Grant Resources

Grant Funding and Finding Tools

~Solving the Funding Puzzle, Infotoday.com November 2019

Grants A-Z
Grant Writing Tips
Adult and Inclusive Services Grants

Bader Philanthropies, Inc. based in Milwaukee funds projects far and wide.

Funded Bridges Library System Library Memory Project

Helen Ramon, Senior Program Officer, would like to see more grant applications come in from public libraries with a focus is on older adults and those living with memory loss. Bader funds local Wisconsin and national projects concerning Alzheimer’s and Aging.

Medical College of Wisconson

Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin (AHW) regularly issues requests for proposals (RFPs) for funding awards. They seek partners who share their belief that by working together you can build a healthier Wisconsin today, and for generations to come. Through investments in research, health workforce development and education, and community initiatives, we are building capacity, developing new knowledge, and changing systems to positively impact health from cells to society statewide.

Digitization Grants

Find grants and all digitization resources on the LeanWI website here.

Local Grants

Local Municipalities: Ask your municipality for pool passes, skate park or city park access.

Local School District: Ask your local school district for passes to sporting events, plays, or other events open to the public.

Large hometown businesses

  • Ask a local business if they offer community grants.
    • Known grant providers for WVLS libraries: Walmart, Kmart, Ace Hardware, McDonalds, Hardees, movie theaters, ice cream shops, coffee shops.

Local Organizations

  • Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, Moose, Legion, Hospital Foundation, Literacy Council, Cooperatives, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, United Way, Chamber of Commerce…
Wisconsin Grants

Ann Marie Foundation: Quarterly grant periods

  • The Ann Marie Foundation is an independent philanthropic organization committed to enhancing the quality of life in the Wisconsin communities it serves. The foundation provides monetary awards to schools and non-profit organizations to promote educational, humanitarian, cultural, and recreational activities. The foundation also provides scholarships to high school graduates.

Donors Forum of Wisconsin has information from the donor’s perspective.

The Foundation Center has information about donors.

Foundations in Wisconsin (Contact Rachel Metzler  for log in information)

  • An online directory of active grant-making foundations in the state of Wisconsin maintained by Marquette University

Mead Witter Foundation

Wisconsin Common Grant Application form: Many Wisconsin foundations accept the Wisconsin Common Grant Application, a generalized application that was last updated in 2006. Information about individual grant programs is available from each funder, and at the Marquette University Funding Information Center at Marquette University Raynor Library (above).

National Grants

Demco Grants Database

  • Look for grant opportunities in four different categories: Early Childhood, Library, STEM, Technology

Ezra Jack Keats Foundation

  • March 31, 2017
  • The EJK Mini-Grant offers funding of up to $500 and the opportunity to design and implement a creative program for your school or library.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant

  • This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.
  • Information for Wisconsin Applicants

YALSA Awards, Grants, Stipends and Scholarships

  • Each year YALSA offers more than $195,000 in grants and awards to members who work with or on behalf of teens. Please click on the individual grant for application information. YALSA also sponsors one Spectrum Scholar and an Emerging Leader each year, using funds provided by the Friends of YALSA. YALSA members are also eligible for scholarships, awards and grants from the American Library Association.  New to grant writing?  Check out these great tips!
Youth Services Grants

Maureen Hayes Author/ Illustrator Award: This $4,000 award was established with funding from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, in honor of Maureen Hayes, to bring together children and nationally recognized authors/illustrators by funding an author/illustrator visit to a library.

Pilcrow Foundation Grant (national, youth collection development)

Grant Writing Resources

Grant Writing Tips

  1. Ask peers where they received a grant.
  2. Ask peers for copies of their successful applications.
  3. Provide a goal with your grant request, do not just ask for money.
  4. Consider non-library funding opportunities: k-12, youth related organizations, adult care organizations…
  5. Include all information pieces requested in the application in the format requested.
  6. Keep it short and direct, grant committees may have many applications to get through and yours might be the last they read.
  7. Proofread, have someone else proofread your work too.
  8. Send thank you to the organizaiton whether or not you recieve a grant.

