The State Government of Western Australia provides funding, via the State Library of Western Australia (SLWA), to support public library services in the State. Funds are provided to local governments on an annual basis via grant funding, based on an agreed allocation model. 

Local governments in Tier 2 of the Public Library Services Framework are eligible to apply for an Encouraging Promising Practice grant of up to $5,000 (GST exempt) to fund library projects that address an identified community need and contribute to meeting local priorities. 

A total of $120,000 is available between the Encouraging Promising Practice Grants (Tier 2) and the Technology and Digital Inclusion Grants (Tiers 2 and 3) in the 2024-25 financial year. Applications for the 2024-25 grants will close once all available funds have been awarded, or on 4 April 2025. Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis as they are received. Projects are required to be completed by June 30, 2025. 

Purpose and Objectives 

The Encouraging Promising Practice Grants are designed to enable local governments in Tier 2 to better respond to the priorities of their communities in providing a 21st century public library service. 

The objective of the Encouraging Promising Grants is to:  

·   support projects and prototypes that extend the capacity of small regional public library services to enhance their communities through building literacy, learning and skill development and increasing access to and engagement with library services and materials. 

Encouraging Promising Practice Grant proposals should address priorities identified in your Local Government’s Strategic Community Plan, and, if relevant, library plan/s. 

Local Governments in Tier 2 may submit one (1) Encouraging Promising Practice Grant application annually to a maximum value of $5,000 (GST excluded) per grant. 

The following provides broad funding categories and examples of projects that may be funded under the terms of the Encouraging Promising Practice Grant. 

Customer Experience 

New services or changes to existing services that improve access to the library (services and materials) for the community, e.g. outreach services such as a home delivery service or school membership drive, outreach services targeting non-library users, etc. 

Furniture and equipment for a new or existing space/service, e.g. youth space, library of things (musical instruments cooking appliances, seed library, etc.). 

Pop-up library at an event or shopping area to promote library membership and services. 

Online library services such as podcasts, Story Time sessions, gaming tournaments, etc. 

Life-Long Learning 

Civic and community engagement programs, e.g. activities to engage people with local government decision making; immigration and citizenship activities, etc. 

Information literacy activities that help people of any age to find, analyse and use information effectively, e.g. workshop to identify ‘fake news’, etc. 

Activities that promote health and wellbeing activities, e.g. healthy aging programs, wellness classes; sustainability workshops, etc. 

Projects that support early literacy and the Better Beginnings Program including school readiness programs to support families in reading, talking, singing, writing and playing with their young children, e.g. play, story and rhyme programs. 

Reading activities that encourage children and young adults to build, retain and enhance their reading skills and develop a love of books and reading, e.g. book clubs, summer reading programs, etc. 

Programs that increase adults’ confidence and enjoyment of reading, e.g. book clubs, reading groups, adult literacy programs, writers’ workshops, etc. 

STEM programs to provide children and teens with hands-on experience, e.g. coding AI, robotics, forensics, etc. 

Community, Culture and Heritage 

Projects that enable local communities to participate in experiences that promote inclusivity, cohesion and celebrate cultural diversity and heritage, e.g. community or cultural memory projects such as digital storytelling, oral history programs, reminiscence groups, etc. 

Digitisation of local history materials. 

Economic Development 

Programs and services that assist in workforce participation and development, e.g. upgrading job skills, job seeker programs, business planning workshops, career fairs, etc. 

Note: Infrastructure (building) works, on-going operational costs, staff salaries and administrative costs, and the purchase of library materials for the general library collection are not eligible for funding. Projects and programs or services unrelated to the local government’s public library service are not eligible for funding.   

Applications for Encouraging Promising Practice funding will be assessed by the Director: Library Services. The Director: Library Services may call upon further subject expertise according to the nature of the application. Applicants may be asked to provide further information regarding the project if this is required to fairly assess the proposal. 

Applications will be assessed on the following criteria: 

What will the project look like? Applications should identify and/or demonstrate: 

· What the Grant funding will be used for. 

