ALA National Day of Racial Healing Grants for Libraries

Deadline: November 2, 2026

Funder: American Library Association, sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg FoundationPurpose: Fund short-term programs or special events that engage library users and communities around the National Day of Racial Healing. Examples include author visits, book clubs, contests, displays, and other public programs.

Award: $2,000 per selected library. ALA does not state the total number of awards on the official page.

Eligibility: Publicly funded libraries whose applicant is an ALA member. Each library may submit one application. Geographic and community-size diversity will factor into selections. Libraries that have 85% or more of their student population qualified for Free Reduced Lunch (FRL) program should include this information in their application to receive additional consideration.

Important timing: Funded events must occur between January 15 and February 1, 2027.

Official information and application: ALA National Day of Racial Healing Grants

IMLS: Native Hawaiian Library Services Grants

Deadline: November 13, 2026

Funder: Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

Purpose: Native Hawaiian Library Services Grants help Native Hawaiian-serving organizations sustain and improve library services based on community information needs and priorities. Projects may include educational programming, oral history collection and documentation, digital media and technology improvements, institutional planning, staff training, digitization, preservation, furnishing of library spaces for staff and public, and other library and archival services, as specified.

Award: $50,000-$150,000 for projects lasting one to two years. No cost share required.

Eligibility: Nonprofit organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians and provide library services to their communities. Applicants must provide documentation showing that they meet the program's eligibility requirements.

To learn more and apply: IMLS Native Hawaiian Library Services Grants

AASL: Jewish American Heritage Month Collection Development Grants

Deadline: November 30, 2026

Funder: American Association of School Librarians (AASL), sponsored by the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

Purpose: The Jewish American Heritage Month Collection Development Grants help school librarians create or expand collections with materials exploring Jewish American experience, achievement, and identity. The goal is to give students broader access to Jewish American voices, history, culture, and perspectives.

Award: Thirteen grants of $500 each for collection development.

Eligibility: AASL members working as school librarians or school library media specialists. Review the program guidelines for any additional eligibility and participation requirements.

To learn more and apply: AASL Jewish American Heritage Month Collection Development Grants. Note: The application is brief.

IMLS Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants

Deadline: November 13, 2026
Funder: Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

Purpose: Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants help eligible Native communities improve existing library services or develop new services based on community needs and priorities. 
AE projects may involve, but are not limited to, activities such as:

• educational programming for all ages;
• oral history collection and documentation;
• digital media and technology enhancements;
• institutional planning and policy development;
• professional training, internships, and mentorships;
• supporting and engaging with cultural practitioners and scholars;
• research and development of language and cultural material and tools;
• digitization and digital preservation; and
• furnishing of library spaces for staff and public, within existing constructed spaces (please note that IMLS funds are not allowed for construction).

Award: $50,000-$150,000 for projects of up to two years. No cost share required.

Eligibility: Federally recognized Native Communities that provide library and/or archival services to their communities. Eligible entities include qualifying tribes, Alaska Native villages, regional corporations, and village corporations as defined in the program requirements.

To learn more and apply: Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants

Library of Congress: Lewis-Houghton Civics and Democracy Grants

Deadline: September 18, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. 
Funder: Library of Congress

Purpose: The Lewis-Houghton Civics and Democracy Initiative supports educational projects using digitized music and creative arts primary sources from the Library of Congress to teach history, civics, or democracy at the middle and high school levels. Projects may create educational programs, curricula, teaching materials, tools, or other approaches that can be used inside or outside formal classrooms.

Award: Up to $100,000. Approximately six awards are expected. No cost share or matching funds are required.

Eligibility: Eligible organizations in the United States and U.S. territories. The broader Teaching with Primary Sources program works with library systems, schools, universities, cultural institutions, nonprofits, professional associations, tribal organizations, and other educational organizations. Applicants should confirm eligibility under Section C of this specific NOFO.

LHI Subgrants Available Through the TPS Regional Program: The Lewis-Houghton Initiative also offers subgrants of up to $25,000 through the TPS Regional Program available to educational organizations in all all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. LHI subgrants support smaller-scale LHI projects or the dissemination of existing LHI work to new audiences.

To learn more and apply: visit the Lewis-Houghton Civics and Democracy Initiative page and the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Register to join Library of Congress staff for a webinar about Lewis-Houghton Initiative grants: Wednesday, September 9 at 10 am ET

American Library Association: A Year of STEM Grants

Deadline: October 28, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
Funder: American Library Association (ALA), in collaboration with Cummins Inc.

