Public Library Operating Support (PLOS) Grant Program

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What is the Public Library Operating Support (PLOS) Grant Program?

This program provides financial assistance for the annual costs of operating libraries established under The Public Libraries Act (PDF).

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Who can apply?

Applications may be made to one of the two streams below:

  • Rural/Northern Public Library Operating support: to supplement municipal support for rural and northern public library operating costs.
  • Winnipeg Public Library Operating support: to supplement City of Winnipeg support for Winnipeg Public Library operating costs.

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Application procedure

It is strongly recommended that applicants discuss their application with Public Library Services staff at least two months prior to the application deadline.

The Strategic Policy Branch may request additional information beyond that included in the application.

The PLOS Grant Guidelines (PDF) outline the objectives, deadlines, grant calculations, and application process.

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Deadline

The application deadline is July 1 of each calendar year.

If the deadline date falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline is the preceding business day.

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Levels of support

The level of support will depend on factors particular to selected grant stream.

Rural/Northern Public Library Operating support:

  • The total amount of municipal funding in the previous year; and
  • The number of partner municipalities.

Winnipeg Public Library Operating support:

  • Expenditures in the previous calendar year on library collection materials and salaries of employees who provided or delivered library services on-site at a city library; and
  • The number of full-time equivalent credentialed librarians employed in a city library.

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Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for PLOS, organizations must:

  • be a public library established and operating under the Public Libraries Act

The following organizations are not eligible for PLOS:

  • past grant recipients who have reporting requirements still outstanding

The grant calculation is based, in part, on the amount of municipal funding received by the organization in the preceding year.  Some municipal funding may not be eligible for inclusion in the grant calculation.

Eligible for inclusion:

  • Funding connected with the normal operations of a public library.

Ineligible for inclusion:

  • Capital funding for building, land, or the purchase of vehicles.
  • Additional, special, or one-time funding outside of the normal operations of a public library.

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Reporting requirements

The following reports for the organization’s preceding year must be received by the Public Library Services unit by the listed dates:

Report Received by Date *
Library activity report (annual statistics, reported online) January 31st.
Grant Application July 1st.
Audited financial statement of revenue and expenditure October 31st.
Narrative annual report October 31st.

* If any of these dates falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline is the preceding business day.

Consideration for future grants is dependent upon the satisfactory completion of all outstanding reporting obligations and fulfillment of the duties and responsibilities under The Public Libraries Act.

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Assessment and notification

Applications and required reporting will be reviewed; applicants may be contacted for clarification or correction of submitted information.

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Grant disbursement

Grants will be processed upon receipt of required documentation including the library’s previous year audited statement and conveyed following Ministerial approval.

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Contact

Public Library Services
B10 - 340 9th Street
Brandon, MB R7A 6C2

Telephone: 204-726-6590
Toll Free: 1-800-252-9998 (Manitoba)
Email: pls@gov.mb.ca