Deadline: February 4, 2025*
Application: The FY 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (PDF, 649KB) is now available.
Grant Amount: $6,000 - $10,000
Grant Period: One Year
Cost Share Requirement: None
Program Overview: The Native American Basic Grants (NAB) program assists Native American Tribes in establishing, sustaining, and improving library services and operations with their communities. As information needs change, Tribal libraries must be able to serve as knowledge and resource centers to benefit their users and the wellness of their communities. The NAB program supports Tribes across the country to address their individual information needs and priorities
Program Goal: Improve library and archival services for accessing, learning, and preserving information with the community through the following objectives.
- Support the acquisition of library-related materials.
- Support programming for identified community priorities.
- Support training for library staff.
- Support project activities that include aspects of two or more of the objectives listed above
Click here to connect to IMLS’s Award Database to search by program, year, state, city, or keyword.
Eligibility: To be eligible for an award, your Tribe must be Federally recognized and offer library and/or archival services to the community. Such services may include, but are not limited to providing free access to:
- books, print and electronic media;
- research databases;
- job, employment, and career resources;
- reference desk services;
- space for reading, studying, and meeting; and
- events and activities such as programs, classes, and cultural events for all ages.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs publishes updated lists of Federally recognized Tribes in the Federal Register.
Applications involving partnerships or collaborations are welcome so long as the Tribe is the lead applicant. Potential partners can include other departments within the Tribe, Tribal colleges and universities, school libraries, or local non-Tribal libraries and non-profits. If the Tribe collaborates with a partner, the Tribe must meet all eligibility requirements, serve as the lead applicant, and administer the award on behalf of the other(s).
If you have questions, we encourage you to contact:
Jennifer Himmelreich
Senior Program Officer
202-653-4797
jhimmelreich@imls.gov
Click here to schedule a time to talk with Jennifer Himmelreich.
Sheena Afoakwa
Program Specialist
202-653-4718
safoakwa@imls.gov
Grant Program Webinar:
Watch a pre-application webinar to learn more about the FY 2025 Native American Library Services: Basic Grants program.
*All grant programs are subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion.