Q&A: Grant Writing for School Libraries

Who’s Who? Our Virtual Panel of Experts

• Buzzy Nielsen, Program Manager for Library Support and Development Services, Oregon State Library
  Grants Coordinated/Managed: LSTA, Ready to Read

• Jessica Lorentz Smith, Teacher Librarian, Bend LaPine, Bend Senior High School
  Recent grants: OASL Connie Hull Mini-grant, 2021 and JoAnn Sweetlund Lum Memorial Grant, 2023

• Marion Schuening, Paraprofessional/Librarian, Pilot Rock SD 2R /Pilot Rock Junior/Senior High School
  Recent grant: ODE School Library Revitalization Grant

• Maureen Tracy, Elementary Teacher/Librarian, McMinnville School District
  Laura Bush Foundation, Local McMinnville (school district) Education Foundation, PTA grants, Local municipalities, etc.

• Molly Sloan, Librarian, and Lisa Katon, Donor Relations & Grant Specialist, Portland Jewish Academy
  Recent grant: $75,000 Legacy Learning Lab match grant to remodel the library; PJA raised $150,000 from alumni, the local Jewish Federation, and members of the Jewish community to match the grant

• Tamara Ottum, Federal Programs & Grants Consultant, Oregon State Library
  Grant managed: Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grants

Tips for Finding Grants:

• The Oregon Foundation Databook lists Oregon-based foundations, including their giving areas, recent grants, and other information. (Buzzy)

• Candid’s Foundation Directory is similar to the Oregon Foundation Databook but is national. It’s typically a subscription resource, but some local organizations, including public libraries, may offer free access. (Buzzy)

• The American Library Association has a list of grants and awards they give out in various areas. (Buzzy)

• I am not shy about applying for anything. If my high school even partially meets the grant criteria, I go for it. I have found that when I focus on physical books that grant funders are super responsive to putting books in student hands. (Jessica) 

• Projects with another teacher or department tend to work well. I have written and received grants for book groups with WWII focused books with social studies, religious texts with religions class, physics books with the physics teacher. (Jessica)

• Library Grants Blog, emails from the Oregon State Library/Jen Maurer (Maureen)

• Develop your program/project *before* you start looking for grants. Having a clear idea of what you want to do will help you search for funding more efficiently. (Tamara)

• Think local: Reach out to banks, foundations, businesses, etc. in the community to see if they provide grant funding. (Tamara)

• We subscribe to grantwatch.com–a national clearinghouse of grants.  Using that website, we can search by keywords like: Jewish, library, books etc. (Molly & Lisa)

• Portland Business Journal has a resource called: Portland MetroArea Grant-Making Foundations (many are not Portland specific and may consider applications from outside the metro area) (Molly & Lisa)

• Local banks and companies also have foundations–Intel, Nike, or other significant companies in your local economy. (Molly & Lisa)

Tips for Applying for Grants:

• Don’t try to make your project “fit” into a grant program that has different goals than you. The funders have specific aims in mind, and if you try to come up with a hard-to-track rationale for why your project fits their very different goals, you’ll just end up wasting your time and theirs. This is especially the case if the funder wants to support communities that are underserved or under-resourced. (Buzzy)

• If your project focuses on communities that are underserved or under-resourced, have a defined plan for how you will involve and reach out to those communities. The strategy will be different for each group. The “if you build it, they will come” mantra rarely works with underserved communities. You need to make an effort to understand them and meet them where they are, not expect them to come to you. (Buzzy)

• Since library staff are so busy, it is sometimes easy to discuss how a project saves us time or effort. However, most funders (no offense) are more interested in how your project impacts the people you’re serving. Always frame the benefits and goals of your project on who you ultimately serve. (Buzzy)

• Know your school/community demographics. This is paramount as most ask how many students are in each subgroup (ESL/Lifeskills/Free and reduced lunch, etc). (Jessica)

• Many grants are run by business people or organizations so data tends to be a language they can get behind. (Jessica)

• I first research the content of the grant to see if it is something we would be able to apply for and then talk to my principal about it. (Marion)

• Just get started!!! Filling out the forms, finding necessary info and "re"writing will take time, so don't wait until the last minute! (Maureen)

• Watch deadlines. (Molly & Lisa)

• Keep language simple and to the point. Most applications have restrictive word counts/character counts so you can’t be too verbose. (Molly & Lisa)

• Don't assume evaluators know anything about your library or its community. Include what they need to know to understand the significance of your project. Also include letters of support. (Tamara) 

• Before you submit the application, have someone outside your organization read your application (preferably someone who does not know anything about the project or your library). Do they understand what you are hoping to accomplish? Does it sound clear and compelling to them? (Tamara) 

What Reviewers are Looking For:

• Projects that have clear goals themselves. (Buzzy)

• A clear explanation of how your proposed activities and expenditures achieve your project goals. (Buzzy)

