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Improving Access to Information Grant Program (medium grants)

Improving Access to Information Grant Program (medium grants)

IMPROVING ACCESS TO INFORMATION GRANT PROGRAM

This LSTA grant program is designed to provide public and academic libraries with the opportunity to expand services for learning and access to information and/or to develop library services that provide all users access to information. The intent is to fund one-year projects that increase capacity to provide access to library collections and information for users. In a given fiscal year, the Library of Michigan will fund a limited number of grants that meet these priorities.

LM is pleased to announce the 2023/2024 grant program is open! Applications are due May 31, 2023 by 5:00 PM EST. Please see below for information on the grant program priorities, timeline, application webinars, application and other program documentation. For information on previous awards, see the 2022/2023 awarded project descriptions. The project descriptions are included here. 

GRANT PRIORITIES

  • Improve access to services & information in areas of literacy.
  • Improve access to services & information in areas of local history or special collections.
  • Improve access to information for community users with limited online access, e.g. improving equity through digital inclusion.
  • Improve access to services and information for underserved community members by developing new or improving current library programming.

Applicants may propose a project for any of these four priorities.

LSTA PRIORITIES

  • Programs or services to individuals of diverse geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds;
  • Programs or services to individuals with disabilities, to individuals with limited functional literacy or information skills; or
  • Programs or services expanding services for learning and access to information.

Applicants should also consider the LSTA legislative priorities listed above. For each priority, programs that provide support for or include locally underserved populations and/or include concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion are welcome.

GRANT GUIDELINES

  • Literacy projects: We are interested in projects that improve community literacy for a range of topics, such as early literacy, financial literacy, digital literacy, English as a second language (ESL), health literacy, etc. Examples are supporting programming for a community group like a teen center, creating a pop-up library collection that supports an identified local need, providing financial or digital literacy training, etc.
  • Local history or special collections: We are interested in projects that engage local communities in the collection, documentation, and preservation of their local histories, experiences, and identities. Examples are preservation and promotion of an existing collection, collaborating with a local museum to bring together a themed collection, remediating metadata for an existing digital collection for inclusion in the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), etc.
  • Access to Information: We are interested in digital inclusion projects, meaning increasing or improving services for users with limited online access. Examples are hot spot lending programs, support for technology training, using assistive devices with disabled patrons, etc.
  • Library Programming: We are interested in projects that develop new programming for or expand current programming to underserved community members. Examples are developing curriculum and kits for educational programming, designing, and providing specialized programming for an underserved community group, developing a regional programming collaboration among a group of libraries, etc. 

Within the priorities, successful applications will address ALL the guidelines listed above and the detailed guidelines in the application information packets.

APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

Michigan public and academic libraries and library cooperatives. Public libraries must be legally established and eligible for state aid at the time of application. Academic libraries must be accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

FUNDING AVAILABILITY

The Library of Michigan announces each fiscal year whether competitive grant funds are available. The grant period is one year (October 1 - September 30) and funding is from $5,000 to $25,000.

PROGRAM TIMELINE

  • Application Due - Wednesday, May 31st by 5:00 PM EST
  • Grants Awarded - August
  • Grants Award Period - October 1 - September 30

APPLICATION WEBINARS

Application webinars are REQUIRED. Please attend in person or watch the recording available here after the date of the webinar.

  • Grant Program Informational webinar - Tuesday, February 28 at 2:00 PM - Recording
  • Application webinar - Applying for the Literacy, Digital Inclusion & Library Programming Priorities - Thursday, March 2 at 1:00 PM - Recording
  • Application webinar - Applying for the Local History or Special Collections Priority - Friday, March 3 at 10:00 AM - Recording

Webinars will be recorded and the recording link will be sent to everyone who is registered.

GRANTEE ADMINISTRATION WEBINARS

In person attendance at administration webinars are REQUIRED. 

Improving Access to Information Grant Program - 1. Managing Your Grant / 2. Managing a Digitization Project

  • TBA - Arranged with approved grantees in September.

PURCHASING NOTE

Tech Ban for Federal Funds - Grantees may not purchase telecommunications or video surveillance equipment or services from companies with an Exclusion in their SAM.gov record. Please check SAM.gov when purchasing technology equipment to confirm the company you want to purchase from is not a banned company.

FORMS & DOCUMENTS

Improving Access to Information Grant - Application Information packet for Literacy and Digital Inclusion Priorities

Improving Access to Information Grant - Application Information packet for Local History or Special Collections Priority

Improving Access to Information Grant Program Timeline

Improving Access to Information Grant - Grant Administration Manual
This manual has the information library staff need to complete their approved Improving Access to Information grant, including evaluation, reporting and reimbursements.

Application Form - CIPA Form and Certifications and Assurances - For Online Submission Only

Application and Active Grant Form - Budget Worksheet - For Online Submission Only

Application Form - Rights Assessment Template - For Online Submission Only

Active Grant Form - Time Keeping Report - For Online Submission Only

Active Grant Form - Travel Reimbursement Form - For Online Submission Only

Active Grant Form - Reimbursement Request Sample Planning sheet - For Online Submission Only

APPLICATION

Application is by online form. The application questions are listed in the Improving Access to Information Grant Program Application Information packets above. Applicants should read Application Information packet before submitting an application. We recommend participating in the application webinar. The Application webinars listed above are Required to apply. The necessary certifications (CIPA form and Certifications & Assurances) are included in the packets and are posted above in a separate document for your use. ALL applicants must complete and sign both sections of the certifications and submit them online within the application. The certifications are the applicant's signatures for the grant contract.

APPLY FOR A GRANT or SUBMIT GRANT FORMS

FURTHER INFORMATION

Please contact Karren Reish at 517-241-0021 or reishk@michigan.gov with questions on the program.

This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Updated 02/08/2023