Teens Succeed
The Teens Succeed opportunity provides grant funding for out-of-school-time teen internships, with a focus on developing teens’ social emotional learning and workforce readiness skills. The purpose of this grant program is to address the challenges teens face in the aftereffects of the pandemic and to help prepare youth for success in life.
The State Library team is here to help. Request a meeting to discuss your proposal with members of our team. For those with questions about designing equitable grant programs, we may ask a trained Equity Advisor to join the meeting.
Timeline
- Grant opportunity opens: Wednesday, January 8, 2025
- Information Session: Tuesday, January 14 at 2:00 pm (Recording)
- Grant opportunity closes: Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at 12:00 noon
- Application review period: April 2025
- Application status and selection notification: May 2025
- Grant period begins: July 1, 2025
- Grant period ends: June 30, 2026
Awards will be made after federal IMLS funding levels are confirmed for 2025-2026 and the 2025-2026 California State budget has passed. Successful applicants can expect to receive project funds up to 8 to 10 weeks after the payment claim form is received by the State Library.
Purpose
In the aftermath of the pandemic, teens are facing significant social emotional learning and mental health challenges. In 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General released a Youth Mental Health Advisory report that showed significant increases in symptoms of anxiety and depression during the pandemic. The report recommends that youth should be provided with opportunities for social emotional learning in spaces where their voices are elevated and valued. Libraries are well positioned to support teens as they grow through these challenges and advance into adulthood.
Projects funded through this opportunity will create teen internship programs and engage those interns in a social emotional learning curriculum. Teens will bring their leadership and voice to the projects they design and facilitate as interns. Project staff members at participating libraries will evaluate teen growth using the Search Institute’s Developmental Assets Framework.
Project Details
Libraries can apply for grant funding to conduct the following types of activities:
- Salaries for library staff to manage, mentor and develop the teen interns and internships.
- Wages for the teen interns.
- Supplies needed to carry out programming.
- Outreach and promotion of project programs.
- Social emotional learning training for library staff and teen interns.
- Other project activities that are integral and necessary for the completion of project goals. Please note that if grant funds will be used to pay for a service from a community organization or organizations, those organization(s) cannot be considered as a partner in the application.
Libraries will be required to track outcomes related to the project. Libraries should anticipate tracking outcomes by using:
- LSTA outcomes surveys.
- Other tools from the Search Institute’s Developmental Assets Framework, to be identified by the California State Library.
The Teens Succeed LSTA-funded projects meet Goal 4 of the California Library Services and Technology Act Investment Plan 2023–2027: Strengthen equitable resource-sharing and access to information, services, and opportunity with an emphasis on local community strengths and challenges.
Learn about current Teens Succeed projects.
Eligibility and Requirements
California libraries may apply for funding.
- Minimum funding request: $50,000
- Maximum funding request: $75,000
- Applicants should have at least one community connection in place before submitting an application.
- Project staff should make a commitment to participate in the following:
- Community of Practice virtual sessions (estimated 6-7 sessions). The Community of Practice will be open to other library workers.
- Recorded Ignite Talks virtual session in June 2026 to share promising practices and stories with the larger library community.
- A training on Teen Mental Health Frist Aid, offered through CALL, with no costs to the grantee.
In order for projects to be funded through LSTA, they must:
- Adhere to the general guidelines for LSTA eligibility.
- Follow the State Library’s current LSTA five-year plan.
- Adhere to the federal restrictions on funding which are included in the Federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Application Guide.
- Use funding according to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2CFS 200).
- Be in compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) in order to purchase devices that can connect to and browse the internet.
- Applicant organization must have a registered UEI number with SAM.gov and be in good standing. Organizations may not be suspended, debarred, or excluded from receiving Federal funds.
Public libraries applying for funds must have completed:
- The most recent annual Public Libraries Survey.
- The State Library’s Cultural Heritage Disaster Preparedness Survey within the last three years.
To Apply
Applications will be completed and submitted online using the California State Library’s grant application portal. Please be sure to review the Federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Application Guide thoroughly before beginning the application and expect to reference the instructions while completing the application. Use the link included below to access the online application.
- Online Application
- Federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Application Guide
- CA Grants Portal Page
To help ensure California communities have the library services and programs they need to thrive, the State Library’s Five Year Plan for Grantmaking centers equity.
If we receive more strong applications than we can support, we will prioritize funding projects that:
- Deliver innovative programs and services directly to Californians.
- Support libraries and communities that have not received LSTA grants in the last five years.
- Support communities with higher poverty rates as measured by the California Poverty Measure (CPM).
- Support libraries with a low Local Income Per Capita (LIPC).
To help expand the libraries and communities that benefit from LSTA funding, we encourage applications from library jurisdictions and branches that have not received LSTA funding in the last five years, and collaborative groups of libraries representing a variety of regions, library sizes, and populations.
This opportunity does not fund projects that focus solely on collection development, space planning, capacity building in libraries, or projects that are eligible to be funded through our other grant programs. For example, proposed projects that aim to improve access to nutrition are more appropriate for the Lunch at the Library program.
Funding for this opportunity is contingent upon federal funding confirmation, the passage of the 25-26 state budget, and authorization in the state budget to expend these funds.
Email LSTAgrants@library.ca.gov with questions.