Connecting Communities Digital Initiative

The Library of Congress is awarding Cooperative Agreements under the Connecting Communities Digital Initiative (CFDA 42.012) to support libraries, archives, museums, higher education institutions, and individual artists or scholars in creating projects that center Black, Indigenous, and communities of color using Library of Congress digital materials, with most recent opportunities posted in May 2023 and closed by September 2023.

The program funds creative reuse and remixing of the Library's digitized and born-digital collections to explore the experiences, perspectives, and technological and social possibilities centered on Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and other communities of color in the United States. Projects may explore gender, sexuality, class, color, ability, and related dimensions. The program operates through narrow, competitive solicitations targeting specific applicant categories rather than a standing open call.

All funding under CCDI flows through the Library of Congress. Recent opportunities (posted May 2023) included three separate tracks: libraries, archives, and museums receiving up to three awards of up to $70,000 each; minority-serving higher education institutions receiving up to three awards of up to $70,000 each; and individual artists or scholars in residence receiving up to two awards of up to $90,000 each. A prior funding cycle (posted June 2022) offered similar awards with October 2022 deadlines. All opportunities specify Cooperative Agreements as the funding instrument and restrict applicants to public and private higher education institutions or, in the artist/scholar track, individuals.

The most recent grant opportunities closed in September 2023 (libraries and higher education tracks) and August 2023 (artist/scholar track). No currently open opportunities are evident in the source material. The program operates on an annual or biennial cycle; the source does not report the portfolio block with award counts or dollar volumes, so award frequency and typical magnitudes beyond the ceiling amounts cannot be determined from available information.