Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries
Resources for
Finding Funding
Grants
A curated selection of grants. This
list is not exhaustive and may be updated with new grants at any time.
2023 Nebraska Library Commission Grants:
Continuing Education and Training Grants
- 2nd Round opening in March 2023!
Grant applications for these 2023 NLC grants
closed on November 18, 2022:
Internship Grants
Library Improvement Grants
Youth Grants for Excellence
2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
Grants -
Through
the Nebraska Library Commission from the Institute of Museum and Library
Services (IMLS).
Formula
Grants available to legally-established public libraries, tribal
libraries, and institutional libraries in Nebraska. Closed: January 14, 2022.
Nebraska Regional Library Systems:
Central Plains Library
System Scholarship Grants
Southeast Library
System Scholarships
Three RIvers Libvrary System Continuing Education Scholarships
Western Library System Scholarships
ALA Great Stories Club Grants for Teens -
Application deadline: extended to March 29 March 15.
Applicants may choose to apply for one of the following themes: "Deeper Than
Our Skins: The Present is a Conversation with the Past" and "Finding Your
Voice." Libraries will receive copies
of books that explore questions of race, equity, identity and history to use
in reading and discussion groups, as well as a $500 programming stipend,
online training, an array of program resources and support throughout the
grant term. Applications will be accepted from all types of libraries
(public, school, academic, special, etc.) in the United States and its
territories that are located within an organization that reaches
underserved, under-resourced, and/or at-risk teens (e.g., alternative high
school, juvenile detention facility, tribal library) or working with a
partner organization that reaches underserved, under-resourced, and/or
at-risk teens.
2023 Entrepreneurship & Libraries
Conference (ELC) Pitch Competition -
Application deadline: March 24. Funded by
ALA-Libraries Build
Business &
EBSCO, the 2023 ELC
Pitch Competition will award $10,000 total to five libraries (from $500 to
$4,000) with a winning pitch for a library project that will support local
economic development, job hunters, workforce development, entrepreneurs,
nonprofits, and/or small businesses. For 2023, the ELC is particularly
interested in pitches that focus on local equity issues or marginalized
populations and communities. Public, school, special, and academic libraries
from the United States and Canada are encouraged to apply.
United for Libraries Outstanding Friend Conference Grant -
sponsored by ThriftBooks.
Application deadline: April 10.
Enables one member of a Friends of the Library group at a public library to
attend the
2023 ALA Annual Conference, on June 22-27, 2023, in Chicago, Ill.
Applicants must be first-time attendees of the ALA Annual Conference, and
must be active in their public library Friends group. The winner will
receive a grant of $1000, plus full ALA Annual Conference registration.
Dollar General Literacy Foundation - Youth Literacy Grants -
Application Deadline: April 27. Schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations,
within a 15-mile radius of a Dollar General store, who help students
that are below grade level or having trouble reading are eligible to apply.
Grant funding is provided to assist in the following areas:
- Implementing new or expanding
existing literacy programs
- Purchasing new technology or
equipment to support literacy initiatives
- Purchasing books, materials or
software for literacy programs
National Endowment for the Arts 2023 Grant Opportunities -
These grants to organizations support specific projects in any part of the
nation's 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. jurisdictions.
Eligible applicants include nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) U.S.
organizations, units of state or local government, and federally recognized
tribal communities or tribes.
Challenge
America. Application
deadline: April 27. Offers support primarily to small
organizations for projects in all artistic disciplines to reach historically
underserved groups/communities that have rich and dynamic cultural
identities. Grants require a cost share/match of $10,000 consisting of cash
and/or in-kind contributions. Total project costs must be at least $20,000
or greater.
Grants for Arts Projects.
Application deadlines: February 9 and July 6. NEA's largest
grant program for organizations, providing expansive funding opportunities
for communities across the nation in a wide range of artistic disciplines.
Cost share/matching grants range from $10,000 to $100,000. A minimum cost
share/match equal to the grant amount is required.
NEH
Cultural and Community Resilience Program Grants -
Application deadline: May 16. Grants of up to $150,000 to support community-based
efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and COVID-19 pandemic, by safeguarding
cultural resources, and fostering cultural resilience through identifying,
documenting, and/or collecting cultural heritage and community experience.
To be eligible to apply, you must be established in the United States or its
jurisdictions as one of the following organizational types: a nonprofit
recognized as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code, an accredited institution of higher education (public or nonprofit), a
state or local government or one of their agencies, or a federally
recognized Native American Tribal government.
