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About the LORI Grant Program

Institute of Museum and Library Services
Institute of Museums and Library Services

LORI Grants are offered by the Office of Library and Information Services as subgrants funded through its federal Institute of Museum and Library Services grant under the Grants to States Program supported by the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. IMLS advances, supports, and empowers America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. The IMLS vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow IMLS on Facebook.

Project READY Mini-Grants

The Office of Library and Information Services is offering non-competitive mini-grants for library staff participating in the statewide Project READY 2020/21 curriculum study to apply their learning to current library services for youth. Mini-grants will fund collection development, programming, and/or staff training that supports the core principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion as discussed in the Project READY curriculum.

Project READY: Reimagining Equity & Access for Diverse Youth is a free, online professional development curriculum for school and public youth services librarians, library administrators, and others interested in improving their knowledge about race and racism, racial equity, and culturally sustaining pedagogy. The primary focus of the Project READY curriculum is on improving relationships with, services to, and resources for youth of color and Native youth. From August 2020 through November 2021 youth serving staff from Rhode Island public and school libraries studied the Project READY curriculum through a mix of asynchornous work and bi-weekly virtual discussions.

Eligibility

Libraries must have at least one staff member who participated in the statewide Project READY 2020/21 curriculum study to apply.

Funds

Libraries may request $350 per Project READY participant, an additional $250 for a second Project READY participant, and an additional $150 per third, fourth, and fifth participants. No matching funds are required.

Process

The Mini-Grant application process will utilize an online application form, though you should draft your answers using the Mini-Grant Narrative Template to avoid losing work. Instructions for accessing and completing the application are located below.

One application per library will be accepted. Project READY participants from the same library should work together to submit one application.

The final date to submit an application is December 1, 2021. Applicants who need to revise their application before final approval will be notified no later than December 3, 2021. A Final Report will be required with a brief narrative describing the benefit to staff and patrons.

Application & Other Documents

Access the Application

  • Before you fill out your application, you may want to download the Mini-Grant Narrative Template to draft answers for the narrative portion of the application. If you write directly into the online form, you cannot save your progress and you may lose your work if the session times out.
  • Visit the Project READY Mini-Grant Application Portal.
  • Enter your 3-letter library code and the application password. Your library code and application password will be distributed to Project READY participants by email.

Basic Information

  • If you are a LORI library, your library name, address and telephone number are pre-filled. If that information is not correct, please contact the OLIS grants team.
  • Fill in the Library Director information. School librarians are considered the Library Director.
  • Fill in the Grant Coordinator information. This is the person primarily responsible for executing the grant on a daily basis. If that person will be the Library Director, check off the box indicating that the Library Director will act as the Grant Coordinator. Doing so will automatically copy the Director’s information into this section.
  • Fill in the Payee Information
    • All libraries must enter the entity that will receive payment, for example, the municipality, the library (requires the library’s legal name), the library’s foundation, the library's school district or other fiscal agent.
    • For federal reporting purposes, the payee must have a DUNS number. The DUNS number must match the name of the entity receiving payment.
    • If there is payee information already on file with OLIS, the application will offer the option to choose this payee information. Please review to ensure that this information reflects the correct entity and its corresponding DUNS number.
    • If you need to change the entity or any of the corresponding information, choose “Add a New Payee” and complete the corresponding form.
    • If you do not have payee information on file with us, you will only see a blank form for this section. This can be filled out as normal.

Application Questions

Download the Mini-Grant Narrative Template to draft your answers for the Impact Narrative section of the application. If you write directly into the online form, you risk losing your work. Copy and paste your answers from the document into the application portal when you are ready to apply. One application per library will be accepted. Project READY participants from the same library should work together to submit one application.

  • Provide a paragraph describing your project and explaining how the materials and/or services you are requesting will support reimagining equity and access for diverse youth in your community. Your project may include several activities, particularly if your library has several Project READY participants.
  • Choose your target audience. You may choose more than one if appropriate. Selecting "General Population" will exclude all other options. If your target audience is not otherwise listed, please include it under the "Other" option.
  • Select the type of grant request: collection development, programming and/or training. You may choose more than one if your project will incorporate several types of activities.
  • Provide a paragraph explaining how this project and the materials/supplies and/or services you will be purchasing will benefit the target population(s) you have selected.
  • Select the number of Project READY participants from the dropdown. Your eligible grant amount will auto-calculate at the bottom of the application depending on the number of participants.
  • Enter the total costs for Supplies and Materials and/or Services. Services include activities conducted by businesses or sole proprietors; do not include supplies purchased for library services.
  • Once you enter a dollar amount in a budget category, you must also enter a description. Provide a high-level list of what items or services you will be purchasing in that category. The Grant Budget Summary will total all your requested purchases.
  • You will not be permitted to submit an application for requests above your library's eligible grant amount.
  • Upon submitting the application, you will be taken to a confirmation page that you should print/save for your records

Next Steps

  • OLIS will review applications as they are submitted, but not after the application window closes on December 1, 2021. Grant awardees will be notified by December 13, 2021. Applicants who need to revise their application before final approval will be notified no later than December 3, 2021.
  • Libraries whose applications have been approved will receive an agreement and federal assurances that must be signed and returned to OLIS. If the library or organization is not already listed as a vendor with the State of Rhode Island, it will need to complete the State of Rhode Island Payer’s Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (Form W-9).
  • A Request for Payment and Final Report Form must be completed to receive reimbursement for grant expenditures.
  • Copies of all receipts for expenditures are required and must be uploaded to the grantee's Google folder prior to submitting the Request for Payment and Final Report Form.
  • Budget items must comply with federal regulations for allowable costs 2 CFR Part 200. Please contact OLIS if you have questions about allowable costs.

Important Dates

  • November 18, 2021: Application opens.
  • December 1, 2021: Application deadline.
  • December 13 - 17, 2021: Agreements and assurances distributed to applicants.
  • April 30, 2022: Project end date; final date to complete project activities.*
  • May 13, 2022: Final date to submit the Request for Payment and Final Report Form.*

*Project end date may be sooner, but no later than April 30, 2022.

**The Request for Payment and Final Report Form is due no sooner than the project end date and no later than May 13, 2022, whichever comes first.

Contact

  • Contact the OLIS Grants Team for all questions, including to request a log-in to the application portal.