Laura Bush Foundation For America's Libraries

Grant Application

Deadline for receipt of application:
December 31, 2008

Questions regarding this application must be received by email no later than December 14, 2008, to guarantee a response. Specific questions regarding this application should be sent to areid@cfncr.org

In order to promote a love of reading, the goal of the Laura Bush Foundation (LBF) is to provide books to the school libraries and students that most need them. Consequently, funds are available only for library books and magazine/serial copies and subscriptions. The Laura Bush Foundation is unable to honor requests for staffing, shelving, furniture, equipment, software, videos, classroom book sets or any kind of book guides, tests or exams.

The Foundation strives for wide geographic distribution in the support it offers, making grants of up to $6,000 to update, extend, and diversify the book collections of the libraries that receive them. All LBF grants are made to individual schools rather than to school districts, county systems, private organizations, foundations, or other entities. Only one application per school is allowed per year.

Because research demonstrates a clear relationship between family income and a student’s access to books, the LBF gives selection preference to schools in which 90% or more of the students receive free or reduced lunches (FRL) and are likely to have the fewest books at home.

All applications must be made on-line through this website. We cannot accept applications that are faxed, e-mailed, or mailed in print form. Free on-line access is available at most public libraries in the United States and its territories. The LBF will notify you that your application has been received through an e-mail message sent to the address you provide in the application itself.

We anticipate that recipients will be identified and awards will be made before the middle of May, 2009.

Important: Please read Frequently Asked Questions section on this website before filling out the application and please use Internet Explorer to complete the form. Thank you.

The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries is a fund of the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, an IRS approved 501 C (3). For general questions regarding the Foundation, please contact Alicia Reid at areid@cfncr.org or by phone at (202)-263-4774.

PART I

A quick overview of your proposal

1. Your school name:

2. Your school district or governing organization:

3. Your school mailing address:
      Line 1:
      Line 2:
      City:       State:
      Zip Code: -

4. What grade(s) does your school include?
       Preschool and/or Kindergarten.
       Elementary
       Middle School
       High School
       Other
       If other, please describe:

       This answer is limited to 1000 characters, or about 100 words.
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5. Your school is (please choose one):
        Public
        Public alternative
        Public charter
        Private

6. What percentage of your student body is eligible for free and reduced lunch (FRL)? Secondary schools may submit verifiable FRL data averaged from all feeder schools.                  %

7. How much money (up to $6000) are you requesting from the Laura Bush Foundation to improve the book resources in your library? $
Please use whole numbers only; no commas, decimals, or fractions.

8. Have you received a LBF grant in the past?
Yes No

If yes, when?

9. The LBF's goal is to provide the books you most need to support learning and to help the students in your school develop a love of reading. Please provide an application abstract to tell us how your plan will address this goal. Please know that the LBF may use this statement to describe and publicize your award if you are selected for a grant.

This abstract is limited to 1500 characters, or about 150 words.
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PART II
YOU AND YOUR SCHOOL
Now, please tell us some things about yourself and your school

10. Your Last Name:
First Name:

11. Your title:

12. Your telephone number: --

13. Your E-Mail address:
(To be used for email confirmation of this application)

14. Are you the person responsible for library operation in this school? Yes No

(Please note: Preference will be given to applications that are prepared by the person in your school specifically responsible for the library. We believe that the person on-site has the best understanding of the library's status, needs, and potential.)

15. Will you be responsible for carrying out the activities described in the grant proposal? Yes    No

If not, who will be responsible? Please list the name, title, and experience of each person with responsibility for providing library services.

          Name:
          Title:
          Experience:

          Name:
          Title:
          Experience:

About Your School

16.  Your principal's name:
        Last Name:
        First Name:

17. Your school phone numbers:
       Phone number:         --
       Fax Number: --

18. Your School's email:
(This will be used for notification if you are funded. Be sure to double-check that it is correct!)

19. Please provide a demographic profile of your student body. (e.g., ages, genders, racial/ethnic groups, community and parent characteristics, etc.)

Your description is limited to 1500 characters or about 150 words.
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20. NCES Information

A. What is your school’s NCES ID?
see: http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/ if you need to find it.

B. If you are a high school using data from feeder schools, list all schools that feed into your high school, providing name and NCES ID:

C. If your school is not assigned a NCES ID it is because you are:

D. If you are not assigned a NCES ID, what is the source of your FRL information:

PART III

YOUR LIBRARY AND YOUR PROGRAM

Now, please provide us with more information about your library and your plans for its improvement.

Please answer every part of every question. We are trying to build a profile of your school and its book needs. Unanswered items leave questions and reduce your chances of receiving funds.

Important: Please read the Frequently Asked Questions and the Scoring Rubric sections before answering the questions below.

21. Please describe the personnel operating the library in your building.
A. Does your school have a certified school librarian?
   Yes      No

(1) If yes, what is the school librarian's educational background? Check the highest level that applies.


(2). If not, do you plan to hire a full or part-time certified school librarian in the future?
   Yes      No

If you do plan to hire a certified school librarian, when do you think that will happen?

(3). If your school does not have a certified librarian, please describe the person who currently has primary responsibility for the library and its operation. Please check all that apply.

Position Description
     Volunteer
     Certified teacher
     Administrator
     Certified specialist in some area other than library media
     Aide or para-professional

Time Commitment
     Full-time in the library
     Part-time in the library

Education
      No degree
      Bachelor’s degree
      Master’s degree or higher

Library Media Training
     Has no library media training
     Has some library media training
     Is a qualified library technician
     Is currently in a library media certification program
     Has temporary library media certification
     Is taking on-line training

Experience in the Job
     First year responsible for the library
     1-3 years experience responsible for the library
     4 or more years experience responsible for the library

(4) If the person primarily responsible for the library is only assigned to it part time, does he or she have a second responsibility in the school? (e.g., classroom teacher, counselor, administrator, secretary, clerk)
Yes No

If yes, please tell us what that responsibility is:

B. Please tell us if the person responsible for the library has support staff such as aides, clerks, para-professionals, parent/community volunteers, or other help -- and, if so, how much and in what ways these people contribute to the library’s operation.

