WRITING A GRANT?
Here is some language on a variety of points you may find useful if you're writing a grant to purchase a Healing Library kit.
If this section is helpful to you we hope you'll consider donating to our project so we can work on our next kit. Thank you!
FROM BONNIE THOMAS, LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER
“As a counselor I’ve seen how community plays a role in people’s ability to endure, and even heal, in the midst of loss, tragedy, and change.
"Libraries are key community entities that can be part of this connecting people with resources and information in times of need in a variety of ways.
"The Healing Library offers an encompassing resource for those looking for more than just a couple books on a topic. I’d love to see The Healing Library find a home in libraries everywhere— it is such a wonderful resource for patrons and communities. It would be a valuable tool for families and community providers.”
ABOUT US
The Healing Library was designed in collaboration between a Children's Librarian, Children's Independent Publishing Advocate, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Library Experience Designer & Coordinator.
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL)
Check out the fabulous work from The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) for a deeper dive into SEL.
“Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.” - CASEL - What Is SEL?
There are 5 Categories of SEL:
Self Management
Self Awareness
Social Awareness
Relationship Skills
Responsible Decision Making
Please read on for specific ways The Healing Library supports the 5 categories of SEL.
SELF MANAGEMENT
“The ability to successfully regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations — effectively managing stress, controlling impulses, and motivating oneself. The ability to set and work toward personal and academic goals.”
Examples of Self Management:
Impulse control
Stress management
Self-discipline
Self-motivation
Goal-setting
Organizational skills
Examples of how a Healing Library Kit can support Self Management:
Recognition of emotions through parent led discussions in topic Discussion Guide and Book Discussion Guides
Creating a channel for communication with parents or other safe adults through Discussion Guides
Experiences for coping provided in Activities Guide
SELF AWARENESS
“The ability to accurately recognize one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior. The ability to accurately assess one’s strengths and limitations, with a well-grounded sense of confidence, optimism, and a “growth mindset.”
- Examples of Self Awareness:
Identifying emotions
Accurate self-perception
Recognizing strengths
Self-confidence
Self-efficacy
Examples of how a Healing Library Kit can support Self Awareness:
Emotional identification/recognition through parent led discussions using the topic Discussion Guide and Book Discussion Guides
Recognition of effective activities to reduce stress through Activities Guide
Opportunities for self reflection while sharing Picture Books on a deeper level with parents
SOCIAL AWARENESS
"The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures. The ability to understand social and ethical norms for behavior and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.”
Examples of Social Awareness:
Perspective-taking
Empathy
Appreciating diversity
Respect for others
Examples of how a Healing Library Kit can support Social Awareness:
Recognition of experiences and how they relate to others through curated selection of Picture Books and parent guided Discussions
Awareness of safe adults for children reviewed in parent led Discussions, Community Helpers Guide
Opportunities to show thanks and kindness to a variety of others in Acts of Kindness Guide
RELATIONSHIP SKILLS
“The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. The ability to communicate clearly, listen well, cooperate with others, resist inappropriate social pressure, negotiate conflict constructively, and seek and offer help when needed.”
Examples of Relationship Skills:
Communication
Social engagement
Relationship-building
Teamwork
Examples of how a Healing Library Kit can support Relationship Skills:
New emotional territory and language created safely for families through all parts of the kit
Potential network of safe adults for children reviewed in Discussion Guides, Picture Book Discussion Guides, Community Helpers
Opportunity to show kindness and give back to greater community discussed in Acts of Kindness Guide
RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING
“The ability to make constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on ethical standards, safety concerns, and social norms. The realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and a consideration of the well-being of oneself and others.”
Examples of Responsible Decision Making:
Identifying problems
Analyzing situations
Solving problems
Evaluating
Reflecting
Ethical responsibility
Examples of how a Healing Library Kit can support Responsible Decision Making:
Families are encouraged to keep all handouts to revisit
Community Helpers Guide focuses on local support systems to build a network of healers after kit is returned
Acts of Kindness Guide encourages ways for a family to become involved with their network of caregivers during their period of trauma in meaningful ways
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Consider answering the following questions in your grant application:
How will the addition of The Healing Library benefit your community?
Can you find a way to measure and report this impact so you can share it in your grant's final report?
What partner organizations would like to include their information in The Healing Library's Community Resources Guide?
Are there additional ways to involve those organizations in the launch or continued promotion of The Healing Library?
Who is the target audience for your Healing Library kit/s?
How will you let this audience know you are circulating your Healing Library kit/s?
Has there been a traumatic event in your community with which circulating a Healing Library kit would assist?
In what other ways is your library assisting with the social/emotional health of your community?
How would your Healing Library kit/s compliment these efforts?
If this is your first foray into assisting with the social/emotional health of your community, why is The Healing Library your best way to begin?
POTENTIAL GRANT SOURCES
If staff time can't be dedicated to assemble your own Healing Library kit or funding is an issue consider writing a grant to obtain a kit!
We've found a few grant resources you might consider writing to obtain a kit. Read on for pages of grants to review and specific grants that would work to obtain a Healing Library kit or kits.
PAGES:
State Library Associations - Contacting your regional or state library association for assistance nailing down appropriate grants can be a huge help. They'll have the info on what's coming up, what may have worked for others in the past, and other sources you may not have considered beyond the library bubble.
The Rural Health Information Hub - This site has a ton of upcoming grants linked and is searchable by type, topic, sponsor, and geography!
American Library Association Grants Page - A great resource for multiple types of grants!
Junior Library Guild Grants Page - Helpful info on grants by location, and serving unique topics like disaster relief, and creative expansion of collections.
SPECIFIC GRANTS:
Beyond Words: The Dollar General school library relief fund - This opportunity will benefit a school library program that's been affected by a disaster to replace or supplement books, media, and/or library equipment in the school library setting.
The Raskob Foundation for Catholic Activities -
These worldwide grants tend to take interest in projects in which self-help and local support are demonstrated.
Texas Book Festival Grant - This grant supports collection enhancement for Texas public libraries. Funding enables libraries to share the diversity and breadth of literature with their entire communities.
GRANTS THAT STAND OUT
When it comes to grant writing we've got three simple tips to make your grant stand out!
First, show you're already successful.
Have you run a program related to your grant application that was successful? Include your stats or quotes from participants!
Has the area of your collection related to your project been circulating successfully? Share that info on your application and show a community need you're prepared to address!
Second, show community support.
Reach out to all those additional agencies you've considered including in the Community Helpers section of the grant. Will they write you a letter of support to show the value they see in your library lending kits? Will they offer additional funding for a launch event if you get the grant? Will they promote your kits in their own physical spaces, online platforms, or through mailings? All are powerful ways to show your community believes in the kits!
Third, make a splash!
After you get your grant you can certainly add the funding agency's logo to your materials but why not throw a launch event to celebrate the grant and the kits!
Host a Community Wellness Fair and invite those agencies that you showed support from to come and lead an art therapy activity at their booth! Invite local artists to teach a workshop you can anchor in Social Emotional Wellness! And think creatively! Maybe musicians, graffiti artists, museum curators, dancers, poets, upcyclers, or chefs are the right fit for this event which will be unique to your special community!