Tag Archives: Grants

TSLAC ARPA Grant Applications Open September 3

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Cartoon style colorful graphic with people using various tech tools in the background. Foreground text reads: "TSLAC ARPA Grants, $1.8 Million in emergency pandemic funding"

Mark your calendars! As we mentioned last week in our announcement of the upcoming ARPA Grants Programs Webinar (Next Wednesday, September 1 from 2:00 p.m.), TSLAC will begin accepting applications on Friday, September 3 for three new grant programs made possible by emergency pandemic funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Available funds total at least $1.8 million and are awarded to TSLAC by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under ARPA. Texas libraries are encouraged to apply through TSLAC’s online grants management program by October 1. Most awarded projects will run Dec. 2021 – Aug. 2022.

TSLAC ARPA grants are designed to help communities respond directly and immediately to the pandemic as well as to related economic and community needs through equitable approaches. The Texas Supports Libraries Grant Program will make it possible for libraries to expand their services and resources and help provide equitable access to information and technology. The Texas Telehealth Grant Program will provide libraries with the equipment and resources needed to facilitate a telehealth project at their facilities. The Texas Digital Navigators Grant Program will help libraries develop and implement a unique Digital Navigator program to help close the digital divide in their communities.

Full award, eligibility and application information, as well as webinar registration, can be found on TSLAC’s ARPA Grants web site at www.tsl.texas.gov/ldn/arpa.

The Texas Supports Libraries Grant Program ($750,000) will enable Texas libraries to reach residents through digital inclusion efforts, particularly in support of education, health and workforce development. Spending priorities include services that meet the needs of communities, including costs such as personnel, technology, training, materials, supplies, equipment and associated indirect costs, as well as resources and services improving literacy, furthering formal and informal learning and supporting workforce development.

The Texas Digital Navigators Grant Program ($800,000) funds libraries to develop and implement a unique Digital Navigator program with the help of a trusted community partner to close the digital divide in their area in a measurable way. Selected libraries will be provided with full funding for navigators (individuals trained to work one-on-one with the public) and devices, digital equity training from national experts and support in collecting and communicating the results of their project to other library staff stakeholders and funders. This project affords local libraries with a powerful means to increase digital inclusion.

The Texas Telehealth Grant Program ($250,000) provides funding for equipment and resources needed to support a library telehealth project. Telehealth uses Internet networks and computers to facilitate visits between health care providers and library patrons when they can’t be in the same place at the same time. Using now more widely available videoconferencing technology, telehealth enables communities to receive health care more quickly and affordably. The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased the need for this service, as has the often-insufficient broadband access in many residents’ homes.

Seeking Grant Reviewers; Express Interest by March 12

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As you may know, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) offers grants to libraries in several categories. In fact, our 2022 grant application cycle is closing soon.

Part of the process of awarding competitive grants includes a peer review of applications.

Reviewers are tasked with reviewing and scoring grant applications for funding awards from TSLAC. To learn more about our current grant programs, see: https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ldn/grants/programs.

Reviewers must commit to the following minimum requirements:

  • Serving a two-year term (one renewal is allowed for a total of four (4) years;
  • Reviewing 10-30 grant applications within a specified time period according to established criteria. The typical time period is 4-5 weeks from April-May; and
  • Attending a review panel meeting in May to finalize scores and recommendations. Meetings may be held in person in Austin or via teleconference depending on the grant category. Meeting dates will be determined based on best availability of reviewers. TSLAC does not reimburse travel costs.

Please note that an individual cannot serve as a reviewer for a grant category in which their affiliated institution has submitted a grant application.

Reviewers must have the support of their institution to perform review tasks and attend the meeting.

If you are interested in serving as a peer reviewer on a TSLAC grant review panel, please contact Grants Administrator by March 12 via e-mail at grants@tsl.texas.gov. Please provide your full name, institutional affiliation, contact information, and grant categories of interest — Texas Reads, TexTreasures. LSTA (Special Projects and Regional ILS). Indication of interest does not guarantee placement on a review panel.

