School Library System: SLS Mini-grants

2023-2024 Mini-Grant Opportunity

The Monroe One BOCES School Library System Council has approved funding to provide mini-grants to member school librarians*. Available funding for 2023-24 mini-grants is $16,000.  Each applicant may request up to $1,200 in grant funds for use in a collection development initiative, an innovative instructional or extracurricular project, or professional development.

Allowable mini-grant projects include:

• Collection Development
• Innovative Projects
• Professional Development Programs

Previous grants have allowed school librarians to…

• Attend conferences; some possibilities include:

AASL (American Association of School Librarians) in Tampa, FL, October 19-21, 2023

NYLA (New York Library Association) in Saratoga Springs, NY November 1-4, 2023

NYSCATE (NYS Computers & Technology in Education) in Rochester, NY, November 18-23, 2023

STANYS (Science Teachers of New York State) in Syracuse, NY November 3-6, 2023

NYSRA (New York State Reading Association) in Rochester, NY, November 8-10, 2023

NYCSS (New York Council of Social Studies Teachers), Albany, NY, November 16-18, 2023

• Take an online course (through organizations like ALA, AASL, Booklist, School Library Journal, BER)
• Write a new curriculum embedding Information Literacy Skills, Coding Skills, or Maker Spaces
• Hold new special events like “Family Literacy Night” or “Family Gaming Night”

This year you could…

• Collaborate with a school librarian from another district to develop a new program for your students
• Develop a new parent education night
• Develop an engaging collection of informational texts

*All grant applicants must be certified NYS School Library Media Specialists

 

Payment Process:

• Upon award, Monroe One BOCES School Library System is committed to paying actual expenses up to the total amount awarded.  A mid-year check-in, via e-mail or phone, has been added to ensure that grant activities are undertaken/purchased in a timely manner.
• The school librarian and the district must work together to purchase all items approved in the project proposal.
  • Within New York State: We cannot reimburse for NYS taxes paid. Please use an appropriate NYS Tax Exempt form for these expenses.
  • SLS CANNOT reimburse for meals (unless included in registration), travel expenses, or memberships. For conferences, only registration, hotel expenses, and substitute expenses are covered.
• Only items listed in the Mini-Grant Application and Approval letter are eligible for reimbursement.  If a change is necessary, it must be consistent with the original objectives of the grant.  Changes to the original request must be requested in writing and approved by the School Library System Director.
• Once the project is complete, the district will send an invoice with original receipts to the School Library System within 10 days of project completion or by the deadline of March 28, 2024, whichever comes first.
• The School Library System will reimburse the district for the total eligible amount spent.
• The district will reimburse the school librarian as needed.

School District & Librarian’s Responsibilities:

• Once approved by the School Library System, the school librarian will forward the award notice to their superintendent and school business official and proceed with the approved project in a timely manner.  All purchases and travel requests must follow the recipient's school district’s business office procedures. 
• The recipient is responsible for all grant related recordkeeping.
• The district will provide necessary support to ensure the success of the project (ex. Advertise PD opportunities, duplicate handouts, timely processing of purchase orders etc.).
• The district will share the award notification and results of the project with the Board of Education.
• Projects must be completed by March 22, 2024.
• The school librarian must submit all receipts and invoices to support their grant expenditures to their school district’s business office in a timely manner.
• The district will invoice the School Library System with all supporting itemized documentation, receipts, etc., for reimbursement within 10 days of project completion or by the deadline of March 28, 2024 whichever comes first.
• After receiving payment from the School Library System, the district will reimburse the school librarian (and any project participants) as necessary.
• Submit a final report suitable for publication on the Monroe One BOCES SLS Website by June 7, 2024.

Please contact Katie Bertrand at Katie_Bertrand@boces.monroe.edu with questions.