Purpose: A Year of STEM will support 25 public libraries in providing 12 months of early-childhood STEM programming. Selected libraries receive a programming guide, professional development, four STEM kits delivered throughout the year, and support from ALA's Public Programs Office. Participating libraries will implement STEM programs from February 2027 through January 2028.

Award: 25 libraries will each receive a $5,000 programming stipend, four STEM kits, professional development, a programming guide, promotional materials, and ongoing support.

Eligibility: U.S. public libraries, including tribal libraries. Libraries should review the guidelines for project requirements and expectations before applying.

To learn more and apply: A Year of STEM Project Guidelines

IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grants

Deadline: November 13, 2026
Funder: Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

Purpose: The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian (LB21) projects build a library and archival workforce that can meet the information needs of communities and increase the institutional capacity of libraries, archives, and library and information science graduate programs across the country. The program supports projects that:

• provide training and professional development to library and archives professionals;
• develop faculty and information leaders; and
• recruit, educate, and retain the next generation of library and archives professionals.

Awards: 
Community-Centered Implementation Grants are $25,000-$100,000; no required cost share
Planning and Forum Grants: $75,000-$200,000; no required cost share
National Implementation Grants: 75,000-$1 million
Early Career Research Grants and Applied Research Grants: $75,000 to $750,000

Eligibility: Eligible libraries, archives, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and other organizations meeting the FY2027 program requirements. Projects must focus on workforce development or related institutional capacity rather than routine staffing or operations.

To learn more and apply: IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program and FY 2027 Notice of Funding Opportunity

IMLS National Leadership Grants for Libraries

Deadline: November 13, 2026
Funder: Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

Purpose: The National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program (NLG-L) supports projects that develop, enhance, or adapt replicable practices, programs, models, or tools to strengthen library and archival services for the American public.

A particularly accessible option is the Community-Centered Implementation Grant, with awards of $25,000-$100,000 and no required cost share. These grants support projects developed with and for a specific community. Planning and Forum Grants offer $75,000-$200,000, also with no required match.

Projects may address public learning, community prosperity, access to and preservation of information and collections, or library and archival services during emergencies and disasters.

Award: $25,000-$1 million, depending on project type.

• Community-Centered Implementation Grants: $25,000-$100,000 with no required cost share
• Planning and Forum Grants: $75,000-$200,000 with no required cost share
• Applied Research Grants: $75,000 to $750,000 with no required cost share
• National Implementation Grants: $75,000 to $1,000,000

Eligibility: Eligible libraries, archives, nonprofit organizations, governmental and tribal entities, and institutions of higher education. Projects should have potential value beyond a single institution or community.

To learn more and apply: IMLS National Leadership Grants for Libraries and  FY 2027 Notice of Funding Opportunity

NEH Collections Stewardship Grants: Up to $500,000 for Libraries and Archives

Deadline: December 15, 2026; this is the second of two 2026 deadlines.

Funder: National Endowment for the Humanities

Award: $50,000–$100,000 for planning projects; $100,001–$350,000 for implementation projects by one organization; and $350,001–$500,000 for collaborative implementation projects. Approximately 50 awards are expected. No cost sharing or matching funds are required.

Eligibility: U.S. nonprofit organizations, accredited public and nonprofit institutions of higher education, state and local governments and their agencies, and federally recognized Tribal governments. Eligible applicants include libraries, archives, museums, and other organizations responsible for humanities collections.

Purpose: The Collections Stewardship program supports projects that preserve and increase access to physical and digital humanities collections. Eligible activities include preservation planning and assessments, conservation, digitization, cataloging and description, improving established digital resources, and providing collections-stewardship education and training.

For more information, visit the NEH Collections Stewardship program page. Review the official funding opportunity and application materials.

Improve the News Foundation VerityEd Educator / Librarian Grants for Media Literacy

Deadline: Extended; now rolling until funds are awarded; early applications are encouraged, preferably by the end of fall 2026.

Funder: Improve the News Foundation

Award: 20 educators will be awarded a minimum of $1,000 each; $500 for classroom support and $500 as an educator honorarium. An additional $500 will be awarded for the most creative/impactful implementation.

Eligibility: Active educators, including librarians, age 18+ in public, private, charter, homeschool, educational organization, or university settings; open worldwide where there are no legal or banking impediments to receiving payments from a U.S. nonprofit. You don’t need to be a media literacy expert to apply.

Purpose: The program supports educators piloting media literacy lessons, with 1:1 or group coaching available. Participants teach at least two lessons and submit a short feedback survey, implementation summary, and anonymized student work samples. Improve the News Foundation (ITN) is an American apolitical nonprofit 501(c)(3) working to make news and information easier to understand, compare, and think critically about. VerityEd is their free-for-use media literacy program, created to help students build habits of critical thinking.

