Children's and YA Services

The purpose of the Connecticut Library Summer Enrichment Grant is to empower libraries to offer measurable, cohesive, unique, high impact enrichment opportunities during the summer of 2025.

This grant is in an opportunity for creative enrichment activities unique from what the library is normally able to offer residents. Successful applications will show an understanding of community need and create an impactful program and format that includes active library staff involvement.

Please note this is not a grant to fund a library's summer reading program.

Principal public libraries may apply for up to $2000 in federal LSTA funds. Local matching funds are not required for this grant.

Libraries may use the awarded federal funds to purchase program materials, supplies, and/or contractual services for the program offered to the community as a part of the 2025 summer enrichment grant. Please refer to the FAQs and the Activity Criteria to Consider below for specific guidelines on the use of awarded funds. 

To align with Summer Enrichment Grant purpose and stay true to the spirit of the grant, applicants will:

• Collaborate with other community entities, organizations, or agencies that also serve the targeted groups.

• Create a grant program that provides a benefit or positive change to a group’s skill, knowledge, attitude, behavior, condition/ status.
• Have created a grant program that builds upon services that may be provided by outside educators (if outside educators are utilized).
• Have not received a Summer Enrichment Grant in the past (although this will not automatically exclude applicants).

The CT State Library will award grants to allow libraries to enhance summer in their community. Successful grant programs will meet the following requirements.

• The program or activity should be unique to those normally offered by the library in your community.
• The program or activity should provide high impact.
• The program or activity should be responsive to your community.
• The program or activity should provide community awareness.
• The program or activity should be an engaged learning experience.
• The program or activity should provide diverse hands-on-learning experiences
• Grant programs should be developmentally appropriate, refer to YALSA's Teen Programming Guidelines. 

Exemplary Enrichment Program Examples

• North Branford- Choose Your Own Adventure (CYOA) Book Club- A nine week program organized by the official CYOA publishers that included curriculum, crafts, and enrichment activities. 
• Wallingford Public Library- Summer Buddies- The six-week summer program was designed for students entering grades 3-5 who were reading below grade level.
• Portland Public Library- Caregiver Community of Practice- An initiative designed to support patrons who have sensory needs and their families. The Initiative included two caregiver support and information session, an event designed for children with sensory needs, and the creation of 10 sensory kits for library use.
• Southington Public Library- Improvability- In partnership with a local organization, the library offered improv comedy classes and facilitated accessible art courses offered to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The project was grown from and in-house initiative by staff from Southbury called Building Equitable Library Opportunities for Neurodiverse Groups (BELONG).  

The CT Pages YouTube page has some great examples of enrichment programs such as Westbrook Baking Buddies program and East Hartford's Summer Enrichment program with Parks and Rec.

To discuss grant applications Book time with Kymberlee Powe: Office hours

• Summer Enrichment Grant Applications, Final Report, and additional required materials must be uploaded through the corresponding online form linked below. Do not email the documents.
• All uploaded files need to be named as follows TOWN_LIBRARY NAME_FILE NAME YEAR. 
  • For example: Norwich_Otis Library_Summer Enrichment Grant Application 2025.
• After the deadlines, the form will be closed and documents will no longer be accepted.

Every cent of grant funds must be expended to the last penny and accompanying receipts and documentation MUST be provided. 

All project costs must be incurred during the grant period, and expenditures must accomplish the objectives of the project. All project expenditures must be documented and supported with receipts (not just invoices) or payroll records in the final expenditure report at the end of the grant period. Costs must be verifiable from the grantee's financial records and final prices cannot include tax.

Costs/items that are not allowed to be paid for with LSTA funds include construction, major equipment, full time, part time or temporary staff time, food and beverages (in their capacity as refreshments), web content creation, room rental fees, passes to museums/parks/etc., promotional items, incentives, memorabilia, and souvenirs. LSTA funds also may NOT be used for taxes of any kind.

Allowable expenses of LSTA grant funds include:

• Contractual payments to individuals (speakers, instructor, etc.) for services performed in connection with the project.
• Travel/mileage expenses for activities required to successfully implement the project. Indicate cost per mile at the current IRS mileage rate multiplied by the number of miles.
• Supplies (office supplies, program supplies, and other consumables) required to administer the grant as well as shipping costs.
• Library materials, including but not limited to books, magazines, audio materials, large print materials, and other items that may comprise a library collection. In the Method section of your application, describe the selection criteria for circulating library materials.
• Printing, including but not limited to flyers, posters, mailings, pamphlets, booklets, surveys, etc. Indicate the type and number of items being printed multiplied by the cost per item to equal the final amount. Items can promote only project-related events (not library-wide events) and must include IMLS and CT State Library sponsorship statements.
• The Other category may include miscellaneous costs. Be as specific as possible with your descriptions and attachments.
• An Indirect Cost is an organization's incurred cost that cannot be readily isolated or identified with just one project or activity. These types of costs are often referred to as "overhead costs." Typical examples are charges for utilities, general insurance, use of office space and equipment that you own, local telephone service, and the salaries of the management and administrative personnel of the organization. You must choose one of these three options:
• Use a current indirect cost rate that has been negotiated with a federal agency. Include a copy of the current negotiated agreement as an attachment.
• Use a rate between 0% and 10% of total direct costs if you have never had a federally negotiated indirect cost rate.
• Use a rate of 0% to indicate that you do not request indirect costs.

