1. MLA Conference Grants: These grants are available for current MLA members who want to attend the Association’s annual conference and live further than 50 miles from the conference site. Fifteen (15) $150.00 grants are available. At least five (5) of the grants will be available to new members belonging to the Montana Library  Association for two (2) years or less. Previous MLA members who are rejoining MLA do not qualify for these new member grants.
   The remaining ten (10) grants are available to individuals who have maintained a minimum of three (3) consecutive years of MLA membership and who have not received an MLA Conference Grant within the last two (2) calendar years. If there are not enough applicants who meet the requirements regarding length of  membership, the Professional Development Committee will distribute the awards to the applicants meeting the additional criteria.
   Priority is given to applications from those who have not already received any of the available grants in the current grant cycle.
   Upon notification of award, recipients will be required to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to receive funds and return it to the Chair of the Professional Development Committee. Applicants will reach out to the MLA Executive Director to arrange receipt of award check after the event. MLA Conference Grant recipients will also receive a Conference Grant Report Form to be submitted to the Chair of the Professional Development Committee within thirty (30) days of the final day of the annual conference.
2. In honor of Jane Lopp, the Flathead County Library Board has donated $350 to assist first year Library Trustees with the cost of attending the Montana Library Association Annual Conference. Beginning in 2018,
   two (2) $50 awards will be available to cover MLA Annual Conference registration fees for first year Library Trustees. Two (2) awards will remain available through 2020 and one will be available in 2021 (this cycle may vary depending on funding). Applicants must be a current member of the Montana Library Association and live further than fifty
   (50) miles from the conference site.
   Individuals or libraries interested in donating additional funding for this award should contact the MLA Executive Director. Upon notification of award, recipients will be required to sign a  Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to receive funds and return it to the Chair of the Professional Development Committee. Applicants will reach out to the MLA Executive Director to arrange receipt of award check after the event. MLA Conference Grant recipients will also receive a Conference Grant Report Form to be submitted to the Chair of the Professional Development Committee within thirty (30) days of the final day of the annual conference.
3. Professional Development Grants: These grants are available to current Association members who want to further their professional development by attending a national or regional  conference or professional development event. Professional development grants cannot be applied to the MLA annual conference, Fall Retreat or Offline, or the School Library Retreat. Grants are available to individuals who have maintained a minimum of three (3) consecutive
   years of MLA membership and who have not received a Professional Development Grant from MLA within the last five (5) years. Priority is given to applications from those who have not already received any of the available grants in the current grant cycle.  The Association budgets $1,600.00 annually for Professional Development Grants to
   qualified members; the maximum amount that can be awarded to an individual is $800 and will not exceed the actual amount associated with the program/event for which the grant is requested.
   While applications for this award are due four times per year (July 1, Oct. 1, Jan. 1, and Apr. 1), the Professional Development Committee only reviews applications for this award in October and April of each grant cycle. Depending on the number of applications received, the budgeted amount of $1,600 may be completely distributed to qualified
   applicants during any one round of awards, meaning that this award will only be available as funding allows, and that there is no guarantee funds will be available at the time you apply.
   Recipients will be required to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to receive funds. Once the MOA has been signed and returned to the Chair of the Professional Development Committee. Applicants will reach out to the MLA Executive Director to arrange receipt of award check after the event. Professional Development Grant recipients will also receive a Conference Professional Development Grant Report Form to be submitted to the Chair of the Professional Development Committee within thirty (30) days of the final day of the annual conference. Award checks will be issued following receipt of Conference Grant Report Form to individuals and not his or her
   institution. Partial payments may be made in extenuating  circumstances and will be decided on an individual basis.
   Professional Development Grant recipients are encouraged to give back to the Montana Library community by presenting at the annual MLA Conference or submitting an article or write-up highlighting what you learned at your professional development event to FOCUS to help spread knowledge and learning.
4. MLA Fall Retreat and Offline Grants: Four (4) grants are available to current members who want to attend the MLA Fall Retreat or Offline and live further than 50 miles from the conference site. Two (2) $50 grants are available for the MLA Fall retreat and two (2) $50 grants are available for Offline. Applicants for the MLA Fall Retreat or Offline Grant must not have received MLA Fall Retreat or Offline Grant in the last two (2) calendar years. Priority is given to applications from those who have not already received any of the available grants in the current grant cycle. Upon notification of this award, recipients will be required to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to receive funds and return to the Chair of Professional Development Committee.
   Applicants will reach out to the MLA Executive Director to arrange receipt of award check after the event.
5. Leadership Institute Grants: Leadership Institute Grants are designated for leadership institutes specified by the MLA Board; currently, the leadership institutes supported are sponsored by MPLA and PNLA. These grants are available to current Association members who want to further their professional development by attending the Leadership Institutes hosted by MPLA or PNLA and meet the criteria for application for the respective institutes. Applicant must be a current member of the Montana Library Association and must have
   been an MLA member for at least the two (2) previous years and must not have received a Leadership Institute Grant previously. The Association budgets $1,000.00 per institute to qualified members. Applications for funds should be submitted once confirmation of
   acceptance to the institute has been received. Leadership Institute Grants will not exceed the actual amount associated with the program/event for which the grant is requested. Awards will be based primarily upon the budget submitted by the applicant. Applicants
   may apply for Professional Development Grant monies but will be given secondary preference for those monies unless they have not been granted an MLA Leadership Institute grant. Upon notification of this award, recipients will be required to sign a Memorandum of
   Agreement (MOA) to receive funds and return to the Chair of  Professional Development Committee. Applicants will reach out to the MLA Executive Director to arrange receipt of award check after the event. Partial payments may be made in extenuating circumstances and will be decided on an individual basis. Recipients will be required to either submit a presentation proposal for an MLA sponsored retreat or conference, or may be asked to serve as a mentor by the MLA mentor program.

Additional Restrictions/Criteria:
ALL applications for grants must adhere to the restrictions and criteria listed in each individual grant description and meet the additional restrictions and criteria listed below:
1. Applications for funds must be submitted prior to the event. The Professional Development Committee will review applications as specified on the application for each grant or as listed on the MLA calendar. Applications received after a deadline will not be considered until after the next deadline.
2. Applicant must be a current member of the Montana Library Association.
3. Applicants who are awarded a grant, must have registered and paid for the coinciding event in order to be eligible to collect their grant money.
4. Reimbursement checks will only be written out to an individual and not their library.
5. Award checks can only be collected after the event. Applicants will be required to submit a receipt to the MLA Executive Director to verify their attendance of an event.
6. The Board of Directors or its Executive Committee will resolve disputes regarding awards.

Revised 2018

Revised 2019