Search Through Library Grants in Idaho in the U.S.

What does this program do?

This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.

How may funds be used?

Funds can be used to purchase, construct, and / or improve essential community facilities, purchase equipment and pay related project expenses.

Examples of essential community facilities include:

• Health care facilities such as hospitals, medical clinics, dental clinics, nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
• Public facilities such as town halls, courthouses, airport hangars or street improvements.
• Community support services such as child care centers, community centers, fairgrounds or transitional housing.
• Public safety services such as fire departments, police stations, prisons, police vehicles, fire trucks, public works vehicles or equipment.
• Educational services such as museums, libraries or private schools.
• Utility services such as telemedicine or distance learning equipment.
• Local food systems such as community gardens, food pantries, community kitchens, food banks, food hubs or greenhouses.

What are the funding priorities?

• Priority point system based on population, median household income
• Small communities with a population of 5,500 or less
• Low-income communities having a median household income below 80% of the state nonmetropolitan median household income.

Grant Approval

Applicant must be eligible for grant assistance, which is provided on a graduated scale with smaller communities with the lowest median household income being eligible for projects with a higher proportion of grant funds. Grant assistance is limited to the following percentages of eligible project costs:

Maximum of 75 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 5,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 60 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income.

Maximum of 55 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 12,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 70 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income.

Maximum of 35 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 20,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 80 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income.

Maximum of 15 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 20,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 90 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income. The proposed project must meet both percentage criteria. Grants are further limited.

The Idaho Commission for Libraries makes available four types of Continuing Education (CE) grants to assist Idaho library staff to build their capacity to better serve their communities. Individuals working at eligible libraries may submit an application for the Continuing Education grants. The CE Grants are funded with Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grants funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in accordance with the Commission’s LSTA Five Year Plan and state agency Strategic Plan. Grant types include funding for First Time Conference Attendance, Library Science Courses, Leadership Development, and Group Training.

The four CE Grant categories available for applicants are:

• First-time Conference Attendance
• Library Science Course Enrollment
• Leadership Development Course
• Group Training Activity

Statement of Objectives

Idaho Power Company (IPC) does not believe that its responsibility ends with the delivery of reliable, affordable, and clean energy to its customers. As a corporate citizen, IPC believes that its responsibility extends to supporting and participating in activities and organizations that help maintain and improve the quality of life within the communities we serve. Serving those who depend on us is at the center of everything we do. We all prosper by committing to the needs, safety, and success of our customers, communities, employees, and shareholders.

IPC’s contributions of financial and non-financial or “in-kind” support are investments in the economic and social viability of the communities we serve. But the benefits to the community and IPC are not always measurable, and subjectivity is a part of every contribution decision. It is the intent of IPC that its contributions strike a reasonable balance between the need to be accountable and responsible to our shareowners and customers and the desire to contribute to the economic and social needs within communities we serve. 

At IPC, we continually strive to lead with our values and beliefs. Idaho Power is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. Our community comes from all walks of life and so do we. All contribution decisions will be made without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, or age. 

 Community Contributions

Community contributions range from support for capital fund drives to sponsorship of nonprofit fundraising events to non-cash donations like awarding retired company vehicles to emergency-response organizations.

IPC has established five general categories of contributions.

These categories are:

• Health and Human Services:
• To assure the availability of adequate health care and human service support for employees and other members of the public and to promote the development of new, workable responses to health and human services needs, this category includes:
  • Support of organizations dedicated to this cause, and other federated campaigns.
  • Hospitals and other health care facilities.
  • Agencies for senior citizens and the elderly.
  • Youth agencies.
  • Local health and human service organizations.
• Agencies receiving primary funding from federated drives (e.g., Unites Way) to which IPC separately contributes are generally not eligible for additional health and human services operating funds. Exceptions may exist in the case of capital fund drives.

• Education:
  • Priority is given to education to ensure the continued availability of highly skilled, educated men and women to enrich local communities and from among whom IPC may draw employees, to encourage continuing research and development in academic areas relevant to IPC, and to promote standards of educational excellence.
• Culture and Arts:
  • Contributions made in this area are intended to encourage high standards of excellence and provide a pool of creative resources in the visual and performing arts for the enrichment of our employees and the community. This category includes support to orchestras, museums, theaters, performing arts programs, cultural arts programs, public radio and television, and non-academic libraries.
• Civic and Community:
  • Support for organizations and/or programs addressing civic and community needs demonstrates our commitment to increasing citizen awareness and participation in the management of community life. This commitment extends to supporting organizations that provide services for adequate housing and neighborhood improvements, local civic and community projects, conservation activities, and the support of groups desiring to develop workable solutions to community issues.
• Environment and Recreation:
  • This category provides contributions to organizations and projects that support environmental stewardship, including clean and renewable energy. It also supports the expansion and preservation of recreation opportunities.
• Other:
  • This category includes support for organizations not included in the four preceding categories, but which have a benevolent or philanthropic purpose relevant to IPC and its communities. 

IPC intends to respond to requests for contributions in a timely manner, and generally not more than 60 days following submission of the completed application.

The Idaho Humanities Council (IHC)

The Idaho Humanities Council (IHC) is a non-profit organization serving as the state-based partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). We are one of 56 state humanities councils funded in part by the federal government through NEH's Federal/State Partnership Office.

