Of the People: Widening the Path: Connecting Communities Digital Initiative – Libraries, Archives and Museums - fundsforNGOs

The Library of Congress is excited to announce a Notice of Funding Opportunity (Notice) to make three awards for up to $70,000 each in support of libraries, archives and museums.

Donor Name: Library of Congress

State: All States

County: All Counties

Territory: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 09/07/2023

Size of the Grant: up to $70,000

Grant Duration: 12 months

Details:

The purpose of this CCDI program is to expand the connections between the Library of Congress and libraries, archives and museums. Successful applicants should make use of Library of Congress digital collections and materials to create projects that center one or more of the following groups: Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and/or other communities of color. They welcome projects that explore gender, sexuality, class, color, ability, and more among one or more of the above groups.

The Library invites applicants to think creatively and broadly about how they can reuse and remix the Library’s digital materials.

The following list of examples is meant to inspire and not limit the possibilities for what project proposals might include:

A small house museum proposes to create a small digital exhibit for their gallery to showcase collections and materials from the Library of Congress, from their own collections, and from participants invited to add their own digital collections to the exhibit;
A public library proposes to expand their local database on the history of a group or groups in their locale by including Library of Congress materials;
A neighborhood or community archive proposes to gather oral histories from neighbors to match those oral histories with digitized historical maps from the Sanborn Maps, telephone directories from U.S. Telephone Directory Collection, and newspapers from Chronicling America;
A digital archive proposes to create and archive daily tweets for one year highlighting Library materials relating to a group or a set of groups and develop a toolkit reflecting their process;
A historical association proposes to create a collection of historic photographs combining Library of Congress and local collections, and invites the public to identify the people and sites in the photographs. This project could also include providing digital space to collect stories related to the photographs;
A local museum proposes to collaborate with a documentary filmmaker in order to collect visual and manuscript materials from the Library’s collections relating to a particular group and incorporates oral histories and verbal traditions from group members into a film;
Local historical society works with a family historian to trace a family’s story through the use of Library of Congress newspapers, manuscripts, and photographic collections, combined with local collections;
A museum proposes to research movies set in their locale from the Library of Congress’ Moving Image Research Center and reproduce the movie posters for an exhibit;
A librarian working with a teen club proposes to pull materials from the Library of Congress so that the club members can make graphic novels and zines;
A museum’s social media team proposes to use Library of Congress materials to create a podcast;
An affinity group at a public library proposes to use Library of Congress materials to create online reader guides for their book club;
A community archive proposes to create an Instagram Live series that includes linked resources from the Library of Congress;
A museum proposes to create an app interface that combines its own materials and Library of Congress materials in order to create a real-time tour of historic sites; and
A public library proposes to plan a series of outdoor events for young people to create music and dances on TikTok using music from the Library’s Citizen DJ project.
A public library proposes to develop and host a series of artistic performances developed by community members and inspired by Library of Congress materials
A museum proposes to support artists who use Library materials in the creation and performance of musical works highlighting local historical events.

Funding Information

The Library’s intention is to make up to three cooperative agreement awards of up to $70,000 each. Actual awards may be less than $70,000.
Period of Performance: 12 months

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants must be

Libraries, Archives or Museums (Organizations);
A not-for-profit U.S. Organization, unit of state or local government or federally recognized tribal community or tribe. (Note: 501(c)(3) status is not required in order to apply);
Based in any of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, territories, and commonwealths (Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands);
Proposing a project to be conducted within the United States or U.S. commonwealth or territory.
Other Eligibility Information
- The Organization shall not submit more than one application under this announcement.
- Libraries, Archives, and Museums, which are a legal component of a Higher Education Institution, are not eligible under this Notice and instead should apply under connected Notice #030ADV23R0034 for the Higher Education award.
- The Library will only issue an award to a single organization that meets the eligibility requirements stated in the Notice. The organization can choose to sub-contract part of the work to other organizations. However, the organization to which the award is issued is responsible for all aspects of the award, as the Library will have no contractual relationship with any other organization or contractor.
- Successful applicants cannot reapply in subsequent years for the same project.
- Late, incomplete, or ineligible applications will not be considered for funding under this Notice.
- An Organization (or if a principal member of an Organization) that has been convicted or found to be at fault in connection to the award or the performance of a Federal award or contract in the past five years may be disqualified.