Library of Congress: “Connecting Communities Digital Initiative Announces Second Round of Grant Opportunities for Libraries, Archives, Museums and Higher Education Institutions”

From the Library of Congress:

Educational and cultural institutions that seek to amplify the stories of Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and other communities of color by using the Library’s digital collections are invited to apply for the second round of grant opportunities through the Of the People: Widening the Path Connecting Communities Digital Initiative at the Library of Congress.

The Connecting Communities Digital Initiative focuses on the ways technology can enable storytelling and expose more people to the Library’s expansive collections.

The funding opportunities announced today include three grants for higher education institutions and three grants for libraries, archives, or museums, up to $50,000 each. Building on the first round of grant recipients, the initiative continues to create opportunities for more Americans to engage with the Library by remixing and reusing the digital collections. For more information on the Notices of Funding Opportunity and details on how to apply for the grants, visit loc.gov/of-the-people/apply. Applications will be accepted through Sept. 30.

Interested applicants are invited to attend informational webinars on the grant opportunities. Please find more details below.

Higher Education grant: In support of the Library’s digital strategy, this program will offer up to three grants to support students, faculty and staff in two-year and four-year minority-serving higher education institutions. The funds will support the creation of projects that facilitate teaching and learning with the Library’s digital collections for students, staff and/or community members and make significant and meaningful use of those digital materials. Projects must also center the lives, experiences and perspectives of one or more of the following groups: Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander and/or other communities of color.

Informational webinars will be held about the Higher Education grant program and application process on Tuesday, June 14 and July 12 from 1 to 2 p.m. EST and Tuesday, July 19 from 4 to 5 p.m. EST.

Webinars are free and open to the public, however pre-registration is required at loc.gov/programs/of-the-people/news-and-events/events/. To receive timely notifications and updates, please subscribe to the Of the People blog at blogs.loc.gov/ofthepeople/.

Library, Archives and Museums grant: In support of the Library’s digital strategy, this program will offer up to three grants to libraries archives or museums. The funds will support the creation of projects that demonstrate experience working with the community or group on which the project is centered and that makes significant and meaningful uses of the Library’s digital materials. Projects must also center the lives, experiences and perspectives of one or more of the following groups:  Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander and/or other communities of color.

Informational webinars will be held about the Library, Archives and Museums grant program and application process on Thursday, June 16, July 14, and July 21 from 4 to 5 p.m. EST.

Webinars are free and open to the public, however pre-registration is required at loc.gov/programs/of-the-people/news-and-events/events/.

To receive timely notifications and updates, please subscribe to the Of the People blog

About Of the People: Widening the Path
Launched in January 2021, Of the People: Widening the Path is a multiyear initiative to connect the Library more deeply with Black, Indigenous and other communities of color historically underrepresented in the Library’s collections. Supported through a gift from the Mellon Foundation, it provides new opportunities for more Americans to engage with the Library and add their perspectives to the Library’s collections. This work will expand the Library’s efforts to ensure that a diversity of experiences is reflected in our historical record and inform how we use those materials to understand our past.

Filed under: Archives and Special Collections, Digital Collections, Funding, Interactive Tools, Libraries, News