The IHC is dedicated to serving Idaho citizens by promoting greater public awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the humanities. The Council accomplishes its mission by awarding grants to organizations statewide, and by working with organizations as partners to develop local humanities projects and programs, and by sponsoring its own Council-conducted programs, such as summer institutes in the humanities for K-12 teachers, library reading/discussion programs in small communities, traveling exhibitions from the Smithsonian Institution, a Humanities Speakers Bureau, Distinguished Humanities Lectures, and other projects and programs limited only by the imagination.

What Are the Humanities and What is their Value?

The Idaho Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities define “the humanities” to include history, literature, philosophy, jurisprudence, cultural anthropology, comparative religion, art history and criticism, music history and other interpretive disciplines that through study yield wisdom.

It is through the study of these disciplines that we gain knowledge and understanding—in a word, wisdom. In the founding legislation for the NEH in 1965, Congress stressed that “Democracy demands wisdom and vision in its citizens.” The humanities are a vehicle to understanding the human experience—the diverse history, traditions, and cultures of the world. It is only through this quest for understanding that we cultivate the wisdom and vision that democracy demands. 

Major Grants

IHC’s Major Grants are focused on supporting programs or projects that draw on history, culture, literature, and the humanities to ignite conversations with the public. The Major Grant is for requests over $1,000 up to $7,500. The IHC requires a draft to be submitted one month prior to the final application, and currently has two cycles per year.

Goals of the Major Grants include:

• Exploring the human experience
• Supporting Idaho’s vibrant cultural organizations across the state
• Creating conversations between Idahoans

Examples of projects include:

• Exhibits
• Local history projects
• Discussions
• Planning for humanities focused programs
• Discussion programs

Currently, the IHC’s target audience is the out-of-school adult public.

About

IHC’s Action Grants are focused on planning and supporting programs or projects that draw on history, culture, literature, and the humanities to ignite conversations with the public. With an award size of up to $750, Action Grants are due monthly and have a 2-week waiting period for a decision.

Humanities and the Arts

While the humanities and the arts share much in common, they are viewed as two distinct categories by the federal government. The IHC cannot fund the creation of art, but research, consulting, and interpretations of artwork can be. 

Examples of the humanities include:

• Cultural studies
• Law
• History
• Linguistics
• Religion
• Philosophy
• Ethics
• Archaeology
• Music theory/history
• Art theory/history
• Medical literature
• Scientific literature

Goals of Action Grants include:

• Exploring the human experience
• Supporting Idaho’s vibrant cultural organizations across the state
• Connecting Idahoans through a variety of topics

Examples of projects include:

• Exhibits
• Local history projects
• Discussions
• Planning for humanities focused programs
• Discussion programs

Currently, the IHC’s target audience is the out-of-school adult public.

Examples of projects supported:

• reading and discussion programs
• exhibits
• workshops
• conferences
• media programs
• digital projects
• local/regional history projects
• oral histories
• panel discussions
• lectures
• book festivals
• planning for humanities programs

Digital Access for All Idahoans Monetary Subgrants (ID)

The Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) is pleased to announce the Digital Access for All Idahoans (DAAI) Grant, an initiative designed to bridge the digital divide that limits many Idaho residents from accessing essential technology resources.

The DAAI Grant offers funding awards ranging from $10,000 to $150,000 to support subgrantees in enhancing their digital access programs tailored for populations that are particularly vulnerable to digital exclusion. Eligible programs should focus on increasing broadband adoption, enhancing digital literacy, promoting cybersecurity awareness, and improving access to technical support and affordable devices. Subgrantees are required to engage individuals from the eight designated populations identified in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 – households with incomes below 150% of the poverty level, seniors, incarcerated individuals, veterans, individuals with disabilities, those facing language barriers, members of racial and ethnic minority groups, and residents of rural areas.

Eligible activities under this grant may encompass the employment of digital navigators to provide localized and regional support, the development and facilitation of digital skills and cybersecurity training, and the provision of technical support and low-cost devices. Subgrantees are strongly encouraged to establish or expand partnerships with community organizations to effectively reach and serve members of the identified populations. Collaborative efforts should focus on identifying specific digital access needs and utilizing grant funds to address those needs.

Program Goals:

• Enhance Digital Inclusion: Increase broadband adoption, digital skills, cybersecurity awareness, and access to technical support and devices among the covered populations.
• Strengthen Institutional Capacity: Build the capacity of subgrantees to better serve their communities through staff participation in an ICfL learning cohort focused on digital inclusion and equity.
• Foster Community Engagement: Support grantees and covered populations in achieving objectives related to civic and social engagement, economic and workforce development, education, health, and the delivery of essential services.

Digital Access Objectives:

• Equip Idahoans with the knowledge to compare internet service plans effectively.
• Increase the number of incarcerated individuals attaining digital skills certifications.
• Boost overall confidence in digital skills among participants.
• Mitigate apprehension associated with internet use.
• Enhance confidence in cybersecurity practices.
• Reduce the number of Idahoans experiencing device malfunction without resolution.
• Ensure digital navigators effectively serve 7,000 clients annually.
• Maintain a high level of customer satisfaction for digital navigation services.
• Increase ownership of digital devices among target populations.
• Provide access to new or refurbished devices to enhance digital inclusion.

