Apply for SCHOLARSHIPS and Grants

Thanks to your generosity, MLA is able to provide multiple opportunities for financial aid to its members. All scholarships and grants provided by MLA are entirely donor-supported. Learn more about funds and donations.

MLA Educational Scholarship Fund

The MLA Educational Scholarship Fund will be geared toward the continued professional development of individual library workers who are MLA members and who have an interest in attending any MLA sponsored program and event. This fund will reduce financial barriers and uplift professional development and advance career goals by providing resources to be used for attendance at MLA conferences, workshops, or educational events of applicants’ choosing.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicant must be an individual member of MLA, working in a public, school, academic, tribal, or special library, OR applicant must be an MLA Organizational Library Member applying on behalf of any staff member if that person is an individual member of MLA.
• Applicant must detail the value of the scholarship to their work including how the activity will advance their capacity and/or increase their ability to impact and transform the library profession.

View the MLA Educational Scholarship Fund guidelines.

Applicants belonging to groups historically and currently underrepresented in the library profession are also invited to explore the MLA Future Pathways Grant Program, formerly known as the Equity Fund.

Application Deadlines

submit an application

MLA Future Pathways Grant Program

Through the Future Pathways Grant Program, funded entirely by donations, MLA affirms our commitment to equity, diversity, accessibility and belonging and demonstrates our commitment to empowering underrepresented individuals in the library community. By reducing financial barriers to career advancement, Future Pathways Grants aim to encourage the participation, engagement and leadership of racially and ethnically diverse library workers in the library profession and MLA.

The MLA Future Pathways grants will be used as an individual grant geared toward the professional development of individuals currently underrepresented in the library profession.  This fund will reduce financial barriers and uplift the professional development for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, North African, and Middle Eastern individuals by providing resources to be used for memberships, attendance at workshops, educational events or conferences of applicants’ choosing, or for other purposes that they believe increase their ability to impact and transform the library profession.

MLA affirms its commitment to diversity and inclusion by seeking the broadest participation of racially and ethnically diverse librarians and library support staff who provide leadership in the transformation of libraries and library services.

For complete eligibility requirements, restrictions, and selection criteria, see the Future Pathways Guidelines (pdf). Applications will be reviewed twice per year. Deadlines for submission are January 15 and July 15.

Submit completed application packets using the online form below.

Submit an Application

Advocacy Resource Fund

The Advocacy Resource Fund was created to educate and to oppose any current or future legislation, regulations, or executive orders that infringe upon first amendment rights and intellectual freedom. Funds may be allocated or requested by MLA members to provide training for library or school board members and staff on strengthening collection development/diversity and inclusion/other internal policies.  Advocacy Resource Funds may also provide funding in response to challenges to intellectual freedom, provide for trauma therapy for library staff, support ongoing communications with legislators, and/or any activity that heightens public awareness of the value and importance of libraries.

View the Advocacy Resource Fund guidelines.

Submit a Request