Rural public libraries in the United States that have suffered loss and damage due to recent natural disasters (flooding, fire, hurricanes, wildfires, etc.) may be eligible for special non-matching grants: Disaster Relief Grant information.
For libraries experiencing budgetary declines due to reduced or eliminated funding, please apply for our Children’s Book Project Grant. The Children’s Book Project Grant is a community supported matching grant program.
Children’s Book Project Grant Information
Please read all the information below to determine if your library is eligible for a grant under the Children’s Book Project Program. The Pilcrow Foundation does not offer grants to libraries outside of the 50 United States, libraries in urban or metropolitan areas, or libraries with substantial operating budgets. Do not apply if your library is not located within the United States.
The Pilcrow Foundation, a national non-profit public charity, provides a 2-to-1 match to rural public libraries that receive a grant through its Children’s Book Project and contribute $200-$400 through a local sponsors for the purchase of up to $1,200 worth (at retail value) of new, quality, hardcover children’s books.
We provide a list of over 500 quality hardcover children’s books from which Children’s Book Project grant recipients can select books best suited for their community. The book list includes award-winning and star-reviewed titles from educational and literary organizations.
Rural Library Systems
The Pilcrow Foundation accepts applications from independent rural public libraries and Native American Tribal libraries as well as libraries that are part of a county, regional, or cooperative system.
A branch library may apply if it serves a rural community. If the branch library receives its funding from a parent institution, the parent institution’s total operating budget, not just the branch library’s total operating budget, must demonstrate budgetary limitations.
The Pilcrow Foundation accepts applications from school libraries only if the school library also serves as the community’s public library (i.e., it is open to the entire community; has summer hours; is open beyond the school day, including Saturdays; there is no public library in town) and meets the budgetary and rural requirements.
Funding Requirements
Libraries qualify for the Children’s Book Project grant on an individual basis. To qualify for the grant, libraries must be located in a rural area within the 50 United States, have a limited operating budget, have an active children’s department, and raise $200-$400 through a local sponsor. Libraries with total operating budgets of less than $50,000 will receive funding priority; however, town libraries with total operating budgets over $150,000 may also apply for grants. Be sure to provide accurate information about the library’s operating budget on the Children’s Book Project grant application. Failure to accurately describe the library’s operating budget may disqualify your application.
Rural Library Service Areas
A rural community is typically more than 40 miles from an urban area (population over 50,000) and not a part of a metropolitan area. A rural town library system should serve a population under 10,000 (priority to community populations under 5,000). A rural county library system should serve a population under 20,000. Be sure to provide accurate information about your library’s service area on the Children’s Book Project grant application. Failure to accurately describe your service area may disqualify your application.
Grant Application and Funding Cycle
Annual application deadlines for grant cycles are April 1 and October 1. The application closes at 5:00 pm (Pacific) on the deadline. We consider all eligible applications received for the grant cycle. We prioritize first-time applicants and libraries that have not received a grant in two or more years.
Grants will be awarded and grant recipients will be posted on our website by April 15 and October 15. Acceptance packets will be mailed within 10-15 days after we announce the Children’s Book Project grant recipients on our website. We are not able to notify librarians who did not receive a grant.
You can submit a Children’s Book Project Grant applications to The Pilcrow Foundation online.
Apply online: Complete the online form below. You will not be able to save the form as you go along. You can print your application after you submit. Click on the 3 dots at the top right for print options. Please do not request a confirmation that we received your application.
You can access a PDF of the application here. Please do not mail or email the application. We only accept applications submitted online.
The Children’s Book Project Grant Online Application is now open for the April 2027 Children’s Book Project grant cycle. The Online Application Form is available here.
We do not accept applications we receive by mail.
We do not accept applications we receive by email.
Featured book is Stanley’s Garage by William Bee
Eligibility
Children’s Book Project grant recipients who have fulfilled all grant funding requirements, including the final report (see Section X in the Children’s Book Project grant application for details), may apply for another grant at any time, with priority to new libraries or those who have not received a grant in two or more years. Grant recipients who do not fulfill all the grant requirements including the final report are not eligible for future grants funded by The Pilcrow Foundation through the Children’s Book Project.
If you have any questions about The Pilcrow Foundation, its Children’s Book Project, or the grant application, please contact Karren Timmermans (pilcrowfoundation@gmail.com).
Children’s Book Project Grant Recipients
The person from the library who was awarded a grant through the Children’s Book Project Program will receive an acceptance packet with details of the award and a book list, provided by The Pilcrow Foundation, from which to select books for the library. The book list is divided into two groups based on recommended age and grade levels. Books in Group 1 are for emergent and beginning readers (birth to age 7; preschool to grade 2). Books in Group 2 are for middle and intermediate readers (ages 7 to 12; grades 2 to 6). Please note: The book lists are for the sole use of participants in The Pilcrow Foundation’s Children’s Book Project and should not be distributed for any reason. We only distribute the book list to grant recipients.
The Foundation provides bookplates for all books received through the Children’s Book Project. The bookplates identify the local sponsors and The Pilcrow Foundation. If the library received all of the sponsored funds “in honor of” or “in memory of” an individual, the bookplates may be inscribed to honor that person.
Disaster Relief Grant
The Pilcrow Foundation is pleased to offer a limited number of special non-matching grants through our Children’s Book Project program to libraries serving rural communities in the United States affected by recent tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, or other natural disasters. Libraries qualified to receive a Children’s Book Project: Disaster Relief grant can select $800 worth of new, quality, hardcover children’s books from The Pilcrow Foundation’s book list. Locally sponsored matching funds are not required for the disaster relief grants.
Libraries qualify for the Children’s Book Project: Disaster Relief grant on an individual basis. For libraries experiencing budgetary declines due to reduced or eliminated funding, please apply for our Children’s Book Project Grant.
Qualifications
To qualify for the grant, libraries in disaster affected areas must be located in a rural area within the 50 United States, have a limited operating budget, and have the intent to rebuild an active children’s department.
Applications
Applications for the Children’s Book Project: Disaster Relief grant are available only upon request by email or mail. When requesting an application, please provide your name, the library’s name and mailing address, and a brief description of the nature of the disaster your library has experienced.
If you do not qualify for a Disaster Relief grant, you can apply for a matching grant to receive up to $1,200 (a retail value) of new, quality, hardcover children’s books. Please read about our Children’s Book Project Grant.
Book shelf features books selected through our Children’s Book Project Grant.