Through the DAAI Grant, the ICfL is committed to fostering an equitable digital landscape for all Idahoans, ensuring that technological advancements are accessible to every member of our community.

Funding

Grant recipients will receive awards ranging from $10,000 to $150,000 to be used within a 1.5-year grant period for the purpose of performing activities to increase or improve digital access for Idaho residents, in alignment with the needs outlined in the Digital Access for All Idahoans Plan. Grant projects should focus on benefiting covered populations, as defined in this application.

About Idaho National Laboratory

As one of 17 national labs in the U.S. Department of Energy complex, Idaho National Laboratory is home to more than 6,100 researchers and support staff focused on innovations in nuclear research, renewable energy systems and security solutions that are changing the world. From discoveries in advanced nuclear energy to carbon-free energy options and to protecting our nation’s most critical infrastructure assets, our talented team at INL is constantly pushing the limits to redefine what’s possible.

Our capabilities involve: testing advanced nuclear energy concepts, preparing radioisotope power sources for NASA space exploration, developing longer-lived electric vehicle batteries, protecting the power grid and collaborating with numerous industries to turn waste into fuel.

INL experts are studying basic material properties that will lead to more robust nuclear fuels and materials that can survive in harsh environments. We conduct testing and demonstration for electric grid systems and other critical infrastructure including clean water delivery. Our unparalleled cybersecurity experts monitor real-world incidents, provide training around the globe and conduct basic research for the security of everything from vehicle charging stations to nuclear materials. INL’s clean energy research also includes work in bioenergy, geothermal energy, hydrogen production and industrial process science.

Building a Strong STEM Foundation Today

The mission of INL’s K-12 Education Enrichment Programs is to inspire Idaho’s future STEM workforce; impact students, teachers and families by integrating best practices in STEM education; and empower employees to become STEM mentors to transform K-12 Education Enrichment into a driver for innovation.

INL Family and Community Engagement Grant

Family and Community Engagement Grants are designed to support publicly funded and nonprofit organizations. Up to $750 is available to selected applicants wishing to host a community event focused on raising awareness about STEM education and career options. The event could focus specifically on math or science, or it could celebrate STEM in general.

What are E-rate and EOR?

E-rate and EOR provide funding that, when combined together, can fully cover the cost of a public library’s internet service costs.

E-rate is the common name for the universal service Schools and Libraries Program, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). E-rate discounts can range from 20% to 90% of the costs of eligible services (including internet service costs) and can be provided as a discount on the bill from the service provider to the library or as a reimbursement directly to the library.

The Education Opportunity Resource (EOR) Act, as stated in Idaho Code §33-5602 through 33-5605, makes the Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) responsible for reimbursing Idaho public libraries for the after E-rate discount portion of approved broadband services. These state broadband reimbursements are available to eligible libraries every six months. 

Idaho and Montana Grant Program

The Steele-Reese Foundation is a charitable trust committed to supporting rural communities and the tax-exempt entities that serve them in Idaho, Montana, in the Native nations that share the geography, and in Appalachian Kentucky. Since its inception, the Foundation has maintained a focus on the unique challenges of rural living and on helping people build healthy, successful, and sustainable communities.

We support Rural Education, Rural Human/Social Services, Rural Conservation and Preservation, Rural Health, and Rural Arts and Humanities projects. Applications from organizations operating outside of the Foundation's regional or programming areas are not eligible for funding. Please check back periodically for the latest updates about the Foundation's priorities and application policies.

Idaho and Montana Grant Program

In its Idaho and Montana Grant Program, The Steele-Reese Foundation makes grants only to federally tax-exempt entities for work in rural Idaho and Montana communities, and in Native nations with whom we share this geography. 

Program Areas

Rural Education

In both the Appalachian Kentucky and Idaho and Montana Grant Programs, the Foundation focuses on early childhood to Grade 12 education programming. Examples include funding for supplemental programs in early childhood education settings; elementary, middle, and high school programs that improve outcomes for students; support of literacy programs and out-of-school-time services; and charter schools and other model school programs that provide quality educational options for students and families. We also provide assistance to small public libraries. The Foundation does not accept applications to directly fund higher education, though we will consider early childhood to Grade 12 programs operated by colleges or universities or state or local education districts.

The Foundation considers education projects that demonstrate a comprehensive level of engagement with participants that result in clear and measurable outcomes. We are not able to fund those projects with single or limited interactions with students or those whose primary outcome is to raise awareness or introduce a concept. We are unable to support summer camps.

The Foundation also supports a small college scholarship program only for graduates of high schools in Lemhi and Custer Counties, Idaho.

Rural Human/Social Services 

In the Idaho and Montana Grant Program, the Foundation considers programs in support of low-income and under-represented populations, including elders, homeless individuals, people living with disabilities, young children, disadvantaged or disconnected older youth, young people or adults involved in the criminal justice system, and survivors of abuse or domestic violence. Programming within this area also includes support to local libraries, fire-protection services, and local food banks.

