In recent years, many librarians have turned to nontraditional sources of funding to ensure that their library or library system will be able to provide necessary services with a high degree of excellence. This fact sheet is designed to serve a variety of interests. Whether you are looking to fund a large, one-time project or to form lasting connections with the community at large that will generate future dividends, these sources will be valuable tools.
Library Advocacy | Library Funding | Fundraising for Libraries, including Academic, Public, School | Fundraising Consultants | Book Donations | Library Friends and Foundations | Grants and Grantwriting | Online Fundraising Tools
Acknowledging the recession, ALA began 2009 with a special edition of its freely available e-newsletter, American Libraries (AL) Direct, the Special Tough Economy Issue, which can still be accessed online. The issue focused on funding issues for libraries at the federal level, the nation-wide surge in library use, and spotlighted ALA's press and advocacy toolkits.
The ALA Library's Ask the Librarian question that week, titled Slow Economy and Libraries on its page at the ALA Professional Tips Wiki, featured the Advocating in a Tough Economy Toolkit in particular and suggested some strategic information-gathering geared toward showing the library's value and return on investment to its served community.
Also see the freely available online article, Fundraising in Tough Times: How to Survive in a Challenging Economy, by Mal Warwick, from the Spring 2009 Stanford Social Innovation Review.
Most recently, see the Fast Facts issue dated August 19, 2009, from the Library Research Service (LRS) of Colorado, which discusses the results of a 60-Second Survey conducted earlier this year, Libraries and Librarians Feeling Effects of Economic Slowdown (PDF). LRS noted: "Respondents' personal observations indicate requests for help and use of library services have increased, along with the stress felt by librarians."
With the recent redesign of the ALA web site, all of ALA's library advocacy resources, including a link to the extensive Advocacy University section, are centrally located at ALA Issues and Advocacy.
In addition, ALA's Public Library Association (PLA, a division of ALA) has created Libraries Prosper with Passion, Purpose, and Persuasion! A PLA Toolkit for Success, and the ALA Campaign for America's Libraries in partnership with ALA's American Association of School Librarians (AASL, a division of ALA) created the Campaign for America’s Libraries Toolkit for School Library Media Programs, both available at the ALA Online Store.
The ALA Washington Office in the District of Columbia offers a variety of information resources about current federal issues that impact libraries, starting at the page, Federal Advocacy Resources and How to Get Involved.
The ALA Office for Library Advocacy was established relatively recently on Sept. 1, 2007 in response to ALA members naming advocacy as one of their top priorities in the ALA Strategic Plan, ALA Ahead to 2010. The Office focuses its activity on providing resources and support to state and local advocacy efforts.
The Office for Library Advocacy is responsible for ILoveLibraries.org, ALA's web site for the public, designed to keep America informed about what's happening in today's libraries, which are found in public, school, academic, corporate and institutional settings. ILoveLibraries.org encourages the public to Get Informed, Get Involved, and most importantly, to Take Action.
Siess, Judith A. Visible Librarian: Asserting Your Value with Marketing and Advocacy. Chicago: American Library Association, 2003.
As noted at the ALA Online Store: Recent law, corporate, and even public library closings are the sad confirmation that libraries are no longer a given. Despite the fact that librarians bring unique value to their communities and organizations, too often their work goes on under the radar. The benefits provided by information professionals are invisible and taken for granted as Internet search engines replace real experts. It's time to assert your value and the value of the resources you marshal. Step from behind the desk or computer to make your community aware of just how indispensable your services are. Here are all the tools you need to become the "squeaky wheel" and attract the attention your work deserves. Use these practical strategies to connect with customers, make services both visible and valuable to the community, and get the word out using proven marketing, customer service, and public relations tactics specifically tailored to the library environment. Learn to provide the answers your users/customers need; gather internal and external champions to grow a funding base; access the resources that keep your enterprise viable; keep information resources available in spite of budget constraints; and be recognized as a value-provider within your organization or community. Library directors, department heads, solo librarians: Learn how NOT to be invisible! Packed with all the best practices in marketing library services, this hands-on guide provides inspiring stories and case studies of library colleagues around the nation who are successfully advocating and marketing themselves and their services.
