Applications will be accepted between December 2, 2024, and February 3, 2025. View the full award guidelines and apply online at www.ala.org/LTCEG.
The Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant recognizes, promotes and supports innovative and meaningful community engagement efforts in libraries. It will provide two grants of $2,000 for a school, public, academic, tribal or special library to expand its community engagement efforts.
Libraries are invited to apply by designing and outlining activities for a library-led community engagement project. Community engagement is the process of working collaboratively with community members – be they library patrons, residents, faculty, students, or local organizations – to address issues for the betterment of the community.
Each year, the grant will focus on supporting a community engagement project with a specific theme. For the 2024–2025 cycle, libraries are invited to submit applications for a community engagement project focusing on building neighborhood connections. Libraries should collaborate with community members and at least one partner organization to develop a project that addresses a local issue and builds upon community assets.
Visit the grant guidelines for more information.
Some examples of proposals could include a project that brings people together to discuss community tools such as “how to start a block party,” a program that collaborates with a local partner to host heritage or multicultural events, or a project that develops community identity by exploring local history through archives.
ALA announced the creation of the Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant in 2019, an initiative made possible by a matching grant and ongoing support from former ALA president and longtime generous supporter Nancy Kranich.
Last year’s grant was won by the Hoboken (NJ) Public Library and Independence (KS) Public Library to support the libraries’ efforts in community empowerment. Their initiatives aim to promote food security and address homelessness within their communities.
The Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant is part of Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC), ALA’s community engagement initiative. Since 2014, LTC has reimagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types, from across the country, have utilized the free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a safe space for residents to come together to discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff. LTC is administered by ALA’s Public Programs Office.
To stay informed about future grants and awards offered by ALA’s Public Programs Office, sign up for the Programming Librarian e-newsletter.
