National Leadership Grants for Libraries (2025)

Background
The National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program (NLG-L) enhances the quality of library services for the American public by addressing critical needs in the library and archives fields. The models, tools, research findings, services, and partnerships resulting from these awards can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend and maximize public benefit.

Grant Details
The NLG-L Program supports projects that address critical needs of the library and archives fields and have the potential to advance practice in these professions to strengthen library and archival services for the American public. The program encourages collaborative work with partners such as archives, libraries, museums, school systems, universities, extension programs, youth-serving organizations, departments of correction, and workforce/economic development organizations. Projects are expected to influence practice across disciplines within the library and archives fields, reflect a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about the subject matter, use collaboration as needed to demonstrate buy-in and access to appropriate expertise, employ inclusive outreach strategies to disseminate activities, results, and findings, and generate measurable results.

Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for an award under the NLG-L Program, organizations must meet specific eligibility criteria including being a unit of State, local, or Tribal government or a private nonprofit organization located in specific geographic locations. Eligible applicants include libraries or parent organizations responsible for library administration; academic or administrative units; digital libraries or archives; library or archival agencies; library or archives consortiums; and library or archives associations. Native American Tribal organizations may also apply if they meet eligibility requirements.

Period of Performance
Projects must begin on August 1, 2025. The anticipated period of performance is from August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2028. Project activities may be carried out for one to three years based on the selected project type.

Grant Value
IMLS expects to award a total of $11,500,000 through this announcement. Anticipated number of awards is 45 with individual award amounts ranging from $25,000 to $1,000,000 depending on the project type.

Place of Performance
The specific geographic locations where the grant will be performed include one of the 50 states of the United States of America; the District of Columbia; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; the U.S. Virgin Islands; Guam; American Samoa; the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; the Republic of the Marshall Islands; the Federated States of Micronesia; or the Republic of Palau.