Laura Bush Foundation's Gulf Coast School Library Recovery Initiative

About this grant

This grant will provide support for the Laura Bush Foundation’s Gulf Coast School Library Recovery Initiative, whose goal is to re-establish book collections in the libraries of the schools devastated or severely damaged by the 2005 hurricanes. Approximately 100 school libraries were completely destroyed, and an additional 100 school libraries received extensive damage. A minimum of $50,000 is required to provide a very basic elementary school print library; the cost for a basic secondary school library is a minimum of $100,000. As part of a competitive grant process, schools must provide information on the school’s pre-hurricane and post-hurricane student population, faculty, facilities, school services, management, and library, with particular emphasis on plans and progress for rebuilding of the school and the library. Three rounds of grants benefiting 40 schools took place in 2006, and additional rounds over the next two to three years are planned depending on contributions received. The Laura Bush Foundation is a fund of the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region established in 1973 to primarily serve residents of the Greater Washington region, including Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Northern Virginia.