Application Process
Fiscal Year 2026 Timeline (Even FOAP)
Apply for Funds: September 1, 2025 – April 30, 2026
Submit requests for any professional development activities happening between September 2025 and August 2026. Funds must be used by August 15, 2027.
- September 2025 – January 2026: Awarded funds will count toward your spending target
- February 2026 – April 2026: 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 2026
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, 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 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.