Jack Kent Cooke Founcation Grant for Enrichment Programs

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation seeks nonprofit providers of accelerated learning or academic enrichment programs for grants of between $100,000 and $600,000 total over a three-year period. The objective of the grants is to increase access to accelerated learning and enrichment programs for low- to moderate-income students ages 5 through 12 who have exceptional academic promise.

Proposals for these grants are being solicited by invitation only. If you have not received an invitation and you wish to apply for this grant, the Foundation requires that you first submit a letter of interest and receive an invitation. Unsolicited applications will not be accepted.

Your letter of interest should be 1-3 pages in length in standard business letter format, and should include the following:

A brief overview and history of your organization;
A description of the design and results of the program for which you seek funding;
Evidence that your program explicitly benefits low- to moderate-income students with exceptional academic promise.

http://www.jackkentcookefoundation.org/jkcf_web/content.aspx?page=9861879

Barbara Bush Family Literacy Grant

The Foundation's grant-making program seeks to develop or expand projects that are designed to support the development of literacy skills for adult primary care givers and their children. A total of approximately $650,000 will be awarded; no grant request should exceed $65,000. Additional information about the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and answers to Frequently Asked Questions are available on our web page (http://www.barbarabushfoundation.com)

Ticket To Reading Rewards

Ticket To Reading Rewards is a reading incentive program that encourages Middle School students to read books outside the classroom and obtain rewards for reading. Over the life of the program, students have read an estimated 4,000,000 books, obtained nearly 1,000,000 rewards and attended 125,000 local men's and women's NCAA basketball games--all at no cost to the school district or its students.

http://www.tickettoreadingrewards.org/

Dollar General's Back-to-School Grants

Description: The Dollar General Back-to-School grant program will award $5,000 to assist schools in meeting some of the financial challenges they face in implementing new programs or purchasing new equipment, materials, or software for their school library or literacy program. Program areas: Library, miscellaneous, all other Recipients: Public schools Total amount: $5,000 per school

Website: http://www.dollargeneral.com/servingothers/Pages/backtoschoolgrants.aspx

IRA's “Teacher as Researcher” Grants

Are you interested in conducting an action research project about literacy and literacy instruction? Consider applying for a grant administered by the International Reading Association.

http://www.reading.org/awards/granttrg.html

IRA Presidential Award for Reading and Technology

The International Reading Association (http://www.reading.org) is accepting applications for the Presidential Award for Reading and Technology, an annual award designed to honor educators in grades K-12 or equivalent who are making an outstanding and innovative contribution to the use of technology in reading education. This award is sponsored by PLATO Learning.

The grand prize winner, selected as the best application from across all the eligible regions, will receive a $1,000 prize plus expenses ($2,000 maximum) to attend the IRA Annual Convention.

All entrants must be educators who work directly with students ages 5-18 for all or part of the working day. Educators who work in public, parochial, or private elementary, middle, or high schools in the United States are eligible for the U.S. regional awards. Educators who work with students ages 5-18 in a public or private school in Canada are eligible for the Canadian award. Educators in all other countries, including U.S. Territories and APO schools, are eligible for the international award. All entries are eligible for the grand prize.

Entries incorporating any brand of computers, operating systems, software applications, and other technologies such as TV or video are acceptable. Program information and applications are available at the International Reading Association Web site.

RFP Link: http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/10004020/reading

Early Reading First

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Local education agencies (LEAs) eligible for a Reading First subgrant and public or private organizations or agencies located in a community served by an eligible LEA.

The program supports the development of early childhood centers of excellence that focus on all areas of development, especially on the early language, cognitive, and prereading skills that prepare children for continued school success and that serve primarily children from low-income families.

