Grants

The objective of a DLA funded grant is to provide funds that help cover library programs or exhibitions that foster a sense of community engagement, and/or present timely topics of interest in areas such as civics, humanities, pop culture, world events, literature, health, family, or other areas as deemed appropriate.

DLA is looking for community-engaged programs that go beyond a presentation, and focus on community input and interaction. Programs that provide accurate historical context, advocacy resources, or open dialogue/online discussion boards are some examples of community engagement offerings. Projects where community-based organizations partner with a library are strongly preferred.

Review:

Review the Community Engagement Grant flyer

Review the GRANT APPLICANT FACT SHEET for grant requirements and application criteria.

Review the grant application questions.

Review an example of a past winning application.

Review an example of a past final report.

Apply: The application period has been extended until December 31, 2024

Have questions? Watch a recorded grant information session from 2023.

Access the Grant Application Form

Community Engagement Grant – FY24 Award News

The Delaware Library Association (DLA) awarded five Community Engagement Grants in FY24 totaling $2500. The DLA Community Engagement grant is awarded annually and is open to any personal or institutional member of DLA. More information on the grant, including when the next grant cycle will open, can be found at https://dla.lib.de.us/about-us/grant/

Congratulations to the South Coastal Library!

The South Coastal Library was awarded $450 for their proposal; Get Weather Wise. The primary goal of this program is to provide participants with accurate information and resources in an engaging way so that they might be more prepared for future weather emergencies and disasters. Pat Young, Chair of the Delaware Libraries and Disasters Initiative (DLDI), and Pat Heineman, Emergency Planning Specialist with the University of Delaware’s Center for Disability Studies, have been doing a disaster preparedness and planning program at local libraries, and were instrumental in the planning of the Delaware Libraries and Disaster Summit in 2017. Now they are looking to pull in bigger audiences by having a local weather personality talk about weather red flags. According to Pat Young “We were missing the fun hook”. Bringing in a local weather personality will add fun to what can sometimes be an overlooked topic.

The program will be geared to all adults with special emphasis on including resources for seniors, caregivers and individuals with special access and functional needs, such as mobility issues, hearing impairment, vision loss, etc. Weather related emergencies and disasters don’t discriminate but can impact individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, gender, etc.

Studies have shown that communities are more resilient when their residents are better prepared for emergencies and disasters. South Coastal is looking to have two presentations during the program, and is hoping community members not only from Bethany Beach area but nearby communities will attend. They are hoping to line up Dan Satterfield, Chief Meteorologist for the local news outlet WBOC. If he’s not available they are looking into other options. South Coastal was the first library in DE to have an emergency preparedness kiosk that has ‘to-go’ bags freely available.

Pictured left to right: Jaclyn Hale (DLA Treasurer), Anne Hiller Clark (DLA President), Pat Young, Sue Keefe (Library Director)

Pictured left to right: Jaclyn Hale (DLA Treasurer), Pat Young

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Congratulations to the Georgetown Public Library!

The Georgetown Public Library was awarded $1,000 for their proposal; Get Moving at the Library. The project will be a health initiative across all ages and will be done by working with community partners and outside presenters to bring a variety of healthy activities to the library. The inspiration for this project was initiated by the high demand for the ‘Feelings Rock’ program. The library wanted to get parents involved in programs with their kids (or vice versa).

Meghan Palazzo, Assistant Director, says “We are excited to launch Get Moving at the Library and hope it will encourage the entire family to embrace an active lifestyle”! The library’s mission is to get the whole family at the library and have programs that reach all ages. Library leadership has noticed that while the town of Georgetown is flourishing, they only have one gym and not a lot of food options. They have noticed with the addition of a new food market that there seems to be a push to try and get healthy, and the library wants to provide programming that will draw the community in.

The unique thing about Georgetown’s program is that it will be for all ages. They want to focus on a cohesive program across the age ranges. Infants and Toddlers will do a music, movement, and social emotional wellness program; Children and Teens will learn how to make healthy snacks with cooking classes presented by the University of Delaware; Adults will have Pilates and a Walking Group option; and older Adults will have the always popular chair yoga.

Pictured left to right: Meghan Palazzo (Assistant Director), Rachel Culver (Library Director), Jaclyn Hale (DLA Treasurer), Anne Hiller Clark (DLA President)

Pictured left to right: Meghan Palazzo (Assistant Director), Jaclyn Hale (DLA Treasurer)

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Congratulations to the Hagley Museum and Library!

The Hagley Museum and Library was awarded $350 for their proposal; Hagley Unboxed: Education Through Play with Vintage Board Games. The Hagley Museum and Library (Hagley) will host weekly board game nights during November 2024 in celebration of International Games Month. The goal is to present the public with board games from different time periods that explore topics such as careers, economics, and business history and have the public engage in considerations how the board games might reflect trends and perspectives from that period.

Hannah Spring Pfeifer is excited for this program as a “Tangible experience with collections in a research institute in a ‘gloves off’ way”. The board games were donated to Hagley by the Institute for Financial Literacy. Through this program visitors will play with facsimile versions of selected games which will be placed in context by a companion case exhibit. The exhibit will feature original items from Hagley’s collections and will encourage critical thinking of board games not just as fun activities but as historical artifacts.