· Details of the project and what, specifically will be delivered. 

· What library services will change as a result of the project. 

· Why is the project required? 

Applications should demonstrate: 

· Alignment with priorities identified in the Local Government’s Strategic Community Plan, and, if relevant, library plan/s. 

· Ability of the project to fulfill the goals of the Encouraging Promising Practice grant 

· The value and the relevance of the project/activity to meeting the needs of the community. 

Who will benefit from and take part in the project? 

Applications must demonstrate a benefit to the local community and should identify: 

· The target audience for the project. 

· The benefits and outcomes that the project will deliver to the target audience. 

· Any groups or agencies that will collaborate/partner in delivering the project. 

How will the project be delivered? 

Applications must demonstrate: 

· The feasibility of delivering the project within the budget, resources and timeframe identified in the application.

· Value for money – whether the project is sustainable and provides value for the funding invested. 

Assessment will be based on the information provided in the local government’s application, including supporting material, e.g. project plan, confirmation of funding/support from other organisations, etc. SLWA reserves the right to negotiate with applicants in relation to project scope, budget items and costings. 

At the completion of the project, Encouraging Promising Practice Grant applicants will be required to submit a Grant Acquittal. The acquittals will not be considered complete until SLWA confirms that all required information has been received. Acquittals must be received by SLWA by 31 July 2025.

TRAVEL GRANTS

Supporting professional development in regional and remote WA 

The State Library of Western Australia (SLWA) provides travel grants to staff in local governments in regional and remote public libraries to support their professional development. These grants provide public library staff located in regional and remote WA with the opportunity to attend professional development opportunities in both metropolitan and regional WA by assisting with travel and accommodation costs. Library staff interested in attending a professional development event who would like to be considered for a travel grant, should express interest in receiving funding and provide the following information: 

· Estimate of transport costs 

· Estimate of accommodation costs 

· Statement outlining the benefits of attendance Priority will be given to applicants who have not recently been funded to attend a professional development event. 

Principles: 

· Funding will be provided, based on actual costs of travel according to distance from the professional development event.  Final payment will be made for approved costs, or the actual costs should this be less than the approved cost. 

· Funding for accommodation will be allocated based on the actual cost of accommodation. State Government travel guidelines require travel to be completed at an economical rate and will be used as a guide to reasonableness. Final payment will be made for approved costs, or the actual costs should this be less than the approved cost. 

· Funding for flights will be allocated based on costs incurred for flights from the nearest centre. Final payment will be made for approved costs, or the actual costs should this be less than the approved cost. · Funding for flights will only be available for centres located further than 400 kilometres from Perth, or by agreement on a case-by-case basis. 

· Funding for travel by car will be calculated at the rate of 85c per kilometre (based on current ATO rates). 

· Funding for taxi fares from the airport to accommodation and return will be allocated based on costs incurred. Final payment will be made for approved costs, or the actual costs should this be less than the approved cost. 

· Taxi travel must be in a registered taxi. Payment will not be paid for travel in ride-sharing services such as Uber or any other vehicles for hire that do not hold taxi licences. 

· Applications will be considered on an equitable basis state-wide. · All other costs associated with attendance at the professional development event, including any registration fee, meals and sundry costs, must be met from alternative funding sources e.g., Local Government, Community Resource Centre, etc. 

· Funding is not guaranteed and is dependent upon assessment and demand. 

· Dependent on demand, applicants may be offered partial funding of travel and/or accommodation costs. · Funding will be paid after the professional development event, following submission of a detailed invoice for reimbursement. ·  Travel Grant funding does not include GST. 

· Travel Grant funds will be paid to the applicant Local Government. 

· Attendance by library staff who have not previously attended professional development events will be prioritised. 

Assessment Process 

All applications will be assessed by the Director: Library Services. Total travel grants awarded will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. All applications will be considered which include, as a minimum, the following: 

· Estimated budget breakdown for travel expenses 

· Previously awarded travel grants 

· How your attendance will benefit your library service. 

