The Pilcrow Foundation: Children's Book Project

The mission of the Pilcrow Foundation is to provide new, quality hardcover children’s books to rural public libraries across the United States.

The Foundation's Children’s Book Project grants support libraries located in a rural area within the 50 United States that have a limited operating budget and an active children’s department.

Through the program, a library's local sponsors can contribute from $200 to $400, which the Foundation matches on a 2-to-1 ratio. Thus, a library can receive up to $1,200 worth of new, quality hardcover children's books.

The Foundation provides a list of over 500 quality hardcover children’s books from which Children’s Book Project grant recipients can select books best suited for their community. The book list includes award-winning and star-reviewed titles from educational and literary organizations.

The Foundation accepts applications from independent rural public libraries and Native American Tribal libraries as well as libraries that are part of a county, regional, or cooperative system. A branch library may apply if it serves a rural community. Applications are accepted from school libraries only if they also serve as the community’s public library.

The Foundation does not offer grants to libraries outside of the 50 United States, libraries in urban or metropolitan areas, or libraries with substantial operating budgets.

Note: The Foundation also offers a limited number of special non-matching grants to libraries serving rural communities in the United States affected by recent tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, or other natural disasters. Libraries can select $800 worth of new, quality hardcover children’s books from the Foundation’s booklist. Locally sponsored matching funds are not required for the disaster relief grants.

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