The Funding News @ your library® section of the ALA web site tracks library funding updates. Federal library funding news comes out of the ALA Washington Office while both public library funding news and school library funding news are collected by our public relations department, the ALA Public Information Office.
For some historical notes on library funding, including past editions of the annual Referenda Roundup article from our American Libraries magazine, see the Funding page on the ALA Professional Tips Wiki. A continuously updated list of resources is compiled by this office at the social bookmarking web site, delicious.com at:
http://delicious.com/alalibrary/libfunding
A list of books on library fundraising that may be more readily available from your local public and/or community college library than your local bookstore appears at the free, searchable online database of library catalogs from across the country, OCLC's WorldCat.org, at:
Library Fundraising at WorldCat.org
See the online resources on the web page for the Fund Raising and Financial Development Section (FRFDS) of ALA's Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA, a division of ALA), which includes online versions of slideshow presentations shown at previous ALA Annual Conference programs.
View a brief list of resources (including this fact sheet) at the Fundraising page on the ALA Professional Tips Wiki. A continuously updated list of library fundraising resources is compiled by this office at the social bookmarking web site, delicious.com, at:
http://delicious.com/alalibrary/libfundraising
Butler, Meridith A., ed. Successful Fundraising: Case Studies of Academic Libraries. Washington D.C.: Association of Research Libraries, 2001.
An aggregation of case studies to aide the librarian or library director in fundraising activities. The case studies focus on academic libraries and the various processes they developed and executed to raise money for their institutions. These "good" case studies detail the fundraising process and its outcome and propose alternative strategies and methods so that librarians can learn how to be fundraisers by librarians who have learned how to be fundraisers.
Dowlin, Ken. Getting the Money: How to Succeed in Fundraising for Public and Nonprofit Libraries. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2008.
As stated on the publisher's web site: Get your library the funds you need! Guided by his lifetime of fundraising experience, Ken Dowlin offers suggestions that range from tips for community programs such as story hours and simple book sales to ideas for influencing referendum issues to gain increased or dedicated funding.
Landau, Herbert B. The Small Public Library Survival Guide: Thriving on Less. Chicago: American Library Association, 2008.
As noted at the ALA Online Store: If you're among the nearly 80 percent of libraries deemed "small', serving populations of 25,000 or fewer, then Landau's survival guide will give you the tested and practical techniques to ensure your small library's survival and growth. Landau, a seasoned marketer, applies his three decades of corporate marketing experience to save a small library faced with funding cuts. His customer-centric approaches brought in resources, volunteers, and in-kind donations and earned the libary local and national awards. Landau shares practical tools and tested strategies, guiding small public library administrators, trustees, librarians, and friends to define the community's library service needs; develop responsive programs; generate resources to support the programs; and promote the library and its programs to patrons and funding communities. Packed with hands-on guidelines for attracting local support and building partnerships, this user-friendly guide outlines multiple avenues for obtaining funding and increasing cash flow. His low-cost, no-cost, and easily implemented techniques provide a solid foundation for small library success.
Smith, Amy Sherman and Matthew D. Lehrer. Legacies for Libraries: A Practical Guide to Planned Giving. Chicago: American Library Association, 2000.
As noted at the ALA Online Store: Planned giving is an important piece of the money-raising puzzle. This handy and authoritative reference on estate tax planning and charitable giving offers the "how-to's" for librarians seeking to raise funds through planned gifts. After reading this how-to reference, you will be able to make your way through the sometimes complicated process of planned giving; understand the basics of maximizing gifts; recognize and build on the intent of the donor; and learn how to communicate the win-win angles of charitable gift giving.
Still, Julie M. The Accidental Fundraiser. Medford, NJ: Information Today, Inc., 2007.
