. Grant recipients do not need to be members of ALTAFF. For more information visit the ALTAFF Website.

Winning Library Grants Video Contest!

2009-05-08T07:17:00.009-07:00

Stephanie and Pam are pleased to announce we are working on a new grants book! Winning Grants: A Multimedia How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians will be published by Neal-Schuman next year. And YOU could be showcased in it. Please spread the word about our new contest!

See Your Grant Success Story in a Neal-Schuman Book by Stephanie Gerding and Pam MacKellar. 16 library grant success stories were highlighted in our last Neal-Schuman book, Grants for Libraries: A How-To-Do-It Manual. Readers would love to learn about a successful grant your library has received. Tell us of your accomplishments, both planned and unexpected.

VIDEO CONTEST Just submit a 5 minute video about your library grant success story by Oct. 30, 2009 for your chance to be spotlighted in our new book and DVD. Your video could include a tour of a grant project, interviews with grant team members or people who benefited from the grant, tips about grant writing or any part of the grant process. Please limit to 5 minutes or less, and be engaging! More details are available online and you can submit at YouTube in the Library Grants Group.

Thank you!
Stephanie Gerding & Pam MacKellar

NEA Learning & Leadership Grants and Student Achievement Grants

2009-05-03T11:17:00.003-07:00

Deadlines: June 1, October 15, and February 1.
The National Endowment for the Arts Foundation has introduced a new online grant application system for their $2,000 and $5,000 Learning & Leadership Grants and Student Achievement Grants that makes the grant application process easier. For a guided tour and detailed instruction of the new system, the Foundation has posted a video featuring grants manager Jesse Graytock. Applicants can view the video or link directly to the applications from the NEA Foundation's web site at www.neafoundation.org/grants.

The Learning & Leadership Grants support public school teachers, public education support professionals, and/or faculty and staff in public institutions of higher education for one of the following two purposes: 1) Grants to individuals fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences, such as summer institutes or action research; 2) Grants to groups fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment.

The Student Achievement Grants aim to improve the academic achievement of students in U.S. public schools and public higher education institutions in any subject area(s). The proposed work should engage students in critical thinking and problem solving that deepen their knowledge of standards-based subject matter. The work should also improve students’ habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection.

2009 Healthy Sprouts Awards: Grow a Library Garden

2009-03-09T14:02:00.005-07:00

Deadline: October 17, 2009
These awards support school and youth garden programs that teach about nutrition and the issue of hunger in the US. To be eligible for the 2009 Healthy Sprouts Awards, your school or organization must plan to garden in 2010 with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18.

This year there will be 20 awards to schools or organizations. Each program will receive:

gift certificates for gardening materials from the sponsoring company, Gardener's Supply Company; 5 grants will be for $500; 15 more will receive a $200 gift certificate
NGA's Eat a Rainbow Kit, full of engaging taste education and nutrition lessons
25 packets of seeds
a literature package from NGA

Download Application or view more information at the website: http://www.kidsgardening.com/healthysprouts.asp.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Giving Programs Accepting Grant Applications for 2009

2009-02-14T14:40:00.002-07:00

Deadline: Ongoing

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. is accepting grant applications as part of its annual giving program. In the company's twelve-year history it has donated over $20 million to organizations that support families, children, animals, and the environment, including the donation of thousands of stuffed animals to comfort children in need. The Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear Hugs Foundation supports charities in the United States and Canada through grant programs including Literacy and Education Grants which provide support for children in literacy and education programs such as summer reading programs, early childhood education programs, and literacy programs for children with special needs. Grant request deadlines are at the end of February, May, August, and November. For more information visit the Build-A-Bear Workshop website.

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

Beyond Words: the Dollar General School Library Relief Fund

2008-08-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

Deadline: Ongoing, applications reviewed monthly, through 2010

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.

Libri Foundation Grants for Children's Books

2008-08-07T09:30:00.002-07:00

Deadlines: Annually, January 15th, April 15th, and August 15th.

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 three times a year.

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 or are classics. The application guidelines and forms contain details on eligibility for grants and the procedures for applying for one.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.