Stamford Library Receives Grant from the Children's Literacy Foundation
STAMFORD, Vt. — The Stamford Community Library (SCL) has been selected to receive a Rural Library grant for the 2026-2027 school year from the Children's Literacy Foundation (CLiF), a nonprofit based in Waterbury Center.
Awarded annually to 12 public libraries in Vermont and New Hampshire, the grant is designed to help small-town libraries create excitement around literacy, update their collections, increase circulation, and strengthen connections with the communities they serve. It is also intended to fill funding shortfalls for libraries with extremely limited resources.
Library Director Danielle Smith was excited to apply for this grant to continue the work the school has made to put literacy at the forefront of their instruction. Her hope is to create meaningful connections for students with author and illustrator visits, exciting programs, book give-aways and new titles.
Over the course of the school year, SCL will partner with the Stamford Elementary School to plan events and maximize outreach efforts that are key components of the Rural Library grant.
Components of the $8,000 grant include new children's books for the public and local elementary school libraries, literacy programming, storytelling sessions, book giveaways, family engagement funds, project support, and more.
Recognizing the increasing needs of small rural libraries, CLiF expanded the grant to include $500 for summer programming; early childhood literacy kits for circulation in the library; free board books for children ages 0-5; a selection from a multi-choice menu of options worth $1000; and a small stipend to recognize the extra time librarians commit to managing the grant.