Travel Arrangements 

· Successful applicants are required to book their own travel arrangements, based on the estimates approved and as soon as possible after receiving confirmation that all or part of the travel and accommodation expenses will be met by State Library. 

· SLWA will not be liable for any cost changes between the application and the time of booking. 

Grant acquittal 

· Successful Travel Grant applicants will be required to submit an acquittal and include copies of paid invoices following attendance at the nominated event. A Purchase Order Number will then be provided together with a request for a Tax Invoice for payment. 

· Final payment will be made for the approved cost or actual cost should this be less than the approved cost. 

Payment 

The travel grant will be paid following: 

1. Attendance at the nominated event 

2. Receipt of the completed acquittal form together with copies of paid invoices (A purchase order number will then be provided by SLWA) 

3. Receipt of a Tax Invoice from the Local Government for the final approved funding amount by State Library. 

PDConnect GRANTS

Supporting professional development in regional and remote WA 

The State Library of Western Australia (SLWA) provides grants to support local governments in regional and remote WA (across all three tiers) to host regional conferences and training that provides professional development opportunities for public library staff. 

The PDConnect Grants are offered in recognition that public library professional development opportunities are more limited for staff working in regional and remote libraries and that travel to Perth to access opportunities is expensive and time consuming. The grants are intended to contribute to the costs for presenters to participate in regional conferences or training events. 

Library Services in regional and remote Western Australia, interested in receiving a PDConnect Grant to contribute to the provision of a training or professional development event should submit an application providing the following information: 

· Outline of the proposed PD event including details of focus area/topics, intended audience, facilitators/speakers. 

· Estimate of speaker/facilitator costs including fees, travel, and accommodation. 

· Statement outlining the benefits and outcomes that will be derived from the professional development event. 

· The date of the professional development event (to be a minimum of eight weeks into the future). 

· Details of how the event will be promoted and to whom.

Principles: 

· Funding for facilitators and speakers’ fees will be allocated based on the estimated costs of the speaker/facilitator. Final payment will be made for approved costs, or the actual costs should this be less than the approved cost. 

· Funding for accommodation for a speaker/facilitator will be allocated based on estimated costs. State Government travel guidelines require travel to be completed at an economical rate and will be used as a guide to reasonableness. Final payment will be made for approved costs, or the actual costs should this be less than the approved cost. 

· Funding for flights will be allocated based on the estimated costs for flights from the nearest centre. Final payment will be made for approved costs, or the actual costs should this be less than the approved cost. 

· Funding for flights will only be available for centres located further than 400 kilometres from Perth, or by agreement on a case-by-case basis. 

· Funding for travel by car for a speaker will be calculated at the rate of 85c per kilometre (based on current ATO rates).  

· Taxi travel must be in a registered taxi. Payment will not be paid for travel in ride-sharing services such as Uber or any other vehicles for hire that do not hold taxi licences. 

· Applications will be considered on an equitable basis state-wide. 

· All other costs associated with the professional development event must be met from alternative funding sources e.g., Local Governments, Community Resource Centres, etc. 

· Funding is not guaranteed and is dependent upon assessment and demand.  

· Dependent on demand, applicants may be offered partial funding of speaker fees, travel and/or accommodation costs. 

· Successful PDConnect Grant recipients may not pass on costs associated with a presenter funded by SLWA to attendees of a professional development event. This does not prevent recovery of other costs associated with hosting the event. 

· PDConnect Grant funding does not include GST. 

· PDConnect Grant funds will be paid to the applicant Local Government.  

Assessment Process 

All applications will be assessed by the Director: Library Services. PDConnect grants will be assessed on a case-by-case basis according to: 

· The benefits and intended outcomes that will be derived from the professional development event. 

· Details of regional and remote libraries to be invited to attend the professional development event and strategy for promotion of the event. 

· Estimate of associated speaker costs (travel and accommodation).  