As described by the publisher, many nonprofit organizations, including libraries, "need funding yet cannot afford to employ a full-time fundraiser, relying instead on volunteers or staff members to raise the money. Author, librarian, and accidental fundraiser Julie M. Still offers practical and reassuring advice that will help any individual become an effective fundraiser regardless of previous experience. Still describes in her introduction, What Is an Accidental Fundraiser?: "Many organizations use fundraising volunteers to staff the phones during phonathons or annual pledge drives, to stuff envelopes, or to approach specific people--but this is not what I would consider an accidental fundraider. An accidental fundraiser is more intricately involved in the entire process, often making plans or weighing decisions on how to proceed with specific projects. A volunteer may play a variety of roles, but an accidental fundraiser wears a combination management fedora and workman's cap." Chapter headings include: Planning Your Role, Matching Goals with Opportunities, Finding the Money, and Making Friends and Forming Partnerships.
Swan, James. Fundraising for Libraries: 25 Proven Ways to Get More Money for Your Library. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2002.
This book is a standard "how-to" manual in library fund-raising, an easy and effective read that can guide librarians to finding money in both traditional and non-traditional realms, as well as developing skills in the librarian to secure these funds. The text explores "pie-in-the-sky" approaches to raising all the money one may need, to more mundane yet effective methods that will raise only enough money for the current task.
Theiler, Tamara. "Government Funding--Getting Money from Uncle Sam." Information Outlook Vol. 6, no. 6 (June 2002): 50.
Brief article describing funding and grant resources available to libraries from the federal government.
The first chapter, titled No, We Don’t Need a Consultant! is freely available as an Adobe Reader PDF file from the 2009 Wiley publication, Fundraising Consultants: A Guide for Nonprofit Organizations, which is part of the AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) Fund Development Series.
A detailed list of online and print resources for finding library consultants appears on ALA Library Fact Sheet 9: Library Products, Services and Consultants.
If your library is seeking financial assistance in order to get books -- especially children's books -- you may be eligible to apply for donations from some of the book donation organizations named on our web page, ALA Library Fact Sheet 12 - Sending Books to Needy Libraries: Book Donation Programs. See the web page for information on contacting the groups directly for eligibility criteria and application information.
Citizen support for libraries received a big boost on February 1, 2009. This marks the date when Friends of Libraries U.S.A. (FOLUSA) and the Association for Library Trustees and Advocates (ALTA) joined forces to become an expanded division of ALA. The new organization will be called the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, or ALTAFF for short.
The FOLUSA web site provides information on a range of topics of interest to Friends, trustees, foundations, and libraries, with such pages as Starting a Friends Group, Fundraising (tips on running a successful campaign), A Checklist for Planning Successful Programs, How to Revitalize Your Friends Group, and Starting a Friends Foundation.
See USA.gov for Nonprofits, a page of official information and services from the U.S. government, which groups links into three main areas: Grants, Loans, and Other Assistance; Management and Operations; and Tax Information.
Clow, Faye and Benjamin Goldberg. Forming and Funding Public Library Foundations, 2nd ed. Chicago: Public Library Association, 2005.
As noted at the ALA Online Store: Benjamin Goldberg contributes revisions and updates to Faye Clow's original 1993 publication, which offers practical information on how to form public library foundations. Clow discusses the benefits a foundation can bring to a library. And she works through the details of bylaws and articles of incorporation writing, as well as applying for tax exempt status. She then discusses public relations and funding the newly-formed foundation.
Dolnick, Sandy. Essential Friends of Libraries: Fast Facts, Forms, and Tips. Chicago: American Library Association, 2004.
As noted at the ALA Online Store: For new and experienced Library Friends, library directors, outreach and volunteer coordinators, and anyone who needs information on Friends of Libraries issues, here are the answers. From accounting and advocacy to literacy and lobbying,this is an indispensable quick reference tool for volunteers, trustees, and librarians alike.
Foley, Chris. "Thoughts on Endowment Fundraising for Libraries." The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances Vol. 18, no. 1 (March 2005): 40-42.
