Partner with Us
Teen Service librarians, nonprofit folks, artists, creators, writers, and others are invited to contact us and share your ideas. Our primary focus is in supporting programs and spaces in public libraries in under-resourced Massachusetts and neighboring New England communities. We offer support for libraries in other communities if they are designed to reach groups not traditionally served by the library, including youth in hospitals, shelters, and DYS facilities.
A Streamlined Process
LITT offers a streamlined application and grant review process. You have an idea, you’re passionate about it, and it resonates with the teens in your community. There is no formal grant cycle, so you can connect with us and apply for LITT support at any time of year.
LITT also makes it easy to return, either to renew an existing program or try something new. We look for opportunities to forge ongoing partnerships with libraries and share and recommend ideas and programming among grantees.
What we support
LITT supports programs that are relevant to teens’ lives, whether “passive” drop in activities or “active” in person and virtual meetups and events. Our grants may cover fees for indie artists, creators, authors, coders, social workers, educators, and other local professionals or nonprofits to bring their programs to teens at the library in person and virtually. We also include support for materials, books, T-shirts, food and snacks, stipends for teen leaders, interns, or peer mentors, and furniture and room enhancements that make a teen space comfortable and welcoming.
…a word about food
We often hear from librarians that food is a key ingredient to a program’s success! If teens show up for the pizza, tacos, or Lo Mein, they often stay to engage in the programs. This is especially true in our library communities where many teens are food insecure at home.
…and stipends for teen leaders
Our grants also cover stipends for teen leaders or interns who are tasked with outreach, planning and helping to run meetings or events—or mentoring peers, children, and seniors. We think it’s a great way to give teens agency and build job skills. It also opens doors to participation for those who need to earn money during non-school hours.
Funding for LITT
LITT is funded by a donor-advised fund hosted at The Boston Foundation, one of the largest nonprofit community foundations in the country. In practice, what this means is that we recommend and make grants independently, while TBF staff process and distribute the funds. Our partner librarians typically request between $1,500 to $15,000 per project, but there is no fixed grant amount. Irregardless of size, a LITT grant is meant to supplement—and not displace— a library’s regular teen services budget.
Only 501(c)3 charitable organizations are eligible to receive a LITT grant. This includes Friends of the Library groups and Library Foundations. LITT cannot make a grant to an individual, a for profit entity, or school/school library.
Library grants to promote literacy, democracy, equity
Teen and youth development is at the core of LITT’s mission, but as our communities face uncertain times, we have broadened our support beyond teen services. Does your library initiative promote literacy (including digital/media, financial, and health literacy), access, and equity in your community? Let us know about it.