Rural Conservation and Preservation 

In the Idaho and Montana Grant Program, the Foundation considers land, water, and wildlife conservation; historic preservation and restoration projects; and ecosystem protection programs. All conservation or environmental programs must be locally focused on rural communities or landscapes.

National organizations are eligible for support only if all Steele-Reese Foundation funds will be employed directly in projects located in the geographical areas served by the Foundation and if the coordinating entity can demonstrate substantial connections to the people and organizations in these areas.

Rural Health 

In the Idaho and Montana Grant Program, the Foundation considers services in preventive health programs; medical clinics; small hospitals; EMS and ambulance units; family-planning programs, and hospices. The Foundation is not able to support major equipment purchases for rural medical facilities.

Rural Arts and Humanities 

In the Idaho and Montana Grant Program, the Foundation considers local arts programs, and the broader support of creative arts activities and efforts to maintain the rich histories of the Foundation’s funding geographies. 

Capital Improvements and Campaigns

In all program areas, the Foundation makes a limited number of grants for capital improvements, fixtures, and remodeling, retrofitting, and building new structures. In projects involving the building of a new facility or other large-scale capital endeavors, we typically make these grants only during the closing phases when a substantial portion of the required funds are already in hand. 

Funding

The minimum grant awarded by the Foundation is $5,000. We rarely make grants of up to $50,000 for a single year or make multi-year grants.

The Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) is pleased to announce that public libraries throughout Idaho may apply for the That All May Read Grant. This $1,000 grant is designed to assist libraries in building large-print collections, obtaining assistive technology, and/or providing outreach to people who are unable to read standard print or have difficulty holding a book due to a visual impairment, blindness, or other perceptual or physical disability. This grant helps libraries to build the capacity to better serve their communities. It also improves equitable access for Idahoans to information and reading materials in alternate formats.

This grant is being carried out in conjunction with the Idaho Talking Book Service (TBS), a free audiobook library service managed by the ICfL. There are more than 100,000 fiction and nonfiction titles in the TBS collection. The service is available to any Idaho resident who is blind, has a perceptual or reading disability, or is unable to read standard print. As part of the grant, libraries will be required to promote the TBS in order to increase awareness of the program throughout the state.

The goals of the grant include:

• To improve equitable access to information and reading materials in alternative formats for those unable to read standard-print books.
• To increase libraries’ understanding of the communities they serve and the potential difficulties community members might face in accessing or utilizing library resources such as standard-print books.
• To increase the capacity of libraries to better serve this segment of the community.
• To increase statewide awareness of the Idaho Talking Book Service.

Welcome

The Jacobs Research Funds (JRF) and the Kinkade Language and Culture Fund (KLF) are sister organizations that fund linguistic and anthropological research on aboriginal peoples of North and South America. The JRF accepts proposals on behalf of both organizations.

The JRF is affiliated with the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, Washington.

Overview

The Jacobs Research Funds (JRF) offers grants in support of research on aboriginal peoples of the Americas. Most grants are in the range of $3,000 USD, but projects up to $6,000 or $9,000 are also considered.

This document explains how to apply for a grant, including what expenses are eligible and what documents are required. All documents, including at least two support letters, must be received by the annual deadline of February 15. All data collected with the support of the JRF must be archived at the University of Washington Libraries.

Grant Categories

There are three categories of JRF grants, namely Individual, Group, and Kinkade:

• Individual grants: 1 Researcher, up to $3,000 USD or equivalent
  • Individual grants support research projects by a single Researcher on a focused problem.
• Group grants: 2 or more Researchers, up to $6,000 USD or equivalent
  • Group grants support work by two or more Researchers who cooperate on the same or similar projects.
  • The Researchers share expenses while working on the same language, with the same people, or in the same geographical area.
  • One Researcher in the group must be designated as the Principal Investigator (PI).
• Kinkade grants: up to $9,000 USD or equivalent
  • Kinkade grants honor the memory of the late Dale Kinkade, a linguist known for his work on Salishan languages.
  • Kinkade grants support projects requiring an intense period of fieldwork, such as a dictionary or collection of texts.
  • They are intended for a single experienced Researcher, such as a Ph.D. student working on a dissertation, a professor on sabbatical, or a retiree seeking to complete major research.
  • However, Kinkade proposals from groups of two or more Researchers will be considered in exceptional circumstances.
  • Kinkade grants are awarded rarely, and only to the most worthy projects.
  • If a project is not awarded a Kinkade grant, the PI is still eligible to receive an Individual grant.

Purpose of the Professional Development Award

The purpose of this funding is to strengthen the professional knowledge and experience of individual network members within Region 4 in data science or health information access/delivery, build professional capacity in support of the mission of the NNLM, and enable libraries and other organizations to train staff in skills needed to deliver reliable health information.

Professional development awards are intended to expand beyond the organizations you associate with as a normal part of your profession. For example: MLA and MLA Chapter meetings will not be considered for health science librarians.