Who May Apply: (by category) Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), Local Education Agencies (LEAs), Nonprofit Organizations, Other Organizations and/or Agencies, State Education Agencies (SEAs)

Grants are designed to help early childhood centers improve their programs, by creating centers of excellence that provide preschool-age children with language and cognitive skills, and an early reading foundation. Funds must be used to:

• Enhance children's language, cognitive, and early reading skills through professional development for teachers;
  
  
• Provide early language and reading development and instructional materials as developed from scientifically based reading research;
  
  
• Provide preschool-age children with cognitive learning opportunities in high quality language and literature-rich environments;
  
  
• Use screening assessments to effectively identify preschool children who may be at risk for reading failure; and
  
  
• Improve existing early childhood programs by integrating scientifically based reading research into all aspects of the program (including instructional materials, teaching strategies, curricula, parent engagement, and professional development).

http://www.ed.gov/programs/earlyreading/index.html

Striving Readers Program

U.S. Department of Education
Local education agencies with one or more schools that are eligible to receive Title I funds and serve students in grades 6-12

Striving Readers is a new grant program from the U.S. Department of Education that will support the implementation and evaluation of research-based reading interventions for struggling middle and high school readers in Title I eligible schools that have significant percentages or numbers of students reading below grade level. The Striving Readers Program aims to enhance the overall level of reading achievement in middle and high schools through improvements to the quality of literacy instruction across the curriculum; improve the literacy skills of struggling adolescent readers; and help build a strong, scientific research base around specific strategies that improve adolescent literacy skills.

The goals of this program are to:

• Raise student achievement in middle and high schools by improving the literacy skills of struggling adolescent readers; and
• Help build a strong, scientific research base around specific strategies that improve adolescent literacy skills.

Contact: http://www.ed.gov/programs/strivingreaders/index.html

We the People Bookshelf on Becoming American

As part of its We the People initiative, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is collaborating with the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office to present the We the People Bookshelf, a program to encourage young people to read and understand great literature while exploring themes in American history.

Please use the links below to review grant guidelines and complete an online application. With questions contact the Public Programs Office at 312-280-5045 or

http://www.wethepeople.gov/bookshelf/index.html

Youth Leaders for Literacy

Youth Leaders for Literacy is an initiative of the National Education Association ( http://www.nea.org/ ) and Youth Service America ( http://www.ysa.org/ ) to help youth direct their enthusiasm and creativity into reading-related service projects.

Grant applications should propose youth leadership in developing and implementing a literacy project that begins on NEA's Read Across America Day, March 2, 2007, and culminates on YSA's National Youth Service Days ( http://www.ysa.org/nysd/ ), April 20-22.

The National Education Association will award twenty grants of $500 each to support student-led initiatives. Applicants aged 21 or younger can apply either as individuals or groups. Youth should be involved in preparing and submitting the grant application.

To be eligible for grant funds, applicants must include a scheduled activity (e.g., read-aloud session, trip to the library, book-making, etc.) for each week of the project period as part of the proposed service project. Complete program information, examples of funded projects, and application guidelines are available at the NEA Web site.

RFP Link: http://www.nea.org/readacross/volunteer/

Literacy Empowerment Foundation (LEF)

The Literacy Empowerment Foundation (LEF) has increased the size of the matching grants available to $8,000.00 per school. A school can now order $16,000.00 worth of books and pay only 8,000.00. (Any amount purchased from $100.00 to $8,000.00 will be matched.)

The Matching Book Grant Program offers Guided Reading and Independent Reading Collections. Guided Reading Collections consist of six copies each of eighteen titles. Independent Reading Collections consist of one copy each of 108 titles. With each set of Guided Reading and/or Independent Reading Collections purchased at the regular price, an additional set of books will be included.

The Literacy Empowerment Foundation (LEF) is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization. LEF currently supplies books to over 20,000 schools. The number of books available in the Matching Book Grant Program has increased dramatically. Matching Book Grants allow your school to double its purchasing power. This is a limited time offer that requires no special screening or applications. For more information you can also contact: Literacy Empowerment Foundation, 6323 Salem Park Circle, Mechanicsburg, Pa. 17050; Phone: 717-791-6210 or 610-719-6448, Email: info@LEFbooks.org.

http://www.lefbooks.org/

Mazda Foundation

The first step in applying to the Mazda Foundation is to review our grant guidelines. If you feel that your organization conforms to the Mazda Foundation's mission, please complete and submit the downloadable grant application form. The application may be submitted by regular mail or fax.

Please note, in an effort to streamline the application process, the Foundation only accepts applications from May 1 through July 1 each fiscal year.

