Happy January! Here is a roundup of grants available to libraries with deadlines in the next few months, or with rolling or ongoing deadlines. Check back each month for an updated list!
The Music Man Foundation: National Meredith Willson Awards
Deadline: January 24, 2025
The Music Man Foundation seeks to empower organizations using music to catalyze enduring change. The Foundation is currently accepting applications for the National Meredith Willson Awards, which provide multi-year, general operating support to national programs and organizations using music to achieve systemic change. For 2025, the Foundation anticipates awarding grants to three to eight organizations. Successful submissions will clearly identify the primary system the organization is impacting, articulate how and why music plays a key role in advancing this system change, and demonstrate why the organization is well-positioned to take on this system change. Nonprofit organizations with three years of experience conducting programming with a national focus and an intentional presence in at least three U.S. states or territories are eligible to apply. Grant award amounts will range from $100,000 to $1,000,000 over a two-year period.
Peggy Barber Tribute Grant
Deadline: February 3, 2025
The Peggy Barber Tribute Grant is an annual grant of the American Library Association (ALA) that recognizes, promotes, and supports meaningful programs in libraries that have limited and/or no access to budgetary support for programming. The grant, named after the late library leader Peggy Barber, aims to help ease library budget challenges by awarding three libraries $2,500 to support a proposed program, program series, or programming effort. Each year, the grant will focus on supporting a specific type of library programming. For the 2024–2025 cycle, libraries are invited to submit applications to support programming related to combatting isolation for older adults. Proposals should be focused on a program that combats isolation for older adults (such as a technology training club to teach seniors how to use technology so that they can stay connected online or a social club to bring adults together around an activity like crafting, gardening, etc.)
Libraries Transforming Communities Engagement Grant
Deadline: February 3, 2025
The Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant recognizes, promotes and supports innovative and meaningful community engagement efforts in libraries. It will provide two grants of $2,000 for a school, public, academic, tribal or special library to expand its community engagement efforts. Libraries are invited to apply by designing and outlining activities for a library-led community engagement project. Community engagement is the process of working collaboratively with community members – be they library patrons, residents, faculty, students, or local organizations – to address issues for the betterment of the community. Each year, the grant will focus on supporting a community engagement project with a specific theme. For the 2024–2025 cycle, libraries are invited to submit applications for a community engagement project focusing on building neighborhood connections. Libraries should collaborate with community members and at least one partner organization to develop a project that addresses a local issue and builds upon community assets.
EBSCO ALA Annual Conference Sponsorship
Deadline: February 3, 2025
This scholarship from EBSCO Information Services and the American Library Association . This annual award consisting of $1,000 for actual reimbursed expenses is designed to allow librarians to attend the ALA’s Annual Conference. These scholarships allow recipients to learn more about digital content, innovation and leadership and expand their professional development while networking with fellow library professionals.
Penguin Random House & United for Libraries Grants to Rural and Small Libraries
Application Dates: February 3-17, 2025
Penguin Random House, in partnership with United for Libraries, is offering grants to support rural and small U.S. libraries. Grants of $500 and $1,000 will be awarded, from a total grant pool of $25,000. In-kind book donation grants of $500 will also be awarded to 20 libraries to purchase Penguin Random House titles. Along with the grants, recipients will receive free eLearning from United for Libraries, including monthly webinars on leveraging grant funds to support libraries. Free sessions will help libraries prepare for the application process and strengthen their grant-writing skills. For more details and to register, visit this United for Libraries form.
ALA Pat Carterette Professional Development Grant
Application Dates: February 15, 2025
The American Library Association’s (ALA) Learning Round Table (LRT) will award up to $1,000 to an individual to participate in a continuing education event(s) between September 1, 2025, and August 31, 2026. Documentation/receipts will be required prior to payment. If the recipient is participating in a ALA or ALA-related event, monies will be transferred internally instead of being paid to the recipient.
STARS Virginia Boucher Distinguished ILL Librarian Award
Deadline: February 21, 2025
This is an award from Reference and User Services Association and the American Library Association . The STARS Virginia Boucher Distinguished ILL (Interlibrary Loan) Librarian Award is an annual award consisting of $2,000, sponsored by OCLC, and a citation. It recognizes an individual for outstanding professional achievement, leadership, and contributions to interlibrary loan and document delivery through recent publication of significant professional literature, participation in professional associations, and/or innovative approaches to practice in individual libraries. The candidate must have been employed in a library and held some responsibility for his or her institution’s ILL, document delivery, or resource sharing services at the time the contributions to be honored were made.
BRASS Excellence in Business Librarianship Award
Deadline: February 21, 2025
BRASS Excellence in Business Librarianship Award from Reference and User Services Association and the American Library Association . This award is available to a librarian that has distinguished themselves in the field of Business Librarianship. This award is sponsored by Mergent by FTSE Russell. The recipient’s contribution may lie in a variety of endeavors, such as authoring a seminal book or articles in business librarianship, the development of an imaginative and successful program centered around business within a library, the teaching of business librarianship in a particularly creative manner, the display of unusually strong leadership in a professional association geared to business librarianship, or other activities that encourage librarians to excel in business librarianship.
Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture
Deadline: March 15, 2025
Talk Story grant funding supports library and community organization opportunities to highlight AANHPI and AIAN stories through programs, services, and collection materials. Children and families can connect to rich cultural activities through Talk Story in their homes, libraries, and communities while challenging mainstream Anglocentric literacy practices. They welcome libraries and community organizations to develop their own Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture project to serve family literacy needs. Four grants of $500 are available to libraries and community organizations that serve AANHPI or AIAN children and their families. With the exception of cross-border tribal organizations, organizations must be based in the United States or U.S. territories. Organizations who have previously been awarded two Talk Story grants are ineligible for additional awards.
Wyoming Humanities’ Indian Education for All Program
Deadline: Ongoing
One of the best ways to fulfill the Indian Education for All Act is to have Tribal Knowledge Keepers visit Wyoming classrooms. This is not always feasible because costs for travel and honorarium to those wanting to share their valuable wisdom. To address these challenges, Wyoming Humanities is offering funds for K-12 educators in Wyoming to bring an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper into their school, classroom, or field trip. All requests for support should help fulfill Indian Education for All standards and requirements. Wyoming Humanities will offer one-time compensation to support the inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge Keeper in the classroom, including: a $350 Honoraria (a “thank you” for the Indigenous Knowledge Keeper’s time and energy) and $200 in travel funds (if 100+ miles roundtrip) Payment will be made directly to the Indigenous Knowledge Keeper. Funding is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. If payment is required prior to the classroom visit, apply at least six weeks before the visit. If payment is NOT required prior to the classroom visit, apply at least four weeks before the visit.
Wish You Well Foundation
Deadline: Ongoing
The Wish You Well Foundation supports adult and family literacy in the United States by fostering the development and expansion of new and existing adult literacy and educational programs. The focus is on supporting nonprofit organizations that teach adults the literacy skills they need to communicate, grow, and thrive within their communities. Grants amounts range from $200 to $10,000.
Scholastic Possible Fund
Deadline: Ongoing
The Scholastic Possible Fund was established to provide a single repository of quality children’s books to be donated to charity partners that share the Company’s mission to improve global literacy and put books into the hands of children who might otherwise have none. The Fund seeks to improve access to books in underserved communities and to provide relief in communities recovering from crises or natural disasters. The non-profit partners receiving donations from the Fund have demonstrated the ability to effectively educate children and families in diverse communities about the importance of books and reading from birth through adulthood.
Jan Stauber-Sherlock Holmes Literacy Grant
Deadline: Ongoing
The mission of the Jan Stauber Grant is to provide needed financial assistance to persons and organizations developing literacy programs and other educational experiences that will introduce young people to Sherlock Holmes. Educators or librarians can be awarded up to $1,000 for a project that encourages young people to read and introduces them to Sherlock Holmes.
Books Save Lives Grant
Deadline: Ongoing
Each Books Save Lives Grant will provide up to $5,000 per school library. The grant money must be used toward purchasing diverse books and the books must remain on the shelves for a minimum of three years. Applicants must nominate a school library within the United States to receive a Books Save Lives Grant. Applications may be completed anonymously. The grant must be used to purchase diverse books for school libraries. Winning libraries may select titles and quantities based on book lists provided by WNDB. We will ship the books directly to the school. Note: we will continue adding books to the lists. Winning schools must provide a signed written agreement that the books they receive via the grant will remain on shelves for a minimum of three years.
Art Resources Transfer’s Library Program
Deadline: Ongoing
This program provides free books on contemporary art to public institutions nationwide. Public libraries, public schools, prisons, and reading centers that self-define as under-served are eligible to order free books through our Library Program. Institutions can order anytime throughout the year. Books are entirely free and shipped free of charge.
The Pilcrow Foundations Children’s Book Project Program Grant
DEADLINE: Rolling The Pilcrow Foundation, a national non-profit public charity, provides a 2-to-1 match to rural public libraries that receive a grant through its Children’s Book Project and contribute $200-$400 through a local sponsors for the purchase of up to $1,200 worth (at retail value) of new, quality, hardcover children’s books. We provide a list of over 500 quality hardcover children’s books from which Children’s Book Project grant recipients can select books best suited for their community. The book list includes award-winning and star-reviewed titles from educational and literary organizations.
Black Hills Corporation Community Giving
DEADLINE: Ongoing
Areas of focus are arts and culture, civic and community development, education, environment, human services, and youth development. Giving limited to Black Hills Energy service areas.
BNSF Railway Foundation Grants
DEADLINE: Ongoing
Supports organizations and programs that support and improve the general welfare and quality of life in the communities in which BNSF Railway Company operates. Generally, they will consider requests for funding that clearly fall within one or more of the following categories: civic services, cultural organizations, educational institutions, health and human service organizations, youth organizations, and a federally recognized tribal government.
T-Mobile Hometown Grant Program
DEADLINE: Ongoing
T-Mobile is investing $25M in 500 rural towns over 5 years to jumpstart projects and build stronger communities. These grants can be used to help upgrade tech at your local library, build new hiking trails, revitalize historic buildings, and more.