Mini Grants for Libraries

Note: Applicants must have a current (active) Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) registration at the time of grant application submission.
About Oregon Humanities
Oregon Humanities is committed to bringing people together across differences of background, experience, and belief. Each year, we offer hundreds of public conversations and programs across the state, train and support dozens of discussion facilitators, and award grants and fellowships that help people connect, reflect, and cultivate a stronger sense of agency in their communities.
A grant for Oregon libraries to create and host events in their communities.
Purpose of this grant
Our Mini Grants for Libraries enable Oregon libraries to create and host events in their own communities around an annual theme that corresponds to our Consider This Conversations.
In 2026, Oregon Humanities will award $25,000 in funding to enable Oregon libraries to create and host events in their own communities.
Applicants are welcome to interpret this theme and develop topics that are relevant to their communities. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, explorations of:
What characterized the period of time before the previous 250 years, and how can reflecting on a community's history inform the future?
Some activities that are commonly funded by this grant include:

• Community dialogues
• Speaker events that include audience engagement
• Interactive author presentations
• Storytelling
• Programming that connects exhibits to current experiences
• Community-engaged interpretation of history, art history and theory, cultural history, or philosophy
• Notes about grant funded activities

Programs can be in multiple languages or be in a language other than English. Grant reporting must be in English.
Programs can be hosted online or in-person.

Eligibility

Public, tribal, community college, or volunteer libraries or library branches located in Oregon are eligibleAll current and past Oregon Humanities grant awardees must be in good standing with past awards in order to be eligible to apply for funding.
This grant can support program-related expenses that may include, but aren’t limited to, the following:
Honoraria for conversation facilitators, featured speakers, and conversation participants (excluding audience members)Program/event planning costs, including project planning and management salariesEvent space rental costsSupplies and materialsLabor and technical support for online eventsCleaning supplies and servicesEvent advertisingDocumenting the program through production of video, audio, digital/print publicationPrinting and duplicationCosts to purchase associated publications that support your event, will be distributed to event attendees at no cost, or gifted forattendees to take home with them.Snacks, non-alcoholic drinks for consumption during the eventCosts to provide onsite childcare during the eventADA access. For example: live captioning (Note: capital expenditures and equipment purchases are not allowed)Language translation during the event, including ASL translationEquipment (maximum of 10% of grant award) purchased to specifically support the program being proposed for funding.

Ineligibility

The following circumstances and/or status make an applicant ineligible for this grant:
Applicants are (or are using) fiscal agents and/or fiscal sponsors,Individuals who are current Oregon Humanities officers or employees; or have been in those positions within the last year, and/orApplicants with past Oregon Humanities grants which are not in good standing.
Oregon Humanities restricts the use of any grant funds it awards to allowable expenses only. Funds provided through this award may not be used as payment for any of the following unallowable expenses:
RegrantingCosts dating to before date of full execution of the Grant AgreementFundraising activitiesGeneral operating costs (staff salaries not directly related to program, utilities, rent, etc.)Construction, purchase of real property, major alteration and renovationEquipment purchases in excess of 10% of grant awardAlcohol or entertainment costsForeign travelTravel and lodging costs exceeding what is considered reasonable and otherwise allowable only to the extent such costs do not exceed charges normally allowed by the applicant/grantee in its regular operations as the result of the applicant/grantee's written travel policyAirfare costs in excess of the customary standard commercial airfare (coach or equivalent.)LobbyingPromotion of a particular political, religious, or ideological point of viewAdvocacy of a particular program of social or political actionSupport of specific public policies, legislation or political candidatesThe creation or performance of artHost fees for Conversation Project events, fees for Facilitation Training by Oregon Humanities, or other Oregon Humanities programmingVideo and audio production activities to document visual and live performing artsPrograms that do not meet the nondiscrimination statutes outlined in the Certifications section below