Deadline: 27 June 2022.
Arts Council England Libraries Improvement Fund (LIF) 2022–2023 | England Only – Up to £5 million funding
Applications are now open for the Arts Council England Libraries Improvement Fund (LIF) 2022–2023. LIF is a capital fund open to English local authorities that maintain a library service. Local authority library services can include libraries that are owned and run by the authority, mutual or other structures that are commissioned by the authority, community managed libraries (CMLs) or any other library provision.
This fund will enable library services across England to invest in a range of projects to upgrade buildings and technology so they are better placed to respond to the changing ways people are using them.
Aims and outcomes
This fund will enable library services across England to invest in a range of projects to upgrade buildings and technology so they are better placed to respond to the changing ways people are using them.
The criteria for the Libraries Improvement Fund have been set by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Arts Council England. The grants are administered, awarded, and monitored by Arts Council England. Funding has been provided by DCMS.
The aims of this fund is to:
- Enable libraries to develop more flexible, more commercial spaces
- Increase and improve digital access within communities
- Connect libraries to their communities
- Increase potential for transformation
- Increase library use
- Increase sustainability of libraries
The outcomes we expect to see from recipients of this investment are:
- More community groups using library space
- Increased number of users accessing collections and services
- Increased users accessing makerspace technology
- More revenue taken in commercial income
- Increased number of PCs/devices available to users
- Fewer libraries running outdated operating systems
- Extension of available hours
- Increased number of co-located services
Total fund
- £5 million for 2022/23
Grant Range
- Capital expenditure between £50,000 to £499,999
Eligibility
- A local authority making an application on behalf of a library service in England.
How to apply
First things first: never applied to us before?
Step 1: Read the guidance
Read the guidance in full to make sure you are eligible before you start your application.
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Step 2: Register on Grantium and familiarise yourself with it
Before you can start an application, you need to create a user account and applicant profile. Please note that new Grantium profiles can take up to ten working days to be approved.
Expression of interest for the fund will open on Grantium at 9am on 23 May 2022.
Please make sure that all the information in your Grantium profile is up to date before you apply.
Our Grantium guidance can help you get to grips with using the system.
Step 3: Any questions? Check our FAQs
Read the FAQs for the programme on the next sections of this page before you get in touch.
These pages are updated regularly with all our latest information and FAQs.
Step 4: Expression of interest
The online Expression of Interest form will open on Grantium at 9am on 23 May 2022. The deadline for submitting Expressions of Interest is 12pm (midday) on 27 June 2022.
Step 5: Making an application
If you are invited to submit a full application, the full online application form will open on Grantium at 9am on 13 July 2022. The deadline for submitting full applications is 12pm (midday) on 13 September 2022.