Potential Project Ideas

Professional development opportunities such as classes, conferences, or workshops for individuals or groups of individuals associated with NNLM institutional members. Ideas include but are not limited to:

• Introduce students to the health sciences, trusted National Library of Medicine (NLM) resources, and develop their professional skills.
• Prepare individuals for a leadership position in a hospital or academic health sciences library.
• Host a reading club with learning outcomes focusing on health information access issues that can be used to improve library programming that are more impactful to your underrepresented communities.
• Costs associated with arranging for an expert speaker to give a talk, workshop, class, or lecture.
  • NOTICE: Applications that include speaker fees over $1000 MUST sufficiently justify the expense.
• Educational activities that relate to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility and prepare professionals to better serve underserved, minority, and underrepresented communities.

Award Focus & Impact

Applicants should plan to describe how their professional development activity will improve their ability to provide improved health information access related library services to their communities.

Applicants should consider submitting proposals that support:

• An INDIVIDUAL to attend a workshop, conference, or meeting (example topics - patient safety, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, health information access, data services, etc.).
• NETWORK MEMBER INSTITUTIONS to host a CE event, workshop, or speaker (example expenses - speaker fees. reading club materials, funding licenses to online training services, hosting a virtual book club discussing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, etc.)
• STUDENTS currently enrolled in a library and information science, iSchool, or health occupations program (this funding is ideal for students interested in exploring health information as a career path or the role that information plays in improving the knowledge of health care providers).
• ONLINE CONFERENCES EXPRESS APPLICATION registration costs (under $500) for individuals interested in attending an online workshop, conference, or meeting that meets the purpose and alignment with NNLM and NLM mission and strategic plan

Successful applications will demonstrate how community-based health organizations, public health organizations, and libraries work together in addressing the health information needs of NNLM priority populations. (see NNLM Overview, section "Underrepresented Populations" for details).

NNLM Region 4 Core Aims

Project proposals are intended to support the following core aims of NNLM Region 4 program:

• Construct a rich culture built on a foundation of inclusive programming designed to attract and engage a diverse regional network through effective membership management.
• Use community-driven approaches to increase access to health information.
• Work through libraries and other members to support a highly trained workforce in biomedical, health information, and data science resources.

Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL), with funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awards up to 70 public, school, or academic libraries $500 each to help pay for materials or presenters to support STEM outreach efforts during the summer. The ICfL also provides a toolkit for learning activities and other resources. The Summer STEM from Your Library program has three primary goals:

• Increase access to fun, engaging, hands-on STEM activities for underserved youth beyond the normal library programming efforts
• Increase children’s access to books over the summer months
• Increase the number of children who minimize learning loss during the summer

Awareness. Education. Prevention.  These are three key tenets of Bayer Fund’s investments in health and wellness.  With a focus on cancer and cardiovascular disease, we provide resources to organizations dedicated to educating and/or providing services to patients, caregivers and at-risk populations.

Health & Wellness Grants

Programs that Bayer Fund will support include those that focus on patients and their families needing assistance with issues to managing cardiovascular disease and cancer. This includes education, disease awareness, and supportive services for these diseases. In areas related to cardiovascular disease, priority (though not exclusivity) will be given to charitable organizations that focus on programs and support for the African American community due to the high incidence rate of disease in this population.

Giving in this category will focus on support services such as education, disease awareness, and general access to care (e.g., housing for families traveling for cancer or heart care).

All funding requests and budgets must be for program activities and expenses that start after funding decisions are made. All programs must be completed within one year of the start date, except in limited situations where longer term programs have been agreed upon. Grant award amounts vary, depending on the size of the community, the type of programming, and the reach of the organization.

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

About the Idaho Future Fund

The Idaho Future Fund was established by an anonymous couple in Blaine County. The Fund is intended to support gaps in educational programs (preschool through 12th grade) that gravely affect the quality of education students receive in Idaho.

Funding Focus

Grants will fall in to four categories:

• Preschool Access – Grants will support organizations, programs or projects that provide pre-kindergarten education to children. Funds must be used to provide access to the preschool program for children who would not otherwise be able to attend (i.e. scholarships, creation of a new program in an underserved area, sustainability of an existing program that would be cut without grant funding, etc.).
• Charter Schools – Grants will support charter schools providing alternative models of education for students in their geographical area. Preference will be given to schools evidencing improved quality of education for students who might not otherwise be able to receive it.
• Public Schools and Public School Libraries – Grants will support public schools and libraries in need of funding to support programs that have been cut or postponed due to lack of government funding.
• Supplemental Educational Programs – Grants will support organizations, programs or projects that provide students with basic educational opportunities intended to supplement existing public school offerings (e.g. programs to prevent summer learning loss or after school tutoring, etc.).

Funding

Awards typically range from $10,000 - $20,000.

School libraries play a vital role in ensuring Idaho’s students learn and continually develop strong literacy skills from their earliest grades, throughout their academic careers, and beyond. Unfortunately, many Idaho schools haven’t had the resources to allow students in developmental preschool programs, kindergarten, and even first grade, the years they are learning to read, to check out books to take home. Despite findings that secondary students who continue to read for pleasure are more academically successful and score higher on the SAT, students in many secondary schools have a selection of dated materials that do not meet their recreational or academic reading needs. To help school libraries provide students access to the books they need, the Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) is offering mini-grants to Idaho’s publicly funded elementary and secondary schools.

The 2024-2025 school year will see teachers and librarians connecting with students to help them recover learning that may have been lost during the pandemic. With that in mind, now more than ever it is important for all students to have fingertip access to lots of engaging reading material.

