The teacher librarian must seek funding to support the evolving needs of the library media program.
You can't rely on your budget to meet the ever changing goals of your school library media program. Of course you can ask students to sell candy, advertise junk food on your school walls, and beg for donations. However there are many other approaches to funding center programs.
Explore a wide range of options as you seek funding.
How do I get started?
Begin by dreaming. Start with lots of ideas. Brainstorm all the things you'd like to do. What would you need to try these wonderful projects? Then, begin exploring funding sources. Rather than looking for a particular grant to meet a specific need, be flexible. You may need to modify your idea to get the funding you need.
Read Grant
Writing Made Easy by Sheryl Abshore in School Library
Journal, Feb 2002; 48(2), 38. (Access requires
login) In order to get the grant, you first have to write a
grant proposal.
Also read Marblehead Public Schools' announcement of their accepted Proposal
for Library Incentive Grant from the Massachussetts Board of Library Commissioners
(June 2004).
Go to Teacher Tap: Grants for lots of ideas.
Where can I go for funding sources?
There are a few website that contains great lists of grants. Begin with these.
- US Department of Education - Discretionary Grant Application Packages
- Education World's Grant Archives
- SchoolGrants
There are many funding sources. Some are listed under Funding Sources at the bottom of this page.
What about funding sources specifically for school library programs?
Try some of the following programs designed for school libraries:
- AASL Awards, Grants and Scholarships
- Scholastic Library/Grolier National Library Week Grant
- Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries
Partner with a teacher in your building and work on the grant project collaboratively! For example, write a grant with your reading specialist or special education teacher. Consider a grant for high school history or science.
Here are some ideas:
- Awards and Grants from International Reading Association
How do you write a grant that will get funded?
There's no guarantee. However if you don't write a grant, you'll never get one.
Complete the following steps in creating a grant proposal:
- create a list of needs for funding and support
- identify a potential funding sources
- brainstorm a list of need for funding that would match the grant guides
- discuss the possibilities with the teachers and principal in the building
- select an active grant program of interesting where funding is currently available
- write detailed background information abotu your school
- identify a need
- write a statement of purpose
- discuss how your proposal matches the grant requirements
- discuss your proposed project including how it will impact the students and teachers in your school
- discuss how you would evaluate the project.
- check your proposal against the guidelines
- discuss the following issues as they relate to your project:
- hardware/software requirements
- facilities planning
- staff development
- public relations
- evaluation
- budget
- timeline
Read Winning the Grant Game by Judith McGowan in School Library Journal, March 2003; 49(3), 52. (Access requires login) Avoid the pitfalls, get the federal funding you deserve.
How do I handle rejection?
It's likely that you might have to apply for a number of grants before receiving funding. Eventually you'll be awarded a grant. The key is to keep trying.
If you get frustrated, try for some smaller grants.
Here are some examples:
What are other sources of funding for my program?
In addition to grants, there are many other fundraising programs you and your school should consider.
Check Your Understanding
You're the new teacher librarian. In the past, the librarian had a candy bar drive in the fall, sold Christmas wrap from catalogs in the winter, and pushed magazines in the spring to supplement that library media budget. Your school already collects soup labels and boxtops and has a Coke banner on the football field. This money is used for buying computers. You've decided to go another direction.
Describe one of the many funding opportunities not already mentioned. How would you develop this type of program? Why do you think it's an effective approach? What do you plan to do with the money?
Make It Real
There are many grant opportunities for school library media programs.
Write a grant proposal for a particular funding source.
Consider an AASL Grant.
Read More About It
Articles
Abshire, Sheryl. Grant Writing Made
Easy. School Library Journal, Feb 2002; 48(2), 38. (Access
requires login)
http://search.epnet.com.proxy.ulib.iupui.edu/login.aspx?
. . .
Tech grants are widely available, so get to a keyboard and start applying.
McGowan, Judith. Winning the Grant Game.
School Library Journal, March 2003; 49(3), 52. (Access
requires login)
http://search.epnet.com.proxy.ulib.iupui.edu/login.aspx?direct
. . .
Avoid the pitfalls, get the federal funding you deserve.
Funding Sources
AASL Awards, Grants and Scholarships
http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslawards/aaslawards.htm
Awards and Grants from International Reading Association
http://www.reading.org/awards/index.html
Funding from Digital Divide Network
http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org/content/webresources/index.cfm
Many institutions provide support for digital divide solutions, especially at the local level. This website highlights some of the companies, government agencies, and private philanthropies that are actively investing in innovative digital divide solutions.
Glaser, Carol. Got That Grant? Great! And if You Didn't? The Thomson Gale Report, May 2004.
http://www.gale.com/enewsletters/gale_report/2004_05/grant.htm
Grants & Contracts from U.S. Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/fund/landing.jhtml?src=rt
Related Websites from U.S. Dept. of Education:
Discretionary Grant Application Packages http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html
21st Century Community Learning Centers (Formula Grant)
http://www.ed.gov/programs/21stcclc/index.html
Grants Center from Education World
http://www.education-world.com/a_admin/archives/grants.shtml
Related Sites from Education World:
Additional Current Grants from Education World
http://www.education-world.com/a_admin/grants/additional_grants.shtml
Grant Help
http://www.education-world.com/a_admin/grants/grant_help.shtml
More Grant Resources
http://www.education-world.com/a_admin/grants/more_resources.shtml
Grant Sources from International Society for Technology in Education
http://www.iste.org/resources/funding/grant-sources.cfm
Grants and Funding from eSchool News
http://www.eschoolnews.com/erc/funding/
Grants and Other Funding Sources from NASA’s Learning Technologies Project
http://learn.arc.nasa.gov/grants/
Grants and Programs from NEA Foundation
http://nfie.org/programs/grantguides.htm
Grant Sources for Educators from Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/business/grants.html
Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries
http://www.laurabushfoundation.org/
2004 deadline for grants applications for grants for 2004 was on December 17, 2003. School libraries were able to request up to $5,000 to update, extend or diversify their book collections. Awards were announced in May 2004. The foundation anticipates making the next grant proposal application available in Fall 2004.
Scholastic’s Funding Connection
http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/fundingconnection/index.htm
SchoolGrants
http://www.schoolgrants.org/
Portal for grant information for PK-12 educators.