Carnegie Corporation Grant Supports Libraries in Need

The Carnegie Corporation of New York approved 57 grants totaling more than $38.4 million at its quarterly meeting on December 11. Grantees were announced to the public on December 17 and include the Seattle-based Association for Rural and Small Libraries.

The Carnegie Corporation promised ARSL a “24-month grant of $2,000,000 for project support to strengthen broadband access and digital literacy in rural communities by providing direct support to Carnegie rural libraries.” 

Kate Laughlin, executive director of ARSL, told PW in an email that “we are over the moon with this news” and said the “transformative” value of CCNY’s pledge “cannot be overstated.”

“Basic and digital literacy competence contributes to improved health outcomes, increased community engagement, and greater ability for adults to support the future education of generations to come,” Laughlin said. “By focusing our efforts on literacy and digital inclusion, libraries can empower adults to fully participate in society, which promotes a healthy democracy.” She noted that CCNY’s philanthropy is “directly addressing a pressing need across our nation.”

Grants were announced in the international and national sectors, and many programs focus on news and media literacy and education. Recipients include the Mediators Foundation in Boulder, Colo.; National Association for Media Literacy Education in Albany, N.Y.; and the News Literacy Project in Washington, D.C. The Carnegie Corporation also awarded a two-year, $2 million grant to the Girl Scouts of America, “to advance civic engagement and democracy education through hands-on, experiential learning opportunities.”