These opportunities each have varying cycles and deadlines, though they are all regularly repeated.
- Citizens Financial Group Corporate Giving Program
- Charles Lafitte Foundation
- Carnegie-Whitney Grant Awards
- Best Small Library in America
- Connecticut Humanities Council
- ALA's We the People Bookshelf
- NEH's Preservation Assistance Grants
- The Big Read
- Ben & Jerry's Foundation
- Cigna
- USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program
- Public Welfare Foundation
- Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy
- HUD State Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program
- Verizon Foundation: Building More Literate Communities
- The nationwide Distribution to Underserved Communities Library Program (DUC)
- Libri Books for Children Program Program
- CLA MLS/LTA scholarships.
- BCALA-CT Dr. Spencer G. Shaw Scholarship
- Melvil Dewey Award
- Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
- Hidden Valley Love Your Veggies Grant Program
- Nike's Back Your Block Grant
- Ezra Jack Keats Mini-Grant Program
- H.W. Wilson Library Staff Development Grant
- General Mills Foundation's Champions for Healthy Kids Grant Program
1. Citizens Financial Group Corporate Giving Program. Supports nonprofit organizations in Connecticut in the areas of developing innovative responses to basic human needs, encouraging community-based services targeted to those of low - and moderate-incomes, supporting initiatives for economically distressed areas, and promoting new ways to address issues of economic self-sufficiency. Applications are accepted throughout the year.
2. The Charles Lafitte Foundation supports innovative and effective ways for people to help themselves and others around them lead healthy and satisfying lives. The Foundation’s areas of interests are education, youth advocacy, and medical research.
3. Carnegie-Whitney Grant Awards. The American Library Association Publishing Committee provides a grant of up to $5,000 for the preparation of print or electronic reading lists, indexes, or other guides to library resources that promote reading or the use of library resources at any type of library. Funded projects range from reading lists to specialized, scholarly proposals.
4. Best Small Library in America. Library Journal's annual award for the Best Small Library in America, cosponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, awards $15,000 cash to the public library that most profoundly demonstrates outstanding service to populations of 25,000 or less. Winners also receive a feature story in the February 1 LJ, membership and conference costs for two library representatives to attend the Public Library Association Biannual Conference, and a gala reception at the conference. Nominations are due in November (the 2009 deadline is November 2).
5. Connecticut Humanities Council. In addition to partnering with libraries frequently in book discussion programs and being a Family Read provider, The Council awards grants to cultural institutions across Connecticut along three lines: Community Foundation Collaborations, Historic Preservation Technical Assistance Grants, and Connecticut Heritage Revitalization Fund.
6. We the People Bookshelf. Each year the National Endowment for the Humanities and ALA offer themed book collections for young readers through a competitive grant application; programming resources are also provided.
7. NEH's Preservation Assistance Grants. Designed to help small and mid-sized institutions (such as libraries) improve their ability to preserve and care for their humanities collections. These may include special collections of books and journals, archives and manuscripts, prints and photographs, moving images, sound recordings, architectural and cartographic records, decorative and fine arts, textiles, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, furniture, and historical objects. Small and mid-sized institutions that have never received an NEH grant are especially encouraged to apply. See the application advice page; applications are generally due in May.
8. The Big Read. IMLS and the NEH’s The Big Read hopes to revitalize the role of literature in American popular culture by offering communities grants ranging from $2,500 - $20,000 to inspire literary reading. Deadlines have traditionally been in July.
9. The Ben & Jerry Foundation's criteria are fairly strict, but worth a look if the library and/or partnering agencies fit; they fund “proposals from grassroots, constituent-led organizations that are organizing for systemic social change.”
10. Cigna's targeted grant program targets five areas of core concern; The Health of Women, Children & Families: Obesity Awareness & Prevention, Patient/Doctor Communications & Health Literacy: Elimination of Gender & Ethnic Disparities in Health Care, and The Connection Between a Healthy Mind and a Healthy Body. Deadlines are rolling.
11. USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program. This federal program strives to ensure that public facilities like schools and libraries are readily available to all rural communities by making and guaranteeing loans to develop essential community facilities in rural areas and towns of up to 20,000 in population.
12. Public Welfare Foundation. The Public Welfare Foundation (PWF) supports programs that “ensure fundamental rights and opportunities for people in need.” Grants are made in the following program areas: Criminal and Juvenile Justice, Health Reform, Workers Rights. Deadlines for the two-step application process are generally in March, July, and November.
13. Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. The National Grant Program develops or expands projects designed to support the development of literacy skills for adult primary care givers and their children. Approximately $650,000 is awarded annually with caps of $65,000. The deadline is usually in September (September 14 for 2009).
14. HUD State-Administered Community Development Block Grants (CDBGs). This federal funding is intended for revitalizing neighborhoods, expanding housing, improving community facilities and services, acquiring property such as land and buildings, and improving property. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
15. Verizon Foundation. The Verizon Foundation's focus areas are: education, literacy, domestic violence prevention, and technology for healthcare and healthcare accessibility. Proposals are accepted electronically January through October.
16. The nationwide Distribution to Underserved Communities Library Program (DUC) distributes books on contemporary art to rural and inner-city schools, libraries, and alternative reading centers completely free of charge. If you are a PUBLIC institution (private and religious institutions are ineligible) in an underserved community, you are eligible to receive these free materials. All orders are shipped completely free of charge. Participants may place one order per calendar year.
17. Libri Books for Children Program Program. The Libri Foundation donates new, quality, hardcover children's books for small, rural public libraries in the United States through a 2-to-1 matching program. “…town libraries should serve a population under 10,000 (usually under 5,000)… should be in a rural area, have a limited operating budget, and an active children's department. The average total operating budget of a BOOKS FOR CHILDREN grant recipient is less than $40,000.” There are usually 3 deadlines per year: January, April, and August.
18. CLA MLS/LTA scholarships. Each year CLA's Career Recruitment Committee offers scholarships to CT residents enrolled in MLS or LTA degree programs. This year, up to two MLS scholarships in the amount of $1,500.00 and up to two LTA scholarships in the amount of $700.00 will be available. The application due date: is traditionally in February.
19. The BCALA-CT Dr. Spencer G. Shaw Scholarship of $500 is awarded to an African-American student accepted in an ALA-accredited MLIS degree program who resides in Connecticut.
20. Melvil Dewey Award. This annual award is for $2,000 for recent creative leadership of high order, particularly in those fields in which Melvil Dewey was actively interested: library management, library training, cataloging and classification, and the tools and techniques of librarianship. Recipients also get a bronzed medal and a 24k gold-framed citation of achievement. This award is donated by OCLC/Forest Press, and the deadline is traditionally in February.
21. Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. In partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, these awards honor middle level and high school students for outstanding service to others at the local, state, and national level. Deadlines for the past few years have been in early November.
22. Love Your Veggies. This grant supports programs that increase student access to, and consumption of, fresh vegetables and fruits during school meals. Application deadlines are generally in November (11/6 in 2009).
23. Nike - Back Your Block Grant. Supports organizations that utilize sports as a tool to bring about a positive change in local communities. Programming should encourage young people aged 15-24 to create a better life through sports. Award amounts range from $2,500-$5,000, and deadlines are generally in August.
24. Ezra Jack Keats Mini-Grant Program. $500 grants are awarded to public schools and libraries across the US for a wide range of creative projects.
25. H.W. Wilson Library Staff Development Grant. This $3,500 annual award is given to libraries that demonstrates the greatest merit for a program of staff development. Deadlines are in early December.
26. General Mills Foundation's Champions for Healthy Kids Grant Program. Provides $500,000 in total funding to community-based groups that help youth adopt a balanced diets and active lifestyles. Deadlines usually in January.