Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (2027)

The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program is a federal grant program administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The program supports the recruitment, development, education, training, and retention of library and archives professionals so they can meet the information needs of communities of all types and sizes. It also seeks to increase the institutional capacity of libraries, archives, and library and information science graduate programs across the United States and eligible territories and Freely Associated States. Supported activities may include exploring alternative pathways into the library services field, developing innovative alternatives to traditional credentialing and librarian education, using cutting-edge tools and new topics in continuing education, providing professional development, developing faculty and information leaders, and recruiting, educating, and retaining the next generation of library and archives professionals. Applicants must align their projects with one LB21 program goal and one associated objective. The program offers six project types: Planning, Forum, Community-Centered Implementation, National Implementation, Early Career Research, and Applied Research. Planning and Forum projects may request from $75,000 to $200,000. Community-Centered Implementation projects may request from $25,000 to $100,000. National Implementation projects may request from $75,000 to $1,000,000. Early Career Research and Applied Research projects may request from $75,000 to $750,000. IMLS expects to award approximately $8,500,000 through the funding opportunity and anticipates making 35 awards, subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion. Projects may generally operate for one to three years depending on project type and must begin August 1, 2027. The overall anticipated performance period extends through July 31, 2030. Allowable expenses may include salaries, wages, fringe benefits, travel for key project staff and consultants, materials, supplies, software, equipment directly related to project activities, accessibility technologies and services, participant support, third-party costs, design and publication, program evaluation, staff and volunteer training, paid internships and fellowships, stipends or honoraria, indirect costs, and approved pre-award costs. Unallowable expenses include general fundraising, endowment contributions, general operating support, general promotional advertising or public relations, construction or facility renovation, and social activities, receptions, or entertainment. Planning, Forum, Community-Centered Implementation, Early Career Research, and Applied Research projects do not require cost share. National Implementation requests exceeding $299,999 in IMLS funds require at least a one-to-one cost share from non-federal sources, calculated after subtracting direct Student Support costs from the total requested IMLS funds. Eligible lead applicants must be units of State, local, or Tribal government or private nonprofit organizations, must be located in an eligible United States jurisdiction, territory, or Freely Associated State, and must qualify as one of the specified library or archives-related organization types. These include qualifying libraries or their parent organizations, qualifying academic or administrative units within institutions of higher education, digital libraries or archives meeting the program requirements, official government library or archival agencies, library or archives consortia, permanent library or archives associations, and qualifying nonprofit organizations affiliated with a library or archives. Libraries applying under the applicable category must already be open and operational to the public. Partnerships are welcome, but one organization must meet all eligibility requirements and serve as the lead applicant. Only one Community-Centered Implementation application may be submitted by an institution, although the other listed project types do not have a stated institutional application limit. The same proposal cannot be submitted under multiple project types. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov Workspace by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on November 13, 2026. Applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier, an active SAM.gov registration, and an active Grants.gov registration with an approved Authorized Organization Representative. Required application components are the SF-424S, the IMLS Library - Discretionary Program Information Form, a Narrative of no more than 10 numbered pages, Schedule of Completion, IMLS Budget Form, Budget Justification, resumes of key project staff and consultants, Digital Products Plan, and Performance Measurement Plan. Depending on the applicant or project, additional required materials can include proof of nonprofit status, proof of foundation status, a final federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, a Public Access Plan for Research Projects, or a departmental endorsement letter for an Early Career Research proposal. Optional supporting documents may also be included. IMLS first checks applications for eligibility and completeness and generally rejects applications from ineligible organizations or applications that are incomplete, late, outside the applicable funding range, or inconsistent with program funding restrictions. Eligible and complete applications proceed to peer review by professionals with relevant expertise. Reviewers consider Project Justification, Project Work Plan, and Project Results, including the strength of the demonstrated need, relationship to existing models or scholarship, beneficiaries, stakeholder involvement, staff and partner capacity, evaluation, adaptability and generalizability of deliverables, dissemination, sustainability, and digital product practices. Research proposals receive additional consideration of research questions, theoretical framing, methods, analysis, public access, and, where applicable, Institutional Review Board planning. Cost share is an eligibility criterion rather than a merit review factor. The IMLS Director makes final funding decisions after considering the review process. Successful and unsuccessful applicants are expected to receive final funding decisions by email in July 2027, subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion. Funded applicants receive access to their Official Award Notification and related award materials through eGMS Reach. Awardees must comply with applicable federal and IMLS administrative requirements and submit interim and final financial and performance reports according to their official reporting schedule. Programmatic and administrative questions may be directed to IMLS, including the program email imls-librarygrants@imls.gov and telephone number 202-653-4744. Grants.gov technical support is available at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726. The notice does not state that this competition recurs annually or on another established schedule, so no recurring deadline is inferred.

Align the proposal explicitly with one LB21 program goal and one associated objective. Support the identified need, challenge, or opportunity with relevant data, research, and current practice. Explain how the work differs from, complements, builds upon, or adapts existing models, standards, scholarship, or practice. Incorporate stakeholder perspectives and demonstrate that staff, partners, and consultants have the necessary experience. Develop measurable results and address adaptability, dissemination, sustainability, and digital product management. Community-Centered Implementation proposals must identify and adapt an established model. Research proposals should present clearly defined research questions, appropriate theoretical framing, methods, analysis, and public access planning. Ensure the requested funding falls within the selected project type range and submit every required and conditionally required component.