Speaker Arrangements 

· Successful applicants are required to make all necessary arrangements for the approved speaker, based on the approved estimates and as soon as possible after receiving confirmation that all or part of the requested expenses will be met by State Library 

· SLWA will not be liable for any cost increases between the application and the time of booking.  

Grant acquittal 

Successful PDConnect Grant applicants will be required to submit an acquittal within one month following hosting of the event including copies of paid invoices.  A Purchase Order Number will then be provided with a request for a Tax Invoice for payment. 

Final payment will be made for the approved cost or actual cost should this be less than the approved cost.  

Payment 

The PDConnect grant will be paid following: 

· Hosting of the training or professional development event. 

· Receipt of the completed acquittal form together with copies of paid invoices. (A purchase order number will then be provided by SLWA)  

· Receipt of a Tax Invoice from the Local Government for the final approved funding amount by State Library.  

The Kay Poustie Scholarship supports the development of professional staff working in the Western Australian public library network and aims to enhance library services through evidence-based research and experiential learning experiences that contribute to the achievement of outcomes aligned to the WA Public Libraries Strategy 2022–2026.

The annual scholarship offers up to $8,000 to enable library professionals and practitioners to undertake research locally or internationally to experience innovative and best practice library services that have the potential to enhance the Western Australian public library network. Recipients of the scholarship are required to produce a research report and present their findings.

In addition to SLWA, PLWA and ALIAWest, numerous personal donors are financial supporters of the scholarship. To support the Kay Poustie Scholarship and read past research reports please visit our website.

The Scholarship

In 2025 the scholarship will be offered for a research project to the value of up to $8,000. 

Travel and attendance at professional development events as part of the research may be funded by the Scholarship, provided it identifies as part of the research proposal.

Applications for the 2025 Kay Poustie Scholarship will be aligned to the pillars of the WA Public Libraries Strategy 2022–2026:

· Libraries Strengthening Communities

o Literacy and lifelong learning

o Individual and community wellbeing and resilience

o Stronger and more connected communities

· Digitally inclusive libraries

o Free and universal access to computers, emerging technologies and the internet

o Building digital skills and confidence

o Efficient access to collections and services

· Public Libraries as essential community asset

o Impact and value of public library services as the basis for informed decisions on strategic investment in community focused services

Eligible Costs

A maximum of up to $8,000 will be awarded to one applicant (an individual or a team) with the proposed use of the funds outlined in the research project application. Teams may comprise a maximum of six people.

The funds may be applied to:

· travel to support the research;

· attendance at professional development events related to the research topic; and

· other costs (detailed in the application) associated with the research.

Conditions of Scholarship

The applicant (or applicant team) will be required to:

· submit an application for the funds detailing how the project will be carried out as per the details below;

· prepare a formal written research report, suitable for presentation to their Council, PLWA and SLWA, outlining the research undertaken, the findings and clear recommendations which could be applied to the Western Australian public library network;

· share the completed research findings and how they could be utilised to assist the West Australian public library network. This may be through presentations to a meeting/s and / or via an article for a professional journal, but as a minimum will include a presentation to at least one PLWA meeting and a SLWA staff meeting;

· be available for the Library Board Awards night hosted by SLWA on 31 July 2025;

· be available to participate in photos, sound recordings, videos and acknowledge that SLWA and PLWA has the right to use such publicity materials in any medium (including without limitation, the internet) and in any reasonable manner it sees fit to publicise the scholarship; and

· complete and present all research outputs within 2 years of receipt of the scholarship funds.

