Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Friends of the Midland Library (FOML)

Friends of the Midland Library (FOML) is a community-based, volunteer non-profit dedicated to strengthening and enriching the Midland Branch of the Cabarrus County Public Library in North Carolina. The organization serves as an organized channel through which residents and supporters can contribute financial resources and volunteer time to expand what the public library can offer.

FOML’s stated purpose is to maintain an association of people interested in libraries, focus public attention on the Midland Library and encourage use of its resources and services. A central part of this role is financial: the Friends group actively seeks and receives monetary gifts, endowments and bequests on behalf of the Midland Branch Library. These funds are then used to fund and supplement the library’s operating budget, enabling the purchase of additional materials and the delivery of programs that go beyond the base level supported by public funding.

By organizing activities such as membership drives, book and craft sales, and other community events, the Friends generate revenues that are directed to the library. Proceeds are used to support library programming for all ages, enhance collections, and improve services and facilities for local residents.

Although FOML does not operate open-call grant competitions, it functions as a targeted funder for a key community institution. Its financial support benefits a wide cross-section of the Midland community: leisure readers, students who need supplemental resources, job seekers and residents accessing social services and cultural programs at the library.

The Friends also act as a connecting link between the library and the broader community. In addition to their funding role, they advocate for quality library service, provide input into the library’s strategic planning, and help communicate community needs back to the library leadership. This combination of financial support, volunteerism and advocacy amplifies the impact of public library funding and contributes to a vibrant local cultural and educational ecosystem.

Friends of the Midland Library is governed by a board of directors, including officers such as a president, vice-president, treasurer and secretary. Individuals and families can formally join the Friends through a paid membership, creating a stable base of supporters whose dues contribute to the organization’s funding capacity. Together with one-time donors and event participants, these members sustain the Friends’ ability to provide ongoing financial support to the Midland Branch.