HOUSTON TX, June 10, 2025 — Eleven public library systems across nine states, including Harris County Public Library (HCPL) will receive grants of up to $500,000 each from Carnegie Corporation of New York, the foundation established by Andrew Carnegie, who funded the construction of more than 2,500 libraries worldwide. The libraries were selected through a competitive request for proposals as part of a two-year initiative launched by Carnegie’s Education program to help deliver critical services that promote socioeconomic mobility.
Harris County Public Library has been awarded the Carnegie Corporation grant to expand and enhance three of its most impactful educational programs—FutureU, the library’s college readiness initiative, Career Online High School, which allows adults to earn an accredited high school diploma and career certificate online, and its English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. The funding will support hybrid in-person and online courses, workshops, and individualized guidance aimed at helping adult immigrants, refugees, high school students, and first-generation college applicants overcome barriers to education and career advancement. Through strategic partnerships and community outreach, the programs will provide critical support in English language learning, college admissions, and build crucial digital skills to empower Harris County residents to build brighter futures for themselves and their families.
“With over 40% of Harris County households speaking a language other than English, our programs are often a lifeline—not just for individuals, but for entire families. This grant from Carnegie Corporation will help us break down barriers to opportunity, nurture a culture of learning that spans generations, and ultimately strengthen the fabric of our community.”
Linda Stevens
Division Director
Programs, Partnerships & Outreach
Harris County Public LIbrary
This national effort, called Libraries as Pillars of Education and Democracy, builds on the foundation’s renewed commitment to libraries as trusted public institutions that help reduce political polarization. The first round of grants was announced in September 2024 with $4 million in grants to New York City’s three public library systems.
“Andrew Carnegie believed libraries were ladders upon which anyone and everyone could rise, and that belief continues to guide us,” said Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie. “At a time when trust in public institutions is fraying, libraries retain public trust. We are delighted to support these grantees as they provide essential programs and community services.”
Following a call for proposals that drew more than 1,400 responses, Carnegie prioritized initiatives with strong community demand and demonstrated success in one or both of two areas:
- Adult English language and literacy programs that build job readiness.
- College access programs that provide teens with academic, civic, and leadership skills, college admissions knowledge, and support from their families in their transition to college.
“Libraries are places where people build knowledge, skills, and agency,” said Ambika Kapur, an Education program director at Carnegie. “This initiative reflects our belief in investing in civic participation — wherever people come together to learn.”
The selected grantees:
Boston Public Library Fund, Boston, Massachusetts
Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Harris County Public Library, Houston, Texas
Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, Missouri
The Library Foundation of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Nashville, Tennessee
Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, New Jersey
Prince William Public Libraries, Prince William County, Virginia
San Diego Public Library Foundation, San Diego, California
San José Public Library Foundation, San José, California
Seattle Public Library Foundation, Seattle, Washington
Carnegie has been one of the largest philanthropic funders of libraries, from the early construction of almost 1,700 libraries in the U.S. to helping establish the endowment of the American Library Association, funding the nation’s first graduate library school, and digitizing archival collections around the world.
Learn more about Carnegie’s longtime support of libraries at carnegie.org/libraries.
About Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. Today the foundation works to reduce political polarization through philanthropic support for the issues that Carnegie considered most important: education, democracy, and peace. @CarnegieCorp