From the article's abstract: Purpose – Libraries rely on endowment revenue for collection development and general operating expenses. Endowment gifts, both for collection development and for general operating expenses, can be a significant priority for a library during this fund-raising effort. As such, it is this column's goal to summarize the challenges and advantages of these endowment gifts, and strategies for endowment fundraising in libraries. Design/methodology/approach – Uses lessons learned by endowment efforts at the University of Pennsylvania Library, noting strategies that have worked. Findings – Endowments present unique challenges and opportunities. While their benefits to the library are often less understood and intangible, often they are more accessible to donors due to a low threshold for establishment and the flexibility to give over a period of years. Originality/value – Challenges and advantages are explored and strategies are offered to improve the effectiveness of endowment fundraising including marketing, challenge programs, and bequest encouragement.
Herring, Mark Y. Raising Funds with Friends Groups: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2004.
As stated on the publisher's web site: Are friends groups really a viable way to raise significant funds? Yes, says Mark Herring, who offers step-by-step advice on how to form or restructure friends groups in academic and public libraries. He covers establishing and organizing a steering committee, marketing, communicating with your membership one-on-one and via newsletters, advocacy and support, event programming, publicity, affordable feasibility studies, perpetual programs, and more. A special section shows how to use the Friends Group's Web site to raise funds. This essential guide will help you revitalize existing relationships and create new opportunities.
See the list of resources at the Sources of Grants page with an accompanying Grantwriting page on the ALA Professional Tips Wiki -- which includes a link to Writing Grant Applications by ALA's Public Programs Office. A continuously updated list of library grant and grantwriting resources is compiled by this office at the social bookmarking web site, delicious.com, at:
http://delicious.com/alalibrary/libgrants
U.S. government web site Grants.gov is your source to find and apply for federal government grants. Grants.gov is a central storehouse for information on over 1,000 grant programs and provides access to approximately $500 billion in annual awards. Learn more about Grants.gov and determine if you are eligible for grant opportunities offered on the site.
The Foundation Center answers its 15 most frequently asked questions about getting grants and grantwriting on its web site; if your question doesn't appear or you'd like further clarification on an answer, you can Ask the Online Librarian of The Foundation Center, even chatting live with a librarian during scheduled hours on weekdays.
The first chapter, titled Grasping the Basics of Finding and Getting the Bucks is freely available as an Adobe Reader PDF file from the December 2008 Wiley publication, Grant Writing For Dummies, 3rd Edition.
Corporate Giving Online (online database). New York: The Foundation Center.
As stated on the publisher's web site: Find donors that support nonprofit organizations and programs like yours through grants as well as in-kind donations of equipment, products, professional services, and volunteers. More than 3,700 detailed company profiles, over 2,700 company-sponsored foundations, nearly 1,400 direct corporate giving programs, awith nearly 100,000 recently awarded grants.
Foundation Directory Online (online database). New York: The Foundation Center.
As stated on the publisher's web site: Updated continually, Foundation Directory Online provides the most accurate details available on U.S. funders and their grants. Over 98,000 U.S. foundations and corporate donors, 1.7 million recent grants, and more than 400,000 key decision makers. Five plan levels with monthly, annual, and two-year subscription options. Up to four databases of grantmakers, companies, grants, and 990s. Up to 53 search fields including keyword searching—even across all recent IRS 990s.
Gerding, Stephanie K. and Pamela H. MacKellar. Grants for Libraries: A How-To-Do-It Manual and CD-ROM for Librarians. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers Inc., 2006.
Authors maintain the active Library Grants Blog. As stated on the publisher's web site: As libraries cope with budget cuts and shortages, many institutions are turning to grants as means for funding new initiatives and sustaining services. This practical how-to -- authored by two experts with in-depth knowledge and practical experience -- outlines the grant-writing process and provides a proven step-by-step strategy for getting your grant. Chapters cover preliminary planning; defining the project; forming the writing team; choosing the best type of funder (government, foundation, corporate, and local organizations) to approach; and more. Core coverage focuses on writing and submitting the proposal including thorough explanation and examples the title sheet, cover letter, table of contents, overview, description, needs, methodology, timeline, budget, evaluation, and more. Additional sections explain how applicants should follow-up on their submission and what to do when your funding is approved. The CD-ROM includes a sample grant template that you can individualize and reproduce for your own grants, as well as model long range plans that can be modified and included in proposals. More than 15 successful grant stories from a variety of institutions and for various funding purposes are also on this invaluable CD for you to model, adapt, or incorporate into your own winning proposals.
Hall-Ellis, Sylvia D. and Ann Jerabek. Grants for School Libraries. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 2003.
As stated on the publisher's web site: This invaluable handbook provides necessary information to help school libraries and school library systems complete the arduous grant-application. The book is current and comprehensive in its listings of possible grants and recommendations for successful grant writing.
See a list of web sites and online networks that can assist with fundraising at the Online Fundraising Tools page on the ALA Professional Tips Wiki.
Corson-Finnerty, Adam. Cybergifts -- Using the Internet in Library Fund-Raising. Library Trends Vol. 48, no. 3 (Winter 2000): 619-33.
This article begins with a quick history of cybergift giving from the introduction of "Donate Now" buttons on websites, to the author’s "science-fiction" idea of micropayments (e.g. donate $0.15 every five minutes one looks at a website). The article then progresses into an exploration of cybergift giving alternatives and various institutions that have implemented them and their success in so doing. He discusses two ways to attract a potential cybergift giver to one’s website, the "push" and "pull" methods. The "pull" method draws people to the site, in various ways (e.g. offering a service, giving free information, etc.). The "push" method pushes the site to the people, an example being a banner ad. The author finishes his article by predicting that e-mail will become the quickest, simplest, and most effective way in getting people to donate. The article offers a lot of valuable information and should be read by those who have not thought of web-based ideas to raise money.
Corson-Finnerty, Adam and Laura Blanchard. Fundraising and Friend-Raising on the Web. Chicago: American Library Association, 1998.
Finnerty and Blanchard begin with the fundamental law of fund raising, People give money to people. With this in mind, they demonstrate how to turn a Web site into a means to solicit donations as well as a place to keep in touch with donors. They are careful not to present the Web as a magical, money-making source. Instead, Finnerty and Blanchard approach the Web as an additional tool to traditional fund raising. The accompanying CD-ROM works hand-in-hand with the text by taking the reader to examples of fund raising sites on the Web today.
Holt, Glen E. and George Horn. "Taking Donations in Cyberspace." The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances Vol. 18, no. 1 (March 2005): 24-28.
From the article's abstract: Purpose – To illustrate that potential donors often can have difficulty in determining how to give to libraries and offer solutions that libraries can employ to eliminate those barriers. Design/methodology/approach – Uses real-life examples to illustrate various ways donors can give to libraries and presents options libraries can use to make giving simple and easy. Findings – Libraries currently under-use the potential of online donations. This can be overcome by prominently posting donation options on the library's Web home page, and make donating to the library simple and easy. Originality/value – Suggests options for libraries to incorporate that can simplify the online giving process.
Knight, Dawn Ventress and Emma Bradford Perry. Grant Resources on the Web: Where to Look When You Need Funding. College and Research Libraries News Vol. 60, no. 7 (July/August 1999): 543-545.
In this article, which is freely available online and kept updated, Knight and Perry cite and annotate over twenty Web sites that contain databases; electronic publications; and information on foundations, government agencies, and newsgroups that offer grants or resources on grants for libraries. They also discuss sites that cover grant writing.
Materials listed in this fact sheet that are published by the American Library Association are available through the ALA Online Store.
For all other materials, contact the publishers directly, or check the collection at your local public library, either directly or by searching the WorldCat.org free online database of library catalogs nation-wide below:
NOTE: Previous versions of this fact sheet can be accessed via the Internet Archive Wayback Machine using the original URL <http://www.ala.org/library/fact24.html>. And this URL still works as a "shortcut" link to this web page.
Last updated: August 2009
For more information on this or other fact sheets, contact the ALA Library Reference Desk by telephone: 800-545-2433, extension 2153; fax: 312-280-3255; e-mail: library@ala.org; or regular mail: ALA Library, American Library Association, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611-2795.