The American Library Association (ALA) invites applications from small and rural libraries for the second round of funding of the Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Accessible Small and Rural Communities grant. Library workers may apply online for grant funding until December 11, 2023, at ala.org/LTCAccess. Up to 300 libraries will be awarded in this second application period, part of ALA’s longtime community engagement initiative.
Libraries selected will receive $10,000 or $20,000 to support costs related to their community engagement project; virtual training to assist project directors in developing their community engagement, facilitation, and disability service skills; a suite of online resources developed to support local programs; and technical and project support from the ALA Public Programs Office throughout the grant term.
Libraries chosen to participate in LTC: Accessible Small and Rural Communities will first conduct community input-gathering sessions to assure that their work aligns with local needs. Libraries will be required to identify the primary audience they are hoping to reach (e.g., older adults with mobility disabilities, children with autism, Deaf community members) and facilitate a community conversation with the impacted populations to guide improvement of the library’s services. Grantees will then use the grant funds to create services or improve their facilities based on the needs identified by their audience.
View the full project guidelines.
The opportunity is open to libraries serving small and rural communities in the U.S. and U.S. territories. To be eligible, a library must be located in an area that’s more than, or equal to, five miles from an urbanized area and with a population of 25,000 or less, in keeping with Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) definitions of small and rural libraries. Previous awardees are eligible to apply. Note that prioritization will be given to applicants not previously awarded.