United for Libraries and Penguin Random House Grants to U.S. Rural and Small Libraries

United for Libraries and Penguin Random House will award grants of $500 and $1,000 (totaling $25,000) to support libraries in need. Specifically, grant funds will assist Friends of Library groups with priority projects. Additionally, in-kind book donation grants of $500 will be awarded to 20 libraries to purchase Penguin Random House titles.

Applications for the program will be open from Dec. 17, 2025-Jan. 21, 2026, and applicants will be notified by March 30, 2026. For libraries that are interested in applying but don’t know where to start, United for Libraries will present free virtual informational sessions beginning in December, including two 30-minute sessions that include an overview of the process and tips on applying, and a one-hour webinar featuring 2025 grant recipients and their projects. On-demand training includes a session on grant writing basics, and a session on how to start a Friends of the Library group (for libraries that do not currently have an active group); learn more and register.

In addition to a grant of $500 or $1,000, or a book donation grant, recipients will also receive complimentary eLearning from United for Libraries, including a year of access to United for Libraries Learning Live monthly webinars which present in-depth training to library Trustees/Board Members, Friends, Foundations, advocates, and those who work with them, and training on how to leverage the grant funds to build support for the library and the Friends group. Recipients will also receive complimentary registration for Friends of the Library Day of the United for Libraries virtual conference (July 30, 2026) and United for Libraries Friends virtual retreat (spring 2027).