Building Library Capacity Grants
ALA Library Building Capacity Grants
Guidelines- ALA Library Building Capacity Grants
Deadline for Submission: April 9, 2025 by 11:59 pm Central Time (CT)
Award Notification Date: June 3, 2025
Before starting, read the grant FAQ and carefully review the requirements below in each category for the grant.
For questions, please contact the American Library Association (ALA) Chapter Relations Office staff at or cro@ala.org, 1-800-545-2433, ext. 3200
Grant Description
The ALA Building Library Capacity Grants will assist public libraries that are or will serve New Americans (immigrants and refugees). The Building Library Capacity Grants are supported by the Mellon Foundation.
For 2025, up to sixteen grants of $10,000 each to libraries to increase their capacity to provide essential services through April 30, 2025.
APPLICATIONS deadline is April 9, 2025, by 11:59 pm Central Time (CT) You can download a PDF version of the application to use as a reference while preparing your application.
Grants will be announced on June 3, 2025.
Grants are intended for library operations, including, but not limited to staff salary (direct or indirect,) materials, technology, and in-person or virtual services. Grants are to establish, re-establish, sustain, amplify services, or create newly needed services.
A library can submit only one application per institution; however, the application can request support for one or more library and/or one or more target audience across an institution.
Table of Contents
- Eligibility
- Award Information
- Requirements
- Eligible and Ineligible Expenses
- Application and Submission Information
- Required Attachment- Budget
- Application Review
- Grant Administration Information
- Points of Contact
- This opportunity is for libraries that are or will serve New Americans (immigrants and refugees.) It is open to libraries already serving New Americans or those who would like to use the grant to begin serving New Americans.
- Individuals and non-library entities are not eligible for funding.
- Late, incomplete, and ineligible applications will not be reviewed.
Awards of $10,000 for up to sixteen libraries.
The selected library will be required to:
- Assign one staff member as the grant coordinator.
- Assist ALA in promotion of the award locally.
- Provide interim reports that show how the funds have supported expenses, on November 1, 2025 and February 15, 2026.
- Carry out evaluations and measure outcomes of the project.
- Submit in writing to ALA, any significant changes to the proposed plans that were outlined in the application (changes over 5% of total grant budget)
- Submit a comprehensive final report to ALA with project accomplishments, evaluation findings, outcomes, and use of funds by April 30, 2026.
Eligible and Ineligible Expenses
Eligible expenses may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Staff time (only salaries and benefits. Bonuses are not eligible)
- Collections
- Technology
- Furnishings and Equipment
- Materials and Supplies
- Promotion
- Operation Expenses
Ineligible Expenses:
Expenses not connected to the proposed services outlined in the application.
Application and Submission Information
To access the ALA Capacity Building Grants application, log into our grants management system, ALA Apply. Upon logging in, visit the “Apply” Dashboard by clicking on the word Apply” in the upper left corner of the screen.
Please note that ALA Apply requires a login that is separate from ALA member login credentials.
New ALA Apply Users: Visit ALA Apply and click on "Create New Account" to complete the ALA Apply registration process and create your logon credentials. Be sure to keep this login information for your organization’s records. You can learn more about how to use ALA Apply to submit your application on our How to Apply page.
Not sure if you, or your someone at your organization has an ALA Apply account profile? If you think that you or someone at your organization has already registered in the system, do not create a new account. Please contact us at publicprorgams@ala.org to inquire about an organizational record in ALA Apply.
ALA will accept applications between February 26, 2025, and April 9, 2025 (11:59 PM Central Time)
Application includes:
• Contact Information
• Specific library type demographics
• Budget and staffing questions
• Narrative questions
• Grant Budget descriptions
• Statement of Assurance
Application Submission
Library can submit only one application per institution; however, the application can request support for one or more libraries and/or one or more target audience across a system/district.
You may save and return and edit your application. Once you have submitted your application, you can no longer alter it. The application will then be submitted for committee review. You will receive an email confirming submission of your application.
Make sure you complete all parts of the application, including the budget template. All applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on April 9, 2025. Applications submitted after that time will not be considered.
Budget- Please complete the provided itemized budget template and then attach at the end of your application submit where requested.
Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- The budget impact on library to provide services to the community.
- Identification of target audience(s) and their needs.
- Proposed use of grant funds to serve target audiences.
- Expected outcomes, impacts, and measurements.
- Budget and alignment of requested items/elements to proposed activities.
Review and Selection Process: Proposals will be assessed, and awardees selected by the ALA Libraries Building Capacity Review Committee.
Grant Administration Information
Application deadline: April 9, 2025, 11:59 pm (Central Time)
Award notification: June 3, 2025
Award distributed: June 30, 2025
Earliest Project Start Date: June 30, 2025
Project End Date: April 30, 2026
Final Report Due: April 30, 2026
If you have questions about the application, contact: the American Library Association (ALA) Chapter Relations Office staff at or cro@ala.org 1-800-545-2433, ext. 3200
