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These opportunities each have varying cycles and deadlines, though they are all regularly repeated.

1. Safeco Community Grants Program.
2. Rural Cooperative Development Grant.
3. Rural Youth Development.
4. Citizens Financial Group Corporate Giving Program.
5. Migrant Education Even Start Family Literacy Program.
6. ALA's Diversity Research Grant Program.
7. AT&T Excelerator Grant.
8. Carnegie-Whitney Grant Awards.
9. Let's Talk About It: Jewish Literature Reading and Discussion.
10.Best Small Library in America.
11.Connecticut Humanities Council.
12.ALA's We the People Bookshelf.
13.Advancing Knowledge: The IMLS/NEH Digital Partnership.
14.James Patterson Pageturner Award.
15.NEH's Preservation Assistance Grants.
16.The Big Read.
17.Ben & Jerry's Foundation.
18.Cigna.
19.Citigroup.
20.Dupont Community Outreach.
21.Dupont Education Commitment.
22.Citizen's Bank.
23.Eaton Company.
24.USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program.
25.General Mills' My Hometown Helper Grant Program.
26.Public Welfare Foundation.
27.Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.
28.Staples Foundation.
29.HUD State Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.
30.Verizon Foundation: Building More Literate Communities.
31.The nationwide Distribution to Underserved Communities Library Program (DUC).
32.Libri Books for Children Program Program.
33.CLA MLS/LTA scholarships.
 

1. Safeco Insurance Foundation. Safeco has supported libraries in the past through its Community Grants Program; their Community Relations program endowed a new Foundation in 2007.

2. Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Cooperative Development grants are made for establishing and operating centers for cooperative development for the primary purpose of improving the economic condition of rural areas; the Department announced the availability of $3.5 million in April, 2007.

3. Rural Youth Development. This U.S. Department of Agriculture program is intended to facilitate collaboration between eligible youth development organizations; the Department made $1.9 million in 2007.  Deadlines for the past few years have been in May.

4. Citizens Financial Group Corporate Giving Program. This program supports nonprofit organizations in Connecticut in the areas of: affordable housing, human services, community development, and financial education. The company also considers sponsorships in order to develop partnerships that are of mutual benefit to community organizations and the bank. Applications for charitable grants and sponsorships are accepted throughout the year; Citizens Bank has recently converted to an online funding request process

5. Migrant Education Even Start Family Literacy Program. The U.S. Department of Education’s MEES Family Literacy program is designed to help break the cycle of poverty and improve the literacy of participating migrant families by integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or adult basic education, and parenting education into a unified family literacy program.  The 2007 appropriation was $2.4 million.

6. The American Library Association's Office for Diversity yearly calls for topical proposals; the Office also annually honors an individual with an Achievement in Library Diversity Research.   Applications in both areas are usually due in April.

7. AT&T Excelerator Grant. This program provides funding (typically ranging from $2,500 to $25,000) for projects seeking to improve technology resources including hardware, software and networking tools, and provide resources such as internet access, computer training, math and reading programs, and job skills development in four main program areas - Education, Community Development, Health & Human Services, and Arts & Culture.  Applications for the past two years have been due in May.   See recent Connecticut grantees.

8. 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 (see past recipients) have ranged from reading lists to specialized, scholarly proposals.   The 2007 application is due on November 5.

9. Let's Talk About It: Jewish Literature Reading and Discussion sponsored by ALA’s Public Programs Office and Nextbook.   Grantee libraries host theme-based reading and discussion series exploring contemporary and classic Jewish literature.   Grantees receive: a $2,500 grant for costs and scholar honoraria, training for the library project director, materials, including introductory literature and essays on each of the books, promotional materials, and selections for additional reading.   The application deadline for 2008 - 2009 programs is December 3, 2007.

10. 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 2007 deadline is November 5).

11.  Connecticut Humanities Council.  The Council awards grants to cultural institutions across Connecticut along four lines: Cultural Heritage Development Fund, Humanities in the Schools, Historic Preservation Technical Assistance Grants, and Heritage Advancement Program.  Together these grant lines provide about $1.6 million in support to the state’s cultural community each year.

12. We the People Bookshelf. 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 .   See the NEH's We the People page for more information.

