Raising Funds for Your
Every Child Ready to Read @ your library® Project
This information is adapted from the Born to Read Manual developed by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) of the American Library Association.
Fundraising is most successful when you, the library staff, trustees, and your early literacy partners work as a team to secure funds to implement the Every Child Ready to Read @ your library® Project in your community.
Checklist for Corporate and Foundation Proposals:
- Draft and develop the aspects of Every Child Ready to Read Project that you want to develop in your community
- Determine what you intend to provide as part of current services (in kind) and what you will need money for
- Don’t work in a vacuum:
- Establish ownership of the Project by involving staff, library board, trustees, and the staff of your partners. (See section on Partnerships for suggestions)
- As a group, develop a list of community and business leaders who may give you leads on potential donors
- Learn as much about the potential funders as possible
- In what ways does the Project meet the goals for the funder?
- What aspects of the Project would be most important to them and their organization?
- Develop a file for each possible funding source including the background information you have collected
- Write up evidence that articulates the Library’s credibility and ability to carry out the goals of the Project
- Contact each potential donor or source to determine their interest in the Project
- Develop a calendar for application submissions and deadlines
- Make your written proposal, application, request compelling!
- Use the research on this project itself to support your proposal
- Use the early literacy research to support your proposal
- Use information on local demographics and on need from social service agencies, faith communities, state and local government agencies, information on school/reading readiness from school districts to support your proposal
- Establish measurable objectives and define your "plan of work"
- Prepare a realistic budget to cover project expenses
- Establish a realistic evaluation plan
- Review and revamp your strategy, noting your successes and failures
- ALWAYS say thank you-verbally, in writing, privately and publicly (newspapers, events, etc.)
To add to the success of your fundraising program, remember to:
- Regularly review your projected needs for support from government grants, individual gifts, corporations, and foundations
- Continue to research and identify prospects for contacts and applications to meet the reality of your funding efforts
- Use the experience and knowledge gained from previous successes and failures to plan for future fundraising
- Resist the temptation to make commitments for the library which may compromise its public image or set precedents that cannot be met in the future
- Never let the success of your project depend on just one strategy or one donor. Use a variety of strategies to cultivate a wide variety of resources.
- Don’t be discouraged because:
- Every application/contact will not be successful
- All donors will not contribute at the level expected
- Build on the relationships you have with people and organizations in your community while looking for new partners.
For more information:
The Big Book of Library Grant Money 2004-2005: Profiles of Private and Corporate Foundations and Direct Corporate Givers Receptive to Library Grant Proposals published by the American Library Association and available for purchase through their online store
The Foundation Center
Provides help for grant seekers, including resources for funding and training on grant seeking for non-profit groups.
U.S. Department of Education
Information on grants from U.S. Department of Education and on No Child Left Behind Act.
Grant Proposal:
Elizabeth Brunner, an experienced grant writer, shares guidelines for successful proposal writing, tips, sample proposal, cover letter, and more.