"Don't focus on the form or writing the perfect prose. Pull together your best ideas, make a plan, and explain how it will make a difference for your community of users. In the end - that's what matters - the difference it will make. If that is compelling, the writing will flow!"

~Lisa Janicke-Hinchliffe
UIUC
Urbana, IL

Grants for Gaming

ALA Libraries, Literacy and Gaming Grant

The application process is now CLOSED for this one-time, $5,000.00 award to develop, promote, and report on library gaming activities for youth ages 10-18, to be awarded to 10 libraries in April 2009, funded by Verizon Foundation/Thinkfinity. Winners will be announced ~April 20, 2009, at http://gaming.ala.org/news.

Start Local

• The Friends of the Library
• Local Police/Fire/Rotary/Lions Club/Knights of Columbus
• Local Wal*Mart
• Local Best Buy
• Local Target
• Local Businesses (car dealerships, insurance companies, banks)
• Local Foundations, including local divisions of national funders
• Local State Library organizations

Think National

• ALA grants (check with individual divisions; deadlines are often December 1!).
• MacArthur Foundation initiatives include digital learning.
• Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) intiatives have included technology and game design.
• International City/County Management Association (ICMA) innovation grants focus on strengthening the local government manager/public library partnership in order to better address community issues and priorities.
  
• Department of Education grants focus is education, which includes information literacy.
• Verizon Foundation initiatives include education and literacy.

Businesses with a Vested Interest

• Alienware -may offer discounts
• Cartoon Network - may offer prizes
• Funagain Games - monthly board game grants of $100.00
• Red Octane - may donate prizes
• Nintendo - may donate prizes