Decades of research and empirical evidence shows a strong school library collection is linked with higher achievement in reading and other content areas, including math. Add the fact that for many students the school library is the only library where they can count on finding books to take home to read, and it becomes clear that a well-funded school library is essential for student success.

About the F.M., Anne G., and Beverly B. Bistline Foundation Fund

The F.M., Anne G., and Beverly B. Bistline Foundation (commonly referred to as the “Bistline Family Foundation”) was founded by Beverly Bistline of Pocatello to pay special tribute to her parents and their commitment to the arts, as well as to further her own support within the field. Beverly was a former state legislator, a veteran who served in the US Navy during and shortly after World War II and an attorney who was the 26th woman admitted to the Idaho State Bar. She passed away in October 2010.

Beverly held a firm belief that the artistic growth of a community was as important as its economic growth, and she became well known in and around Pocatello for her commitment to the arts. During her lifetime, she supported many organizations and projects such as the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center, Idaho State University and the Idaho State-Civic Symphony. Even after her passing, Beverly will continue to support arts in southeastern Idaho through the F.M., Anne G., and Beverly B. Bistline Foundation, a donor-advised fund managed by the Idaho Community Foundation. 

Funding Focus

Grants are given to support arts activities that will provide entertainment or art-related education to the general public and/or support the education, skills training, performance or display opportunities for local artists in Bannock, Bingham, Bear Lake, Caribou, Franklin, Oneida and Power counties.

Grants may fall under two categories: 

• Grants to support arts activities that will provide entertainment or art-related education to the general public.
• Such grants may support programs, classes, performances, concerts, exhibits, seminars and other arts activities that engage members of the community in general.
• Grants of this type may, for example, help organizations acquire or repair musical instruments; acquire, repair, restore or improve performance and training facilities; pay fees and expenses associated with bringing out of town artists and performers into town to perform or offer training and educational experiences to local artists; or help pay costs of producing a performance or program. 
• Grants to support the education, skills training, performance or display opportunities for local artists.
• These grants may include helping an organization provide scholarships for local artists to attend a training, education program or performance either locally or out of town.
• Scholarships must be determined by the organization in a non-discriminatory fashion and should take into account financial need. 

The Bistline Foundation tends to have many more requests for funds than it has funds available. One of the ways to address this deficit is to use funds available for grants as seed money to support proposals which appear to have the ability, over the course of a few years, to become self-supporting either through developing a strong base of local charitable support or though ticket sales. While this is never the only criteria that we utilize in determining which grant applications are approved, an organization with the ability to satisfy this criteria should include an appropriate explanation in its application of its plan for becoming self-sustaining. 

Grant Limits

Awards typically range from $3,000 - $10,000, though larger requests will be considered.

About the Bonner County Fund for Arts Enhancement

The Bonner County Fund for Arts Enhancement was created to enhance the arts in Bonner County by providing funds either to develop a community education component of existing arts programs or to help fund new arts programs whose major emphasis includes a strong educational focus.

Grant Requirements

Grants are limited to programs that are committed to providing more than just entertainment. Eligible programs will focus on demonstrating how the arts encourage creative thinking and critical thinking, stimulate economic vitality and enhance the quality of life in a community. Also encouraged are programs that place the development of a particular art form in the cultural, economic, and/or political environment in which it was created. The entire range of what is commonly considered “the arts” can receive a grant from this fund, including performance art, visual art, and the literary arts. Lecture series and seminars aimed at the general community also qualify.

The advisors to the Fund will consider grant requests for activities and projects that:

• Reach a broad segment of the community or school population
• Focus on providing information, education, and programs designed to increase awareness of the importance of understanding the arts as an integral part of a vital community 
• Celebrate the value of artistic diversity for the quality of life in Bonner County

About the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force Fund

The Bonner County Human Rights Task Force’s responsibility is to affirm the American principles and ideals of the inviolable dignity and worth of each human being and recognizes that everyone is equal under our state and federal laws and constitutions. BCHRTF was founded in 1992 to support human rights through community education and advocacy. The BCHRTF board of directors recommends distribution of funds to grantees that develop programs and projects that enhance human rights and celebrate diversity.

Grant Requirements

Grants are limited only to those organizations or entities whose activities reflect commitment to the ideal that everyone is equal under our state and federal laws and constitution regardless of race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability. Grants must deal with projects and programs that focus on community education and activities that celebrate the fact that it is the racial, social, and cultural diversity of our people that makes Bonner County a rich and worthwhile place to live.

Grants up to $8,000 will be considered. Although in extreme or emergency circumstances, this limit may be waived by the BCHRTF board of directors.

The advisors to the BCHRTF funds will consider grant requests for activities and projects that:

• Affirm the American principles and ideals of the inviolable dignity and worth of each human being
• Promote community education on bias and prejudice in furtherance of positive human relations and cultural diversity
• Reach a broad segment of the community or school population
• Focus on providing information, education, and programs designed to increase awareness of the importance of nondiscrimination and elimination of prejudice and/or harassment
• Celebrate the value of racial, social and cultural diversity for the quality of life in Bonner County.

Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Grant

The Foundation will consider requests to support museums, cultural and performing arts programs; schools and hospitals; educational, skills-training and other programs for youth, seniors, and persons with disabilities; environmental and wildlife protection activities; and other community-based organizations and programs.

Pacific Power Foundation

The Pacific Power Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Pacific Power. Its mission, through charitable investments, is to support the growth and vitality of local communities.

Together with our foundation and employees, we've given $13 million to local communities since 2019 to lend a helping hand and spur economic development.

Grant Focus

The foundation manages its grants in four cycles. This helps the foundation carefully review similar requests to ensure maximum benefit.

Community Enhancement

Affordable housing, community resilience, community and recreation centers, economic development, libraries, monuments, memorials and science centers.

Environmental Respect

Animal and wildlife biodiversity; carbon and methane emissions; conservation of natural resources; environmental management systems; parks, trails and gardens; resource stewardship; waste management reduction, and water usage management.

Idaho Community Foundation

The Idaho Community Foundation is a nonprofit public foundation that serves the entire state.

Mission

To enrich the quality of life throughout Idaho.

Values

• Philanthropic Leadership:
  • By bringing people and resources together, we make an impact in all of Idaho's 44 counties.
• Collaboration:
  • We learn from and work with others in partnership to better understand Idaho’s greatest needs and advance community-driven solutions.
• Inclusion:
  • We believe that our philanthropy should mirror the people of Idaho, and that diversity and equity are essential to our work.
• Responsive:
  • We build community philanthropy by listening to Idahoans and being adaptable to the region's changing needs.
• Stewardship:
  • We preserve donor intent and the resources entrusted to us across generations.
• Enduring:
  • We have deep roots in Idaho and have been building community philanthropy since 1988.

Shelton Foundation Advised Fund

The Perc H. Shelton and Gladys A. Pospisil Shelton Foundation Advised Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation accepts grant applications for its grant cycle by September 1 every year. The Fund, which was established through the transfer of assets from this private foundation, was originally created by a bequest from these long-time McCall residents. Distributions are made primarily to charitable organizations and projects that benefit the Valley County area. The trustees of the Shelton Foundation are advisors to the fund. Grant requests are considered annually in October.

Gupta Family Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, USA. Our mission is to support organizations that provide focused intervention in the lives of people who have been disadvantaged in some way to help them become self-reliant. We take a very broad view of “disadvantage” to include anything that holds a person back from realizing their potential, such as poverty, physical or mental disability, social alienation, etc. The foundation also supports relief agencies that serve people affected by emergencies such as natural disasters.

The foundation evaluates and awards annual and multi-year grants ranging from $5,000 to over $250,000 (USD). Our focus is on funding smaller organizations all around the world that are led by individuals with a deep personal commitment to their missions. 

Our selection criteria include:

• Mission alignment
• The organization is run by the founder or, if not, by a successor who embodies the original inspiration, passion and commitment of the founder.
• At least 90% of grant monies reaches the intended beneficiaries.
• The organization is non-sectarian, i.e.,
  • It does not, directly or indirectly, support or condone the proselytization of any religion,
  • It is not supported by or affiliated to a religious organization.

The Idaho Commission for Libraries offers a grant to build the capacity of Idaho public libraries to better prepare preschool children to be successful in school. The Kindergarten Readiness grant provides state funding to help public libraries partner with their local school districts and other community partners to reach children and their families before they enter school.

Libraries play an important role in early childhood success through the expertise of trained librarians, early literacy programs, books, and digital tools that many families can’t afford on their own. Children who start school behind rarely catch up with their peers without costly direct reading intervention. Children who have been exposed to early literacy practices before they enter school are more likely to become successful readers throughout their years of schooling.

Apply for grant funds to:

• Ensure that more Idaho families with pre-kindergarten children have public library cards to gain access to the tools and resources needed to help children succeed in school, especially for families with limited access to preschool programming or who are not regular library users;
• Increase the amount of early literacy activities done in the homes of pre-kindergarten children across the state; and
• Increase the number of successful public library, school, and community partnerships that increase third-grade reading proficiency by focusing on pre-kindergarten experiences, especially for underserved children

Two types of grants are awarded:

• Kindergarten Readiness Standard Grant: Awards of up to $10,000, in increments of $1,000
• K Ready-Set-Go Mini Grant: Awards from $1000 to $5,000, in increments of $500

The Idaho Humanities Council (IHC)

The Idaho Humanities Council (IHC) is a non-profit organization serving as the state-based partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). We are one of 56 state humanities councils funded in part by the federal government through NEH's Federal/State Partnership Office.

The IHC is dedicated to serving Idaho citizens by promoting greater public awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the humanities. The Council accomplishes its mission by awarding grants to organizations statewide, and by working with organizations as partners to develop local humanities projects and programs, and by sponsoring its own Council-conducted programs, such as summer institutes in the humanities for K-12 teachers, library reading/discussion programs in small communities, traveling exhibitions from the Smithsonian Institution, a Humanities Speakers Bureau, Distinguished Humanities Lectures, and other projects and programs limited only by the imagination.

What Are the Humanities and What is their Value?

The Idaho Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities define “the humanities” to include history, literature, philosophy, jurisprudence, cultural anthropology, comparative religion, art history and criticism, music history and other interpretive disciplines that through study yield wisdom.