5 Grant Writing Tips, SLJ 2019

Grants A-Z

Use the keyboard short cut Control+F to search this list.

WVLS Grants & Scholarships

Ann Marie Foundation: Quarterly grant periods

  • The Ann Marie Foundation is an independent philanthropic organization committed to enhancing the quality of life in the Wisconsin communities it serves. The foundation provides monetary awards to schools and non-profit organizations to promote educational, humanitarian, cultural, and recreational activities. The foundation also provides scholarships to high school graduates.

Bader Philanthropies, Inc. (state)

  • based in Milwaukee funds projects far and wide.
  • Funded Bridges Library System Library Memory Project
  • Helen Ramon, Senior Program Officer, would like to see more grant applications come in from public libraries with a focus is on older adults and those living with memory loss. Bader funds local Wisconsin and national projects concerning Alzheimer’s and Aging.

Boy Scouts (local)

Chamber of Commerce (local)

Demco Grants Database

  • Look for grant opportunities in four different categories: Early Childhood, Library, STEM, Technology

Dollar General Literacy Foundation (local/national): partner for a grant

Ezra Jack Keats Foundation

    • The EJK Mini-Grant offers funding of up to $500 and the opportunity to design and implement a creative program for your school or library.

Girl Scouts (local): partner for a grant

Hospital Foundations (local)

Ideas to Action Fund: WiLS

  • The Fund aims to encourage collaborations among WiLS members and with community partners, support innovative and exploratory new work within the Wisconsin library community, and seed the development of processes and resources that can be shared with and used by other WiLS members.
  • Read about the Ideas to Action projects funded since 2018 for examples or inspiration.

Kiwanis (local)

Kwik Trip (local)

Large hometown businesses (local)

  • Ask a local business if they offer community grants.
    • Known grant providers for WVLS libraries: Walmart, Kmart, Ace Hardware, McDonalds, Hardees, movie theaters, ice cream shops, coffee shops.

Lions Club (local)

Literacy Council (local)

Maureen Hayes Author/ Illustrator Award (youth)

  • This $4,000 award was established with funding from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, in honor of Maureen Hayes, to bring together children and nationally recognized authors/illustrators by funding an author/illustrator visit to a library.

Medical College of Wisconson (state)

  • Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin (AHW) regularly issues requests for proposals (RFPs) for funding awards. They seek partners who share their belief that by working together you can build a healthier Wisconsin today, and for generations to come. Through investments in research, health workforce development and education, and community initiatives, we are building capacity, developing new knowledge, and changing systems to positively impact health from cells to society statewide.
  • About Advancing Behavioral Health Fact Sheet
  • Advancing Behavirol Health Project Contact List 7.1.18

Moose Club (local)

Municipalities (local)

  • Ask your municipality for pool passes, skate park or city park access.

Pilcrow Foundation Grant (national, youth collection development)

Rotary Club (local)

School Districts (local)

  • Ask your local school district for passes to sporting events, plays, or other events open to the public.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant (national)

  • This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.

United Way (local)

Wisconsin Humanities Recovery Grants: Wisconsin Humanities Board

  • To support cultural organizations that provide humanities programming and that have been adversely impacted by the pandemic. To assist organizations in all regions of Wisconsin. A total of $766,120 will be awarded.

  • Deadlines are July 19 and October 15, 2021.

  • Applications will open in the grant portal on June 18 and September 15, 2021.

YALSA Awards, Grants, Stipends and Scholarships (national)

  • Each year YALSA offers more than $195,000 in grants and awards to members who work with or on behalf of teens. Please click on the individual grant for application information. YALSA also sponsors one Spectrum Scholar and an Emerging Leader each year, using funds provided by the Friends of YALSA. YALSA members are also eligible for scholarships, awards and grants from the American Library Association.  New to grant writing?  Check out these great tips!

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