Library of Congress Announces Application Development Grant Opportunity

WASHINGTON, DC — The Library of Congress has announced that up to $950,000 will be provided to one or more grantees to support the development of engaging web- and mobile-based applications on the subjects of Congress and civic participation, for use in the classroom.

The Library seeks to identify one or more organizations that can work with its Teaching With Primary Sources (TPS) program develop online interactives and mobile apps on Congress and civic participation, designed for use in K-12 education. The selected partners will be expected to use and incorporate not only the Library’s online primary sources, but also the many other resources available online from the Library of Congress.

Those eligible to apply include public, private, not-for profit and for-profit organizations, including institutions of higher education, colleges, universities, cultural institutions, other educational organizations, and collaborative partnerships (such as an organization with content expertise paired with an organization possessing technological expertise), states, public or private agencies (including for-profit agencies), and Native American tribes and tribal organizations.

Applicants should demonstrate a record of success in the development and implementation of curricular programs on Congress and civic participation, and/or the development and long-term maintenance of successful online interactives or mobile apps for classroom use.

The total amount of funding available is $950,000. There is no minimum award amount. Individual funding levels will depend on the content and quality of applications and the number of applications received. The grants will support program activities for 24 months, from October 2015 through September 2017.

The application deadline is May 31, 2015. For more information, application requirements, and selection criteria, see the “Notice of Funds Availability” at www.loc.gov/teachers.

For nearly a decade, the Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) program has provided extensive professional development opportunities for educators and enabled the development and dissemination of teaching materials focused on using the Library’s digitized primary sources. In its fiscal 2015 appropriation, Congress allocated additional funds to the TPS program to increase competitive opportunities for developing online interactives and apps for classroom use on Congress and civic participation.

The Library of Congress, the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution, is the world’s preeminent reservoir of knowledge, providing unparalleled integrated resources to Congress and the American people. Many of the Library’s resources and treasures may also be accessed through the Library’s website at www.loc.gov and its specialized educational resource site at www.loc.gov/teachers.

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