Thank you for your consideration.

Grants Administrator | Texas State Library and Archives Commission

800.252.9386 (toll free) or 512.463.5527 | fax 512.936.2306 | PO Box 12927 Austin, TX 78711-2927

Deadline Approaching for TSLAC CARES Grant Program

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The deadline to apply for the TSLAC CARES Grant Program is approaching soon! The first round of funding is closing on Sunday, May 31, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Please be sure to submit your completed applications and all required documents by the deadline.

The goal of the TSLAC CARES Grant Program is to:

  • Fund the expansion of digital access in areas of Texas where such access is lacking, including the purchase of internet-enabled devices and provisions for technical support services in response to the disruption of schooling and other community services during the COVID-19 emergency.
  • Fund efforts that prevent, prepare for, and respond to situations arising from the COVID-19 emergency.

Funding is provided by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). TSLAC will conduct at least two grant cycles utilizing CARES Act funds with approximately $250,000 expected to be available for Cycle 1. Funding can be utilized retroactively to cover expenses incurred beginning April 21, 2020. Please note that expenses incurred before April 21, 2020 are not eligible for reimbursement.

Questions?
Please visit our TSLAC CARES Grant Program webpage for more application and more information. If you have questions or need assistance with the application process, please contact Grants Administrator at grants@tsl.texas.gov.

TSLAC CARES Grant Program is accepting applications!

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On Friday, May 8, 2020, TSLAC Grants Administrator and Erica McCormick, TSLAC Program Coordinator, provided a webinar to cover the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) CARES Grant Program. In this webinar, our TSLAC staff provided a funding overview, as well as important details about the grant program and award information. They also answered questions from attendees and provided instructions on how to apply for the grant.

If you missed this webinar, don’t worry! Visit the TSLAC archived webinars page to access the recording and accompanying slides. Please note that registration is required to access this free recording.

About the TSLAC CARES Grant Program

TSLAC CARES Grant Program will fund community needs identified by Texas libraries in areas of digital access and inclusion. Funding can go towards programs, training, and tools necessary to increase community access to vital digital technologies and services. Additionally, funds may be utilized for library initiatives that support prevention, preparation, and response to the COVID-19 emergency. This project is made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to TSLAC under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.

TSLAC CARES Grant program is OPEN and accepting applications for the first cycle of funding. Completed applications and all required documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Central Time, Sunday, May 31, 2020.

To learn more about the TSLAC CARES Grant Program, please visit www.tsl.texas.gov/ldn/cares and if you have questions about the TSLAC CARES Grant Program or need assistance with the application process, please contact Grants Administrator at grants@tsl.texas.gov.

Coretta Scott King Book Donation Grants – Applications due Friday Jan. 31

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We are passing this information on for our friends at the Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT). Please direct any questions to the EMIERT team.

Attention underfunded libraries, schools, and non-traditional organizations that provide educational services to children: You are invited to apply to receive one of three Coretta Scott King Book Donation Grants. The grant program provides books that have been submitted for consideration for the Coretta Scott King Book Awards to libraries and other organizations to expand their collections. Each year, three organizations are selected that demonstrate the need and potential benefit from receiving the collection. All three libraries will receive copies of more than 80 titles submitted for consideration for the 2020 awards.

For more information about criteria and guidelines, visit The Coretta Scott King Book Awards Donation Grant page.

Applications must be received by Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, at 4 p.m. Central Time.

TSLAC opens new competitive grant cycle; applications due Feb. 29, 2020

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Binder with grants on the spine

Texas libraries will be happy for their gift of the extra time they will have to write their next TSLAC grant proposals. The agency released the grant guidelines and opened the application cycle for the 2021 grants earlier this month. This change allows applicants an additional 3-4 weeks to prepare their applications which will be due Feb. 29, 2020.

