TPS Regional Grants

TPS Regional Grants is sponsored by The Library of Congress. These grants promote the widespread and effective use of primary sources from the Library of Congress in educational settings.

The TPS Regional program promotes the widespread, sustained and effective use of primary sources from the Library of Congress in a variety of educational settings by increasing access to the TPS program. Through this effort, hundreds of organizations from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and US Territories have enhanced their programming for educators.

School districts, universities, cultural institutions, library systems and other educational organizations may apply for grants of up to $25,000 to incorporate TPS materials and methods into their existing education and professional development programs for pre and in-service K-12 teachers, librarians, community members, and students.

Beginning in 2025, the TPS Regional Program will also offer subgrants under the Lewis-Houghton Civics and Democracy Initiative , named in honor of late Congressmen John R. Lewis (D-GA) and Amo Houghton (R-NY).

The Lewis-Houghton Initiative (LHI) supports educational projects in which analysis of the Library’s music and/or creative arts-related digitized primary sources is central to teaching and learning about history, civics, and/or democracy at the middle and high school levels. LHI subgrants support smaller-scale LHI projects or the dissemination of existing LHI work to new audiences.

Grant recipients may use TPS funding to meet a variety of programmatic needs, including: Delivering online or face-to-face TPS workshops Embedding TPS materials and content into broader professional development programs Revising undergraduate or graduate course syllabi or curricula to include a TPS focus Disseminating existing TPS materials to broader audiences Partnering with another TPS consortium member on a pilot Adapting existing TPS materials for new learner populations A 2022 evaluation of the TPS Regional program, conducted by Education Development Center, Inc., found that 81 percent of TPS educators said that their students are better able to do research because of their TPS-related teaching.

87 percent said that their students are better able to analyze primary sources to identify point of view and evaluate bias and 77 percent said their students are better able to explore their personal curiosity in the archives.

Regional Partners administer grants on behalf of the Library of Congress in the Eastern, Mid-Atlantic and US Territories, Southern, Midwest, Great Plains, and Western regions: Eastern Region - Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Maine, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont; Regional Partner, Waynesburg University Mid-Atlantic and U.S. Territories Region - Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and American Samoa, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands; Regional Partner, American Historical Association Southern Region - Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee; Regional Partner, Middle Tennessee State University Midwest Region - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin; Regional Partner, Illinois State University Great Plains Region - North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Oklahoma, Wyoming; Regional Partner, National Council for History Education Western Region - Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington; Regional Partner, Metropolitan State University of Denver Examples of how awardees have used their TPS regional grants, include a Midwestern university that answered teachers’ calls for professional development focused on primary sources; a Massachusetts non-profit that used primary sources from the Library to support its mission to teach LGBTQ history; and a small national museum, in Montana, that directed teachers to a wealth of primary sources by combining its collections with the Library’s.

The TPS Regional program accepts proposals for projects lasting up to 12 months. Before applying for a grant, please contact the director of your region . Regional staff will help you determine if your grant idea falls within the funding guidelines of the program.

The TPS Regional program can offer advice and assistance to organizations who would like to incorporate TPS methods and materials into their programs, but do not need or receive funding. Evaluating Grant Applications A successful grant application will include a thorough description of the intended project, its audience and content, a timeline of activities and a budget and narrative.

Evaluators also look for a supporting management structure and a plan for sustained delivery of TPS content. Applicants learn of granting decisions within six weeks of submitting proposals.

When making granting decisions, regional staff consider whether the proposed project: Provides access to geographic areas and populations not adequately served by TPS Consortium members; Includes professional development activities and partnerships that use Library primary sources to promote inquiry and build analysis, critical thinking, historical thinking, evidence-based reasoning and other lifelong learning skills; Describes the grantee organization’s sustained use of TPS content within its educational programs; Exhibits sound planning, recruitment, implementation, and resource allocation.

Grantees must submit brief financial and program reports. Grant funds will be disbursed upon submission of appropriate documentation of expenditures.