How to Get Grants for Books

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By Kristi Patrice Carter
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Get Grants for Books

Grants are gifts of money given by the government or by private citizens and foundations to help an individual or organization with a certain situation or need. Millions of dollars worth of grants are given each year for many different reasons, from repairing homes and starting businesses to attending college, and even to obtain books. The goal of this article is to inform libraries and other organizations how to expand their book collection with grants.

Finding the Grants

The first thing a public or school library must do is find the grants. There are several different places an individual might check in order to find grants for books.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Step 1

Check out Foundations and Organizations.

One of the best ways to find grants for books is through foundations and organizations. There are several different types of foundations that support libraries with grants for books. The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries is one foundation that supports libraries with grants of up to $6,000, allowing libraries to replace older books and expand their collections. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is another place to check for available grants.
Step 2

Look into Government Grants.

There are some government and state level grants that help libraries obtain books as well. One place to find out about government grants for books is to visit www.Grants.gov. This website contains a listing of available government grants that individuals can search through using keywords. Individuals should check the details of each grant to determine whether they are eligible for the grant or not. Applications for these grants are available through this website as well, making it a valuable resource for government grants for books.
Step 3

Apply for the Grants.

After finding the applications, individuals will need to apply for the grants. Some grants will require a grant proposal, which will help the grant review committee determine who will receive the grants. Grant proposals should be written in an easy to understand manner, conveying the importance of the grant for the library and outlining the benefits that will result. Many organizations ask professional editors or writers to design their grant proposals because they realize how important these gratns are. However, individuals can easily learn to write their own grant proposals by visiting such sites like Un.org. See "Additional Resources" for link.

The applications should be read carefully before the individual fills it out, so that each question can be perfectly understood and reflected on before answering. It’s also a good idea that the individual have someone read over the application and grant proposal before sending it off, to ensure that there are no errors and that it’s easy to understand and read.

With the tips and information above, individuals and organizations can successfully apply for and potentially obtain grants that will help them expand and renew their library with books.