Gates Library Grant Initiative; Opportunity Online Hardware Grant Program
Acceptable Match Sources & Verification Documentation
Opportunity Online hardware grant funds will be distributed to participating libraries through the state intermediary contingent upon the libraries securing matching dollars over the term of the two-phase grant—25 percent in phase one and 50 percent in phase two.
The purpose of the match is to use the foundation’s grant dollars as a way to leverage and acquire additional local funding for free technology access in libraries—preferably in the form of a sustainable library budget item.
Acceptable sources of this match include:
- New monies derived from successful local and/or state advocacy efforts allocated to the technology line item in library budgets (exclusive of federal LSTA monies passed via the state to a local library system)
- Existing library technology budget funds generated from previous, successful advocacy efforts at the local and/or state level
- Nongovernmental donations or grants (e.g. private donors, community foundation grants, local business sponsors, etc)
- Monies derived from fundraising efforts (e.g. book sales, library fundraisers, etc)
Reminder: A library cannot use the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant dollars to replace existing funds (supplant) previously committed to a library technology budget.
Acceptable proof of acquired matching funds includes the following:
- Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) from the appropriate official or agency overseeing the library budget
- Council or library board resolution committing funds
- Letter of commitment from a nongovernmental resource such as:
- Foundations
- Corporations
- Friends groups
- Private donors
All match verification documents should include the following information:
- Amount of funding commitment
- Source of commitment including name, affiliation, and contact information for the committing organization and/or person
- Signature(s) of the person(s) committing the funds
- Date of commitment and when funds will be disbursed
- Library for which the funding commitment is intended
- A statement that ensures the committed dollars will not supplant local funds already dedicated for the library or computer workstations
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