The Community Foundation of Tompkins County is accepting applications for its 2025 Library Grant.
Donor Name: Community Foundation of Tompkins County
State: New York
County: Tompkins County (NY)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 01/31/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
Foundation brings people and resources together to build a more equitable Tompkins County by inspiring diverse philanthropy, catalyzing collaborations and championing inclusion and justice. The values: Community, Engagement, Integrity, Racial Equity, Relationships, Social Justice.
Funding Information
$500-$16,000.
Grant Period
The grant award must be used within 12 months of receiving the grant.
Additional Guidelines
- Early Childhood (Birth to 5)
- Storytime materials (e.g. books, puppets, felt boards, storage receptacles, craft supplies, snacks, evaluation materials, etc.)
- Storytime staff (including time for planning, preparation, programming and evaluation).
- Books for circulation
- Some specialized technology for early readers (e.g. early literacy computers, emerging early literacy devices such as Launchpads and tablets)
- Incentives and supplies for summer reading activities (including book distribution)
- Summer reading programming – This fund will support supplies and materials for summer reading programming including books used for reading incentives.
- Story Walks
- Kindergarten – 5th Grade
- Book clubs (e.g., staff time, advertising, book distribution, transportation, supportive materials for themed meetings, snacks)
- Transportation expenses related to youth activities such as book clubs (e.g., LiFT programs, GPL Teen Thing, etc.)
- Staff salaries for youth-related programming (including time for planning, preparation, programming and evaluation, staff development such as training and attendance at conferences and related expenses).
- Youth reading and library access, and activities that support it. (e.g., medieval costuming, pumpkin-carving, face-painting, etc.), need to be part of a comprehensive plan that encourages reading activities. For example, a teen meeting that just included face-painting would not merit a grant for the supplies associated with it. A teen event/book club meeting that offered a book discussion, encouragement and access to sign up for a library card, an orientation on how to use the library and its resources, an incentive program that encourages reading, or other engagement that encourages reading and love of learning, for which an activity such as face-painting would accompany, support and encourage attendance, would be eligible for grant support. Reports and funding requests should be clear about the reading and learning engagement activities that support such activities.
- Collection development to meet needs of local community (e.g., books, e-books, graphic novels, Take and Make activities, science kits, activity kits, audio books, tablets, media devices, etc.)
- Author Visits and related expenses
- Purchase of books for distribution (e.g., summer reading incentives and book clubs)
- Specialized technology that supports intellectual curiosity (e.g., Makerspaces/equipment and emerging technology that supports interactive learning and literacy)
- Summer reading programming – This fund will support supplies and materials for summer reading programming including books used for reading incentives. See detail below for information on event-related performers
- Story Walks
- 6th – 12th grade
- Book clubs (staff time, books for distribution to participants, advertising, transportation, supportive materials for themed meetings, snacks)
- Transportation expenses related to youth activities such as book clubs (e.g., LiFT programs, etc.)
- College prep classes (e.g., this is not a priority of the fund, but college application and related trainings may be funded, particularly in communities that lack resources and opportunities for this kind of support in attaining higher education)
- Staff salaries for youth-related programming (including time for planning, preparation, programming and evaluation, staff development such as training and attendance at conferences).
- Field trip expenses (e.g., Annual Teen Book Fair in Rochester)
- Teen employment – Work should promote programming that encourages reading and literacy (e.g., not solely the shelving of books)
- Collection development to meet the needs of the local community (e.g., books, e-books, graphic novels, science kits, activity kits, audio books, tablets, media devices, etc.)
- Author Visits and related expenses
- Specialized technology that supports intellectual curiosity (e.g., Makerspaces/equipment and emerging technology that supports interactive learning and literacy)
- Purchase of books for distribution (e.g., summer reading incentives and book clubs)
- Summer reading programming – This fund will support supplies and materials for summer reading programming including books used for reading incentives. See detail below for information on event-related performers
- Story Walks
- Summer Reading Programming – this fund will support activities and event-related performers that encourage learning and literacy and that support ongoing access to the library and its services. For example, hosting Dan the Snake Man to provide entertainment for the community alone will not be supported by this fund. A themed event for which the focus is access to the library and reading would be supported, however. For example, a summer reading event that had a theme of reptiles, which had displays of books about reptiles for checkout, encouragement and access to sign up for a library card, meet and greet with staff so that youth and families know the faces of those in their library and would be more inclined to visit an otherwise unfamiliar place, information about book clubs and the opportunity to sign up for one, and a visit from Dan the Snake Man that would draw youth to the event, would be eligible for grant funding.
Ineligibility
Rosen will NOT fund the following youth related activities/services:
- Computers for general use
- Capital campaigns
- Furniture/bookshelves (e.g., will not fund a couch or chair for a teen corner/room)
- Internet services
- Performers for purposes of entertainment alone. Performers must be part of a comprehensive plan for activities and events that encourage learning and literacy and that support ongoing access to the library and its services (see previous example)
- Console video game devices (e.g., X-box, Nintendo, PlayStation)
- The Rosen bequest specifically indicates, “Funds should not be used to promote a political agenda.” Community Reads will be considered for grant support if they are in accordance with the bequest’s intent.
For more information, visit CFTC.
