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School Library Revitalization Grants

School libraries play a critical role in the health and success of the school community. High-quality school libraries not only help students read more, but also increase academic performance by helping them to use and process information more effectively, and to develop and strengthen critical thinking skills.

In 2023, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) is providing small grants to rural K-12 school districts to help revitalize and diversify school library collections, modernize furnishings, and support professional development of library staff, all toward the goal of improving student achievement.

Eligibility and Award Amounts

Oregon school districts eligible in either of the federal categories for Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) or Rural Low-Income School (RLIS) are eligible for the grant.  See this list of eligible school districts to see if yours was eligible for this grant in FY22.  See this list of eligible districts in the FY23 round of funding.

Each grant is up to $10,000, with districts able to request less than the full $10,000, according to their needs. Districts indicate in their spending plan how much of the grant award they intend to accept. 

Grant Details

Please see this grant announcement for full details of reporting and spending guidelines.

Timeline and Reporting Process

* To ensure clear communications, email contact from the district to ODE should come from the district's designated grant manager for this grant or should copy that grant manager.  The manager for this grant is the person who received the executed grant contract.  

School Library Revitalization Grant - FY22-23 Funding Cycle

Steps for recipients to take to ensure timely reimbursement and accurate documentation: 

1) Submit interest form 

2) Return signed grant agreement to ODE – completed in April 2023

3) Submit spending plan to Tina Roberts at Tina.Roberts@ode.oregon.gov by June 12, 2023 

  • A template for your spending plan is available.  This spreadsheet will automatically indicate how your expense categories fit within the allowable percentages. Please complete the second tab in the spreadsheet, which asks you to list up to 25 titles that will be purchased to fulfill the equity, diversity and inclusion goals of the grant.     
  • If you have already submitted your plan and just need to add a list of book titles to meet the EDI objectives of the grant, you can use this sheet, or just email a book list to Tina.Roberts@ode.oregon.gov   

4) Once you have received email confirmation that your spending plan has been approved by ODE, make purchases on allowable items 

  • A list of allowable items is found in the grant announcement.   
  • Please note that purchases must be for school libraries, not classroom or educator libraries. Also note that expenses cannot include construction costs.   

5) To receive reimbursement for your expenses: 

  • Submit request for reimbursement through ODE's Electronic Grant Management System (EGMS)
  • Please note that EGMS will be shut down to external users July 24-August 4, 2023, for end-of-fiscal-year claim processing and rollover of continuing funding into the next biennium’s indexes. This means no claims can be submitted and only the claims submitted by July 23 will be paid during this timeframe. 

6) Spend all funds by June 30, 2024. 

7) Submit a final report to ODE by June 30, 2024.   


School Library Revitalization Grant - FY23 Funding Cycle

Steps for recipients to take to ensure timely reimbursement and accurate documentation: 

1) Indicate interest in the grant by replying to the email announcement from Tina.Roberts@ode.oregon.gov by September 15, 2023

2) Return signed grant agreement and spending plan to Tina Roberts at Tina.Roberts@ode.oregon.gov by October 15, 2023 

  • A template for your spending plan is available.  This spreadsheet will automatically indicate how your expense categories fit within the allowable percentages. Please complete the second tab in the spreadsheet, which asks you to list up to 25 titles that will be purchased to fulfill the equity, diversity and inclusion goals of the grant.     

4) Once you have received email confirmation that your spending plan has been approved by ODE, make purchases on allowable items 

  • A list of allowable items is found in the grant announcement.   
  • Please note that purchases must be for school libraries, not classroom or educator libraries. Also note that expenses cannot include construction costs.   

5) To receive reimbursement for your expenses: 

  • Submit request for reimbursement through ODE's Electronic Grant Management System (EGMS)

6) Spend all funds by June 30, 2024. 

7) Submit a final report to ODE by June 30, 2024.   

At any step along the way, please reach out with questions.  Email ODE at Tina.Roberts@ode.oregon.gov.   


For More Information

This project is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) as part of Oregon's ESSER III grant funding, administered through the Oregon Department of Education.  

Email Tina.Roberts@ode.oregon.gov with any questions.




Expanding Diverse Voices on the Page

EDI Resources for School Library Staff, Educators, and Families

Grant purchases must include texts in support of one or more EDI (equity, diversity, inclusion) and/or reading engagement goals or initiatives.  This is flexible, in that it could address ebooks or audiobooks for accessibility, hi-lo books for striving readers, materials in Spanish, popular books that students ask for, books with characters or by authors that reflect the demographics of your student population, or books as windows to cultures that are not heavily represented in your student population. Diverse voices and perspective can allow students to see themselves reflected in text.  In the words of Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, these materials create "mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors" as students read about people similar to and different from themselves.

Book Lists and Educator Resources