LSTA – Grant Writing

1. LSTA – Grant Writing SCLS Brain Snack webinar Friday, August 6, 2010 Shawn Brommer, SCLS

2. LSTA – a brief history • Library Services and Technology Act • Federal program – administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services • DPI – Division for Libraries, Technology & Community Learning • LSCA vs. LSTA • Technology • Resource sharing • Targeted services LSTA Information and Guidelines for WI (2011)

3. Purposes/Allowable Uses of LSTA $$ • Expanding services for learning and access to information and educational resources in a variety of formats, in all types of libraries, for individuals of all ages • Developing library services that provide all users access to information through local, state, regional, national, and international electronic networks • Providing electronic and other linkages among and between all types of libraries • Developing public and private partnerships with other agencies and community-based organizations • Targeting library services to individuals of diverse geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, to individuals with disabilities, and to individuals with limited functional literacy or information skills • Targeting library and information services to persons having difficulty using a library and to underserved urban and rural communities, including children (from birth through age 17) from families with incomes below the poverty line

4. Project planning • Know your community and its needs • Identify in-house experts (library staff, board members) • Create a timeline • Identify partners • Realistic expectations – of yourself, your staff and project

5. Let’s get started!

6. Needs Assessment

7. Research • Once again, know community – local information • Census information – demographics • Regional projections • Research topic (i.e., literacy) • Include this in the Needs Assessment

8. Needs Assessment – Examples from 2005 • In her 2004 article in the journal, “Nature,” Susan Hezbos reports that all babies are born with the potential to learn the sounds and concepts of any language. • Jennifer Endres, Director of the Prairie du Sac Public Library, which has a fluent Spanish speaker on staff, writes, “It would be fantastic to incorporate more ESL with the babies to better serve our growing Latino population. • SCLS serves 13% of the population of Wisconsin and between 1990 and 2000 there was a 139.4% increase in the number of individuals of Hispanic origin who moved to the 7 counties that comprise the South Central Library System (2000 Census of Population and Housing). • “1,2,3… Read with Me” will serve a diverse group of children ages birth to three and their parents in 22 SCLS member library communities.

9. Needs assessment: Tell your story • Tell your story • Describe your community • Describe the need or problem • Describe the clientele or target audience • Show that you’ve done your homework – that you’ve done your research

10. Objectives & Evaluation

11. Objectives • Objectives – measurable outcomes of the grant project • Measurable by quantitative and qualitative measures • For special needs & literacy grants, see: • Adults with Special Needs: A Resource & Planning Guide for Wisconsin’s Public Libraries • Youth with Special Needs: A Resource & Planning Guide for Wisconsin’s Public Libraries

12. Evaluation • Quantitative • Numbers • It all counts! • Qualitative • Anecdotal • Feedback from target audience • Surveys, interviews, web forms • Touchy-feely stories

13. Examples of Objectives and Evaulation • Obj. 4: SCLS and 29 participating libraries recognize that public library services and programs must be relevant to at-risk teens and will work with their partners to create and present programs for at-risk teens by 10/10 • Quan. eval.: count number of programs for at-risk teens; count no. of participants at programs for at-risk teens; count no. of partners • Qual. eval.: Partners and 29 participating libraries will complete surveys or provide feedback about the effectiveness of programs; partners & library staff will collect anecdotes from participants about programs for at-risk teens.

