Know the old adage "money makes the world go around"? Libraries are no exception. Rare is the library that has sufficient funding for everything it needs or wants to serve its community. This section is dedicated to helping you find funding resources and work to secure a stable and sufficient budget, including how to work with local officials and make a clear case for funding needs.
See the Guide to Selected Funding Resources
Spotlight: From Awareness to Funding: A Study of Library Support in America
Funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, OCLC explored attitudes and perceptions about library funding in order to evaluate the potential of a large-scale marketing and advocacy campaign to increase public library funding in the U.S.
Among the findings:
- Library funding support is only marginally related to library visitation
- Perceptions of librarians are an important predictor of library funding support
- Voters who see the library as a 'transformational' force as opposed to an 'informational' source are more likely to increase taxes in its support
This report suggests that targeting marketing messages to the right segments of the voting public is key to driving increased support for U.S. public libraries. Read the full report.
Guide to Selected Funding Resources
Grants and grant-writing
- Elements of a Good Grant Proposal
- Fundraising and Philanthropy During an Economic Crisis
- Fundraising, Grants, and All that Jazz
- Grant Opportunities
- Wishing Won't Work: 10 Things You Need to Know and Do When Applying for Technology Grants
Funding sources and strategies
- A Grand Tour of Alternative Funding
- Funding Brainstorm: A list of funding ideas and resources
- Community Relations: Resources on demonstrating impact, public relations, and strategic partnerships.
Capital campaigns
Most recently posted documents:
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Sampling of Library Funding, Grants, and Partnership Resources in 2011
Securing library funding is a complex issue these days. We've gathered some resources to help you tap in to options and approaches. Your additions to this document are welcome. |
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Taxpayer Return on Investment in Florida Public Libraries (2010)
Results of a research study assessing the taxpayer return on investment (ROI) in Florida’s public libraries. |
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Funding for Broadband: Indiana & Beyond
Archive and associated resources for February 10, 2010, session with Wendy Knapp and Mary Alice Ball as part of the Technology Essentials 2010, online conference. |
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Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study
This study assesses public access to computers, the Internet, and Internet-related services in U.S. public libraries, and the impact of library funding changes on technology deployment, and sustainability. |
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Fundraising and philanthropy during an economic crisis
The Foundation Center is a nonprofit library and training center that educates the public about private foundations and their grants. In response to the economic downturn, we've pulled together resources to inform nonprofits about trends in giving. |
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