Funding Resources and Contests
This is a running list of grants and other funding resources that have been in issues of the Compendium during 2012
Bookmobile Conference Scholarship
The Office of Commonwealth Libraries is pleased to announce
the formation of two scholarships to attend this year's
Association for Bookmobile & Outreach Services Annual Conference: "Thinking Outside the Walls" to be held in Richmond, VA on October 10-12, 2012. Funding through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) provides conference registration plus up to $800 reimbursement for travel, hotel and meals for each scholarship recipient. It is the recipient's responsibility to make all travel arrangements.
The scholarship's criteria for applicants include:
* Must work in a Pennsylvania public library that offers bookmobile service
* Willingness to network and share
* Agree to write an article for a future issue of the Compendium
* If not the head of a library, Supervisor approval of the application
Please complete the application and send it to Bonnie Young no later than
Monday, July 30. Please let Young know if you have any questions.
Google Grants and Ad DollarsLearn more about "Making the Most
of Google Grants and Free Ad Dollars" inthis NTEN webinar on August 2, 2012.
I Love My Librarian Award
Kathy Hale at the State Library asks "Is there a librarian that has really made a difference in your life? Here is a chance to see that person get a nice pat on the back. It is time for nominations for "I Love My Librarian" Award."
Nominations for the 2012 Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times "I Love My Librarian Awards" are open through September 12. Ten librarians each will receive a $5,000 cash award, a plaque and $500 travel stipend to attend an awards reception in New York. In addition, a plaque will be given to each award winner's library. "Recognize the accomplishments of your exceptional public, school, college, community college, or university librarian."
Margaret Alexander Edwards Trust
The Trust awards grants to librarians who "promote the free reading of teenagers." Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
PNC
PNC offers free Sesame Street® "For Me, for You, for Later"™ Kits. The kits are subtitled First Steps to Spending, Sharing, and Saving. The kits provide "parents, caregivers, and educators with strategies and resources to turn everyday experiences into financial moments." The bilingual, multimedia kit includes a Parent and Caregiver Guide, a Children's Activity Book, 3 Jar Labels, and an original Sesame Street® DVD that features Elmo, Cookie Monster, and their Sesame Street friends as Elmo learns the basics of spending, saving, and sharing.
Kits may be obtained at any PNC branch or can be ordered over the phone at 1-877-PNC-GROW (1-877-762-4769).Learn more.
Wish You Well Foundation
The Foundation's mission is "Supporting family literacy in the United States by fostering and promoting the development and expansion of new and existing literacy and educational programs." Donations range from $200 to $10,000.Learn more.
LSTA
Guidelines for LSTA grant applications for 2013 projects will become available later in the summer, as will the applications themselves via the PDE eGrants system.
The submission deadline will likely be later as well.
Draft guidelines for a K-12 collection development grant was created and distributed at PSLA, and via mail group, so that school librarians could create application teams before the end of the school year.
The Office of Commonwealth Libraries has completed its federally required Five-Year Plan for 2013-2017, which is due to IMLS by June 30. The priorities in this Plan are reflected in the types of grants that will be offered for 2013. They will be as follows:
Create It
Hands on Creation Programs - Up to $50,000 for public libraries with a dollar for dollar match for requests over $30,000
Digitize It
Digitization - Up to $50,000 for academic, public and special collections libraries with a dollar for dollar match for requests over $30,000
Collect It
K-12 Collection Development - Up to $5,000
Move It
Moving PA Forward - Collection Development with a program component - for up to $5,000 to individual public libraries
Buy It
Technology Hardware - Up to $5,000 to public libraries with a 70% match
Try It
For projects that are new to individual academic, public and special collections libraries- up to $5,000
Thank you for your patience in gaining access to the guidelines and applications.
Chase Community Giving Program
Customers and employees can nominate nonprofits until July 9. Voting begins in September for grants totaling $5 million.Learn more.
How Much Do You Want?
Martignetti, Tony. "Why Thinking Small Helps Win Big Grant Money," Chronicle of Philanthropy June 19, 2012. (This article offers a link to a series of iTunes podcasts, Fundraising Fundamentals, which will require a free iTunes download).
Measurement Matters
Preston, Caroline. "Bill Gates Says He'll Stick to Giving Priorities Until Something Dramatic Is Achieved," Chronicles of Philanthropy June 26, 2012 Philanthropy.com.
Social Fundraising
Rally.com offers you a chance to "Share Your Story. Raise Money."
Awards Reminder
The July 23rd application deadline is approaching for the:
2012 Marietta Y. King and Alberta Walden Still Diversity Award for Public Service to Older Adults in an Ethnically Diverse CommunityApplication
and the
2012 AARP Award to Recognize and Promote Library Service for Older Adults in Pennsylvania Public LibrariesAward ApplicationCriteria Letter
What exciting, creative “Best Practices” programs has your library presented in the past year for the older adults in your community? Share your innovative program with other libraries in Pennsylvania!
