The Second Annual IHLS Marketing Microgrant

What Is It?

Do you have a small budget but big dreams for promoting your library and its programs? Does your library serve a population of 10,000 people or fewer? Would a few hundred dollars make all the difference? If yes, then we have exciting news for you! We're happy to announce our second annual Marketing Microgrant, a grant program to help our smaller libraries reach their communities!

Who Is It For?

This microgrant is designed for small and rural libraries of all types. The only qualifying factors are IHLS membership for FY2026 and a service population of 10,000 or fewer.

Disclaimer: We are still perfecting this grant program. Participation and interest in this grant will determine how we proceed or shape the program in future years. Award amounts and eligibility may differ for the next cycle.

I Need Details!

The award amounts.

We are offering up to $600 in microgrant award money for the FY2026 cycle. Depending on the proposals we receive, we may give out a single $600 award, two $300 awards, three $200 awards, or some other combination that totals $600.

The application.

In the application, you will provide details about your proposed project (including projected costs), your library's budget, the anticipated impact of the project, and its alignment with the current IHLS strategic plan goals.

The application is an online survey that opens April 1 and closes May 1, 2026. You can fill it out on your computer, phone, or tablet. The application link is available on the IHLS grants database.

Grants Database Entry

Note: You must be logged into the IHLS website using your L2 account in order to access the Grants Database and the IHLS Marketing Microgrant application.

The selection of winners.

A staff member who isn't judging will remove all identifying details from the proposals before sending them to our team of judges. The judges will include the IHLS Marketing & Communications Team and someone from our Leadership Team or our Membership Team.

The timeline.

Deadline: Applications will open at 12 a.m. on April 1 and close at 11:59 p.m. on May 1, 2026.

Selection: Proposals will be prepared and scored in May as staff time allows.

Announcement of Winners: The winner(s) will be notified in late May via email.

Sample rubric.

The judges will score proposals on a rubric that includes the project's relevance to our strategic plan goals, the feasibilty of the project, and its potential for impact. If the highest-scoring proposal requests less than $600, the judges may award the remaining funds to one or more runners-up. See the judging rubric for more information.

Applicable projects.

Your library marketing project must promote your library, one or more of its services, or one or more of its programs. What that project looks like is really up to you! Some examples of potential projects include:

Carefully designed printables (e.g., flyers, bookmarks) to place in local coffee shops and partner organization lobbies.
Postcards inviting target audiences to the library or its programs (include postage costs in proposal).
A subscription to an email service like MailChimp to enhance your library's email marketing with a plan for continuing the subscription beyond the grant year.
A Grammarly subscription to help establish a consistent and polished brand voice with a plan for continuing the subscription beyond the grant year.
A clip-on mic, light, and other accessories to make video content for social media.

You may also draw inspiration from our past winners.

The funding source.