Mini Grants for Rural Libraries

Oregon Humanities is offering Mini Grants for Rural Libraries, providing up to $25,000 in funding for rural libraries in Oregon to host community events. These events should align with the theme 'Fear and Belonging' and can cover various relevant topics. Eligible libraries include public, volunteer, community college, or tribal libraries located in rural areas. This initiative aims to foster dialogue and connection within communities through engaging humanities activities.

Purpose of this grant
In 2024, Oregon Humanities will award up to $25,000 in funding to enable rural and rural-serving Oregon libraries to create and host events in their own communities.
Grantees are welcome to interpret this theme and develop topics that are relevant to their communities. Potential topics include but are not limited to:

• What brings us together and what drives us apart?Who is currently included in our democracy, and who is left out?
• Why do we sometimes fear people who are different from us or don’t belong to the same groups we do?
• What leads people to embrace hate and violence, and what might lead them in other directions?

Eligibility

Public, volunteer, community college, or tribal libraries and library branches that are located in (or adjacent to and serving) rural or frontier zip codes are eligible. Our Mini Grant for Rural Libraries funds a wide variety of humanities events and activities. Some activities that are commonly funded by this grant include: Community dialogues
Programming that connects exhibits to current experiences
Community-engaged interpretation of history, art history and theory, cultural history, or philosophyThis grant can support program-related expenses that may include the following:Honoraria for conversation facilitators, featured speakers, and conversation participants (excluding audience members)
Program/event planning costs, including project planning and management salaries
Event advertising
Documenting the program through production of video, audio, digital/print publication
Printing and duplication
Costs to purchase associated publications that support your event, will be distributed to event attendees at no cost, or gifted for attendees to take home with them.
Snacks, non-alcoholic drinks for consumption during the event
Costs to provide onsite childcare during the event
ADA access. For example: live captioning (Note: capital expenditures and equipment purchases are not allowed)
Language translation during the event, including ASL translationNotes about grant-funded activities: If the applicant is a library branch, all grant-funded activities and events need to be held within the branch’s zip code.
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.

Ineligibility

This grant funding is from the National Endowment of the Humanities and carries the restriction that these funds cannot be used to pay for the creation or performance of art. This grant can fund programs and events about “the history, criticism and theory of the arts” because these are commonly considered to be humanities activities. This grant does not fund humanitarian work.The following circumstances and/or status make an applicant ineligible for this grant:Applicants have been suspended or debarred by any federal department or agencyApplicants are delinquent on federal debt
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 yearApplicants who have Oregon Humanities grants which are not in good standing Organizations receiving this funding are considered to be grant subrecipients by the federal government. Subrecipient organizations receiving these awards may not use the funds for the following purposes:Regranting
Costs dating to before date of full execution of the Grant Agreement
Overlapping project costs with any other pending or approved application(s) for federal funding and/or approved federal awardsFundraising activities
General operating costs (staff salaries not directly related to program, utilities, rent, etc.)Capital projects, including construction, purchase of real property, major alteration and renovationAlcohol or entertainment costs
Foreign travel
Travel 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 non-Federal entity in its regular operations as the result of the non-Federal entity's written travel policy.Airfare costs in excess of the customary standard commercial airfare (coach or equivalent.)Lobbying
Promotion of a particular political, religious, or ideological point of view
Advocacy of a particular program of social or political action
Support of specific public policies, legislation or political candidates