[Libs-Or] New Grant Opportunity: $14K for Libraries to Lead Teen Civic Dialogue

[HANNING Darci * SLO]

Hello all,
Here’s a new grant opportunity that ALA's Public Programs Office is collaborating on. See the details below!
Calling all libraries!

Do you have…

✓ a young patron (aged 16-24) with excellent leadership skills in your community?

✓ staff with 5-7 hours per month to work with this young patron?

✓ a mission to foster youth leadership through constructive dialogue and community building?

Cortico<https://cortico.ai/>, in collaboration with the MIT Center for Constructive Communication<https://www.ccc.mit.edu/> (MIT CCC) and PBS FRONTLINE<https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/>, invites your library to apply for the Teen Dialogue Accelerator-a new national initiative empowering young people to lead meaningful civic conversations in their communities.

10 public libraries across the U.S. will be selected to pilot this innovative program. Selected libraries will receive:

  *   $14,000 grant funding for staff, fellows, and programming
  *   Training, coaching, and tools to support youth-led dialogue
  *   National storytelling amplification through PBS FRONTLINE

Over 10 months, library teams - a designated library staff person + their selected youth fellow (aged 16–24) will host local small-group conversations on topics like civic identity, democracy, and the future of work. Together, you'll co-create outputs, such as audio medleys, that share youth voices locally and nationally.

You can review the application details and FAQs here<https://cortico.ai/news/apply-now-teen-dialogue-accelerator-for-libraries/>!

Apply now to bring this opportunity to your community and help shape the future of youth civic dialogue. Applications close by 11:59pm EST on October 13, 2025.

Questions? Email programs at cortico.ai<mailto:programs at cortico.ai>.

We're excited to review your applications,

The Teen Dialogue Accelerator Program Team
Cortico<https://cortico.ai/>


------------------------------
Meghan Gieseker
Program Officer
American Library Association
She/Her/Hers
------------------------------


Cheers,
Darci Hanning, MLIS (she/her/hers)
Public Library Consultant / CE Coordinator
Continuing Education Resources: https://slo.oregon.gov/conted/
State Library of Oregon | Library Support and Development Services
971-375-3491 | darci.hanning at slo.oregon.gov<mailto:darci.hanning at slo.oregon.gov> | www.oregon.gov/library<http://www.oregon.gov/library>

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