WASHINGTON — The Washington Carnegie Public Library has secured a major financial boost for local youth education after being selected as a winner in the final, highly competitive round of T-Mobile’s national Hometown Grants program.
The library was awarded a $50,000 grant—the maximum amount distributed by the program—to dramatically expand its science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) initiatives. Washington’s project was one of just 26 selected nationwide from a record pool of more than 2,000 applications submitted during the quarter.
The $50,000 windfall is earmarked to transform the library’s existing, modest STEM programming into a fully equipped, modern educational environment. The new dedicated space will feature hands-on learning tools and technology designed to spark critical thinking and bridge the digital divide for students in the rural Daviess County community.
According to the grant guidelines, the funds will be used strictly for “shovel-ready” physical improvements and technology infrastructure, with all construction and tool integration slated for completion within the next 12 months.
This latest funding round marks a historic milestone for T-Mobile. The telecom giant, in partnership with the nonprofit Main Street America, launched the Hometown Grants initiative in April 2021 as a five-year commitment to invest in small towns with populations under 50,000.
This selection cycle concludes the $22.8 million landmark initiative, securing the Washington Carnegie Public Library’s spot as the 500th and final community development project funded in the program’s history.
“The T-Mobile Hometown Grants program has proven that when communities are given the tools and resources to pursue their own vision, remarkable things happen,” said Erin Barnes, President and CEO of Main Street America.
By securing this funding over thousands of competing municipal and non-profit projects nationwide, the Washington Carnegie Public Library has ensured that local students will have direct access to competitive, high-quality technical education right in their own backyard.