To learn more and apply:  verityed.org/grant

Public Library Grant: Jewish Culture Through Yiddish Literature (Yiddish Book Center)

Deadline: August 14, 2026
Funder: Yiddish Book Center, in partnership with the American Library Association (ALA), with support from Lilly Endowment Inc.
Purpose: This opportunity supports public libraries in hosting community reading groups that explore Jewish culture, religion, identity, immigration, and assimilation through Yiddish literature in translation. The program is designed to foster cross-cultural dialogue while providing libraries with books, educational resources, facilitator training, and funding to expand community programming.
Award: 40 selected libraries will receive:

• Up to $2,000 to support related programming, guest speakers, or community events.
• Seventeen copies each of three selected works of Yiddish literature in translation for book discussions.
• Reimbursement for a fourth community-selected title.
• An all-expenses-paid, three-day facilitator workshop at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts, for one library representative.
• Reading guides, virtual author talks, webinars, and other educational resources.
• Eligibility to host a traveling exhibit on the history of Yiddish language and culture.
• Access to an online community of participating librarians.

Eligibility:
Applications are open to public libraries throughout the United States and its territories. Previous participants are welcome to apply again. Forty libraries will be selected for the 2026–2027 cohort.
Learn more and apply:
Visit the Yiddish Book Center application page. You can also find additional information, project guidelines, FAQs, and a pre-application webinar on the American Library Association program page.

Save America's Treasures Preservation Grants

Deadline: June 16, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET

Funder: National Park Service, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Endowment for the Arts, and National Endowment for the Humanities

Purpose: Save America’s Treasures grants support the preservation and/or conservation of nationally significant historic properties and collections. There are two grant opportunities: Preservation Grants for historic properties and Collection Grants for nationally significant collections, including artifacts, museum collections, documents, sculptures, and other works of art. For libraries, archives, museums, and other collecting institutions, the collections opportunity may support conservation, curation, care, and collections management needs.

Award: Collections projects: $25,000 to $750,000. Preservation projects: $125,000 to $750,000. A dollar-for-dollar non-federal match is required and may be cash or documented in-kind. Congress has appropriated $25.5 million for FY2025 Save America’s Treasures funding. The program expects to make approximately 50 awards.

Eligibility: Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, units of state or local government, federally recognized Tribes, Alaska Native Villages/Corporations, Native Hawaiian Organizations, and educational institutions. 

To learn more and apply, visit the National Park Service Save America’s Treasures grant page. The Preservation Grants opportunity is P25AS00469 and the Collection Grants opportunity is P25AS00508.

The American Conversation Project for Libraries Grants

Deadline: May 29, 2026

Funder: The American Conversation Project for Libraries

Purpose: Public libraries are invited to host small-group community conversations during Civic Season as part of a national project leading up to America’s 250th anniversary. Participants reflect on what their communities mean to them, what challenges they are facing, and what they hope for in the future. Conversations may be hosted in English, Spanish, or other languages.

Award: $250–$1,000 stipend based on the number of conversations hosted. $250 early sign-up bonus for the first library in each state or territory. Libraries receive a toolkit, outreach templates, access to Cortico’s conversation platform, community insights, a swag kit, national recognition, and connection to a peer library network. Optional paid opportunities for deeper community conversation analysis through the Community Curator role.

Eligibility: Public libraries in the United States. No prior facilitation experience is required. Libraries must complete a 90-minute virtual orientation and host one or more conversations June 19–July 4, with flexibility into August/September.

To learn more and apply: American Conversation Project for Libraries Application Information

Improve the News Foundation VerityEd Educator Grants

Deadline: April 17, 2026
Funder: Improve the News Foundation
Award: 20 educators will be awarded $1,000 each; $500 for classroom support and $500 as an educator honorarium. An additional $500 will be awarded for the most creative/impactful implementation.
Eligibility: Active educators, including librarians, age 18+ in public, private, charter, homeschool, educational organization, or university settings; open worldwide where there are no legal or banking impediments to receiving payments from a U.S. nonprofit. You don’t need to be a media literacy expert to apply.
Purpose: The program supports educators piloting media literacy lessons, with 1:1 or group coaching available. Participants teach at least two lessons and submit a short feedback survey, implementation summary, and anonymized student work samples. Improve the News Foundation (ITN) is an American apolitical nonprofit 501(c)(3) working to make news and information easier to understand, compare, and think critically about. VerityEd is theri free-for-use media literacy program, created to help students build habits of critical thinking.
To learn more and apply: https://verityed.substack.com/p/teach-media-literacy-this-spring 