14. Planning & Implementation

15. Activities – example from 2010 LSTA grant • Activities • 07/09 – 12/09: Plan for 2010 project – identify target audience & contact partners; Shawn Brommer will write 2010 LSTA grant; introduce suggestions for working with at-risk teens at system meetings and appropriate workshops. • 01/09 – 03/09: Meet w/partners to plan programs for 2009; identify marketing & publicity venues, create marketing & publicity packages for part. libraries; plan, schedule & publicize 2 grant workshops; libraries receive grant funds; libraries purchase appropriate resources to use with target audience in library programs; Brommer & evaluation partners will create survey materials to be used with program participants; Brommer will work w/WPT tv to run on-air messages throughout 2010 that encourage teens to visit public libraries. • 04/09: Hands-on workshop that introduces ways to work with at-risk teens; libraries will begin to plan appropriate library programs for at-risk teens. • 05/09 – 08/09: Workshop on working with teen parents will be held in early summer; Brommer will complete & submit 6 month eval.; libraries & partners will publicize new programs and resources; libraries will begin reaching out to at-risk teens; libraries will include at-risk teens in library programming; libraries will include at-risk teens in summer programs. • 09/09 – 12/09: Libraries will continue to plan, publicize & present programs (see above); Brommer & eval. partners will evaluate library programs; part. libraries will report back to all members on successful program elements; part. libraries will return program eval. forms and financial docs. to Brommer.

16. Partners – another example • Cooperating Partners: • Partners who help identify, plan, present & evaluate programs at libraries: school districts, UW-Extension, family resource centers, literacy councils, childcare providers, teen parenting teachers, hospitals & clinics, community centers, ESL teachers, YMCA. These partners will work with participating libraries to: 1) reach out to the clients they serve and introduce them to library services, 2) provide programs for at-risk teens 3) provide off-site outreach locations for library programs, 4) identify evaluation strategies and techniques, 5) create evaluation forms, 6) distribute and collect forms at programs at outreach sites and 7) analyze data. • Partners who will help publicize cont. ed. workshops & library programs: WI Public Television, UW-SLIS, Spanish newspapers, community cable access and local radio stations, UW Extension, Centro Hispano/Centro Guadalupe, hospitals & clinics. These partners will work with participating libraries to: 1) reach out to the clients they serve and tell them about library programs; 2) distribute flyers and incentives encouraging library visits by target audience; 3) run radio and television PSAs and 4) publicize library programs through newspaper & newsletter articles. WI Public Television will run on-air messages encouraging teens to visit libraries with their children; a Spanish version will run after Spanish language programs.

17. Budget form

18. Budget Narrative

19. Budget narrative – some examples • Library Collection (example fro 2005 early literacy LSTA grant) • SCLS will distribute $1500 to each participating library to purchase appropriate early literacy materials for babies & toddlers and their parents. • 22 participating libraries x $1500 = $33,000 or 1320 items x $25 = $33,000 • Total LSTA funds = $33,000 • Contractual Services (example from 2010 at-risk teens LSTA grant) • SCLS will coordinate 2 workshops that will introduce methods for: 1) working with at-risk teens 2) working with pregnant teens and teen parents. • Local funds: $500 • LSTA funds: $1000

20. Abstract

21. Abstract • Summary • Public description • Keep it short • Consider writing this section last

22. Abstract - example

23. Make it official – signature page

24. Review process • Grants are reviewed by your peers • Does it fit grant criteria? • Is it clear and convincing and can progress be made? • Are objectives and evaluation techniques clearly stated? • Is the timeline realistic? • Are the appropriate partners involved in the project? • Is the budget appropriate? • What is the overall merit?

25. I got the grant! Now what do I do?! • Timeline • Publicize it • Evaluation • Recognize IMLS & DLTCL: • “This publication (product) was supported by (or “in part by”) Library Services and Technology Act Funds, awarded to the WI Department of Public Instruction by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services” • Change happens • Report it • It’s o.k. to request budget revision

26. Points to consider • Meet ALL grant deadlines • Support letters are permissible and often show commitment from partners • Grant proposals are submitted online – fill in all required fields • Your peers will be reviewing your grant proposal • Use the language of the grant guidelines that are included in the grant proposal • Be clear, concise, and as brief as possible • Name the grant

27. Help is available! • SCLS • Consultant staff • System resources • Foundations page on SCLS resources for public libraries page(need password) • Demographics page on SCLS outreach web site • DLTCL • Consultant staff • Webinars, grant writing tips • Your peers who have written successful LSTA grants

28. Thank you! • Shawn Brommer, SCLS • sbrommer@scls.lib.wi.us • 608-246-7974