📢 Call for Proposals: International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Impact & Innovation Fund 💡 — 🗓 Last Date: 19 April 2026 – Bibliophile Library's Information At Your Fingertips

Do you have an idea for a project that demonstrates the impact and innovativeness of libraries? Share your idea and bid for support from the IFLA Impact and Innovation Fund! Deadline: 19 April 2026.

In line with IFLA’s emphasis on sustainability, we are refocusing our resources on activities and ideas that support meaningful, positive, lasting change across the global library field and beyond.

As part of this commitment, the Governing Board has agreed to make funds available to support member-led initiatives that can help demonstrate our field’s capacity for innovation, impact and partnership, and in particular build a compelling case for the external funders about the urgency and relevance of supporting libraries. This opportunity is made possible through resources granted to support IFLA by the Gates Foundation (via SIGL).

Purpose of the Fund

The IFLA Innovation and Impact Fund (I3) supports IFLA members (associations and institutions) who are ready to take on today’s challenges with creative, ambitious projects that show how libraries – working together – can make a real difference.

Across the portfolio of selected projects, we will showcase the versatility, innovativeness and measurable impact of libraries worldwide on the lives of the communities they serve. These projects will help inspire our community and strengthen the case for external investment in the library field.

Scope and Expectations

We invite proposals for innovative, bold actions that demonstrate how libraries can drive change at scale, respond to community needs, and contribute to global goals.

Proposed projects should ideally aim to:

Demonstrate impact in a clear and measurable way (on communities and/or on policy related to development),
Offer new approaches, models or tools,
Strengthen collaboration across borders, sectors, or types of libraries,
Produce knowledge, resources, or insights that others can reuse,
Build evidence that supports advocacy and engagement with policymakers and funders.

The maximum award available per project is EUR 15,000, with the intention to support 3-8 projects depending on quality and the size of applications. We will pay close attention to value for money and the potential return on investment. Projects that combine IFLA support with additional resources or partnerships will be viewed favourably.

How to Apply

Applicants should fill in the intake form, which provides information about the information we need from you. You should submit your applications to ifla@ifla.org, with ‘IFLA Impact and Innovation Fund’ in the subject line. Additional insights are available below.

The deadline for applications is 19 April 2026. We accept only one bid per member. Any questions can also be addressed to ifla@ifla.org.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be assessed according to the following criteria, with the first three carrying particular weight.

Alignment

Contribution to broader policy goals, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, information integrity, inclusion, digital empowerment, climate action or other relevant thematic priorities (see our website for ideas)

Innovation

Introduction of a new idea, model, partnership, service, or application of technology
Creative adaptation of successful approaches from other countries, sectors, or contexts
A well-structured plan for experimentation and learning lessons from this

Impact

Clear definition of the challenge or need being addressed
Strong and feasible plan for monitoring and evaluation
Inclusion of meaningful indicators (quantitative and/or qualitative), both in terms of outputs and outcomes
Commitment to documenting and communicating results

Partnership

Engagement of partners inside and beyond the library sector
Involvement of IFLA volunteer committees where relevant
Co-funding or in-kind contributions (optional but encouraged)

Sustainability

A plan for ensuring that results, tools, relationships, or models will continue beyond the grant period
Ethical and responsible project design, including consideration of risks and data protection where applicable

Scalability

Clear potential for the project to expand, replicate, or influence broader practice with additional support, including a strategy for how to facilitate the promotion and dissemination of successes

Achievability

A realistic workplan and budget, with clear expected results and goals
Ability to complete all activities by the end of December 2026.

We particularly welcome projects that:

Are cross-border or multi-regional
Engage both IFLA members and volunteers, showcasing IFLA’s unique global delivery model
Strengthen equity and inclusion, especially in under-resourced regions
Explore ‘hot topics’ that are likely to be of particular interest to funders
Contribute directly to advocacy and visibility for the global library field
Produce reusable outputs (toolkits, case studies, training modules, open resources, video stories, etc.)

Projects that achieve one or more of the points above may score higher in our assessment.

Eligible and Ineligible Costs

Eligible costs may include:

Staff time directly linked to project activities
Essential equipment and software
Travel and meeting costs
Evaluation, monitoring, and data collection
Communication, translation, and dissemination
Subcontracting or expert support where justified

Ineligible costs include:

Routine operational or administrative expenses (overheads)
Construction or large capital investments
Costs unrelated to the project’s direct activity
Scholarships not tied to project delivery

We accept that currency fluctuations may affect costs, and so recommend making conservative estimates in your bid in order to account for this.

We encourage project proposals which will combine IFLA support with that provided by other funders.

Payment will be made in two tranches: 50% of the budgeted amount on signature of an agreement with IFLA, and the remainder on satisfactory completion of the project.

Project Deliverables

All funded projects will be expected to produce:

A short mid-term update
A final impact report
At least one knowledge-sharing output, such as:
- A case study
- A policy brief with actionable recommendations
- A toolkit or resource
- A webinar or event
- A short video or impact story (including SDG Stories on the Library Map of the World)

These outputs will help strengthen the visibility of the library field globally and support further advocacy and partnership building efforts. Those chosen to carry out a project should also work with IFLA’s communications team to ensure that we can celebrate the work carried out

To note, any published outputs should be available under a CC-BY 4.0 licence, with the rights to remain with the author or their organisation.