During the last week notices were sent concerning grant money that is available for libraries and other community facilities through the USDA’s Rural Development Community Facilities Grant Program. After meeting with local USDA Business and Community Programs Directors, the Colorado State Library would like to share some information with you concerning this opportunity.
Download a PDF of this information
- This money is being offered through ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act).
- The funds will help rural communities up to 20,000 in population to improve their community facilities (including libraries), enhance educational opportunities, and improve economic conditions. Specifically, eligible purposes include:
- Construct, enlarge, extend, or improve essential community facilities
- Obtain necessary equipment for the operation of these facilities
- Reasonable fees such as engineering, legal, administrative environmental analysis, surveys, and planning
- Cost of acquiring interest in land; rights, such as water rights, leases, permits, and rights-of-way Continue reading ‘ARRA Grant Money Available for Rural Libraries’
Last week I visited Carol Lee Dugan, Library Director, at the Monte Vista Carnegie library. We were talking about the broadband initiative. Here is what is happening in her town.
Carol was approached by her local telecom company to see if the library would be interested in loaning out video cameras. The company wanted to insert this collaborative piece into their grant proposal.
Carol is also in discussion with a renewable energy company who wants to install a thermal pump heating system at their new branch in South Fork. Tax credits may be available for investing in renewable energy. Can anyone else add to this discussion about the advantages of using tax credits? Of course the library will have to pick up part of the funds to install, but in the long run it could prove a good long term solution to rising energy prices. Finally…
Continue reading ‘ARRA talk in rural Colorado’
Yesterday in my travels around southeast Colorado, I found a jewel of a library. It is nestled snugly in the heart of downtown Aguilar (pop. 593). What makes this library sparkle is Cindy Gongaware, the library director. Cindy had exciting news to report. Her involvement in a Rural USDA grant netted five flat screen computers and five laptops. “The library really picked up after that”, reports Cindy. Her partnership with town officials and her community is what keeps this library alive and vibrant. The city provides housing for the library and all its amenities, while the community generously donates its new/used books for the collection. It’s a wonderful symbiotic – almost love relationship. Happy Valentines Day, everyone!
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