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Board pursues grants and Friends' support to fund proposed makerspace
Summary
Board member Jay and the director said the library will target regional funders such as the Oregon Community Foundation and ask the Friends of the Library (a 501(c)(3)) to assist with applications and passing awarded grants to the library.
Board member Jay updated the board on efforts to fund a proposed makerspace, reporting searches on GrantWatch and identifying the Oregon Community Foundation as a promising funder with grant awards typically ranging from about $3,000 to $50,000. Jay said the foundation is updating its portal for 2025 and recommended preparing applications once the portal reopens.
The director noted the Friends of the Library have 501(c)(3) status and can receive grants the city cannot, and said the Friends are willing to collaborate on fundraising and proposals. "Because they have a 5 0 1 c 3 designation, they can receive grants that the city can't," the director said, adding Friends could either help write proposals or accept awards and pass funds to the library.
Jay said the board plans to meet every two weeks to work faster on grant applications and emphasized that competitive regional foundations are geographically focused; he urged the board to consider grant timelines (three to nine months) when planning. No specific grant was awarded at the meeting; next steps include coordinating with the Friends and starting targeted pre-applications.