Accredited Texas public and academic libraries are eligible to apply annually for TSLAC competitive grants for local programming if funding allows.

The 2021 TSLAC grant offerings include Texas Reads, TexTreasures, Special Projects, and Regional ILS Collaborative grants. In addition, TSLAC is also accepting applications for the second round of the Library Grantsmanship Academy which provides eligible libraries grantsmanship training and potential for a grant award in FY 2022.  Libraries curious about specific TSLAC competitive grants are encouraged  to  review the upcoming grant offerings and requirements. TSLAC recently held several webinars discussing the 2021 grant programs. All are available for review on the TSLAC archived webinar page.

2021 Funding Opportunities – TSLAC Competitive Grants – What’s New

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Applying for 2020 TSLAC Library Services for Border Cities Grant

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Applying for TSLAC Competitive Grants: What You Need to Know for FY 2021

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Grant Opportunities from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine

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Posted on behalf of our colleagues at the NNLM South Central Regional Office.

The NNLM South Central Regional Office is announcing three new awards for Public Libraries this week. These awards are intended to help public libraries support the health information needs of their communities.

PLA 2020 Professional Development Award

The All of Us Community Engagement Program is providing funding for public librarians to attend the Public Library Association Conference in Nashville, TN, on February 25 – 29, 2020. This is a cost-reimbursement award for up to $2,000. The deadline to apply is Friday, December 13, 2019, at 6 pm CT.

Health Information Kiosk Award

The Health Information Kiosk is a technology award for a preconfigured kiosk programmed with evidence-based consumer health & wellness resources. KioskPro client software is installed so patrons access pre-selected, evidence-based consumer health information resources. All updates will be managed remotely. The deadline to apply is Friday, November 15, 2019, at 6 pm CT.

Health Program Kits

Libraries can create program kits that can be used for circulation purposes or in direct support of existing health programs. Libraries may purchase multiple program kits as long as it doesn’t exceed $5,000. This is a cost-reimbursement award for up to $5,000. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, January 15, 2020, at 6 pm CT.

Other resources from NNLM SCR

October is Health Literacy Month! Help your patrons navigate health information with these resources:

  • NNLM Reading Club – each title is designed to help patrons make informed choices about finding a compatible health provider, choosing health insurance coverage, or understanding medical terms
  • The Game of Health – This game was developed to provide public libraries with a fun interactive game to introduce patrons to trusted health information resources. Health care is a team effort, and the best way to get the best care possible is to be an active member of your health care team. Patrons will go through five steps of the game to learn ways to prepare, engage, and research health-related information.
    • To request a free copy of The Game of Health from your participating NNLM Regional Medical Library, complete the online application form.

For more information on grants and resourcesprovided by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, visit: https://nnlm.gov/scr.

Calling Small Libraries: IMLS Opens Grant Program for Second Year

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We wanted to pass along the following announcement from IMLS. Happy Tuesday!

Washington, DC—For a second year, the Institute of Museum and Library Services is accepting grant applications for Accelerating Promising Practices for Small Libraries (APP). The deadline to apply is December 2, 2019.

APP is a special initiative of National Leadership Grants for Libraries, a program that supports library and archives services nationwide by advancing theory and practice. The funding opportunity, launched for the first time in the fall of 2018, was designed to strengthen the ability of small and/or rural libraries, archives, and related organizations to serve their communities. In July, IMLS announced the first awards made under the program.

“Small libraries and archives serve as the backbone of communities throughout America,” said Cyndee Landrum, Deputy Director of Library Services. “Not only do they provide critical programs and services locally, but they also have the potential to further new practices throughout the library and archives fields. We’re proud to support funding for these organizations for a second year.”

