Mohawk Valley Library System

Category: Grants & Awards

  • Grant Opportunity – Dollar General Youth Literacy Grants

    Schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations 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 program.

    CLICK HERE to apply for a 2023 Youth Literacy grant.

    Deadline to apply: April 27, 2023 (by 10 pm CST)

    Grant announcement: August 17, 2023

    Maximum grant amount: $4,000

  • Grant Opportunity – Game On! Grants

    ALA’s Games and Gaming Round Table is accepting applications for its annual Game On! grant program. A grant of $500 (or two grants of $250) will enable a library or libraries to develop gaming programs or collections for their communities. “We love to see innovative concepts that support diverse communities and bring people into the library,” says GameRT President Rebecca Strang. “Use your application to tell us a story about how your proposed program or collection will accomplish that.” ALA members at public, school, academic, and special libraries in the US and Canada are invited to apply by March 15.

  • Grant Opportunity – CDLC Regional Collections Grants

    The Capital District Library Council invites applications for 2023 Regional Collections Grants through Friday, March 3, 2023. All CDLC member institutions, including individual public and school libraries, are eligible to apply.

    CDLC members may apply for a grant for a metadata project, a digital collection grant to contribute content to New York Heritage, or a digital newspaper grant to contribute content to NYS Historic Newspapers.

    This grant is funded through the New York State Basic Aid to Libraries. Projects considered for funding should improve access to collections and content or raise the visibility of regional collections.

    Priority will be given to projects that:

    • Highlight undiscovered collections in our region
    • Align with CDLC’s strategic goals (see our Plan of Service)
    • Have matching funds
    • Are collaborative efforts between two or more CDLC members
    • Encompass a complete collection
    • Are submitted by first-time applicants
    • Are composed of long and complete runs of newspapers that are on microfilm

    Other types of proposals may be considered.

    Past winners and projects are listed here: https://cdlc.libguides.com/raac/grant_recipients

    For newspapers, copyright clearance must be obtained if the title includes papers published after 1923. More information about copyright clearance can be found on the NYS Historic Newspapers tools page under “Additional Contribution Information” at https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/contribute/.

    If you are a new contributor to New York Heritage, you must first contact Susan D’Entremont (susan@cdlc.org) for eligibility information and instructions about how to join the project. New York Heritage uses CONTENTdm and you will need to download the client software to your workstation.

    Grant applicants must submit a final report describing how they expended the funds and the number of records enhanced or digitized. Libraries may be asked to describe their project in a CDLC publication or present at a CDLC event.

    A subcommittee of CDLC’s Regional Automation Advisory Committee will review applications and present recommendations to the CDLC Board of Trustees who will approve the applications.

    Contact Kari Kakeh (kkakeh@cdlc.org) with any questions about the application process.

  • Grant Opportunity – ALA Great Stories Club

    The ALA Great Stories Club is a thematic reading and discussion program that engages teens facing difficult challenges through literature-based library outreach programs. 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.”  The grant themes explore questions of race, equity, identity, and history. Implementation is supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Up to 50 libraries will be selected to receive a “Deeper Than Our Skins” grant, and up to 50 libraries will be selected to receive a “Finding Your Voice” grant.

    Participating libraries will work with small groups of approximately 10 teens; provide up to four theme-related books for each participant to keep as their own; and convene opportunities for exploration and discussion of relevant humanities content among peers. Book discussions will be led by an experienced programming librarian, often in cooperation with staff from a partner organization or department, such as teachers and counselors.

    Grantee benefits include 11 paperback copies of up to four books on the reading list; a programming grant of up to $500; a virtual orientation training workshop for library project directors; and additional resources, training, and support from ALA’s Public Programs Office. For more details, visit the website: https://www.ala.org/tools/programming/greatstories/apply. Applications are accepted from January 18 — March 15, 2023.

  • Grant Opportunity – WGY Christmas Wish

    WGY Christmas Wish benefits children 19 years and under in the Capital Region and Great Northeast. A special emphasis is given to critical care services and recreational programs for ill, underprivileged and homeless children. WGY Christmas Wish looks to benefit children directly.

    If you are a not-for-profit, tax-exempt children’s organization, you can request funding by filling out a Christmas Wish Application. To be considered for this year’s allocation, the application form must be submitted by January 31, 2023.