Current Grant Opportunities Available to Libraries:
The FY2020 State Budget included included $2.5 million for the statewide Complete Count Grant Program.
Public libraries and nonprofits will be eligible to apply for grant funds to support complete count efforts in their community, including education and outreach efforts.
Full text of appropriation below:
0511-0271........ For a statewide competitive grant program for the purpose of ensuring a complete and accurate count in the 2020 census; provided, that the grant program shall be known as the Complete Count grant program; provided further, that the grant program shall be administered by the secretary of the commonwealth through a competitive request for proposals, which shall support outreach efforts in communities that are at significant risk of being undercounted; provided further, that the entities eligible to apply for the grant shall include: (i) nonprofit organizations that demonstrate direct access to hard-to-count populations through media, mailings, canvassing, phone banking, or public forums, (ii) publicly funded organizations that provide direct service to hard-to-count populations, including but not limited to, public libraries, workforce centers, community-based health centers, and homeless shelters; provided further, that eligible outreach and education activities shall include but not be limited to: (a) conducting outreach to hard-to-count populations through media, mailings, canvassing, phone banking, or public forums, (b) disseminating information at key service centers and access points in the community, and (c) tailored outreach and support to homeless populations, households with limited English, immigrant communities, and individuals with difficulty accessing the internet or otherwise completing the form; provided further, that, in making awards, the secretary shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable: (1) proportionate funding based on the distribution of hard-to-count communities across the commonwealth, and (2) targeted investments in areas with no federal area census office; provided further, that the highest priority is given to proposals which (A) demonstrate a track record of success in serving individuals in historically hard-to-count communities, (B) identify solutions that directly address barriers to a complete count on 2020, including but not limited to: usability of the digital platform, impacts of a federal citizenship question, and reduced federal resources, and (C) tailor outreach efforts to engage historically underserved populations; provided further, that the total grant to a single recipient shall not exceed 10 per cent of the total available; provided further, that the secretary shall provide technical assistance to eligible entities in the application process; provided further, that the secretary may use not more than 5 per cent of the total appropriation for necessary administrative costs reasonably related to grant administration; provided further, that the secretary shall develop guidelines which outline periodic reporting requirements for grantees, including semi-annual and final reports; provided further, that the secretary shall file both a preliminary and a final report on the efficacy of the grant programs, which shall outline key accomplishments and estimated impact of the awarded funds; and provided further, that the preliminary report shall be filed with the house and senate committees on ways and means and with the joint committee on election laws not later than 3 months after the awarding of the funds, and the final report within 6 months of the completion of all grant activities...................................................................................................... $2,500,000
Closed Grant Opportunities Available to Libraries: