Grants

Friends of the Tompkins County Public Library provides funding, through grants, to community organizations, libraries serving Tompkins County residents, and students and staff of area libraries for scholarships, awards, and continuing education.

Click the buttons below for more information on eligibility and how to apply.

Education Grants

FOL offers monetary assistance through education grants to staff members of Tompkins County public libraries and Tompkins County K-12 school librarians to attend professional meetings, workshops, training sessions, and conferences.

The Committee also supports students seeking an advanced degree in library service, primarily those who are interested in public or school librarianship. Students must be enrolled in an accredited Library Science graduate program. These grants may be given for more than one year if the library school student has completed all previous courses successfully.

Application Information

Click to download the 2024 Education Grants application as a Word or PDF document. The deadline for applications is October 30, 2024. Applicants will be notified shortly thereafter.

Grant Types

Grant Recipients

Some Of Our Grant Recipients

TCPL, FLLS, and other county and school libraries' librarians

to attend workshops and conferences or take classes leading to a MLS degree

Local small libraries – including Lodi Whittier Library, Spencer Library, Cortland Free Library, Groton Public Library, Lamont Memorial Free Library, Southworth Library Assoc., Ulysses Philomathic Library, Peck Memorial Library

to improve their services or collections

Unity House of Cayuga County, Ithaca Day Hab Center

to establish an in-house library with computers for adults with developmental disabilities

Tompkins Learning Partners

to purchase books for adult basic education, ESL and incarcerated youth programs

Southworth Library

to purchase CD players and books on CD for residents at Willowbrook Manor, senior apartments in Dryden

Ithaca Public Education Initiative, Kids Discover the Trail!

to purchase books for ICSD 5th graders during visit to the Cayuga Nature Center

Ithaca Housing Authority, Titus Towers

to purchase workbooks used by residents in a financial literacy class

Hospicare and Palliative Care Services

to print pamphlets on grief for patients and their families

Family & Children’s Services

to purchase books on mental health topics for in-house library and to give to families in therapy

Challenge Industries, Life Options Program

to purchase supplies that will help disabled adults to improve functional math, reading skills

Advocacy Center of Tompkins County

to purchase books on sexual abuse and domestic violence topics for in-house library and to give to clients