Application Process
Fiscal Year 2026 Timeline (Even FOAP)
Apply for Funds
Submit requests for any professional development activities happening between September 2025 and August 2027. Funds must be used by August 15, 2027.
- September 2, 2025 – January 31, 2026: Awarded funds will count toward your spending target
- Spring 2026 - Awarded funds count toward the general pool (spending targets lifted). The committee will use a rubric to review. LDF Rubric
This is the schedule for applying for LDF in Spring 2026:
| Application Submission Deadline | Committee will complete reviews by | Dean will complete reviews by | Applicant will be notified by | |
| Spring 2026 | February 27, 2026* | March 13, 2026 | March 20, 2026 | March 23, 2026 |
*Please email the committee (Anders, Claire, Amanda, Chanda, and Carol) with your preferred ranking of submissions (#1 name of activity/event, #2 name of activity event, etc.)
There are 3 steps involved for every Librarian Development Fund (LDF) request:
Step 1: Submit an LDF Request
Step 2: Submit an Expense Report (at the end of the month, reporting any expenses from LDF activities that month)
Step 3: Submit a Reconciliation Report (as soon as you have completed the activity for which funds were provided.)
Emergency Summer Funding: June 1, 2026 – July 31, 2026
In general, summer expenses are paid out of pocket and then reimbursed upon approval of a retroactive LDF request in the fall semester. (Please keep in mind that funding for applications for retroactive awards is not guaranteed.) If there is an urgent unforeseeable expense that cannot be paid out of pocket, exceptions can be made on a case by case basis.
- Summer requests are exceptions.
- They count toward the upcoming LDF cycle (Fiscal Year 2027, Odd FOAP)
- Funds received must be used by August 15, 2026 or they will be removed from your FOAP.
See "Apply for Funds" Steps 1, 2, and 3 above if emergency summer funding is needed.
Deadline for Givebacks and Spending: August 15, 2026
- Deadline for librarian to return unused Even FOAP (Fiscal Year 2026) funds to the Library Development Fund. Make sure you submit any outstanding Reconciliation Reports.
- Deadline for librarian to spend Odd FOAP (Fiscal Year 2025) Funds. Unused funds will be swept into the USFFA pool of funds. Make sure you submit any outstanding Expense Reports.
Application Process
Fiscal Year 2027 Timeline (Odd FOAP)
Apply for Funds
Submit requests for any professional development activities happening between September 2026 and August 2028. Funds must be used by August 15, 2028.
August 2026 – January 2027: Applications will be reviewed according to the following schedule. Awarded funds will count toward your spending target
| Application Submission Deadline | Committee will complete reviews by | Dean will complete review by | Applicant will be notified by | |
| August 2026 | August 14, 2026 | August 28, 2026 | September 4, 2026 | September 7, 2026 |
| October 2026 | October 16, 2026 | October 30, 2026 | November 6, 2026 | November 9, 2026 |
| January 2027 | January 15, 2027 | January 29, 2027 | February 5, 2027 | February 8, 2027 |
Spring 2027: Applications will be reviewed according to the following schedule. Awarded funds count towards the general pool (spending targets lifted). The committee will use a rubric to review. LDF Rubric.
| Application Submission Deadline | Committee will complete reviews by | Dean will complete review by | Applicant will be notified by | |
| February 2027 | February 28, 2027* | March 12, 2027 | March 19, 2027 | March 22, 2027 |
| April 2027** | April 2, 2027* | April 16, 2027 | April 23, 2027 | April 26, 2027 |
*Please email the LDF Committee with your preferred ranking of submissions (#1 name of activity/event, #2 name of activity/event, etc.)
**If there are remaining funds, an April rubric-scored application window will be offered.
There are 3 steps involved for every Librarian Development Fund (LDF) request:
Step 1: Submit an LDF Request
Step 2: Submit an Expense Report (at the end of the month, reporting any expenses from LDF activities that month)
Step 3: Submit a Reconciliation Report (as soon as you have completed the activity for which funds were provided.)
Emergency Summer Funding: June 1, 2027 – July 31, 2027
In general, summer expenses are paid out of pocket and then reimbursed upon approval of a retroactive LDF request in the fall semester. (Please keep in mind that funding for applications for retroactive awards is not guaranteed.) If there is an urgent unforeseeable expense that cannot be paid out of pocket, exceptions can be made on a case by case basis.
- Summer requests are exceptions.
- They count toward the upcoming LDF cycle (Fiscal Year 2028, Even FOAP)
- Funds received must be used by August 15, 2027 or they will be removed from your FOAP.
See "Apply for Funds" Steps 1, 2, and 3 above if emergency summer funding is needed.
Deadline for Givebacks and Spending: August 15, 2027
- Deadline for librarians to return unused Odd FOAP (Fiscal Year 2027) funds to the Library Development Fund. Make sure you submit any outstanding Reconciliation Reports.
- Deadline for librarians to spend Even FOAP (Fiscal Year 2026) Funds. Unused funds will be swept into the USFFA pool of funds. Make sure you submit any outstanding Expense Reports.
Application Process
Fiscal Year 2025 Timeline (Odd FOAP)
Apply for Funds: September 1, 2024 – April 30, 2025
Submit requests for any professional development activities happening between September 2024 and August 2026. Funds must be used by August 15, 2026.
- September 2024 – January 2025: Awarded funds will count toward your spending target
- February 2025 – April 2025: Awarded funds will count toward general pool
There are 3 steps involved for every Librarian Development Fund (LDF) request:
Step 1: Submit an LDF Request (September - April)
Step 2: Submit an Expense Report (at the end of the month, reporting any expenses from LDF activities that month)
Step 3: Submit a Reconciliation Report (as soon as you have completed the activity for which funds were provided.)
Funding Freeze: May 2025
No applications will be accepted May 1- May 31. The committee uses this month to review all librarians' FOAP balances and ensure funding for future events is correct and all unspent funds are moved back into the general pool.
Emergency Summer Funding: June 1, 2025 – July 31, 2025
In general, summer expenses are paid out of pocket and then reimbursed upon approval of a retroactive LDF request in the fall semester. (Please keep in mind that funding for applications for retroactive awards is not guaranteed.) If there is an urgent unforeseeable expense that cannot be paid out of pocket, exceptions can be made on a case by case basis.
- Summer requests are exceptions.
- They count toward the upcoming LDF cycle (Fiscal Year 2026, Even FOAP)
- Funds received must be used by August 15, 2025 or they will be removed from your FOAP.
See "Apply for Funds" Steps 1, 2, and 3 above if emergency summer funding is needed.
Deadline for Givebacks and Spending: August 15, 2025
- Deadline for librarians to return unused Odd FOAP (Fiscal Year 2025) funds to the Library Development Fund. Make sure you submit any outstanding Reconciliation Reports.
- Deadline for librarians to spend Even FOAP (Fiscal Year 2024) Funds. Unused funds will be swept into the USFFA pool of funds. Make sure you submit any outstanding Expense Reports.