Outreach Services: Grant Writing & Funding Opportunities

Applications are now being accepted for the fourth round of the Stephen T. Riedner Grant for Life Enhancing Library Programs for People Living with Dementia. Two $2,500 grants will be awarded to libraries for planning new services/programs for their patrons living with dementia. Fill out the simple application form and submit it by Feb. 21 , 2025. You don’t need to be a member of the American Library Association or the RUSA subdivision to apply.

Deadlines: April 1 and October 1
The Pilcrow Foundation's mission is to provide new, quality, hardcover children's books to rural public libraries across the United States. The Children’s Book Project grants provide a 2-to-1 match to rural public libraries that contribute $200-$400 through local sponsors for the purchase of up to $1200 (retail value) of new, quality, hardcover children’s books. Grant recipients can select from a list of over 500 quality hardcover children’s books best suited for their community, including award-winning and star-reviewed titles from educational and literary organizations.
The Pilcrow Foundation accepts applications from independent rural public libraries and Native American Tribal libraries as well as libraries that are part of a county, regional, or cooperative system. Libraries must be located in a rural U.S. area, have a limited operating budget, have an active children’s department, and raise $200-$400 through a local sponsor. Libraries with total operating budgets of less than $50,000 receive priority. A rural community is typically more than 40 miles from an urban area (population over 50,000) and not a part of a metropolitan area. A rural town library system should serve a population under 10,000 (priority to community populations under 5,000). A rural county library system should serve a population under 20,000.

Deadlines: Quarterly, Jan. 3, April 1, July 1, Oct. 1. The Literacy Opportunity Fund awards grants to nonprofit organizations within the United States that provide literacy services directly to students.
Funded by the Nora Roberts Foundation and administered by ProLiteracy, the Literacy Opportunity Fund distributes grants of $3,000 to $6,000 to support general operating expenses.
This new fund aims to meet the needs of literacy organizations of all types and sizes so that they may effectively and efficiently provide services to students.

Deadline: Ongoing. Established in 2002, the Wish You Well Foundation has the mission of "Supporting adult and family literacy in the United States by fostering new and promoting existing adult literacy and educational programs." The primary focus of their work is to support non-profit U.S. organizations that teach adults the literacy skills they need to communicate, grow, and thrive within their communities; they do not fund youth programs. The Wish You Well Foundation reviews donation requests with a wide array of funding needs. Most requests range from $200 to $10,000. Grants are awarded throughout the year.

Rolling Deadline
It is a simple process to apply for the Doris Ann Norris We Love Libraries $500 grant, which is awarded six times per year to public and school libraries. The online form is short, but it does require a little advanced preparation.
The handful of questions on the form include contact information for the applicant, basic information about the library, including the address, website, and the library director's name. A brief description of the library, including the size and the number of constituents served, is also requested. That information should be easy and quick to gather. Winners of the $500 award must use the funds to purchase library materials or for public programming. The grant money can't be directed to the operating budget.