Program Update: Minnesota Good Neighbor Grant

Libraries are uniquely responsive community hubs. Within their public service mission, they have flexibility to adopt or adapt priorities to match real-time needs. In practice, of course, any library’s ability to do good is constrained by resource limitations…

That’s where Friends of the Library can swoop in and make a critical difference. And as of today, 16 groups from across the state have applied for a Minnesota Good Neighbor Grant through MALF in order to do exactly this!

Let’s highlight just a few:

Friends of the Two Harbors Library:
Two Harbors Public Library maintains a robust outreach program, ensuring that the homebound and other residents who cannot visit the brick-and-mortar library on Waterfront Drive still benefit from its resources. Many libraries coordinate such a program. However, Two Harbors stands apart in two important respects. First, their outreach service is staffed entirely by the Friends of the Library. Second, this community is aging faster than the state average (with a full 60% projected to be aged 65+ by 2030). The Friends sought and received a grant from MALF to augment their strained large print collection acquisition budget.

Detroit Lakes Public Library Foundation:
Detroit Lakes is the proud home of a new Book Bike: an electric-assist bicycle and custom cart that has fast become a staple at Becker County community events. Staff can do much from this versatile vehicle, including issue new library cards and even coordinate craft projects. The Book Bike is also the perfect vehicle (pun intended) to keep kids reading during the summer months. The Foundation received a Good Neighbor Grant earmarked for the bulk purchase of books for Bike giveaways between Memorial Day and Labor Day. As their youth services librarian noted, “The best way to encourage kids to get involved with their library is to give them a book of their very own right at the start.”

Friends of the Rochester Public Library:
Last year, the Friends in Rochester launched a “Friend to Friend” program in partnership with Social Services of Olmsted County. As one facet of that program, the Friends procure age- and language-appropriate books for area social workers to gift to their young clients – children who are, in general, unlikely to have a diverse home library or ready access to bilingual and culturally relevant books. During the program’s pilot phase, organizers pinpointed particularly strong needs for English/Spanish and English/Somali titles. The Friends will use a grant to expand their inventory and ensure that social workers can continue to provide no-cost books during home and office visits.
 
Worried you missed the boat on this exciting, members-only grant program? Good news: MALF is officially extending the deadline to apply for a Minnesota Good Neighbor Grant. You now have until Sunday, May 31 to pitch your solution to a pressing library and community need.

Applications must be submitted online via Google Forms. 

Disclaimers: Monetary awards are capped at $1,000 per organization. Applying does not guarantee a grant will be approved. Funds allocated must be spent only on agreed-upon purchases and dispensed no later than August 31, 2026.