Budget Revisions

If you’re planning to adjust or move more than 10% of what you were awarded in a budget category (not individual item) you will need to fill out a budget revision form.

Every cent of grant funds must be expended to the last penny and accompanying receipts and documentation MUST be provided. 

1. Is this grant only for youth programming? This grant may be run by the Children/YA Consultant but program proposals can be for any age group. Please reference the videos in the Grant Examples tab. 
2. How do I set up an ACH account to get my grant money transferred quickly to my bank account? Visit the State Comptroller's page to set up a Direct Deposit (ACH) account, using the Enrollment Form either for Companies (association libraries) or Towns (municipal libraries). Follow the instructions on the form for submission. Grant payments will be issued only through direct deposit, not through checks.
3. Do I actually have to spend all the money by the deadline on September 30, 2024, or I can I just encumber it for future expenses? The grant funds must be spent to the last penny. The state fiscal department will not accept encumbrances of the funds.
4. Can I use this grant to pay for past purchases? No, it can be used only for future purchase. You can't use it to reimburse the library or municipality.
5. Will the grant pay for shipping & handling? Installation? Sales tax? Yes to shipping & handling. No to installation of fixed equipment and sales tax.
6. What will I need to submit with the final report? A form indicating how you spent the money and the impact of the grant on your community as well as proof of expenditures in the form of invoices, receipts, photocopies of checks, payment confirmations, etc.
7. How much grant money can I get? Up to $2,000.
8. How and when do I actually get the money? First, make sure you have a direct deposit account set up with the state (see #2 above). Once your grant application has been approved, we will ask the state finance office (Department of Administrative Services) to release your grant funds to that bank account.
9. How does the grant application approval process work? After you submit your grant application, three consultants review it to confirm that your programs fit the listed criteria, that expenses are eligible, and that you have a completed outcome statement. The State Library Board does not need to approve these grant awards.
10. Does my board need to approve this grant application? No.
11. Is there a match requirement? No, you do not need to spend any matching funds for this grant.
12. What if we want to spend more than the grant award? Go ahead! This is a great opportunity to combine grant funds with library, municipal, or private funds to purchase something even bigger and better. But be aware that your total grant award will not increase no matter how much you spend.
13. What were some examples of enrichment programs? The CT Pages YouTube page has some great examples of enrichment programs such as Wallingford Summer Buddlies program and East Hartford's Summer Enrichment program with Parks and Rec.
14. We're a municipal library. Can I use my town's DUNS number, or do I need to set up a unique number especially for my library? Municipal libraries may use their town's or city's DUNS number if they don't already have one of their own.
15. How do I find out if we already have a UEIs number or register for a new one? See the UEIs box in the left column on this page.
16. What do I do if I have money left over? How do I give it back to you? Just SPEND IT. All of it. Down to $0.00. Don't give anything back.
17. After I put together my projected budget for the grant application, I have a little bit of money left over. Can I just put that in the indirect costs line? No, you need to allocate either 0%, 10%, or a specific negotiated rate for indirect costs. It can't be any other percentage.
18. I'm at a library system with more than one location/building. Can I use these funds to buy things for my branches? Yes! Spend your money where it will have the most impact according to the spending priorities.
19. Can I send you my grant application by fax or mail? We can accept these applications only by email.
20. Is it OK if we work with partner organizations? Yes! Leveraging your existing partner network and finding new partners is a great idea.
21. You mentioned IMLS funds can't be spent on "construction." What does that mean? IMLS has these criteria for whether something qualifies as construction or not: How permanent is it? Is it movable/flexible/modular and a staff member could take it with them to another location? [this would be allowable] Is there a construction-related trade involved? Would it need contract labor? [this would not be allowable] Or would a staff member be able to assemble it with some basic tools like a screwdriver? [this would be allowable]
22. What if prices change from our original proposed budget or an item is no longer available? If the thing you had planned to purchase is no longer available, then we'd expect you to purchase something else similar that does the same thing. If prices go up, then you'll either need to absorb the extra cost from your library budget, or not purchase something you had planned to purchase. If you have money left over unexpectedly, get in touch with your grant contact (Kym Powe) and let us know how you'd like to spend it. We'll let you know if it's eligible. We do expect grantees to adhere to their original spending plan, contacting us if something changes.
23. What language do we have to use when acknowledging the CT State Library? “This project is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by Connecticut State Library.” Include the CSL logo and IMLS logo.

If your question isn't answered here, please ASK US.

This project is funded by the State of Connecticut and the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Connecticut State Library.