13. Advancing Knowledge: The IMLS/NEH Digital Partnership.   This opportunity encourages exploration of “new ways to share, examine, and interpret humanities collections in a digital environment and develop new uses and audiences for existing digital resources."   It is a joint humanities grant competition sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities and Institute of Museum and Library Services.   Guidelines are at www.neh.gov; deadlines are traditionally in March.

14. James Patterson Pageturner Award .   Author James Patterson pledged $250,000 in cash prizes for 2007.  Application page.   The submission period will be officially open on Saturday, June 2, 2007, and the latest application deadline is December 9, 2007.

15. NEH's Preservation Assistance Grants.   These grants are 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 or contact NEH's Division of Preservation and Access at 202-606-8570; preservation@neh.gov.  Applications are traditionally due in May.

16. 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 $5,000 - $20,000 to inspire literary reading.  The 2007 deadline is July 31.

17. The Ben & Jerry Foundation's criteria are fairly strict, but worth a look if the library and/or partnering agencies propose a program "which facilitates progressive social change by addressing the underlying conditions of societal and environmental problems." 

18. 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. 

19. According to its website, Citigroup granted $544,500 to 47 Connecticut institutions in 2006.  Program areas include Community Development, Culture, Arts & Humanities, and Pre-K - 12 Education. 

20. The Dupont Community Outreach program is dedicated to "improving the quality of life and enhancing the vitality of the communities in which it operates" by supporting "programs and organizations that address social progress, economic success and environmental excellence - all vital components of community sustainability."  Areas of support include: educational programs; culture & the arts; environmental initiatives; human & health service organizations; and civic & community activities.

21. Dupont also has an 'Education Commitment' that works in collaborative initiatives to help K-12 students.  Programs include funding inquiry-based science programs, nurturing students' interest in science and mathematics professions, increasing the numbers of underrepresented minorities prepared for careers in science and mathematics, and safeguarding the competence of our teachers of science and mathematics.

22. Citizen's Bank's charitable giving area include projects that encourage the development of innovative responses to basic human needs; encourage community-based services targeted to low - and moderate-income families and individuals; support community development initiatives that are catalysts for economically distressed areas, and; promote new ways to address issues of economic self-sufficiency. 

23. The Eaton Company's philanthropic efforts are directed toward making a difference in the quality of life, community improvement, education, and arts and cultural programs.

24. USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program. This 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.

25. General Mills' My Hometown Helper Grant Program.  Applicants submit essays describing how grants would improve their community project; examples include: Lights or bleachers for the baseball, soccer or football fields; Books for the school, library, or literacy programs; Playground equipment for the park; Boys & Girls Clubs Programs; New uniforms for Little League teams; Red Cross health and safety programs; Swimming and lifeguard training; Equipment or supplies for a local food bank.  Applications, evaluated monthly, request one-time awards of between $500 and $15,000 during any single month.

26. Public Welfare Foundation. The Public Welfare Foundation (PWF) supports strategic advocacy that aims to transform public policy at the local, state and national levels. PWF enables people to play leading roles in remedying the problems they confront in their neighborhoods and communities.  Grants are made in the following program areas: Community Development, Criminal Justice, Environment, Health, Human Rights and Global Security, Reproductive Health and Sexual Health, Youth, and Civic Participation.  In 2006, the average grant was $48,833, and 47 grants were more than $75,000.

27. Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy 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.

28. Staples Foundation. The Foundation meets three times a year to review proposals that offer support for education and job skills programs (The next deadline is December 7, 2007).  Funds go to charities providing educational opportunities and job skills for people, emphasizing disadvantaged youth.

29. HUD State Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.  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.

30. Verizon Foundation: Building More Literate Communities  Verizon Foundation Literacy grants are available to organizations committed to basic literary skills in the United States. Verizon has invested in a network of collaborative literacy partners, offering wide variety of programs with a focus on e-learning.    Maximum Award: varies. Eligibility: 501(c)3 organizations. Deadline: November 30, 2007.

31. 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.  Learn more, browse the selection of titles, and place an order for books at the website.  All orders are shipped completely free of charge.  Participants may place one order per calendar year. 

32. 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.”  The Foundation awards three times a year.

33. 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. Due date: 2/1/08.  

 
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