Application Due Date: March 1, 2025*
The FY 2024 open application period is now closed. The FY 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity is not yet available. Please refer to the FY 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (PDF, 468KB) for reference on this grant program.
Grant Amount: $6,000 - $10,000
Grant Period: One Year
Cost Share Requirement: None

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Program Overview: This program is designed to assist Native American tribes in improving core library services for their communities. Reflecting IMLS’s agency-level goals of championing lifelong learning, strengthening community engagement, and advancing collections stewardship and access, the goals for this program are to:

  • Improve services for learning and accessing information in a variety of formats to support needs for education, workforce development, economic and business development, health information, critical thinking skills, digital literacy skills, and financial literacy, and other types of literacy skills.

  • Enhance the skills of the current library workforce and leadership through training, continuing education, and opportunities for professional development.

  • Click here to connect to IMLS’s Award Database to search by program, year, state, city, or keyword.

Eligibility: Federally recognized tribes including any Alaska native village, regional corporation, or village corporation, that offers library services to its community are eligible to apply for funding under the Native American Library Services Basic Grants Program.

  • Such services may include, but are not limited to, providing free access to books; print and electronic media; research databases; job, employment, and career resources; help from librarians; space for reading, studying, and meeting; and free events and activities such as programs, classes, and cultural events for people of all ages. See the Notice of Funding Opportunity for eligibility criteria for this program.

IMLS recognizes the potential for valuable contributions to the overall goals of the Native American Library Services Basic Grant Program by entities that do not meet the eligibility requirements above. Although such entities may not serve as the lead applicant organization, they are encouraged to participate in projects as partners. Such entities may, for example, assist the lead applicant with project activities.

If you have questions, we encourage you to contact:

Jennifer Himmelreich
Senior Program Officer
202-653-4797
jhimmelreich@imls.gov

Click here to schedule a time to talk with Jennifer Himmelreich.

Sheena Afoakwa
Program Specialist
202-653-4718
safoakwa@imls.gov

Grant Program Webinars:
The FY 2024 webinars are available for reference.

Watch a pre-application webinar to learn more about the FY 2024 Native American Library Services: Basic Grants program.

*All grant programs are subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion. Deadlines are tentative.