This answer is limited to 1000 characters, or about 100 words.
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22. Please provide the following information concerning the budget for library books. Please use numbers only. Please no commas. (Please refer to the FAQ for items that are considered part of the budget for library books).

School Year	*Total Library Book Budget Provided by the Governing Body	Total Library Magazine/Serial Budget Provided by the Governing Body	**Money from other sources used for books or magazines (such as grants, PTA, education foundations, etc.)	Student Enrollment	***Per Pupil Library Book Budget
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009

* A book is a hardbound print or Braille volume or an audio-book on audio-tape or CD-ROM to be added to either the circulating or reference section of the school's central library collection.
**not used to calculate per pupil library book budget.
***will be calculated automatically if in Microsoft Explorer.

23. How many books are there in your school library?
How many books per student in your library*:

(*will be calculated automatically if entered in Microsoft Explorer)

24. What is the distance to the nearest public library? Choose one pull-down menu of distances:

25. How much access do students have to your library? Please check all that apply.
Regularly scheduled class visits
Students may visit the library on their own during class time
The library is open before school for student use
The library is open at lunch for student use
The library is open after school for student use
The library is open one or more week-nights
The library is open on the week-end for student use

26. Please describe the priority need(s) of the school library book collection in relation to the curriculum.

This answer is limited to 1500 characters, or about 150 words.
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27. Given that $6000 cannot deliver universal library improvement, on which need(s) will you concentrate? How will you focus book selection to maximize the effect the grant money may have?

This answer is limited to 1500 characters, or about 150 words.
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28. You were asked in Question #8 above if this school had previously received an LBF grant. If the answer to that question was “no”, please skip to Question #29 below. If the answer was “yes”, please briefly describe how the money was used. If yes, please briefly describe how the money was used.

A. What need(s) did that grant address in your school?

This answer is limited to 1000 characters, or about 100 words.
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B. What impact has it had on your students, library, and school?

This answer is limited to 1000 characters, or about 100 words.
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29. Provide a brief budget outline showing the kinds of books or magazines you will buy. Please list only categories, types, and numbers of books - and not individual titles.

Please remember that the Laura Bush Foundation can only fund school library book and magazine requests. We are unable to honor requests for shelving, furniture, equipment, staffing, software, videos, guides, tests or exams, classroom book sets or other similar items.

This answer is limited to 1000 characters, or about 100 words.
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30. As much as you can, please describe (a) the specific students who will use the books or magazines and (b) why they particularly need them.

This answer is limited to 1500 characters, or about 150 words.
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31. Did you collaborate with teachers and students to determine the need for these books? Yes No

If yes, please describe the process.

32. If your school receives the grant, how will you work with teachers, students, or others to assure that the books are used?

This answer is limited to 1500 characters, or about 150 words.
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33. How much and what kinds of library support exist within your school (e.g. collaborative instructional planning; community partnerships; administrative support; funding; scheduling)?

This answer is limited to 1500 characters, or about 150 words.
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34. Every school is unique. What distinguishes yours? Please provide additional information about your school, library, and students that you think the committee should have in evaluating your request for funds. Particularly address anything that demonstrates a unique and compelling book need among your students. Tell us your story. Tell us your students’ stories.

This answer is limited to 1000 characters, or about 100 words.
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35. How did you learn about the opportunity to apply to the Laura Bush Foundation for a grant award? Check all that apply.

Professional journal (please specify: )
LBF website
LBF brochure
Vendor/Commercial Publisher
At a conference or convention (please specify:)
Online discussion group (please specify: )
Building or district administrator
Other (please specify: )

PART IV

Statement of Assurance
Required

36. If your school is selected as a recipient of a Laura Bush Foundation grant, do you agree to participate in the Foundation’s evaluation program?
Yes No

32. If your school is selected as a recipient of a Laura Bush Foundation grant, do you agree to participate in publicity to promote the goals of the Foundation and for information from this application to be used?
Yes No

33. I, , principal of the , hereby certify the accuracy of the information provided in the application and fully support its submission.

I also certify of this application to the Laura Bush Foundation to support the school library and the project described therein. Further, I certify that funds granted by the Laura Bush Foundation will not be used to supplant money normally budgeted for the library program. I understand that these funds are to be used for supplemental funding only and may only be spent for books or magazines.

I also agree to have the information we have submitted to be included as part of aggregated, anonymous data used for research purposes.

If our school is funded, we agree to participate in publicity to promote the goals of the Foundation and to submit on the use of the funds a year after funds are received.

Date:

Please remember that only this on-line application is official. We cannot accept any faxed, e-mailed, or printed applications. Once you submit this application, it cannot be changed or retrieved. If additional applications are received from your school, only the first will be considered.

Please look over your application one more time before submitting. Please double-check that you are not requesting funds for anything except books -- that is, for hardbound print or Braille volumes, for audio-books on audio-tape or CD-ROM, for e-books to be added to either the circulating or reference section of the school's central library collection -- or for magazine/serial copies or subscriptions.

Please also double-check that you have answered every part of every question. We are trying to build a profile of your school and its book needs. Unanswered items leave questions and reduce your chances of receiving funds.

We also recommend that you save your content information into your own Word file before submission.

Thank you for your interest in the Laura Bush Foundation. Best wishes for continued success in the important work you do.