T-Mobile Hometown Grants (2026)

Deadline: March 31, 2026 (final application cycle)
Funder: T-Mobile in partnership with Main Street America
Award: Up to $50,000
Eligibility: Nonprofit organizations, local governments, and tribal entities located in small towns with populations of 50,000 or less. Strong fit for libraries with community space projects (outdoor areas, meeting spaces, tech upgrades).
Purpose: To fund shovel-ready community projects that build, improve, or activate public spaces in small towns. Projects should create meaningful gathering places and strengthen community connections.
To learn more and apply: Visit the T-Mobile Hometown Grants program page.

Freedom to Read Foundation: 2026 Gordon M. Conable ALA Conference Scholarship

Deadline: April 3, 2026
Funder: Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF)
Award: Conference registration, transportation, six nights of housing, $300 stipend for meals and other expenses, and a one-year FTRF membership
Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in an ALA-accredited library and information studies degree program or an American Association of School Librarians-recognized master’s program in school librarianship, and new professionals (LIS degree within the last three years). The recipient is expected to attend Freedom to Read Foundation and other intellectual freedom programs, consult with a mentor, and submit a report that may be shared as a blog post or FTRF news story. 
Purpose: To support a library school student or new professional in attending the American Library Association Annual (ALA) Conference while advancing intellectual freedom and mentoring. The scholarship supports participation in ALA Conference events June 25–29, 2026, plus a dinner event on June 24 and a full-day FTRF meeting on June 25. 
To learn more and apply: Visit the FTRF webpage and describe your interest in intellectual freedom, professional growth, and conference participation. https://www.ftrf.org/page/Conable_Scholarship

Freedom to Read Foundation 2026 Programming Grants

Deadline: April 6, 2026
Funder: Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) – Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund
Award: $1,000
Eligibility: Libraries, schools, universities, and nonprofit community organizations. Applicants must not have received a Freedom to Read Foundation grant within the past five years.
Purpose: To support programs held during Banned Books Week (October 4–10, 2026) that raise awareness of intellectual freedom and censorship. Projects should celebrate the freedom to read and encourage access to books across all topics, genres, and formats. Strong proposals include creative, community-focused programming with clear plans for implementation, promotion, and evaluation.
More information and the online application form: https://www.ftrf.org/page/Krug_BBW

Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Visit Award (ALSC)

Deadline: April 10, 2026
Amount: Up to $4,000 for an author/illustrator visit
Eligibility: Personal members of  the Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC) and the American Library Association (ALA)
Purpose: This award was established with funding from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, in honor of Maureen Hayes, to bring together children and nationally recognized authors/illustrators at the library.
To learn more and apply: Visit the ALSC webpage.

Dollar General Literacy Foundation Youth Literacy Grants

Deadline: April 2, 2026 (by 5:00 p.m. CST)
Funder: Dollar General Literacy Foundation
Award: Up to $5,000
Eligibility: Schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations that support K-12 literacy efforts and are located within 15 miles of a Dollar General store or distribution center.

Grant funds may be used for:

• implementing new or expanding existing literacy programs
• purchasing new technology or equipment to support literacy initiatives
• purchasing books, materials, or software for literacy programs

To learn more and to apply: visit the Dollar General Literacy Foundation Youth Literacy Grant Program page and create an account through the online grants portal.

FAQ available at: https://www.dgliteracy.org/faqs.

The Pilcrow Foundation Children’s Book Project Program Grants

Deadline: April 1 and October 1 (annually)
Funder: The Pilcrow Foundation
Award: Up to $1,200 in new hardcover children’s books (retail value)
Eligibility: Rural U.S. public libraries with limited operating budgets and an active children’s department

The Children’s Book Project Program Grant from The Pilcrow Foundation helps rural libraries expand their children’s collections with new, quality hardcover books. The program provides a 2-to-1 match for libraries that raise $200–$400 from local sponsors, allowing them to receive up to $1,200 in children’s books selected from a curated list of hundreds of award-winning titles.

Applications are accepted from independent rural public libraries, tribal libraries, and libraries within county, regional, or cooperative systems that serve rural communities and have limited operating budgets. Priority is often given to libraries with smaller budgets and those that are new applicants.

Learn more: https://thepilcrowfoundation.org/childrens-book-project-program-grants

Rural public libraries in the United States that have suffered loss and damage due to recent natural disasters (flooding, fire, hurricanes, wildfires, etc.) may be eligible for special non-matching grants: Disaster Relief Grant information.