Announcement for Request for Proposal for
2003 School Library Enrichment Grants
a component of the
Governor's Book Fund
California State Library (CSL) Foundation

On behalf of the Governor’s Book Fund, the California State Library Foundation is pleased to announce the opportunity to apply for a School Library Enrichment Grant. These grants, typically $5,000 each, are designed to support the enhancement of K-12 school library collections. All funds are raised through the private sector with no government funding involved.

In order to be eligible for a School Library Enrichment Grant, a school must:

(1) have a physical site at the school designated as the school library

(2) provide instruction to a minimum of 50 students in grades K-12

(3) accurately complete all the stated grant requirements and information

Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis with each grant reviewed by a team from the Governor’s Book Fund Advisory Board. Demographics of students and community served must be included. Criteria taken into consideration in awarding these grants will include:

40% Need based on ratio of students in the school to books in existing school library

20% Clear, compelling rationale for need including description of what school has already done toward building a quality school library center and library program

20% Book selection process including: clarity of process; how staff, students, teachers and parents (all 4 required) will be included in the process; name/title of person who will lead process; and from whom input on quality of selected books will be obtained

20% Clarity and creativity in how books will be promoted and used

Grantees will be required to place a Governor’s Book Fund plate in every book purchased with the grant. The book plates will be sent after the grants are allocated. As part of their Final Report, grantees must submit a list of purchased books and include anecdotal evidence, including photos if available, of the successful use of the new books with their students.

Request for Proposal for School Library Enrichment Grants

Goals:

• To provide grants to schools K-12 to purchase quality children's literature for the school library that is relevant to the interests and needs of the children in that school;

• To update the school library collection with new and recently published materials not currently available in the library; and

• To enhance the literacy achievement of children by providing access in the school library to a variety of up-to-date, quality, fiction and non-fiction materials of interest to, and of a reading level appropriate to, the children receiving educational services in that school.

Guidelines

• Typical grants will be $5,000, although larger grants may be considered under special circumstances and smaller grants awarded where appropriate. A school library must serve a minimum of 50 students in order to be eligible for a $5,000 grant.

• Proposals of no more than 2 pages, using at least a 12 point font, must be attached to the completed form and include:
  1. brief description of the school including ages served and ethnic and socio-economic demographics;
  2. list of any prior monetary grants awarded to the library in the past two years including amount and source;
  3. description of what the school has already done toward building a quality school library center and program;
  4. description of the book selection process that includes input from teachers, staff, parents and students, name/title of person who will lead this process, and how/from whom input on quality of selected books will be obtained; and,
  5. clear description of how the purchased books will be creatively promoted and used.
     
     
• Proposals must be postmarked by October 31, 2003; to be awarded beginning January 2004 through June 2004.

• All books must be ordered by October 1, 2004.

• A Final Report is required and due to the CSL Foundation by November 1, 2004. This report must include a certification on school letterhead that all funds have been allocated for book purchases and a copy of all purchase orders/invoices with individual titles attached. Only purchase orders/invoices dated between January 2004 and September 2004 will be accepted. Anecdotal stories, including photos, of the success/use of the new books with students is encouraged in this Final Report.

• No school or district in-direct may be charged against this grant.

Available Funds: Approximately $250,000

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Distribution of Grants

Grants will be distributed based on a competitive application process with the members of the Governor's Book Fund Advisory Board reviewing all applications and making award recommendations to the CSL Foundation Board. To reduce postage and staff costs, award or denial letters will be sent ONLY to the Finalists (usually 200+ schools out of 2,000+ applicants) and the list of Finalist will be posted on the GBF website by March 1, 2004. We anticipate awarding approximately 50 grants.

Application Form
Note: This file is in Adobe Acrobat format. If you do not have the most recent version of Adobe Acrobat Reader (5.0), you can download it here for free. Earlier versions of Acrobat Reader are not recommended. If you have trouble viewing the PDF within your browser, you may need to download the PDF to your hard drive first (Windows users: right-click the link and choose "Save Target As..." from the pop-up menu; Mac users hold the mouse button down as you click on the link and choose "Save Link As..." from the pop-up menu), then launch Acrobat Reader and open the PDF from your hard drive.

Send completed application form to:
Governor's Book Fund School Library Enrichment Grant
California State Library Foundation1225 8th Street, Suite 345
Sacramento, CA 95814

(Please note: Prior grant recipients are ineligible to reapply for 5 years after their initial grant award.)

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