The Library Fund is designed to support projects and activities that increase literacy, information literacy and information access for Marion County residents.
Donor Name: The Indianapolis Foundation
State: Indiana
County: Marion County (IN)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/05/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
The Library Fund is a field of interest fund of The Indianapolis Foundation.
- The Library Fund will consider one-year or two-year grant requests.
- Requests may be up to $150,000 a year.
The Indianapolis Foundation Library Fund has three primary grant programs:
- Competitive Grants
- Media Center Enhancement Grants
- Minde Browning Professional Development Fund Grants.
What is Funded?
- In general, The Library Fund grants support innovative programs, not general operating costs or capital expenses (including furniture).
- The Library Fund will preference libraries and programs that:
- Increase literacy, information literacy, statistical and data literacy, and/or information access and library use.
- Support efforts that address and seek to eliminate disparities in library access or services. Disparities in access may be the result of race, ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTQ+ identity, language spoken, age, or other marginalized identity.
- Serve high percentages of underappreciated, marginalized populations with quality, comprehensive programming with a sharpened focus on outcomes.
- Take an innovative approach to programming or the role of the library in the community.
- Are designed with and endorsed by the community and/or target population served by the program.
- Include an evaluation mechanism for the community and/or target population served to inform programming design and delivery.
- Technology requests can be supported if they are directly connected to the proposed program.
Example Programs
- Reading program for neurodivergent youth that requires specific technology to read materials.
- Bilingual story times for families that require purchasing books in multiple languages.
- Digitization projects that make archival collections about Indianapolis history accessible and relevant.
- Creation of a gaming lab or makers space within a high school library.
- A series of author visits, including speaker fees and travel.
- A school wide read that invites community members to take part, including books and honoraria for discussion leaders.
- Training and transportation costs for high school or college students to serve as reading buddies for a nearby elementary school.
Allowable Requests
- Specialized equipment (3D printers, podcasting equipment, etc.) for a maker’s space
- Specialized equipment (scanners, cameras, etc.) or software for a digitization project
- Equipment or software to increase access to collections for individuals with visual, auditory or other impairments.
Eligibility Criteria
- Geographic Area: Marion County
- Eligibility:
- Only eligible institutions may apply.
- Libraries eligible to apply to The Library Fund include
- the Indianapolis Public Library;
- libraries at IUPUI,
- Marian University, and
- University of Indianapolis;
- and any high school library in Marion County.
For more information, visit CICF.
