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ALA Annual Diversity Research Grant Program

Continuing the American Library Association's commitment to diversity, the ALA Office for Diversity began sponsorship of a Diversity Research Grant program in 2002 to address critical gaps in the knowledge of diversity issues within library and information science. The Diversity Research Grant consists of a one-time $2000 annual award for original research and a $500 travel grant to attend and present at ALA Annual Conference.  Three grants are awarded each year.  Please review the information below on grant criterion and past and present recipients.

Diversity Research Grant Recipients

Grant Timeline

  • The 2009-2010 Diversity Research Grant recipients are conducting their grant-funded research from the summer of 2009 through the summer of 2010.
  • Topics for the 2010-2011 Diversity Research Grants are announced prior to the ALA Midwinter Meeting. The deadline for submitting proposals is April 1, 2010.
  • 2010-2011 Recipients are announced prior to the ALA Annual Conference in June 2010. 
  • 2008 Recipients present their findings at the ALA 2010 Annual Conference in Chicago.

Description of Awards

The Diversity Research Grant consists of a one-time $2000 annual award for original research and a $500 travel grant to attend and present at ALA Annual Conference. One proposal will chosen from within each of the year's topics for a total of three awards.  Grant recipients will be expected to compile the results of their research into a paper and will be asked to present and publish the final product in conjunction with the American Library Association. 

Submission Guidelines

Proposals are only accepted after the announcement of the three annual topics. Persons submitting a proposal must be a current member of the American Library Association.  If you are not presently a member of ALA but wish to submit a proposal please visit the Membership Website for more information on the benefits of joining ALA. You will be required to supply your membership ID number with your proposal.  Only proposals demonstrating relevance to the year's designated research topics will be fully considered. 

A complete proposal must include the following:

  1. A cover letter with name, primary contact information, topic under which the proposal should be considered, and ALA member ID of the researcher(s).
  2. A concise abstract of the project (no more than 200 words).
  3. Description of the project (of no more than 5 pages in length) detailing:
    a. Justification and needs for the research project
    b. Research objectives
    c. Design, methodology and analysis of the project
    d. Expected outcomes and benefits
  4. Budgetary plan and timeline, including other sources of support sought for the project.
  5. A one-page vita for each of the researchers involved in the project.

Electronic submissions are preferred.  All proposal elements should be collated and should be submitted in a single Word document attachment via email to diversity@ala.org. Proposals must be received by the deadline.

Proposal Evaluation Criterion

Once a proposal has been deemed both complete and clearly in fitting with the research topics, it will be evaluated on the following criterion:

  • Contributions - The project contributes to the original, conceptual and/or practical knowledge of diversity in LIS.
  • Professional Impact - The project has the potential of impact on diversity research and practice in the LIS profession.
  • Sustainability - The project has the potential for encouraging further research in diversity in the LIS profession.
  • Adaptability - The project can be adapted by libraries of similar interests or concerns.
  • Design - The project is designed to effectively carry out the proposed work.
  • Management Plan - There is a cohesive plan for managing the project effectively, as reflected in the managerial aspects of the project, such as the division of labor, timeline and institutional support.
  • Budget - The proposed budget for the project is appropriate in terms of amount and usage. Staff training, general operating or overhead expenses, and other indirect costs are not funded and should not be included in the budget request.
  • Personnel - The principal investigator(s) has the credentials to successfully carry out a research project, based on his/her prior involvement in diversity work.
  • Evaluation - The project includes an outcome-based evaluation component.
  • Cooperation & Dissemination - The researcher(s) demonstrates a commitment to working with the American Library Association to publicize and disseminate his/her project.

Honoring Excellence - Achievement in Library Diversity Research Honorees

As part of its ongoing support of the propagation of library-based diversity research, the ALA Office for Diversity annually honors an individual for "Achievement in Library Diversity Research" with a plaque and complimentary annual conference registration.  If you would like to nominate an individual for this honor, please submit their name, contact information and a short description of their recent research accomplishments to diversity@ala.org. Nominations received prior to June 1st each year will be considered.

Questions about this page? Please direct comments to diversity@ala.org 
or reach us toll free at 800.545.2433 ext. 5048.