Grant Guidelines - Qualifications / Restrictions
Organizations seeking funding should carefully review the Foundation's grant making guidelines to determine if their project conforms to the Foundation's mission before submitting an application.

The Mazda Foundation awards grants to programs promoting Education and literacy, Environmental conservation, Cross-cultural understanding, Social welfare and Scientific research

http://www.mazdafoundation.org/grantguidelines.html

Ezra Jack Keats Minigrant Program For Public School Libraries and Public Libraries

1. We accept applications from public schools and libraries anywhere in the United States and its protectorates.

2. Funds will not be granted for:
   - general operating costs
   - administrative costs
   - transportation of the audience
   - purchase of books, tapes, software or equipment unrelated to a specific program described.

3. Creative programs funded in the past have included:
   - Ongoing pen-pal projects bringing disparate communities together,
   - Multi-cultural portrait projects,
   - Art projects culminating in art shows, murals, or quilts,
   - Bookmaking,
   - Creation and performance of puppet shows,
   - Inter-generational journals.*
* These are examples...we welcome new ideas.

4. Applications will only be accepted if they are submitted on the form and in the space provided without reformating or attachments.

5. Only one application will be considered from each library or school.

6. Applications cannot be accepted for consideration if:
   - they are for programs being held in any type of private or parochial school or library,
   - they are for duplicated programs,
   - they are emailed,
   - they are sent by registered mail,
   - they require a signature upon delivery,
   - they are postmarked after the September 15 deadline of each year.

7. If an award check is not to be made out to the library or school:
   - please indicate clearly the name of the entity cashing the check,
   - how it is connected to the institution using the award,
   - who at that institution is serving as contact for the program and
   - how we can reach them.

8. We cannot send you a replacement if you lose the award check.

9. Make sure you have:
   - answered all the questions
   - signed the application
   - stapled the pages together
   - checked the accuracy of your return address and email (or we will not be able to inform you of your status.)
   - kept a copy of the application for your files.

10. Mail the completed application form to:
Ezra Jack Keats Minigrant Program
450 14th Street
Brooklyn, New York 11215

11. Decisions will be announced by December of each year. You will receive notification by mail whether or not you have been awarded a grant.

http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/programs/minigrant.html

Target Early Childhood Reading

Target makes grants to:

> Organizations located in communities where we do business
> 501(c)(3) organizations, schools, libraries or public agencies
> Support projects or programs
> Nonprofit programs that impact any of the following areas:

• Arts
• Early Childhood Reading
• Family Violence Prevention

Target store grants support nonprofit programs that impact the arts, early childhood reading and family violence prevention in the areas where we do business.

Reading is an essential element in a child's educational process. Reading grants are awarded to schools, libraries and nonprofit organizations, supporting programs such as weekend book clubs and after-school reading programs that foster a love of reading and encourage children, from birth through age 9, to read together with their families.

> Target Early Childhood Reading

Toyota Family Literacy Program Grant Opportunity

Educational grants to expand literacy programs for Hispanic and other immigrant families
The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) seeks applications for a competitive grant award of $600,000 comprised of direct funding and support services to implement the highly successful Toyota Family Literacy Program (TFLP). Five school districts will ultimately be chosen.

Awards will be made based on a competitive application process. Interested communities/school districts must download, complete and return the Capability Survey to NCFL by 5 p.m. (EST), Friday, February 20, 2009.
NCFL is specifically seeking school districts that:

• Will implement the program in three elementary schools that provide K-3 education
• Demonstrate significant need for family literacy programming to serve an at-risk population of Hispanic and other immigrant families
• Provide a statement of support from the district superintendent
• Provide a statement of support from the local mayor or head of city council
• Demonstrate capability to deliver family literacy services beginning in the fall of 2009
  

TFLP development includes: Adult Education/ESL, Children's Education, Parenting Education, and Interactive Literacy Activities for Parents and Children.

National Center for Family Literacy
Attn: April Smith, Administrative Assistant
325 West Main Street, Suite 300
Louisville, KY 40202
Faxed or electronic copies will not be accepted.

> Toyota Family Literacy Program Grant Opportunity