Categories
The initiative is in line with the IMLS Strategic Plan 2018-2022, Transforming Communities, which includes goals of lifelong learning, increasing public access, and building capacity. Three categories of APP grants are available to applicants:

  • Transforming School Library Practice: School libraries support learning and the development of critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration skills. IMLS is interested in furthering how K-12 school library professionals can serve as integral instructional partners to classroom teachers. Grant projects could include programs and services that prepare students for success in college, career, and life, or foster early, digital, information, health, financial, media, civic, and other types of literacies.
  • Community Memory: Libraries and archives not only serve as stewards of our nation’s knowledge and collections, but also as trusted spaces for community engagement and dialogue. This project category centers on engaging local communities in the collection, documentation, and preservation of their local histories, experiences, and identities. Proposals could include events and programs to digitize materials related to community histories, such as photographs, artifacts, or texts, or oral history projects that involve community members in the documentation and preservation of local histories.
  • Digital Inclusion: Libraries have an important role in promoting digital inclusion and increasing access to information, ideas, and networks. This category focuses on projects that support the role libraries play in promoting digital literacy, providing internet access, and enabling community engagement through civic data and civic technology. Grant proposals could include deploying technologies to provide residents with increased abilities to address the homework gap, increase small business development and entrepreneurship, or plan for emergency preparedness.

Cohort Learning and Evaluation
APP was also designed to build grantee capacity through participation in a community of practice based on their project category. Three third-party mentor organizations will lead these cohorts, providing expert guidance and facilitating communication between grantees. This component of the grant is designed to promote shared knowledge, build grantee capacity in relevant areas, and grow networks in the library and archives fields. In addition, IMLS intends to identify and support a third-party organization to evaluate this initiative.

Who is Eligible?
This grant opportunity is designed for small and/or rural libraries and archives, and applicants should consider how their organization might be a good fit. There are a number of ways to be “small,” and attributes of “small” libraries or archives could include:

  • number of staff members and volunteers;
  • operating budget and sources of revenue;
  • size of the collection and range of services provided;
  • size of facility and property;
  • types, numbers, and geographic distribution of audiences served; and size relative to other organizations of the same discipline or within the same geographic region.

Institution types could include rural or urban public libraries, Native American tribal libraries, school districts representing elementary through secondary school libraries, or research or special libraries.

For more details, please read the notice of funding opportunity and the frequently asked questions.

Webinar
A pre-application webinar will be held with program staff to answer questions from potential applicants on Thursday, September 12, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. ET. Recordings of the webinar will also be made available on-demand.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Programs: Accelerating Promising Practices for Small Libraries

WANTED: Tocker Foundation grantee interviews

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We’re passing along the following request from our friends at the Tocker Foundation.

WANTED: Library grantees with a ‘RIPPLE EFFECT’ story to tell willing to be interviewed for a video on the impact of a Tocker Foundation grant.

A graduate student from the UT iSchool will be working on this Capstone project for the Fall semester.

To volunteer, you can reply on the Tocker Foundation’s Facebook page, contact the Tocker Foundation through their website (https://tocker.org/contact/) or call the office directly and speak with Karin at (512) 452-1044.

Webinar – New TSLAC Stipend Grants for Small Libraries: Grant Academy and ARSL Scholarship

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Join us for a webinar on Monday, Feb. 04, 2019 at 2:00 PM CST. Registration is here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6801153814955256066

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission is pleased to announce two new stipend grants for small libraries: the Library Grantsmanship Academy and the ARSL Scholarship. In this webinar, Erica McCormick, TSLAC’s Grants Administrator, and Kyla Hunt, Library Management Consultant, will introduce the stipend grant guidelines and discuss agency expectations and requirements as well as strategies on how to meet those expectations.

CE Credit:
As this program is primarily informational in nature, there will be no CE credit awarded for this event.

If you use assistive technology and the format of any material related to this training event interferes with your ability to access the information, please email ld@tsl.texas.gov. To enable us to respond in a manner most helpful to you, please indicate the nature of your accessibility problem, the preferred format in which to receive the material, the Web address related to the training event, and your contact information.