Library Cooperative Grant

The Library Cooperative Grant is administered by the Florida Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services. The program supports cooperation among Florida libraries through the sharing of library resources, related resource-sharing activities, and associated training. The Florida Library Information Network, established in 1968, provides the statewide framework for interlibrary loan and resource sharing. The grant historically supported maintenance and enhancement of statewide bibliographic holdings, but the program now recognizes a broader range of resource-sharing approaches and technologies. The Catalog of State Financial Assistance number for the program is 45.018. The State of Florida's priority for the program is the sharing of library resources among members of the Florida Library Information Network. Grant funds and required local matching funds must support resource-sharing activities and related training, provide services to FLIN member libraries within the cooperative's geographic service area, and be consistent with the cooperative's long-range plan and annual plan of service. Allowable activities include bibliographic record enhancement, statewide delivery service support, union catalog support and development, reciprocal borrowing, cooperative cataloging, cooperative reference services, cooperative collection development, digitization, electronic databases or shared electronic resources, consultation and facilitation related to resource sharing, and implementation or support of technologies related to resource sharing. Operational costs such as allocable and auditable salaries and rent may also be supported when necessary to carry out approved resource-sharing activities. Project funds may not be used for construction, food, motor vehicles, activities that are not resource sharing, activities that do not align with program priorities or the approved grant application, or activities prohibited under Florida law. Grant- and local-match-funded products and services must be offered at no cost to FLIN member libraries in the applicable geographic service area. Digitization projects must meet specified technical, rights, permissions, metadata, and harvesting requirements. A recipient must provide local cash matching funds equal to 10 percent of the grant award from local sources. If the application does not demonstrate sufficient local funds to meet that requirement, the Division will reduce the grant to an amount for which the applicant can provide the required match. The total amount available for the program depends on the annual appropriation by the Florida Legislature, and the guidelines do not state a minimum award, maximum award, total program funding amount, or fixed number of awards. Eligible applicants are nonprofit multitype library cooperatives consisting of libraries under separate governance and of more than one library type, including combinations of academic, school, special, state institutional, and public libraries. The cooperative must be qualified or registered under Chapter 617, Florida Statutes, and in good standing with a current Certificate of Status from the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations. It must be headed and administered by a full-time librarian who has completed an American Library Association-accredited library education program. Applicants may not be in noncompliance with previously awarded Department of State grants and may not owe funds to the Department in connection with a prior grant for which a refund determination has been issued. The program operates through designated geographic service areas covering Florida, while cooperative membership itself is not limited by those geographic service boundaries. Applications are submitted through the DOS Grants System at dosgrants.com. The application includes applicant information and certifications; Articles of Incorporation; current bylaws; a current Certificate of Status; the cooperative's current Long-Range Plan; the director's current position description; a Resource Sharing Needs Assessment; a narrative describing needs to be addressed; detailed proposed activities; an overall project timeline; and a budget explaining how grant and local matching funds support the proposed activities. The Annual Plan of Service and Expenditure adopted by the cooperative's governing body is an additional required document. For the cycle described in the guidelines, applications were due July 10, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern, and the Annual Plan of Service was due September 30, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Applications are announced annually, and an annual recurrence of the 2026 schedule results in an expected next application window beginning in June 2027 and an expected next deadline of July 10, 2027. Following the application deadline, Division staff review applications for eligibility, completeness, compliance with Section 257.41, Florida Statutes, and consistency of proposed activities, timeline, and budget with the program purpose, priorities, and allowable uses of funds. Applicants are notified of deficiencies and have 30 days after notification to correct them through the DOS Grants System; failure to correct deficiencies within that period makes the application ineligible. After staff review, applications are sent to the Secretary of State, who has final authority to approve, amend, or deny funding recommendations and award grants. Grant awards are paid in five installments equal to 25 percent, 25 percent, 25 percent, 20 percent, and 5 percent of the award following satisfactory completion of the deliverables specified in the grant agreement. The project period begins when the grant agreement has been executed and ends September 30, 2027. All grant and local matching funds must be obligated and expended during the project period and paid out by the project ending date. A Mid-Year Report is due May 1, 2027, and the Final Report and Annual Statistical Report are due December 1, 2027. Applicable audits or financial reports must be submitted within nine months after the close of the cooperative's fiscal year. Grant assistance is available from Grants Staff at GrantsOffice@dos.fl.gov, by voice at 850.245.6630, by fax at 850.245.6643, and by TDD at 850.922.4085.

Align proposed activities, timeline, and budget directly with the program purpose, program priority, Resource Sharing Needs Assessment, Long-Range Plan, and Annual Plan of Service. Demonstrate the required 10% local cash match and ensure grant- and match-funded products and services are provided at no cost to FLIN member libraries in the service area. Correct any Division-identified application deficiencies within the stated 30-day correction period.