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Program Of the People: Widening the Path

CCDI Grant for Libraries, Archives, Museums Application

The Grant for Libraries, Archives, Museums provides support to libraries, archives, and museums that use Library of Congress materials to create projects that center one or more of the following groups: Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and/or other communities of color in the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, territories and commonwealths (Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands).

The program is open to US-based, non-profit libraries, archives, and museums. For 2023, the Library intends to award three 12-month grants of up to $70,000.

Applications are open May 17, 2023 through 2:00 PM Eastern Time on September 7, 2023.

Applicants can optionally submit draft proposal narratives until 2:00 PM Eastern Time on June 30, 2023 and will receive feedback on their draft proposal narratives by 2:00 PM Eastern Time on July 30, 2023.

Questions about this grant program may be submitted until 2:00 PM Eastern Time on August 25, 2023 to LOC-grants@loc.gov. After August 25, the Library will only respond to emails related to submission problems.

Applicants with problems submitting via email can request assistance until 3:00 PM Eastern Time on September 6, 2023. The subject of each e-mail must read as follows: Notice 030ADV23R0035 – Of the People Widening the Path: Connecting Communities Digital Initiative - 2023.

Webinars

View the webinar recordings below to learn more about the Grant for the Libraries, Archives, Museums program.

Commonly Asked Questions

  1. How do I apply?

    Step 1: Download and review all forms and documents (including the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) here:

    * To save this file to your own device for completion, right-click on link and use Save Link As option. Then, open this file with Adobe Reader. You may download the latest version of the free Adobe Reader at https://get.adobe.com/reader/

    You may encounter the following message while accessing the form via Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge: “The document you are trying to load requires Adobe Reader 8 or higher. You may not have the Adobe Reader installed or your viewing environment may not be properly configured to use Adobe Reader.”

    If you encounter the above message, please access the form link via Firefox.

    Step 2: Register as an entity on the SAM.gov. It may take 12-15 days for your registration to activate.

    Step 3: Fill out application materials and submit to LOC-grants@loc.gov.

  2. What is the purpose of this program?

    The Library of Congress will expand the connections between the Library and the public and strengthen the use of Library of Congress digital collections. The Library seeks to award grants to support projects that remix and reuse Library digital collections in creative ways and that center the lives, experiences and perspectives of Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander and/or other communities of color in United States.

  3. Who is eligible to receive this grant?

    Applicants may be libraries, archives, or museums (analog and digital). Libraries, archives and museums that are a component of a higher education institution should apply for a Higher Education grant. For-profit applicants are not eligible. Additional information about eligibility is found in Section C of the Notice.

  4. Will the Library accept multiple proposals from the same applicant?

    An eligible applicant may submit only one application under this announcement. Applicants may be included in multiple proposals as members of collaborative partnerships or within a single organization.

  5. When will the Library communicate grant decisions?

    The Library intends to communicate funding decisions by late Fall 2023.

  6. Who do I contact if I have more questions?

    Staff will be available to answer questions at the Libraries, Archives and Museums grant webinars. Questions about this grant program may be submitted until 2:00 pm Eastern Time on August 25, 2023 to LOC-grants@loc.gov.

  7. What is meant by the “Library’s digital materials and collections”?

    Broadly speaking, these are Library materials that are born digital or have been digitized and available online via the Library’s digital collections website. Here you can browse or search our digital collections by keyword. A Digital Scholarship Research Guide provides more in-depth information about ways to access digital materials at the Library of Congress such as APIs and datasets.

  8. How can I tell if an item or collection is legally available to use?

    When viewing an item in the Library’s digital collections, look for a statement called “Rights and Access” or “Rights Advisory.” It contains the most accurate information we have about the rights status of the material. If the statement includes text like “public domain” or “no known copyright restrictions,” the item is free to use. Otherwise, it us up to you to determine if the details of the statement is compatible with your specific use, such as “research and educational use.” The Library’s Copyright Guide provides fuller information on rights status for Library digital materials.

Resources

For more information about the upcoming application cycle, view the links below:

Grant Program Information

Using Library Digital Collections

Submission Information

Proposal Development Resources

Questions and Answers