Funding for assistive technology — Where should libraries look?

In our last post, we explored how libraries can improve accessibility for blind and visually impaired patrons. Today, we’re going to address one of the biggest so-called barriers to accessibility: finances.  We’d like to share a few fundraising ideas from an accessibility guidebook created by the Perkins School for the Blind and the Brooks Free Library. (Note: while this article focuses mainly on libraries in Massachusetts, the ideas can be generalized to other geographical areas.)

1) Funding for assistive technology: start with donations

Approach individuals, businesses, and service organizations such as the local Lions Club about contributing to your library’s assistive technology fund. The Brooks Free Library in Harwich saw success with this approach, which helped launch their VITAL program, now in its 17th year. Every penny helps, and by engaging local organizations in your fundraising, you are also building community.

2) Disability commissions

Established by town meeting or city council vote, municipal Commissions on Disability (CODs) “promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life” (see https://www.mass.gov/commissions-on-disability). Check with the leadership of your city or town to see if there is a disability commission with funds that may be used toward the purchase of assistive technology for your library. If your city or town does not have a disability commission, you can establish one by following guidelines from the Massachusetts Office on Disability.

3) Grants

Explore local, state and federal grants such as the Massachusetts Library Services and Technology Act’s “Access for All” grant.  Here are some key details on this grant:

• Grants range from $7,500-$15,000 which may be used for training, assistive tech, equipment and staffing. All types of libraries may apply.
• Duration: 1 or 2 years
• Information about the Library Services Technology Act’s grant rounds and a schedule for the submission of grants can be found online: http://mblc.state.ma.us/grants/lsta/opportunities/index.php
• Or, for more information about this program, contact Shelley Quezada at the MBLC: 1-800-952-7403 x235 or [email protected].

To learn more about the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) in other states, visit the Grants to States page on the Institute of Museum and Library Services website.

COVID-19 Response Funding

The American Rescue Plan Act

**March 2021 Update:**

On March 11, 2021, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law.  Of this funding package, $200 million was allocated to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), with individual state allocations starting at $2 million.  For more details, please see the IMLS website and our recent article on making accessibility a reality for the visually impaired.

The CARES Act

On March 27, 2020, the Institute of Museum and Library Services announced that the CARES Act was signed into law, designating $50 million in federal coronavirus response funding for IMLS.  The application deadline for IMLS Cares Act Grants for Museums and Libraries has now passed.  If your library was among those awarded, we encourage you to share in the comments how you plan to use the funds, especially if you will be purchasing technology or otherwise using funding to enhance accessibility at your institution.

Nonprofit libraries

The CARES Act also contains a number of provisions for 501(c)3s that can be used by nonprofit libraries. Registered 501(c)3 organizations are potentially eligible for financial help through Small Business Administration programs instituted in the CARES Act.  While many of these programs are intended for payroll protection and operating costs, nonprofit libraries would be wise to research what funding may be available for improving access to all members of the community during the current health crisis.  Currently, applications are still being accepted on the SBA website.

Funding for assistive technology: summary

Through donations, disability commissions, and grants — or perhaps through a combination of these and other funding sources — it is absolutely possible to finance the purchase of essential assistive technology equipment for members of your community with vision loss.  P.S. When it comes time to purchase, be sure to double-check any available warranties and maintenance agreements which could help save costs down the line.

Adapted from the Perkins School for the Blind and the Brooks Free Library’s “Planning for Library Accessibility” guidebook, with additional sources hyperlinked above.

Author Information

By AdaptiVision staff. Reviewed by Stuart Flom.

A lighting industry specialist, Stu Flom worked at Dolan-Jenner, a leader in fiberoptic lighting, for 15 years before launching his own company in 1994. As product manager, Stu helped find lighting solutions for clients in such diverse areas as photography, microscopy, robotics and automotive manufacturing. He was also involved in supplying the fiberoptics illuminating the Hope Diamond exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. A member of the International Society for Optics & Photonics (SPIE), Stu was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and is the author of several publications, including Integrating Optical Fibers in Machine Vision (Proceedings), Designing Fiber Optic Lighting for Machine Vision (Society of Manufacturing Engineers), and Light Up with Fiber Optics (Vision). Prior to his work in lighting, Stu was a special education teacher. Stu’s expertise in lighting and background in education form the backbone of his company. As AdaptiVision’s founder and president, Stu is dedicated to applying advanced lighting technology to assist people struggling with low vision, teaching them how to use technology to achieve greater independence.