Happy April (again)! Here is an UPDATED roundup of grants available to libraries with deadlines in the next few months, or with rolling or ongoing deadlines.
Dollar General Youth Literacy Grants
Deadline: April 3
Schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations who help K-12 students that are below grade level or having trouble reading are eligible to apply. Grant funding is limited to grants of $5,000 or less and is provided to assist in the following areas: implementing new or expanding existing literacy programs; purchasing new technology or equipment to support literacy initiatives; and purchasing books, materials or software for literacy programs.
ALA Library Building Capacity Grants
Deadline: April 9, 2025
The American Library Association (ALA) Building Library Capacity Grants will assist public libraries that are or will serve New Americans (immigrants and refugees). The Building Library Capacity Grants are supported by the Mellon Foundation. Up to sixteen $10,000 grants will be given to successful library applicants nationwide. The grants are intended for library operations, including, but not limited to staff salary (direct or indirect,) materials, technology, and in-person or virtual services. Grants are to establish, re-establish, sustain, amplify services, or create newly needed services.
Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Visit Award
Deadline: April 15, 2025
This award was established with funding from Simon and Schuster to honor Maureen Hayes for her life-long efforts to bring together children and authors/illustrators. The Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Visit Award pays for the honorarium and travel for a visiting author/illustrator. Applicants must be personal members of ALSC as well as the ALA.
EBSCO Solar Grants
Deadline: April 30, 2025
Solar power is the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy source available. EBSCO now has more than 500 solar panels offsetting the amount of “brown power” we buy and generating clean energy to reduce EBSCO’s environmental footprint. We believe we can help make a critical impact on improving the environment and we want to help a library make the same transition to green power. For the tenth year in a row, EBSCO is accepting applications for grants that will fund solar installations at libraries around the world. EBSCO will be making a total of $300,000 in grants available. Applicants must be EBSCO customers.
Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund Programming Grants
Deadline: April 30, 2025
Each year the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) distributes grants for organizations to support activities that raise awareness of intellectual freedom and censorship issues during the annual Banned Books Weeks celebration (October 5-11, 2025). Staff at all types of libraries, schools, universities, and non-profit community organizations are encouraged to apply. Grants are awarded for $1,000.
Young Adult Services Symposium Stipends
Deadline: June 1, 2025
Every year YALSA holds the Young Adult Services Symposium and provides up to two stipends for attendance. Both stipends offer up to $1,000 in funds for travel and registration. One stipend will be awarded to a library worker with one to ten years of experience who works directly with young adults, and the other will be awarded to a student enrolled in an ALA-accredited MLS program at the time of the symposium.
Believe in Reading – Grants for Literacy Program
Deadline: Ongoing
Grants are made to organizations with 501(c)(3) status or its equivalent for educational institutions, including public libraries. Believe in Reading will consider funding programs that serve any age or aspect of supporting reading and literacy, including adult literacy, English as a second language projects, or Braille projects for the blind or visually impaired. Believe in Reading will supply funds only if they are earmarked for literacy, not just a general campaign. Reading must be the prime activity. Because addressing literacy is not a short-term process, Believe in Reading’s grants are renewable for up to a maximum of three years, but a first-year award does not guarantee any subsequent awards. Currently, the maximum grant amount is $10,000; however, the vast majority of grants are for $3,000 or less. First-time applicants will not be funded for more than $3,000.
Rural Technology Education & Assistive Technology (AT) Grants
Deadline: Ongoing
Grants are typically $500 – $2,500 for staff and student-led projects in public schools and libraries. The projects funded are designed to help spark student interest in technology-based careers like computer science, computer engineering, information technology, programming, cyber security, robotics, or similar areas. In some cases, these project donations may include a few smaller items like a Raspberry Pi microcomputer or a robotics kit or entire Maker Spaces equipped with things like circuit development kits, 3-D printers, robotics kits, and classroom sets of individual microcomputers to build upon. Other projects include early-stage robotics classes, teams, and clubs interested in project-based learning that culminates in competitive events like FIRST. The focus is on funding libraries and schools in rural or high-poverty areas that are designed to reach multiple students equitably and help establish ongoing student interest groups like maker spaces and coding clubs.
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 honorarium 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 this 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
These grants are given to organizations and programs that support and improve the general welfare and quality of life in the communities in which BNSF Railway Company operates. Generally, requests that clearly fall within one or more of the following categories will be considered for funding: 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.