United for Libraries grants will help 20 'threatened' communities with advocacy training

The Neal-Schuman Foundation ponied up $75,000 to support library advocacy at the local level for libraries with troubled budgets through 'United for Libraries' Citizens-Save-Libraries effort.

Note: grant recipients will not receive any direct funds. The funds will be administered by United for Libraries and will be disbursed directly to the professional consultants to cover their fees and expenses for providing the two days of on-site advocacy training at each library.

Grants will pay for travel and fees to send expert advocates to 20 locations over the course of two years to help friends of the library groups, library directors and trustees develop individual blueprints for advocacy campaigns to restore, increase or save threatened library budgets.

Application Materials:   Cycle 1 Application (PDF, 50 kb)            Official Release Form (PDF, 32 kb)

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The opportunity to apply for expert consultation will begin in January 2013, and the first 10 libraries will be selected in April.  Among the criteria to apply will be a willingness of recipient libraries to “pay it forward” by sharing what they learn with others in their states through presentations at local conferences, articles written for the state library association journal and a willingness to answer questions and support other advocacy campaigns via digital media and Skype.

In order to leverage the grant across the country, a power guide will be developed that will be freely available to all that will lay out a step-by-step blueprint for libraries to follow in generating their own campaigns.  In addition, United for Libraries will hold train-the-trainer workshops using the guide at Midwinter Meetings in 2014 and 2015.

 Grant Requirements

• Demonstrated need for help with a library advocacy campaign.
• Minimum of five volunteers committed to working on a leadership team for a campaign. Each member understands that this commitment may require at least weekly meetings for up to 90 days.
• Leadership team available for two days of on-site, in-person training (approx. 5 hours each day) between June 1, 2013-May 1, 2014.
• One member of the leadership team is willing to become a local “mentor” for other libraries in the state and/or region. Mentor may be invited to participate in a one-time live one hour webinar and may also be asked to give an advocacy program at state library conference.
• Support of the library’s Board of Trustees.
• No member of the United for Libraries' Board of Directors or his or her library will be eligible to receive this grant.

How to Apply: The 20 grants will be issued in two cycles:

• Cycle 1 Grants
  • Application materials due April 15, 2013.
  • Grantees notifed by May 15, 2013.
  • On-site trainings to be held June 1, 2013-May 1, 2014.
• Cycle 2 Grants
  • Application to be released January 2014.
  • Applications materials due April 15, 2014.
  • Grantees notifed by May 15, 2014.
  • On-site trainings to be held June 1, 2014-May 1, 2015.