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About This Course
Learn how to make the most of your school library funding opportunities.
On-Demand Materials: Available July 1, 2026
Grants are a powerful way to fund school library initiatives, but the application process can often feel complicated, time-consuming, and overwhelming. A single misstep—the wrong opportunity, unclear eligibility, an unrealistic budget, or a poorly framed narrative—can turn hours of work into a rejection with little explanation.
This course centers on helping school librarians make smarter decisions before, during, and after the grant-writing process. You’ll focus on finding opportunities that truly fit your library’s goals, recognizing eligibility requirements early in the process, and knowing how to proceed confidently when you’ve identified a good fit.
You’ll dig into the key components of competitive grant applications and learn strategies for writing tailored, compelling proposals while avoiding common pitfalls. You’ll also explore what happens after a grant is awarded, including managing funded projects, documenting and communicating outcomes, and sustaining initiatives and partnerships over time.
This course is part of a two-course certification series, Finding Money for Your School Library When There Isn’t Any . You may register for each course individually or enroll in the full series and save $75.
This course is fully on-demand. You will have six months to complete the course at your own pace.
ENROLL NOW
Return to Full Course Catalog
AFTER YOU ATTEND THIS COURSE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO:
- Identify and review grant opportunities that match your library’s needs.
- Construct a narrative for a grant application that demonstrates need, impact, and innovation.
- Outline a project plan and associated costs for a grant application.
- Understand post-award grant responsibilities, including documentation and evaluation.
- Effectively communicate the impact of the award to the funder and the school community.
- Explain strategies for sustaining relationships and projects after grant funding ends.
THIS COURSE CONSISTS OF 3 ON-DEMAND MODULES:
Module 1: Finding the Right Grant
In this module, you’ll be introduced to grant funding available to school libraries. You’ll learn what kinds of grants exist, where to look for them, and how to recognize opportunities that match your goals. You'll dig into funder expectations and basic eligibility requirements, so you can identify grants that are worth your time and effort.
Module 2: Writing a Competitive Grant Application
A successful grant application starts with a clear need and a well-structured idea. This module guides you through the core elements of a proposal: defining the need, framing your story, identifying partners, and outlining project plans and costs. You’ll learn how to tailor your ideas to fit funder priorities and use generative AI tools to refine your ideas, turning it into a competitive application.
Module 3: Managing a Funded Project
Receiving a grant is just the beginning. This module focuses on what comes next: implementing your project, tracking progress, and documenting outcomes. You’ll learn strategies to communicate the impact of your project with funders and the school community. You’ll finish with a better understanding of how to manage a grant, and sustain funded projects and relationships.
COURSE INSTRUCTOR
Katy Black, MLIS, Librarian, Sheldon ISD
Katy Black is the School Librarian at Michael R. Null Middle School in Sheldon ISD. In her sixth year as a school librarian, she has secured more than $5,000 in grant funding to expand her library’s impact through initiatives such as a student language lab, a campus-wide Comic-Con, and the addition of a library pet. A frequent presenter at professional conferences on innovative programming, Katy is committed to helping others bridge budget gaps through creative, student-centered resource development.
WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE
This course is for K-12 school librarians and educators.
THIS WILL BE A SELF-PACED, ASYNCHRONOUS COURSE.
EXPECTED TIME COMMITMENT
This course includes 3 modules, each designed to take approximately 4 hours to complete. You can move through the content at your own pace and on your own schedule. You'll earn 12 hours of PD credit and a School Library Journal certificate of completion.
ON-DEMAND ACCESS
You'll have access to all course materials for six months.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Complete the course and earn 12 professional development credit hours. We provide a certificate that is emailed to you.
ACCESSIBILITY
All video recordings feature auto captioning. Please email course-support@libraryjournal.com upon registration if you require any special accommodations and we will make our best efforts to facilitate them.
SUPPORT
For support with online courses, please contact course-support@libraryjournal.com .
DISCOUNTED RATES ARE AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY
Secure your tickets now to lock in the best price!
| Rate | Early Bird | Standard |
| Deadline |
April 6, 2026 |
May 6, 2026 |
| Ticket Price |
$225 |
$269 |
GROUP RATES
We offer discounts for groups of 3 or more.
For larger groups of 15 or more, we offer the option to apply group rates across multiple courses to receive significant discounts. For more information, select Bulk Course Credits Packages in the form below.
Request Discounted Group Pricing
For support with group purchases, please contact groupsales@libraryjournal.com .
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