Peggy Barber Tribute Grant Guidelines

Peggy Barber Tribute Grant logo

Date posted: Friday, December 1, 2023
Deadline for Submission: February 1, 2024 by 11:59 pm (CST)
Award Notification Date: March 13, 2024
Apply online via ALA's grants management platform

Questions?

Before starting, read the grant FAQ and carefully review the requirements below.

Contact the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office staff at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 5045, or publicprograms@ala.org.   

Table of Contents

  1. Grant Description
  2. Eligibility
  3. Award Information
  4. Requirements
  5. Eligible Expenses
  6. Application and Submission Information
  7. Application Review
  8. Grant Administration Information
  9. Points of Contact

Grant Description

The Peggy Barber Tribute Grant is an annual grant that recognizes, promotes, and supports meaningful programs in libraries that have limited and/or no access to budgetary support for programming. This grant aims to help ease budget challenges by annually awarding three libraries $2,500 to support a proposed program, program series, or programming effort.

For the 2023–2024 cycle, libraries are invited to submit applications for a grant to support programming related to civic education. Some example proposals could include: 1) a program focused on voting (i.e. a book discussion on the history of voting, a program to register voters, an event teaching patrons about voting rights, etc.); 2) a program teaching media and/or information literacy skills to build an informed general public; or 3) a program relaying avenues for community advocacy, such as how to run for local office. 

Eligibility

Award Information

Up to three libraries will be selected to receive $2,500 to advance their proposed programming. The grant period may be one to two years in length.

Requirements

The selected libraries make the following commitments:

  • Appoint one staff member as the project director of the project.
  • Carry out evaluation and measure outcomes of the project.
  • Submit any significant variance to proposed plans in writing to ALA.
  • Submit a comprehensive final report to ALA with project accomplishments, evaluation findings, outcomes, and use of funds within 30 days of the project end date.
  • Present the project either as a webinar or written program model for ProgrammingLibrarian.org, a website of ALA’s Public Programs Office.

Eligible Expenses

Peggy Barber Tribute Grant funds are restricted to program related expenses. Eligible expenses may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Program supplies 
  • Promotion and publicity
  • Purchase of collection materials 
  • Library staff time
  • Payment to project partners for reimbursement or direct funding of services and support provided (e.g. presenters, childcare providers, translators, instructors, co-facilitator, etc.)

Grant funds may not be used to support indirect costs (e.g., general library administrative expenses) or as donations to other organizations.

Application and Submission Information

ALA will accept applications for the Peggy Barber Tribute Grant beginning December 1, 2023, and ending on February 1, 2024, at 11:59 pm (CST). To receive notice of this and other grant opportunities, please subscribe to our Programming Librarian e-newsletter. 

    Please review the Frequently Asked Questions before applying.

    Getting Started

    To submit a proposal, go to the online application form and complete the following steps. If this is your first time submitting an application through our grants management system, you may want to first review our How to Apply webpage. If you encounter problems interacting with our online grants management platform due to difficulties with assistive technologies, please contact publicprograms@ala.org or call 312.280.5045. Please also include information about the nature of your accessibility barrier so we can best provide support. You can preview the application by downloading a PDF of it here. 

    To apply for a Peggy Barber Tribute Grant, you must complete the following steps:

    1. ENTER OPPORTUNITY TITLE AND PROJECT NAME
    2. COMPLETE PROJECT DIRECTOR INFORMATION
    3. COMPLETE LIBRARY INFORMATION
    4. WRITE GRANT NARRATIVE
    5. UPLOAD SUPPORTING MATERIALS
    6. SIGN APPLICATION BY AUTHORIZED OFFICIAL
    7. REVIEW AND EDIT YOUR APPLICATION
    8. SUBMIT APPLICATION

    1.    Enter Opportunity Title and Project Name

    To begin your application, enter PBTG24 into the “Opportunity Title” field.

    Enter a title for your proposed program in the "Project Name" field.

    2.    Complete Project Director Information

    To complete this section, provide all the information that is requested about the Project Director.