It is through the study of these disciplines that we gain knowledge and understanding—in a word, wisdom. In the founding legislation for the NEH in 1965, Congress stressed that “Democracy demands wisdom and vision in its citizens.” The humanities are a vehicle to understanding the human experience—the diverse history, traditions, and cultures of the world. It is only through this quest for understanding that we cultivate the wisdom and vision that democracy demands. 

Research Fellowship Program

The purpose of the IHC Research Fellowship Program (RFP) is to stimulate scholarship in the humanities, to provide support for scholars who need time and money for research, and to share the results with academic and public audiences. 

Qualifications 

• Scholars will be defined as those who hold a minimum of a Masters degree in one of the humanities disciplines as designated by the NEH, though in rare cases people without the minimum qualifications will be considered if they have a superior research and professional publication record. Applicants need not be affiliated with an institution of higher education. People who have received a Research Fellowship in the past five years and graduate students are ineligible.
• Scholars in all disciplines of the humanities are eligible for Research Fellowships. Given IHC's commitment to public humanities, the Council encourages projects of special interest to general audiences. Projects do not have to be about Idaho.
• Out-of-state scholars are eligible to apply if their research is of significant interest to Idaho.
• Research Fellows are expected to make at least two public presentations during the period of the fellowship or submit proof of future public presentations (conference acceptance letter, copy of conference schedule, etc.) to occur after the fellowship grant period. Public presentations can include lectures before academic audiences, although IHC prefers that results be shared with the public in a meaningful forum. 

Criteria of Selection

The following criteria are evaluated equally:

• Significance and contribution of the project to the discipline and to the humanities in general. How does the research add to the field, what is the relevance and how does it fit into the scholarly conversation, what is the research methodology to be employed?
• Quality of the scholar’s past work.
• Proposal’s concept, definition and organization.
• The application will be reviewed by both academic and nonacademic board members so should be as jargon-free as possible.
• Strength of 2 reference letters (at least one from someone not affiliated with the scholar’s institution).
• Plans for public presentations.
• Description of eventual outcome of the project. Is a scholarly article, a book or chapter in a book planned? Will there be a film? Is a new course to be developed? Will the research be presented in a speaker’s bureau?

WESTAF’s TourWest Grant provides flexible funding for presenters/presenting organizations within the WESTAF region to support their regional touring program. WESTAF also encourages the inclusion of community/educational outreach as part of an organization’s presentation of touring artists. 

TourWest is a competitive grant program funded by the National Endowment for the Arts to provide subsidies to arts and community organizations in the 13-state WESTAF region and jurisdictions, including Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa for the presentation of touring performers and literary artists. 

Through TourWest, WESTAF and the National Endowment for the Arts aim to encourage the presentation of performing arts programming to culturally diverse audiences and those that do not typically enjoy ready access to the performing arts. In order to understand local needs and interests, WESTAF advocates working directly with individuals and groups from the communities that your organization seeks to serve. Community engagement and participation are key components of a successful TourWest grant application. 

WESTAF defines regional touring as programming that presents out-of-state touring artists and/or in-state touring artists traveling at least 50 miles to your venue. Presenters/presenting organizations are defined as organizations that present or host guest artists for engagements in their communities. Presenters can include but are not limited to community cultural organizations, community centers, churches, schools/colleges/universities, libraries, museums, film festivals/series, and performing arts centers. Typically, producing organizations or performing arts groups are not considered presenters, and are encouraged to contact WESTAF to discuss eligibility.

TourWest seeks to support the engagement of new audiences as well as collaboration between the presenters, artists, agents, and communities. In addition to working collaboratively with the artist(s) and/or community partners in planning the project, WESTAF encourages presenters to take advantage of opportunities such as block booking, presenter networks, and booking conferences to reduce costs and make artistic opportunities available to a broader audience. Partnerships and collaborative efforts between presenters are considered in the panel’s evaluation of an application and project.

Program Overview

Creative West’s TourWest grant program, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, provides funding to presenters and presenting organizations to bring touring performers and literary artists to communities throughout the Western region.

Regional touring is defined as:

Programming that brings out-of-state touring artists to your venue, or In-state artists traveling at least 50 miles from their home base TourWest focuses on expanding access to the performing arts, especially in underserved communities.

To support this goal:

• Creative West encourages working closely with local individuals and groups to understand and meet community needs.
• Applicants are urged to include community engagement or educational outreach activities in their projects.
• Collaboration with artists, agents, and community partners is highly encouraged, along with strategies like block booking and using presenter networks to reduce costs and maximize impact.

The Idaho Commission for Libraries and the Idaho Lottery Commission have partnered to support Idaho’s elementary school libraries. Most elementary school libraries in Idaho have insufficient funds to provide high-quality, age-appropriate books for their students to read at school or take home. With about 43% of Idaho school children qualifying for free or reduced lunch, many students are unlikely to have their own collection of books at home. Consequently, many Idaho children do not have access to enough reading material to become proficient readers, the basis for all other academic learning.

Thanks to the generosity of the Idaho Lottery Commission and those who play the lottery, Idaho’s elementary school libraries have the opportunity to apply for awards ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 to buy library books.