Hi folks!

The 2019 Tech Grant application is now available for submission!

For those of you who are not familiar with the grant, it is a 50/50 matching grant for any public library in the state to purchase computers, printer, mobile devices, and other technology. While many libraries use the grant to purchase replacement hardware and software, it is also an opportunity to try out something new and innovative for your community.

This is a reimbursement-style contractual grant. How does that work? Once the awards have been determined and approved, a contract will be sent to you for signature. When the contract is fully signed, your funds will be available to you and as you send in copies of your invoices, we will review them and as approved as eligible purchase, we will reimburse you 50% of each invoice until your full grant award has been received. The grant itself will run from October 1^st, 2018 – April 30, 2019.

We have added no additional questions to this applications, so the questions on page 7 are the same as they were last grant cycle.

Indirect Cost

We are still asking if you want part of your grant award to go toward indirect cost (such as the time it took you to fill out the application, the electricity and printing toner and paper it took to print it off, etc.) You can automatically get 10%, but if your city/county has negotiated for a higher percentage, you’ll need to include that paperwork. You can also choose to not include any indirect cost, which meant that all of your grant award can be spent towards purchasing what technology you requested. Any indirect cost will come from your grant award – you will not be awarded more because you chose to include indirect cost.

For example, if you are awarded $1,000.00 and want 10% to go toward indirect cost, you will have $900.00 to spend for your equipment and the other $100.00 will be reimbursed once the $900.00 has been spent.

Eligible / Ineligible Items

If you are unsure if what you are requesting is eligible, please ask me! There is a list of ineligible items included in the application on page3, and a list of the minimum specifications for desktops and laptops is on page 4. We don’t provide a list of eligible items in order for you to have the ability to be innovative in what you would like to try for your library.

Deadline to Apply

The deadline to apply is July 2^nd. You can fax, e-mail or mail your application in. Please note: if you mail your application in, it will need to physically be here by July 2^nd, as we will not accept late submissions, even if postmarked by 7/2. You are always welcome to contact me to ask if I have received your application. The application will also be available next week at: https://sos.tn.gov/products/tsla/grants

If you have any questions about the application, the grant, or anything else, please feel free to contact me.

Happy Thursday!

Jennifer

Jennifer Cowan-Henderson

Director of Planning and Development

State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries

Tennessee State Library and Archives

Office of Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett

403 7th Avenue North

Nashville, TN 37243

p 615-741-1923

f 615-532-9904

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