As a research institution, Hagley has innovation, investigation, creativity and inquiry baked into everything they do. They also have a strong focus on diversity and inclusion. The board games that have been selected for this program span from 1957 to 1988. Two of the games, Careers and What Shall I Be, are framed from an individual standpoint, with the games proposing different versions of individual success and fulfillment. All the games reflect the implicit and explicit biases of the era and culture in which they were produced, notably how biases about race, gender, and socio-economic status informed the game’s design. Despite the potentially upsetting nature of these board games, Hagley wants to make them available for public use to bring awareness to how something as simple and benign as a board game could represent and shape norms and perceptions. For participants wanting a deeper dive into the topic and their collections, they will provide a traditional case exhibit. Said Alice Hanes, “We’re excited about this unit of the organization putting on a topic like this”.

Pictured left to right: Alice Hanes (Technical Services Librarian), Anne Hiller Clark (DLA President), Jaclyn Hale (DLA Treasurer), Hannah Pfeifer (Library Coordinator), Angela Schad (Head of Reference Services)

Pictured left to right: Jaclyn Hale (DLA Treasurer), Hannah Pfeifer (Library Coordinator)

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Congratulations to the Hockessin Library!

The Hockessin Library was awarded $425 for their proposal; Citizen Science @ the Library. The library will create kits of equipment, instructions, and related materials for circulation so patrons can complete Citizen Science projects like measuring light pollution, counting pollinators, and tracking plant and insect species in their communities. The library will purchase a variety of technology levels and equipment to make the SciStarter kits accessible to multiple ages. Citizen Science is community-based science done by everyday people to contribute to the larger research field. Patrons can be connected to local, statewide, and national scientific initiatives.

According to Rachel West, Library Director, they are always looking towards sustainability and environmental education, with STEM programs and collections being a core pillar at Hockessin. The library is also working to align library programs and services with the New Castle County 2050 plan. “I’m proud of the opportunities that this program presents to partner with the Friends and local organizations. This will really flow from community asset mapping and strategic partnership evaluation”, said Rachel. “The library is looking to do more with STEM activities, especially with families and teens”, said Geri Krolin-Taylor, member of the NCC Advisory Board.

The library has worked hard to cultivate partnerships. The SciStarter kits will be highlighted at existing programming from outside organizations like Mt. Cuba Nature Center, and Delaware Nature Society programs and with local businesses. The Friends of the Hockessin Library will designate a portion of their Reading Garden to wildflowers so the library can host programs utilizing the Counting Pollinators kit.

Pictured left to right: Ann Pfeifer (Circulation Aide), Anne Hiller Clark (DLA President), Jaclyn Hale (DLA Treasurer), Rachel West (Library Director), Geri Krolin-Taylor (Past President Hockessin Friends & NCC Advisory Board), Louise Glenn (Library Specialist), Mary McMahon (Library Assistant)

Pictured left to right: Anne Hiller Clark (DLA President), Jaclyn Hale (DLA Treasurer), Rachel West (Library Director), Geri Krolin-Taylor (Past President Hockessin Friends & NCC Advisory Board)

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Congratulations to the Bear Library!

The Bear Library was awarded $275 for their proposal; Bear Library 3^rd Annual Fall Festival. The Bear Library, like most libraries, is beloved by all and is the heart of the community. However, library staff noticed there was no unifying event (like a parade or festival) that brings the community together. Bear is a more transient community and doesn’t have a City Hall or community center. Elizabeth Mayer started to see the disparities and recognize this need, and three years ago started the first Bear Library Fall Festival event. The objective was to host a community event that is free and provide free resources to the community they might have not known about previously. The goal for the first year was 150 people, when in reality over 700 attended. The second year they had over 1,400 people attend, even with weather not cooperating and the festival had to shift completely indoors.

For the third year Elizabeth and Kathryn Hatfield are expecting an audience of 1,500 and will expand free community offerings to include free dental checks (past years included Lions Club vision checks and AmeriHealth health checks and screenings), and have musical entertainment for all ages plus crafts and activities. The library is also looking to bring cultural elements into the Festival. Through a partnership with the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union they provide financial story times with Brother and Sister Bear from the Berenstain Bears and a petting zoo. Other sponsors include ShopRite, Walmart, Chick-Fil-A, Starbucks, and Fulton Bank, as well as the Friends of the Bear Library, the Lions Club, AmeriHealth, NCC Policy Community Outreach department and other community partners.

The core of this event is bringing the community together. After Covid when program numbers were down, Elizabeth and Kathryn wanted a visual program that would draw people back to the library. “We definitely want to keep the Festival going throughout the years and have the Bear Community come to expect it every year. We are so grateful for the support from all the organizations that have been so generous and the unconditional support from Rep. Johnson and Library Director Eric Kuhn”,said Elizabeth. The Festival is held in the fall to capitalize on the last of the nice weather and so the library can promote programs happening in the winter months which tends to be their slower season.

Pictured left to right: Adriana Camacho-Church (Library Specialist), Anne Hiller Clark (DLA President), Karen Potts (PLA), Laura Borzellieri (Community Service Worker), Representative Kendra Johnson, Kathryn Hatfield (Librarian I), Elizabeth Mayer (Librarian I), Jaclyn Hale (DLA Treasurer), Julie Billips (Library Assistant), Kim Anguish (Library Specialist), Kim Friberg (Library Specialist), Connie Malin (President of the Friends), Carol Boome