    Note: The project director is the person who will be responsible for coordinating the entire proposed project. They will be the primary point of contact for the project at the applicant institution.

    3.    Complete Library Information

    To complete this section, provide all the information about the applying library, including type, programming budget, total population served, and community type. Also indicate the association(s) you or the library are members of and provide your ID number.

    4.    Write Grant Narratives

    Each narrative response should be 500 words or less. Before you compose the narrative part of this application, we strongly recommend that you read these guidelines. If you do not, your application is unlikely to be competitive. 

    1. Community and Library Information. Describe your library and the community it serves, including demographics, dynamics, and key issues or challenges it faces. Why does your library need this grant in order to facilitate programming related to civic education? What should reviewers know about your library and community in order to understand your proposed project?
    2. Library Budget. The Peggy Barber Tribute Grant is designed for libraries with little to no budgetary support for programming. Describe your library's budget as it relates to your library's programs.
    3. Project Description. Describe in detail the proposed programming that you will use the grant for. How does your program promote civic education? What topic(s) will the program or program series focus on? Who is the target audience? How will the program be conducted? What activities will occur?
    4. Project Goals. Describe the library’s goals or the purpose of your proposed programming. What are you aiming to accomplish?
    5. Evaluation Plan. Describe your evaluation plan for the project. How do you plan to measure success? (For help creating an outcomes-based evaluation plan, please refer to the Institute for Museum and Library Services' Outcome Based Evaluations guide and the Public Library Association's Project Outcome tool.)
    6. Budget. Describe your plans for the grant funds. What will you use the funding to purchase or support? The total amount of your proposed budget plan should add up to $2,500. 

    5. Upload Supporting Materials

    5a. Upload Letters of Support - OPTIONAL

    Upload letters of support from any other organizations or individuals that are in favor of your project. This may include letters of support from the library’s friends’ group, library board members, civic leaders, community partners, etc.

    5b. Upload Attachments - OPTIONAL

    Upload any additional materials that support your proposed project. These may include, but are not limited to:

    • Photographs
    • Presentation slides
    • Posters
    • Newsletter articles
    • Program flyers

    6. Sign Application by Authorized Official

    An application for a Peggy Barber Tribute Grant is an application for a grant from ALA, using funding from the Cultural Communities Fund. ALA is required to ask applicants to identify a certifying official who is authorized to submit applications for funding on behalf of the institution.

    To complete this section, you must enter all information that is requested.

    7. Review and Edit Your Application

    8. Submit Your Application

    Once you have completed all parts of your application, you may submit it by selecting the Submit button. All applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm CST on February 1, 2024. Applications submitted after that time will be ineligible.

    Note that once you have submitted your application, you can no longer alter it. The application will then be submitted for review. You will receive an email confirming submission of your application.

    Application Review

    Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

    • Evidence that the library needs funding to continue or create programming focused on civic education
    • The coherence of the application and overall impression it gives of the library being able to carry out the project effectively
    • Excellence, appeal, meaningfulness, and innovation of the proposed project
    • Clarity and completeness of the application

    Applicants are encouraged to address questions about the selection guidelines, process, and requirements to the ALA Public Programs Office at 1-800-545-2433 ext. 5045, or publicprograms@ala.org.

    Review and Selection Process

    Each application will be assessed by the Peggy Barber Tribute Grant selection committee. The committee consists of a chair and four ALA members appointed by the Public and Cultural Programs Advisory Committee (PCPAC). Final award decisions will be made by the grant selection committee.

    Grant Administration Information

    Application deadline: February 1, 2024
    Award Notification: March 13, 2024
    Grants distributed by: April 30, 2024
    Project Start Date: May 1, 2024
    Project End Date: April 30, 2025 OR April 30, 2026
    Final Report Due: Within 30 days of project completion

    Point of Contact

    If you have questions, contact

    Public Programs Office
    American Library Association
    1-800-545-2433, ext. 5045
    publicprograms@ala.org

     

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