Here's the short version
- 17 grants verified. Organized below by deadline urgency.
- 2 due this month. Knight Cities (Apr 30) and NBCU Local Impact (Apr 24).
- Big one: IMLS NLG-L, up to $1M, due ~November 2026. Draft is already written.
- Two tracks: Tredyffrin applies as the library (ready now) or Scout applies as a for-profit (needs Delaware entity first).
- Application templates already exist for the top 5 grants. You're building on existing work, not starting from scratch.
Four Scout-branded HTML drafts, generated April 9, 2026. Each file has a meta card, research citations, an open-questions block, and a full narrative. Open in browser, print-friendly, mobile-friendly.
Community-Centered Implementation track, $100,000 request, anticipated deadline November 13, 2026. Scout’s #1 priority grant. Full narrative with statement of need, project design, budget, capacity, sustainability, and digital products plan.
Draft v0.1
Friends of Tredyffrin Township Libraries as applicant, $40,000 request, Community Engagement category. Deadline April 24, 2026. Philadelphia market (NBC10). Heaviest flag: confirm Friends 501(c)(3) entity, financial thresholds, and prior Comcast funding before submission.
Urgent review
Scout applies directly (for-profits accepted). Philadelphia pilot with Tredyffrin, Free Library of Philadelphia as Year 2 scaling target. $200,000 maximum request. Idea-phase answers drafted at ~80% of likely character limits. Deadline April 30, 2026.
Urgent review
Stage 1 pre-RFP draft. Framed as family literacy and out-of-school learning for caregivers of children ages 0 to 8. $75,000 to $150,000 range. RFP opens June 17, 2026; deadline July 30, 2026. Full rewrite required against published RFP.
Pre-RFP draft
These close in April. Worth a shot even if the application isn't perfect.
Knight Foundation
Due April 30, 2026
Best immediate opportunity. Just relaunched April 1. Philadelphia is one of 26 eligible cities. For-profits can apply (no entity paperwork needed). They want projects that improve local information access -- that's literally what Scout does. Up to $200K, one-year projects.
Scout applies directly
Comcast / NBCUniversal
Due April 24, 2026
Unrestricted money. Philly is an eligible market. Categories include Youth Education and Community Engagement. The catch: nonprofits only, so Tredyffrin would apply. Library must have $100K-$1M in total expenses and no prior big Comcast/NBCU funding.
Tredyffrin applies (501(c)(3) only)
Biggest dollars, strongest fit. Start here after the April deadlines.
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Due ~November 2026
The #1 grant for Scout. IMLS has signaled language technology and conversational discovery as a priority area in recent guidance to the field. The "Community-Centered" track gives $25K-$100K with no cost match required. A full draft application already exists. IMLS survived elimination attempts this year and is funded, but the agency is still a political target, so apply while it's operational.
Tredyffrin applies, Scout is tech partner
IMLS (sub-category of NLG-L)
Due ~November 2026
Smaller, faster version of NLG-L. Specifically for "promising and groundbreaking new tools." You apply through the same NLG-L application and pick the Sparks category. Good for a Scout pilot without the weight of a full NLG-L proposal.
Tredyffrin applies, Scout is tech partner
National Science Foundation
Rolling (portal reopening any day now)
Non-dilutive startup funding. Designed for pre-revenue companies. Phase II goes up to $1M. The SBIR program was paused but Congress just reauthorized it through 2031. NSF should reopen submissions within weeks. There will be a rush, so have a Project Pitch ready. Draft template exists. Requires Delaware entity + SAM.gov.
Scout applies (entity formation required)
PA Office of Commonwealth Libraries
TBD -- no 2026 cycle announced yet
Fastest path to a funded pilot once it opens. Short application, quick turnaround. Federal LSTA money was restored, so the funding is there -- PA just hasn't opened applications yet. Subscribe to The Compendium (compendium.ocl-pa.org) and contact the Bureau of Library Development directly. Draft template exists.
