Chicago Library System: Grants & Foundations

Problems with e-rate

Mon, 13 Jan 2003 18:49:37 GMT

Problems with e-rate:

"E-Rate Fund Hit by Rampant Fraud. The $2.25 billion e-rate fund has helped connect thousands of U.S. schools and libraries to the Net. The fund is also subject to widespread fraud, abuse and 'honest' accounting mistakes. By Kendra Mayfield. [Wired News]"

This Wired article is of major interest in these dire financial times. It leads librarians to wonder "how can we save the e-rate?" and "is e-rate worth saving in its current form?"

The Verizon Foundation

Thu, 02 Jan 2003 20:36:55 GMT

The Verizon Foundation:

The Verizon Foundation has a new newsletter filled with helpful tips for non-profit organizations.

Recruiting for the 21st Century

Mon, 02 Dec 2002 19:43:19 GMT

Recruiting for the 21st Century:

The Institute for Museum & Library Services has recently posted revised draft guidelines for its Recruiting and Educating Librarians for the 21st Century initiative.

Eliminate the Digital Divide

Tue, 15 Oct 2002 17:16:36 GMT

Eliminate the Digital Divide:

Libraries, Hospitals, and Park Districts can apply for grant assistance in order to build and provide Community Technology Centers from Illinois Department of Commerce & Community Affairs under their Eliminate the Digital Divide program. (Thanks Lori for the tip.)

Grant Deadline Day

Tue, 01 Oct 2002 20:53:20 GMT

Grant Deadline Day:

"Grant Fever In Illinois. Today is scramble day for Illinois librarians. Applications for LSTA grants are due to the Illinois State Library by 4:30 p.m. The timing of the Illinois Library Association conference at the end of September made an already short time frame even tighter, so librarians across the State are busy Fed Ex-ing the requisite 25 paper copies of their grants or, in some cases where Fed Ex doesn't guarantee same-day delivery, they're driving the paperwork down to Springfield themselves. ..." [The Shifted Librarian]

Jenny does a great job on describing the frenzy on grant deadline day and some of the projects that might happen, if they get funded. For those who didn't submit a grant this year, start putting your ideas into the creativity hopper for next year. It takes time to brew a good grant idea.

Drew Carey and Libraries

Fri, 27 Sep 2002 17:15:48 GMT

Drew Carey and Libraries:

As librarians, we often talk about Bill Gates when it comes to modern philanthropy to libraries. But look out Bill! Drew Carey has done a lot for Ohio's libraries, including this recent gift as reported in the Beacon Journal.

NYPL and Fundraising

Thu, 05 Sep 2002 16:17:50 GMT

NYPL and Fundraising:

"NYPL’s Le Clerc: Fundraising Drives the Job. London’s August 28 Financial Times ran a profile of New York Public Library (NYPL) President Paul LeClerc painting him as a model of fund-raising efficiency.... [Library Journal - Library News]"

fundraising and web design

Wed, 28 Aug 2002 17:21:44 GMT

Fundraising and web design:

"Charity redesigns Web site to boost donations. Executives of the non-profit hope that by adding more features to their Web site, they'll be able to boost online donation levels by five percent over the next two years. [New Haven Register]" [Welcome to NPOToday.com - Presented by Changing Our World, Inc.]

The not-for-profit sector has used careful web design in the past to inform potential donors of their organizations goals and services. The article above is but one example. Are there best practices that libraries can glean from this practice?

FY2002 LSTA grant applications available from Illinois State Library

Tue, 27 Aug 2002 21:54:26 GMT

FY2002 LSTA grant applications available from Illinois State Library:

Jean Wilkins, Director of the Illinois State Library, has announced that the FY2003 LSTA grant applications and information are now posted on the Illinois State Library Web site.

Digital Promise

Tue, 27 Aug 2002 21:52:06 GMT

Digital Promise:

Wired has an article entitled "Ed-Tech Crusaders Seek D.C. Bucks" by Katie Dean. The article describes the effort to create the Digital Opportunity Investment Trust. The goals of the trust include creating virtual models for educational purposes and digitizing the content in libraries, museums, and universities. The bills that would create the trust fund are Senate bill S2603 and House bill HR4641. The initative has already received funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Century Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. Macarthur Foundation, and the Open Society Institute.