The State Government of Western Australia provides funding, via the State Library of Western Australia (SLWA), to support public library services in the State. Funds are provided to local governments on an annual basis via grant funding, based on an agreed allocation model.
Local governments in Tier 2 and Tier 3 of the Public Library Services Framework are eligible to apply for a Technology and Digital Inclusion grant of up to $5,000 (GST exempt) to fund library projects that address an identified community need and contribute to meeting local and state government priorities. A total of $120,000 is available between the Technology and Digital Inclusion Grants (Tier 2 and Tier 3) and the Encouraging Promising Practice Grants (Tier 2) the 2023-24 financial year. Applications for the 2024-25 grants will close once all available funds have been awarded, or on 4 April 2025.
Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis as they are received. Projects are required to be completed by June 30, 2025.
Purpose and Objectives:
The Technology and Digital Inclusion Grants are designed to enable local governments in Tiers 2 and 3 to respond to digital disadvantage within their communities. Digital inclusion relies on being able to both access and effectively use information and services online.
The objective of Technology and Digital Inclusion Grants is to:
· provide free public access to technology that supports digital inclusion; and
· provide activities and services that build the capability of individuals and communities to confidently enjoy the benefits of digital technologies, information, and services in their day-to-day lives.
Technology and Digital Inclusion Grant proposals should address priorities identified in your Local Government’s Strategic Community Plan, and, if relevant, library plan/s.
Local Governments in Tier 2 or Tier 3 may submit one (1) Technology and Digital Inclusion Grant application annually to a maximum value of $5,000 (GST excluded) per grant.
The following provides broad funding categories and examples of projects that may be funded under the terms of the Technology and Digital inclusion Grant.
Technology hardware and software
Computers and equipment including PCs, mobile devices, etc.
Set-up costs for Internet access including wi-fi.
New and emerging technology that is out-of-reach of many families, e.g. 3D printers, large format scanners; design software; etc.
Hardware and software to provide digital hubs that provide free community access and support to using online government and business services and learning labs that connect customers with new and traditional media where they can build new skills for future employment and life opportunities.
Digital Inclusion Programs
Learning programs aimed at building skills and confidence in using technology and accessing on-line information and services, e.g. introductions to using computers; accessing online banking or eGovernment services, etc.
Programs to facilitate 21st century skills such as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, media and information literacy, e.g. coding, robotics, 3D design, image editing, web design, etc.
Note: Infrastructure (building) works, on-going operational costs, staff salaries and administrative costs, and the purchase of library materials for the general library collection are not eligible for funding. Projects and programs or services unrelated to the local government’s public library service are not eligible for funding.
Technology and Digital Inclusion Grants should be used to apply for information technology such as PCs, mobile devices (tablets), set-up costs for Wi-Fi or enhanced Internet access as well as digital inclusion projects, for example, digital media labs.
Assessment
Applications for Technology and Digital Inclusion funding will be assessed by the Director: Library Services.
The Director: Library Services may call upon further subject expertise according to the nature of the application. Applicants may be asked to provide further information regarding the project if this is required to fairly assess the proposal.
Applications will be assessed on the following criteria:
What will the project look like?
Applications should identify and/or demonstrate:
· What the Grant funding will be used for.
· Details of the project and what, specifically will be delivered.
· What library services will change as a result of the project.
Why is the project required?
Applications should demonstrate:
· Alignment with priorities identified in the Local Government’s Strategic Community Plan, and, if relevant, library plan/s.
· Ability of the project to fulfill the goals of the Technology and Digital Inclusion grant
· The value and the relevance of the project/activity to meeting the needs of the community.
Who will benefit from and take part in the project?
Applications must demonstrate a benefit to the local community and should identify:
· The target audience for the project.
· The benefits and outcomes that the project will deliver to the target audience.
· Any groups or agencies that will collaborate/partner in delivering the project.
How will the project be delivered?
Applications must demonstrate:
· The feasibility of delivering the project within the budget, resources and timeframe identified in the application.
· Value for money – whether the project is sustainable and provides value for the funding invested.
Assessment will be based on the information provided in the local government’s application, including supporting material, e.g. project plan, confirmation of funding/support from other organisations, etc. SLWA reserves the right to negotiate with applicants in relation to project scope, budget items and costings.
At the completion of the project, Technology and Digital Inclusion Grant applicants will be required to submit a Grant Acquittal.
The acquittals will not be considered complete until SLWA confirms that all required information has been received. Acquittals must be received by SLWA by 31 July 2025.