By Ali Palmieri, July 2012
In light of the recently-released Innovative Approaches to Literacy Program and the importance it places on literacy for children from birth through 12th grade, now is a good time for reading-focused organizations such as libraries to explore Federal funding opportunities that may be available to them. Libraries can work to maintain the spotlight placed on preschool and K-12 literacy by implementing programs that follow suit. There are several grants that libraries can apply for that can help to advance a variety of programs. The Institute of Museum and Library Services has programs such as the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums and Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums Grants. The National Endowment of the Arts has a program called Challenge Grants.
The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program supports projects to recruit and educate the next generation of librarians, faculty, and library leaders; to conduct research on the library profession; and to support early career research. It also assists in the professional development of librarians and library staff. All members of the library community are invited to play an active role in ensuring that the profession is prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The grant amount ranges from $50,000-$500,000. The deadline is September 17, 2012. http://www.imls.gov/applicants/detail.aspx?GrantId=9
The Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums are small grants that encourage libraries, museums, and archives to test and evaluate specific innovations in the ways they operate and the services they provide. Sparks Grants support the deployment, testing, and evaluation of promising and groundbreaking new tools, products, services, or organizational practices. You may propose activities or approaches that involve risk, as long as the risk is balanced by significant potential for improvement in the ways libraries and museums serve their communities. The grant amounts range from $10,000-$25,000. The deadline was February 1, 2012and is anticipated to be similar annually. http://www.imls.gov/applicants/detail.aspx?GrantId=19
Grants for Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums will support planning and design activities for spaces that foster experimentation and creativity for middle- and high-school youth in library- and museum-based, out-of-school-time settings. The labs should be grounded in evidence-based research on youth, and should be designed to support youth learning in such 21st century skills as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). The awards are available up to $100,000. The deadline was June 15, 2012 and is anticipated to be similar annually. http://www.imls.gov/applicants/learning_labs_guidelines.aspx
Challenge Grants are capacity-building grants, intended to help institutions and organizations secure long-term improvements in and support for their humanities programs and resources. Through these awards, many organizations and institutions have been able to increase their humanities capacity and secure the permanent support of an endowment. Grants may be used to establish or enhance endowments or spend-down funds that generate expendable earnings to support ongoing program activities. Awards have ranged from $30,000- $1,000,000. The deadline was May 2, 2012 and is anticipated to be similar annually. http://www.neh.gov/grants/challenge/challenge-grants
Even though these programs are well established, with the introduction of Innovative Approaches to Literacy, libraries, whether public or academic, are able to take advantage of the spotlight that has been placed on literacy. With the landscape for libraries looking towards innovation, 21st century skills and capacity building, it is a perfect time to evaluate new projects and keep an eye on the future of library science in order to ensure optimal results from grant makers.