• If the project involves communities that are underserved or under-resourced, involvement by those communities in both planning and executing the project. (Buzzy)

• They are looking for proposals that are aligned with their mission. (Molly & Lisa)

• Make sure that your proposal is well-written and articulates your vision. (Molly & Lisa)

• Corporate foundations are often looking for mutually beneficial partners. They want to see how funding this project will be a benefit to their mission and community profile. (Molly & Lisa)

• The application presents a strong rationale for the significance of the proposed project. (Tamara)

• There is potential for significant impact on the community. (Tamara)

• Appropriate people and agencies are involved. (Tamara)

• The scope of the project is reasonable for the grant period. (Tamara)

• The budget is linked to activities and contains reasonable cost estimates. (Tamara)

Managing Grants:

• Become friends with your accounting/finance staff. Bring them baked goods. They’ll be critical in helping you track expenditures. (Buzzy)

• Don’t be afraid to shift focus or change course if you learn things executing the grant that lead to different ways to achieve your goals. Communicate with your funder if that happens. And if circumstances are such that you’re not able to fulfill the grant, be honest with yourself and the funder about it. (Buzzy)

• I have a very comfortable relationship with my principal and accountant. They both listen to my proposals before I submit the grants and are supportive of my purchases since they have been apprised of my focus and plan. (Jessica)

• I copy all of the information that I will be dealing with and put it in a folder or notebook. That way I will be able to look at this at any time I need to see if I'm on track or if I still have money that can be used for ordering books. (Marion)

• Make small goals and post them on your calendar. Report progress, challenges to another person who shares your vision. (Maureen)

• Be aware of reporting deadlines. Some have midterm and final reports. Calendar those so they don’t sneak up on you. (Molly & Lisa)

• Communicate with the funder early and often! An open line of communication will help you stay ahead of issues, should they arise. (Tamara)

• Keep your own records of pertinent grant documents including the agreement, modifications, bills and invoices, and payments. (Tamara)

Grant Reporting:

• Check your math when inputting your budget. If the report form doesn’t automatically add for you, make sure your totals actually equal the sum of your expenditures. (Buzzy) 

• If given space for it, show your in-kind contributions to the project: staff time, volunteer hours, donated supplies, etc. This helps funders see that their dollars leveraged additional investment in your community. (Buzzy) 

• Try to mix in both statistics and anecdotes when describing how your project went. You’re telling a story, and it will be fuller if you explain all aspects of how your project went. (Buzzy)

• Some grants will have requirements as part of the grant process that will want you to show progress after a year so for those I create a presentation of some kind. (Jessica)

• Share with as many interested stakeholders as possible! Celebrate the excitement and enjoy what you've accomplished! (Maureen) 

• Be sure to submit your reports on time, provide the required data, and give a well-written summary. (Molly & Lisa)

• Often the granting organization will want photos or social media mentions (make sure you are tagging them whenever you post about the project). So take photos! Give the granting organization space in newsletters to acknowledge their generosity. (Molly & Lisa)

• Acknowledge the source of your funding in publicity and on grant-related products. This not only gives credit to your funder but also demonstrates support for the work you are doing. (Tamara)

Tips for Rejection: 

• I have been denied in the past and later had those same people/organization call me and ask me to reapply and I have been awarded the grant in another year. (Jessica)

• If you receive a decline, follow up and ask for feedback. If you feel that your project or organization is a good fit for the granting organization, don’t give up after one decline. Many granting organizations will share their feedback and help you strengthen your future requests. (Molly & Lisa)

Bonus Tips:

• Check your math when inputting your budget. If the report form doesn’t automatically add for you, make sure your totals actually equal the sum of your expenditures. (Buzzy)

• Don’t assume that the grant reviewers know anything about your library, community, or even the library profession itself sometimes. Write your narrative as if you’re explaining it to a person on the street. Also, spell out all acronyms the first time you use them! (Buzzy)

• Spend all the money you’re given. To the penny. Most funders do not want you to return funds to them. (Buzzy)

• Don’t ever think that any idea isn’t worth looking for the help. There are people out there fighting to put/keep books in student hands and who believe in the power of a school library. Even if I only help or reach a handful of students with each project, the feedback is positive enough to keep pursuing the grants. (Jessica)

• Money is out there for the taking!!! Whatever time you invest will be well worth your effort. Some grants are easy, self-directed and can even be FUN! (Maureen)

• Build relationships. Make a contact. Sometimes we will even reach out before we submit. “Hi.  We’re thinking of applying for this grant. We have a few projects to run by you to see if we are a good fit for your foundation.” They don’t want a bunch of unaligned applications to wade through so they appreciate that you are thinking carefully about your proposal before you submit. (Molly & Lisa)

• School library staff in Oregon can access free tutorials on grants through the State Library's Oregon Library Staff Academy. Learn more at https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/lstagrants/resources. (Tamara)