Resources

MERLOT’s Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) literacy community provides an inclusive learning environment for faculty, library staff, administrators, and other stakeholders to share resources, services, and communica...

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) provides their Fiscal Year 2022-2026 Strategic Plan as an example for how to develop and scale programs, the kind of partnerships to seek out, and other strategies to maintain an...

IMLS offers this report about the role that libraries, museums, and other kinds of community-based organizations play in local communities. The report includes example case studies and a discussion of conceptual frameworks that ca...

Young people need data literacy skills to navigate the cyber-infrastructure of the 21st century. NSF's Data Literacy with, for, and by Youth project empowers teens to take control of their data lives: how they create and use data ...

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives (SLA) has curated this collection of interactive resources for people of all ages. These engaging resources encourage learners to think critically about how they identify, find, evaluate, and...

IMLS offers a variety of grants and funding opportunities for museums, libraries, and other educational institutions. Use this websites to explore available opportunities, apply for a grant, and learn more about the peer-review pr...

At Grants.gov, you can find and apply for grants from federal government agencies. This website also provides step-by-step instructions and training for applicants.

Data.gov is a central hub for the U.S. government's publicly available data. Use this website to find tools and resources to conduct research, design data visualizations, and more.

Created by ACF, the Program Manager's Guide to Evaluation offers guidelines for planning and implementing a program evaluation. Each chapter addresses specific steps in the evaluation process and provides guidance on how to tailor...

Learn how researchers are studying the information literacy needs of historically underserved communities and developing information literacy tools tailored to community needs. This work was funded by a $750,000 grant from the Nat...

As part of the Strengthening Networks, Sparking Change Initiative, IMLS conducted a national exploratory study to assess how libraries and museums across the country affect the social wellbeing of their communities. This report co...

NEA supports the nation’s arts sector to help everyone live more artful lives. NEA's State and Regional Partnership Agreement program awards grants to state and jurisdictional art agencies and regional arts organizations. Learn ab...

ATSDR created the Community Engagement Playbook to provide professionals with step-by-step guidance on selecting community stakeholders and strategies for engaging potential partners. Use the playbook's tools to cultivate trust an...

The American Communities Project works to better understand the different worlds that people in the U.S. call their home — using demographic, cultural, socioeconomic, and political information to identify 15 different types of com...

Maintained by the U.S. Census Bureau, this data hub allows individuals to explore a variety of data sets, survey results, visualizations, and other data profiles to learn about U.S. communities at the national, state, county, plac...

Created by the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, the Literacy Gap Map uses literacy scores along with economic and social demographic data to highlight communities facing the greatest socioeconomic hurdles. Use this map...

This article addresses a Gallup report and analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Education that shows 130 million adults, or more than half of Americans between the ages of 16 and 74 have low literacy skills and read below ...

The U.S. Skills Map was created by NCES, one of four centers within ED's Institute of Education Sciences (IES). Use this interactive map to explore state or county-level data, compare states or counties to each other or the nation...

The Center for an Informed Public is an interdisciplinary research initiative dedicated to resisting strategic misinformation, promoting an informed society, and strengthening democratic discourse. Watch recorded presentations to ...

Developed with support from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Courageous RI is an initiative to prevent violence and extremism in Rhode Island. By facilitating authentic, respectful community conversations and providing p...

Focusing on 3 Montana libraries, this study offers insight into the informational needs and search habits of community members — and the role librarians play in helping patrons search for information. Learn about the interventions...

The Measurement of Museum Social Impact initiative (MOMSI) — from the Utah Division of Arts and Museums and Thanksgiving Point — assessed how 38 museums generated social impact in their communities. Learn about four key outcomes (...

IMLS has curated resources to help professionals gather evaluation data — data that illustrates the value of innovative museum and library services. Explore guides for program evaluation and outcome monitoring, discover proje...