Mini Grants for Rural Libraries

Mini Grants for Rural Libraries

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Oregon Humanities
Amount: Up to US $3,000
Last Updated: December 03, 2025

Summary

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.

Overview

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. Events should reflect our 2026 theme, Fear and Belonging. 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

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. 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 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 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 space rental costs Supplies and materials Labor and technical support for online events Cleaning supplies and services 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 The creation or performance of art