ALSC/BWI Summer Reading Grant

Tue, 27 Aug 2002 19:53:03 GMT

ALSC/BWI Summer Reading Grant, administered by the Association for Library Services Division of ALA, is now accepting applications. According to the committe chair, Meaghan Battle, the grant encourages:

"outstanding summer reading programs by providing financial assistance, while recognizing ALSC members for outstanding program development. The applicant must plan and present an outline for a theme-based summer reading program in a public library. The program must be open to all children (birth-14 years). The committee also encourages innovative proposals involving children with physical or mental disabilities. The $3,000 grant, made possible by Book Wholesalers, Inc., is to be used to support the program. Individual libraries within a larger system are welcome to apply. Applications are available in .pdf format from www.ala.org/alsc/bwi03.pdf or by calling Meredith Parets at ALSC, 800/545-2433, x2166. Applications are due by December 3, 2002 to:

Meaghan Battle, Farmington Community Library, 32737 W. Twelve Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334"

Report on giving to charity

Thu, 22 Aug 2002 22:01:31 GMT

"'Giving USA Update' Reveals Itemized Contributions Rose 6 Percent in 2000 Americans who itemized contributions on their federal income taxes reported giving an average of $3,636 per tax return in 2000." [Foundation Center] [Welcome to NPOToday.com - Presented by Changing Our World, Inc.]

As libraries, we keep track of how much funding comes from taxpayers or are parent institution. But how much of library funding comes from community partnerships or private contributions?

iGive supports charities

Thu, 22 Aug 2002 19:28:14 GMT

iGive supports charities:

iGive is a e-mall that gives a percentage of the proceeds from web sales made through the mall to charities registered with the mall. CLS has been a registered charity with iGive since March 2000.

Tue, 20 Aug 2002 15:49:49 GMT

Circus@yourlibrary:

The Illinois State Library has recently announced the following: "Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White and the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus have teamed up for an exciting new program targeting children ages 4 through 9. Kids who enroll in the program at their local library will be eligible for great prizes based upon the number of books they read. The top prize is a FREE ticket to the world-famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus-"the Greatest Show on Earth"! Other fun prizes include clown noses, bookmarks and stickers.

Libraries enrolling in the program are asked to display circus posters that promote reading. Libraries will also monitor each participating child's progress, notify the State Library of the number of prizes needed, and distribute the prizes to children.

If you are interested in enrolling your library in this exiting program, please fill out the application form at http://eli.sls.lib.il.us/circusenroll.html by September 9, 2002."

Mon, 19 Aug 2002 17:35:04 GMT

A few more places to look for grants:

Helping.org is the AOL Time Warner foundation that makes grants to charities. It is part of the Network for Good, a coalition of technology companies that make grants to non-profits and encourage volunteering in one's local community.

Newman's Own supports nonprofits focused on children and youth, health, education, the elderly, the environment, the arts, the handicapped, literacy, substance abuse education, and programs for the needy. The deadline to apply for a grant is Sept 1. Grants range from $500 to $15,000 and you must be a non-profit 501(c)(3) or a public institution (shools & hospitals) to apply. See web site for grant application.

Tue, 13 Aug 2002 15:45:30 GMT

Grantseekers Toolbox: Laura Svendsen, Communications Coordinator at the Donors Forum of Chicago, announced recently a new online tool for grant seekers. Its called the Grantseekers Toolbox and was launched by the Donors Forum of Chicago Library at http://www.donorsforum.org/resource/gstoolbox1.html. According to her announcement, the "toolbox walks users through an easy, step-by-step process for seeking funds, offering skill-building tools and resources along the way. Topics covered include:

-- types of support and fundamentals of fundraising;
-- positioning a nonprofit organization and its projects to get funded;
-- the major types of funding and how to diversify revenue;
-- identifying donors and building a prospect list; and
-- approaching donors and preparing proposals.

In addition, the toolbox includes links to classes and other tools, a pop-up dictionary, and a downloadable, electronic common grant application -- accepted at over 40 Chicago-area foundations and corporations -- that can streamline the grant writing process."

This is one of the many great projects made possible via funding by the Illinois State Library, a Division of the Office of Secretary of State, using the federal Library Services and Technology Act.