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The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is deepening its commitment to improving quality of life in the rural communities it serves across Western New York and Southeast Michigan with the launch of its new program to support rural public libraries.
With an investment of $3 million, the Foundation is launching the Rural Library Grants Program, a three-year initiative (2026-2028) designed to strengthen rural public libraries and library systems as vital community hubs. Each region will receive $1.5 million over the three-year period, distributed as approximately $500,000 annually. The inaugural year of funding is going to more than 30 libraries across both regions. Through the program, libraries were invited to propose projects that respond to needs identified by their communities while aligning with the Foundation's focus areas.
The grant program recognizes that rural libraries often serve as one of the few free, accessible public spaces where residents of different ages and backgrounds can learn, gather, access technology and connect with services close to home.
The grants help rural libraries in Western New York and Southeast Michigan improve the spaces and services residents use every day, including outdoor learning and gathering areas, youth and teen programming, career exploration and much more. In practice, that means libraries are adding things like gardens and outdoor classrooms, dedicated teen spaces, private study rooms and work pods, makerspaces and technology upgrades, as well as programs that help residents build skills and spaces that support local nonprofits.
In Chautauqua County, these libraries were approved for funding:
-- Dunkirk Public Library, $21,638 for upgrades to shared community spaces.
-- Patterson Library, $56,817 for key technology and space upgrades to allow for increased community access, especially for working families and caregivers.
-- Lakewood Memorial Library (Chautauqua County), $7,290 for a single person soundproof, private study pod.
"In many rural communities, libraries have built upon their role as hubs for learning, growing into trusted and dynamic spaces where residents can connect with resources, ideas and one another," said Maura Dewan, Vice President of Programs and Corporate Affairs, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. "We are proud to support library-led projects that reflect the aspirations and opportunities of the local communities they serve and the people they know best."
In Western New York, the Western New York Library Resources Council (WNYLRC) and Rochester Regional Library Council (RRLC) are managing the program on behalf of the Foundation. In Southeast Michigan, The Library Network (TLN), in partnership with Woodlands Library Cooperative and Suburban Library Cooperative, is managing the grant program for rural public libraries and library systems. Both regional programs are tied to the Foundation’s broader commitment to rural communities.
Grantees in each region were selected through a competitive process administered by local partner organizations with deep knowledge of rural libraries and community needs. The grantees reflect a diverse mix of geographic communities and project types across both regions.