The Equinox Open Source Grant first launched in 2019, inspired by the vibrant open source community and the belief that every community deserves to benefit from a searchable, accessible, and thriving library.
- Weeksville Heritage Center Goes Live on Koha ILS [09/06/2022]
- Equinox Open Library Initiative Awards Center for Khmer Studies the Equinox Open Source Grant [04/27/2021]
- Equinox Open Library Initiative Awards Vermont Jazz Center the Equinox Open Source Grant [04/26/2021]
- Implementing Koha ILS at the National Library of Puerto Rico [10/05/2020]
- Applications open for the 2021 Equinox Open Source Grant [09/08/2020]
- Aprueban fondos para la conservación de documentación histórica [08/18/2020]
- Equinox Open Source Grant Recipient Spark Central Goes Live with Koha [07/27/2020]
- Equinox Open Source Grant recipient Biblioteca Nacional de Puerto Rico goes live with Koha / Biblioteca Nacional de Puerto Rico, beneficiaria de la Subvención Equinox Open Source, se pone en marcha con Koha [07/27/2020]
The Equinox Open Source Grant provides implementation, training, hosting, and support services for Koha ILS, an open source integrated library system used by libraries worldwide.
To be eligible, an organization must be able to demonstrate that they:
A preview of the application questions can be viewed here.
The next application cycle opens September 22, 2025. Applications will be accepted until November 14, 2025. Awards will be announced in Q1 2026.
To be eligible, an organization must be able to demonstrate that they:
- Are a U.S. 501(c)3 nonprofit organization or a U.S. federal, state, local, or tribal governmental entity.
- Have a library or archives collection no larger than 50,000 items. If the collection is not already cataloged in an ILS, it should be a in such a state that cataloging will be completed and the collection visible to the public (or intended user group) at the end of the first grant year.
- Do not have the financial resources to pay for full commercial library catalog hosting services or the ability to host a system in-house. Current customers of Equinox are assumed to not meet this condition but may inquire regarding their eligibility.
- Are able to meet the technology and staffing requirements specified in the application form, including a designated account management contact that will be available to provide regular progress reports on activities related to the grant. It is the responsibility of the grantee to inform Equinox of any change in the organization's account management contact during the grant term.
A preview of the application questions can be viewed here.
The next application cycle opens September 22, 2025. Applications will be accepted until November 14, 2025. Awards will be announced in Q1 2026.
Grant Services
Services provided by the Equinox Open Source Grant include:
Renewal and Evaluation
The grant is provided for a term of three years and can be renewed indefinitely as long as the grant recipient continues to qualify for the grant. Equinox will evaulate the recipient's ongoing need for services at the end of the initial award term and any subsequent renewal terms. Grant recipients will be expected to:
Services provided by the Equinox Open Source Grant include:
- Hosting and Support services for Koha
- Migration and Implementation of the new Koha ILS
- End user training on Koha
Renewal and Evaluation
The grant is provided for a term of three years and can be renewed indefinitely as long as the grant recipient continues to qualify for the grant. Equinox will evaulate the recipient's ongoing need for services at the end of the initial award term and any subsequent renewal terms. Grant recipients will be expected to:
- Provide updated financial information and a narrative of acitvities and accomplishments related to the grant
- Track statistics related to the usage and management of the collection (e.g., number of items added, number of users added, number of circulations, etc.) during the grant term and report on them during the evaluation and renewal process and as requested by Equinox during the grant term.
Please send any questions or inquiries to grants@equinoxOLI.org.
Equinox Open Library Initiative provides innovative open source software for libraries of all types and delivers extraordinary service at exceptional value. As the successor to Equinox Software, Inc., Equinox Open Library Initiative builds upon more than a decade of trusted service and technical expertise, providing consulting services, software development, hosting, training, and support for Evergreen ILS, Koha ILS, and other open source library software.
To learn more, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.org.
For Equinox Library Services Canada, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.ca.
To learn more, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.org.
For Equinox Library Services Canada, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.ca.
Created in 1999 by Katipo Communications for the Horowhenua Library Trust in New Zealand, Koha is the first open source Integrated Library System to be used worldwide. The software is a full-featured ILS with a dual-database design (search engine and RDBMS) built to be compliant with library standards. Koha’s OPAC, staff, and self-checkout interfaces are all web applications. Distributed under the General Public License (GPL), libraries are free to use and install Koha themselves or to purchase support and development services. For more information on Koha, please visit https://koha-community.org.