Please look at the award applications above and choose the application that matches your library's programming. Fill out that application online--the form will expand as needed--then mail the award application to:
Claudia Koenig at by July 23rd.
The award presentations will be given at the PaLA Annual Conference in Gettysburg in October. If there are any questions, please contact Claudia at 717-783-5747 or at the email address above. Thank you!
Ignite Apps Challenge
Mozilla and the National Science Foundation invite you to take part in an open innovation challenge. $500,000 in prizes is available over three rounds. Applications open on August 1. A separate contest is now open offering $15,000 in prizes for ideas--that deadline is August 23.
Library Public Programming Grants for Civil War 150
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, in partnership with The Library of America, is now accepting applications from libraries and National Park historic sites for grants to develop public programming around the free traveling panel exhibition Civil War 150. The exhibition is part of Civil War 150: Exploring the War and Its Meaning through the Words of Those Who Lived It, a major three-year project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The project is centered on the four-volume Library of America series The Civil War Told by Those Who Lived It and includes a collection of readers (discussion guides) drawn from the series.
Fifty sites selected by competitive application to host the Civil War 150 exhibition will each be awarded a grant of $1,000 to plan accompanying public programming. The exhibition is available for three-week periods from October 2012 to March 2015. Hosting sites will also receive supporting interpretive and contextual materials, including the Civil War 150 readers and access to a multimedia website with robust digital resources. Public, academic, and special libraries as well as National Park historic sites are invited to submit applications for the public programming grants and exhibition.
The application deadline is July 15, 2012.Apply here.
We Love Libraries Lottery (Sisters in Crime)
Monthly grants of $1,000 are awarded. Winners are drawn from entries received each month at Complete their entry form and upload a photo of one or more of your staff with three books in your collection by Sisters in Crime members. Access a list of their member authors. Those not successful in one month will automatically be entered in other months' drawings.
Documenting Democracy: Access to Historical Records Projects
(The National Historical Publications and Records Commission)
The NHPRC seeks proposals that promote the preservation and use of the nation's most valuable archival resources. Projects should expand our understanding of the American past by facilitating and enhancing access to primary source materials. The Commission will support such activities as establishing archives programs, processing archival collections at the basic or detailed levels, surveying and accessioning archival records, and converting existing archival collection finding aids to new online formats. Applicants may submit proposals for one or any combination of four project categories. A grant normally is for one or two years and for up to $200,000. The Commission expects to make up to 15 grants in this category for a total of up to $1,200,000. The draft deadline is August 1; final deadline is October 4.Read the announcement.
Innovation in Archives and Documentary Editing
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission seeks projects that are exploring innovative methods to improve the preservation, public discovery, or use of historical records. Projects may also focus on techniques and tools that will improve the professional performance and effectiveness of those who work with such records, such as archivists, documentary editors, and records managers. Projects must anticipate results that will affect more than a single institution or a single state. Projects may focus on methods of working with records in any format, including born-digital records. Projects designed to publish historical records must focus on innovative methods of presenting archival records as primary sources. The Commission does not fund projects focused on artifacts or books. For a comprehensive list of the Commission's limitations on funding, please see What we do and do not fund ( Applications that consist entirely of ineligible activities will not be considered. A grant normally is for one to three years. The Commission expects to make one to three grants of between $50,000 and $150,000. The total amount allocated for this program is up to $250,000.
National Medal for Museum and Library Service
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting nominations for the 2013 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation's highest honor for exemplary service by these institutions. Museums and libraries that would like to be considered for the National Medal should complete the nomination form by
October 15, 2012. The National Medal honors museums and libraries that make extraordinary civic, educational, economic, environmental, and social contributions. Public or private nonprofit museums, including art, history, science and technology, children's, and natural history museums; historic houses, nature centers, zoos, and botanical gardens; and all types of nonprofit libraries, including public, school, academic, research, and archival, are eligible to receive this honor.
For more information and to access the nomination form, please go to
Association for Rural and Small LibrariesScholarship
Apply for a scholarship to attend the Association's fall conference. The conference will be held September 27-29 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The applicationdeadline is June 15. Access conference information.
BJ's Charitable Foundation
The foundation's goal is tocreate a positive, long-lasting impact on the communities theyserve. The foundation’s mission is the enhancement and enrichment of community programs that primarily benefit children and families. The majorityof giving is focused on organizations that promote the safety, security and well-being of children and families; support education and health programs; provide community service opportunities; and aid in hunger and disaster relief.The deadline is ongoing.Access information here.
Captain Planet Foundation Education Grants
The foundation supports projects that promote understanding of environmental issues, focuses on hands-on involvement, involves children and adults 6-18 (elementary through high school), promotes interaction and cooperation within the group, helps young people develop planning and problem solving, includes adult supervision, commits to follow-up communication with the foundation in the following program areas: community involvement/volunteerism, general education, science/environmental, social studies, all others.
