Grant Application Guidelines
Friends of Tennessee Libraries has established a Grant Program to aid member Friends groups in paying expenses for programs that would benefit the group, that they might not have the funds to implement.
Grant Amounts: Grants are for $500 each.
Deadline for 2023: September 30.
Submissions and Questions: Please submit applications using the form below. Questions should be sent to info@friendstnlibraries.org. Applications may also find Tips for Writing Grant Proposals by Dwight Shepherd, former chair of FOTL Grants, to be helpful.
Grant Categories: Groups may submit one application in each category. Submissions can be made in multiple categories.
- Advocacy: To assist with expenses associated with advocating on behalf of your community library. These expenses could include production or purchase of materials, purchase of advertisements, etc.
- Founding Mother: To assist a new Friends group or one that is revitalizing an inactive organization. This grant honors the legacy of Julie Webb (1926–2022), whose vision, leadership, and advice touched the lives of library lovers across Tennessee for three decades.
- Fundraising: To assist with the expense associated with fundraising for your Friends group. These expenses could include rental expenses, advertising, fees for speakers or entertainers, purchase of items for resale, or for use in producing items for sale, etc.
- Membership: To assist with expenses associated with securing new members and/or retaining existing members. These expenses could include mailings, membership brochures, program expenses-including speaker’s fees, advertising, etc.
Grant Cycle: The current Application Deadline for all Grants is September 30. Winners will be announced at the Friends of Tennessee Libraries Annual Meeting. Grant Evaluations are due 30 days after the end date of the project, but no later than March 1 of the following year.
Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must be Friends of the Library groups that are in good standing (current on dues) in Friends of Tennessee Libraries. Grants are to fund new projects, not projects already completed.
Additional Guidelines:
- Winning Friends groups must follow up with an evaluation of the project within 30 days of the project’s completion, but no later than the end of the year of that Grant Cycle. Failure to do so could result in having to return the award and/or not being awarded Grants in the future.
- Copies of any materials produced from the Grant funds or related to the project should be included with the Evaluation Form. Copies of media articles related to the project should also be included.
- Whenever possible, materials produced from the Grant funds should include the notice, “Funded in part by a grant from Friends of Tennessee Libraries.” The same notice should be included with any media release from the winning group.
- The winning Friends group should provide Friends of Tennessee Libraries a list of local media and government officials (i.e. City Mayor, County Mayor, State Representative, State Senator, Library Director, Library Board Chair) that are to be included in Friends of Tennessee Libraries media releases and notifications about the Grants.