T-Mobile
Hometown Grants Program - Grants of up to $50,000 are
provided to up to 25 small towns every quarter to help fund projects to
build, rebuild, or refresh community spaces that help foster local
connections in your town, such as the town square pavilion, a historic
building, an outdoor park, a ball field, or a library. Elected leaders, town
managers/employees, and nonprofit leaders in small towns with populations of
less than 50,000 are eligible to apply. Requests are reviewed quarterly.
Nebraska Library Association:
Louise A. Nixon
Scholarship
College and University Section -
Professional Development Grant,
Research Grant
Humanities Nebraska
- Grants to nonprofit organizations, including libraries, in
support of projects related to the humanities.
Nebraska Arts
Council - Grants to: nonprofit oprganizations; government
agencies, including libraries; tribal governments; schools, colleges,
universities; and religious organizations. For "art projects and programs of
the highest artistic excellence that reflect creativity and innovation while
providing opportunities for artists and arts organizations".
Nebraska Community Foundation - grants available from
many affiliated funds in over 250 communities across the state of Nebraska.
Nebraska
State Historical Society Foundation (NSHSF) Statewide Grants Program
- Grants that benefit local historical and educational
organizations with programming and learning opportunities in community
history. Examples of applying organizations include museums, historical
societies, and libraries that use core educational, preservation and
interpretive programs.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the
Nebraska Department of Economic Development. Acquisition, construction, or
rehabilitation of facilities. Libraries fall under Public
Works and must be Accredited. Requires a 25% match.
Civic and Community Center Financing Fund (CCCFF) from
the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. To construct and/or improve
community facilities such as libraries. Nebraska municipalities, including
rural cities and villages, are eligible to apply. A CCCFF grant cannot
account for more than 50% of the total project costs. And, at a minimum,
local cost-share is 1:1.
USDA Community Facilities Grants and Loans -
To purchase, construct, and/or improve essential community facilities, such as libraries, in
rural areas - cities, villages, townships and towns including Federally
Recognized Tribal Lands with no more than 20,000 residents.
Pilcrow Foundation
-
Annual application deadlines for grant cycles are April 1 and
October 1. Provides new, quality, hardcover children's books to rural public
libraries serving a population under 10,000 (priority to community
populations under 5,000) across the United States. Children's
Book Project Grant - provides a 2-to-1 match to grant recipients who
contribute $200-$400 through Friends of the Library or other local sponsors.
Disaster Relief Grant - limited number of special non-matching grants to
libraries affected by recent tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, or other
natural disasters.
Union Pacific Foundation Local Grants - The Union
Pacific Foundation considers support to 501(c)(3) public charities located
in
communities served by Union Pacific Railroad. Libraries fall under the
Community Spaces funding priority - supporting the local economy by building
and enhancing community spaces.
BNSF Railway Foundation
- Makes grants to charitable organizations and divisions of local government
in the communities
in which BNSF Railway Company operates.
Peter Kiewit Foundation
- Applicants must have a valid 501(c)3 status or be a unit of government in
Nebraska. Invests in proven and promising programs, systemic solutions,
capital projects, general operations, planning and capacity building, and
policy development. Accepts and makes decisions on applications quarterly.
Robert B. Daugherty
Foundation - Grants to tax exempt organizations in Nebraska for
Capital Construction Projects, General Opperating Support, and Program
Support.
Accepts requests for funding throughout the year.
Sunderland Foundation
- Supports construction projects, awarding grants to nonprofits served by
the Ash Grove Cement Company - Nebraska included. Makes grants annually to
publicly-supported charitable organizations with tax exempt status under
section 501(c)3.
IMLS -
Institute of Museum and Library Services - federal support for the nation's
libraries and museums.
Resources for Finding Funding
Foundation Resource Directory - Maintained and published by
the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation (NCFF). Contact information, brief
summaries, fields of interest, limitations, and grant application information on
foundations, both in and out of Nebraska.
GrantStation -
Sign
up for a free weekly newsletter of grant opportunities - current and past
issues are at
GrantStation Insider. Also check the weekly highlited
Funding Alerts -
database profiles of local, national, Canadian, and international
grantmakers with upcoming deadlines. Watch for
TechSoup special promotions on discounted memberships.
Library Grants
- announcements of library specific grants.
ALA
Grants - grants awarded by ALA divisions and funding sponsored
by major library vendors.
K-12 Grant Opportunities
- weekly listings of new funding opportunities for K-12 schools and
individual educators.
Grant Resources
from NebraskAccess.