There are restrictions on the use of federal funds.
Federal guidance is listed on the Allowable Expenses Tip Sheet. The State Library of California has a great resource that also lists the restrictions on federal funds.
Examples of Unallowable Costs include:
- electronic materials that are already available via POWER Library or the Bureau of the State Library.
- individual memberships (institutional memberships are allowed)
- furniture (unless it is necessary to support a federally funded program)
- general promotion, advertising, and marketing of a library (marketing a federally funded program is allowed w/ correct acknowledgments)
- entertainment
- food (without an associated educational component)
- alcohol
- speaker/presenter honorariums (speaker fees are allowed, honorariums are not)
- construction costs, this includes plumbing, electrical work, and installation costs.
The specific grant you apply for may carry additional restrictions. Those are identified in the 'Eligible Purchases' tab of that grant application guideline.
