The Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant  is an annual grant to recognize, promote, and support innovative and meaningful community engagement efforts in libraries. 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 2022-2023 cycle, libraries are invited to submit applications for a community engagement project that focuses on connection and reconnection with your community. Your project can be a collaboration with an audience that has not frequented your library in the past or an audience that has not used the library recently (for example, because of the pandemic). Libraries should work collaboratively with community members and at least one partner organization to develop a project that addresses a local issue and builds upon community assets. Please note that, while projects should be community-driven, they must be spearheaded by the library.

This opportunity is open to school, public, academic, tribal, and special libraries in the U.S. and U.S. territories. Applying libraries must demonstrate commitment to community engagement work and must submit at least one letter of support from a community organization partnering with them in this endeavor. The library/applicant must hold either an ALA institutional membership OR ALA personal membership.

Two libraries will be selected to receive $2,000 to advance their community engagement efforts. The grant period may be one to two years in length. Applications will be accepted until February 01, 2023.