Tredyffrin applies, Scout is tech partner
IMLS
Due ~November 2026
Same deadline as NLG-L, different angle. This one is about training and workforce. Frame it as: training librarians to use conversational discovery tools. You can apply to both NLG-L and Laura Bush in the same cycle.
Tredyffrin applies, Scout is tech partner
No deadline pressure. Good opportunities on a rolling or upcoming cycle.
Echoing Green
Apps open ~Sep/Oct 2026 (3-week window)
Social enterprise fellowship for 2-founder teams. For-profits are eligible. You only repay if your company is valued over $5M or makes $2M+ in profit. Otherwise it's free money. The "two librarians who built the fix from inside" narrative is exactly what they fund. The window is only 3 weeks -- sign up for alerts now.
Scout applies (for-profit eligible)
Ben Franklin Technology Partners
Rolling -- apply anytime
PA's biggest tech development org. Equity investment (not a grant) -- they need dollar-for-dollar matching funds. Chester County is in their territory. EdTech is in scope. They approved $6.5M across 28 companies in 2024 alone. Good option if matching funds are feasible.
Scout applies (for-profit, needs match)
CCCF
Rolling -- decisions monthly
Local, low-friction, and friendly to libraries. Nonprofits only, so Tredyffrin applies. Monthly grant decisions. Email
[email protected]. Also running special "America250" mini-grants in 2026.
Tredyffrin applies
FCC / USAC
Form 470 opens ~July 2026
Not a Scout grant, but huge library savings. 20-40% off internet and all network equipment every year. The FCC just expanded eligible services to include software. If Tredyffrin isn't already filing, start now for FY2027.
Tredyffrin files
Missed the 2026 window on these. Get positioned for next round.
Lyrasis
Next cycle: early 2027
Library tech innovation fund. Past winners include natural-language and conversational tools. Requires Lyrasis membership, so check whether Tredyffrin or CCLS is a member. Contact
[email protected] to talk 2027 concepts early.
Tredyffrin applies (membership required)
William Penn Foundation
Children & Families RFP: Jun 17 -- Jul 30, 2026
Big Philly foundation, RFP-based. No library-tech RFP right now, but the Children & Families RFP (opens June) could work if Scout is framed as educational. They awarded $47.6M in February 2026 alone.
Varies by RFP
UPenn Graduate School of Education
Next cycle: ~January 2027
Top edtech pitch competition. UPenn is local. Live pitch event. $2M+ awarded across all years. We missed the 2026 window (Feb 11). Get on the list for the 18th annual.
Scout applies
National Endowment for the Humanities
Next cycle: ~mid-2026 or Jan 2027
Stable federal program. Library discovery fits if framed around humanities access and information equity. Two deadlines per year.
Tredyffrin or academic partner
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Rolling -- send a Letter of Inquiry anytime
Interested in public knowledge infrastructure. Send a Letter of Inquiry first, then they invite a full proposal. No deadline, but response takes months.
Scout or academic partner
ASU+GSV Summit
Express interest for 2027 now
Premier edtech startup competition. 3,000+ nominations. 2026 Demo Day was April 14. Register interest for the 2027 cohort.
Scout applies
Dollar General
Next cycle: January 2027
Small but simple. Libraries within 15 miles of a Dollar General can apply. Adult/Family grants up to $10K, Youth Literacy up to $5K. Both 2026 windows have closed.
Tredyffrin applies
Federal Funding Context
The current administration tried to eliminate IMLS entirely. A federal court blocked it and Congress funded the agency through FY2026 with a slight increase. But the FY2027 budget proposes elimination again. Bottom line: IMLS is funded and awarding grants right now, but it's not guaranteed long-term.
NSF SBIR was paused for months after authorization lapsed in September 2025. Congress reauthorized it through 2031 in March 2026. The portal should reopen within weeks.
The Dept of Education's IES was gutted (staff dropped from 200 to 31). Their SBIR program is unreliable -- use NSF SBIR instead.
Apply to federal library grants aggressively while they exist. Foundation and corporate grants are more stable.