The deadline is May 31.Learn more at their website
Community Connect Grant Program
Funds may be used to build broadband infrastructure and establish a community center which offers free public access to broadband for two years.Single communities withpopulations less than 20,000 which do not have Broadband Transmission Service are eligible. The deadline is June 18th.Access information here.
Mobile Payment Devices
Could your fundraising or fine payments be easier if you had a mobile payment device that fit on top of your iPad or iPhone?Square is offering free devices. If your library is already using one, please contact us.
Family Place Grants
The Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries, is accepting applications from public libraries to establish family place community centers for early childhood information, parent education, socialization, emergent literacy, and family support. Successful applicants will receive $5,000 to purchase materials, and bereimbursed travel expenses to the training site. The Office of Commonwealth Libraries will pay the training and technical assistance cost directly.
The two pieces come to a total value of $17,000.
Up to six libraries will be selected to participate through a competitive application process. See the Grant Announcement and Access the Application. Applications must be received by June 1st.
Fundraisers
The Franklin County Library System will hold its fourth annual Chambersburg Home Tour on June 3rd. The tour features historic homes and highlights home features such as a circular turret, Asian decor, and art and book collections. The tour is self-guided and tour-goers can begin at any one of the homes. The addresses and a map will be in the tour book, which serves as the admission ticket. Free refreshments will be served at both libraries during tour hours. Tour books are $20 per person. They may be reserved now, with payment, at Grove Family and Coyle Free libraries. They will be available for pick up on May 7. Tour books are limited and will be distributed on a first-come first-serve basis.
To pre-pay for tour books, fill out the reservation form in the Annual Home Tour brochure. Brochures are currently available at Coyle Free Library, 102 North Main Street, and Grove Family Library, 101 Ragged Edge Road South, both in Chambersburg, and at any other branch library of the Franklin County Library System. For additional information, call Coyle Free Library at 263-1054 or Grove Family Library at 264-9663.
Prudential Leadership Awards for Exceptional Nonprofit Boards
In recognition of the critical role that boards play in overseeing their organizations' missions, finances, and strategic directions, BoardSource and Prudential are offering cash awards to boards that exemplify exceptional governance and can demonstrate that they are "Designing Change" for their organizations in at least one of three areas: structure, fundraising, and governance. The awards are intended to inspire and support new approaches to strengthening and building organizational impact through board leadership.
The awards include
$25,000 Grand Prize
$10,000 Second-Place Prize
$5,000 Third-Place Prize
Two $2,500 Honorable Mentions
What about your board? Tell them about award possibilities
MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Awards
Nomination for the awards is May 15th.
Drucker Award for Nonprofit Innovation
First prize is $100,000.Learn more.
Due Diligence
The Due Diligence Tool (used in pre-grant assessment)
Goodshop.com
If your patrons designate your library on Goodshop, each search and purchase may earn your library money!
Legal
Law for Change offers resources on the legal issues of Fundraising.
Libri Foundation
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.Learn more.
2012 Grant Program for
Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund
--2nd Announcement--Letter of Intent Deadline May 1, 2012
The Office of Commonwealth Libraries invites the submission of Letters of Intent in competing for the 2012 Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund Grant Program.
The Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund was established by an act of the General Assembly in 1993. The Department of Education, through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, Bureau of Library Development, administers the public library portion of this program which is funded from a portion of the realty transfer tax.
The current competitive grant application process is used to award matching facilities grants to municipalities that sponsor state-aided public libraries. To be eligible, the sponsoring municipality and the board of the state-aided library must jointly submit an application developed cooperatively by both entities and signed by their governing bodies. There is no minimum grant amount; however, the maximum Keystone grant award will be $500,000. All grants require a dollar-for-dollar match.
The following are the 2012 Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund Grant Program documents:
Letter of Intent Packet - This contains a general overview of the grant program,
including the Letter of Intent form and application deadline.
Keystone Grant Application Packet - This document, in both .pdf and Word
format, contains instructions and the application for the Keystone Grant.
Appendix A & B - This attachment includes additional documents:
(1) AppendixA,the program regulations and (2) Appendix B,
the PHMC review application.
To start the grant process, potential applicants must file a Letter of Intent with the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, postmarked on or before May 1, 2012. Letters of Intent will be reviewed by staff for eligibility. The Office of Commonwealth Libraries will issue an Invitation to Proceed letter based on eligibility of the project and proper completion of the Letter of Intent. Send the completed Letter of Intent to:
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Office of Commonwealth Libraries
Forum Building
607 South Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17120-0600
Attention: KEYSTONE
The Announcement with attachments is also available on the PDE site.
For assistance about the application process, please contact the
Bureau of Library Development staff via e-mail at .