Reading Everywhere Action Grants
Summer is almost here and the OLC is gearing up for another round of Reading Everywhere Action Grants.
Are you thinking about incorporating reading into your summer program in Oakland? The OLC can help you make your project come to life with an Action Grant.
We have a large quantity of new, free, high interest books to give to select community and faith based organizations. Grantees will be able to come pick out books from our office for your students and we will award up to $500 in action grant funds for accompanying activities.
The following are a few examples of projects from last summer and we welcome your fun and creative ideas!
- A family Juneteenth celebration with a librarian read aloud, where parents and children read, sang, played and ate together.
- A summer program ran summer book clubs during their sessions, with a culminating weeklong literacy celebration that included children reading their book reviews to family members.
- A weekly reading and roller skating class where children learned to skate and practiced their reading skills, ending in a celebration where children read rhyming books aloud to music.
Who Should Apply?
- Oakland-based community organizations and faith-based organizations that work with preschool through high school age children are encouraged to apply for events in community-based (not school-based) spaces. We also welcome applications from informal neighborhood and/or cultural groups and childcare providers.
- Your organization does NOT need to have a literacy or education component in order to apply. We believe that literacy happens everywhere and we LOVE working with all kinds of organizations to reach kids where they are and inspire a love of reading.
- Organizations may apply on behalf of one or more sites/locations but are required to submit separate applications for each.
Schools and school-based programs are not eligible to apply for Action Grants.
Important Details
- All participating students must receive at least one new book to keep. The OLC has access to a large quantity of new, free, high interest books that grantees will be able to pick up from our office starting May 28.
- All grantees are required to attend an online orientation the week of June 3.
- We welcome projects and book giveaways that focus on promoting literacy in languages other than English.
- Projects should either directly engage students’ families or share information with families on how to support reading at home. The OLC will provide you with a toolkit of resources.
- Applications will be prioritized that present a clear and compelling idea for how they’ll respond to students’ interests and needs and create engaging opportunities to improve literacy outcomes and develop a love of reading.
- Grant amounts will be awarded based on the estimated number of students served and the scope of the project, and can be used for project activities, including food and supplies.
- Schools and nonprofits that run school-based programs are not eligible for action grants.
Important Dates
- Applications will be released on April 15, 2024 and can be submitted anytime until May 10, 2024 by 11:59 pm.
- The OLC will review applications and announce final funding decisions the week of May 20.
- Grantees will need to come to the OLC office (2744 E 11th Street) to pick up books starting May 28. We will work with you to coordinate a time for pickup.
- Projects must be completed by August 30, 2024.
- Grantees will be asked to submit a short report by September 20, 2024.
APPLY FOR SUMMER ACTION GRANTS
What our Reading Everywhere Action Grantees Are Saying:
“In providing support to kinship and foster youth in grades K-12 with their class work and homework, we have noticed that all of our participants struggle with reading and comprehension. With the Literacy Action Grant, we were able to identify and purchase books for our participants within their reading level and encourage literacy. The youth noted their appreciation in receiving the books and several of the caregivers noted that they had read the books to their children or read with their children. The mentors/tutors working with the youth identified the books based on the students’ reading level and interest.”
– Kinship Family Services, who received grant money and books for their Read-Along and Book Giveaway for Kinship Families project
“The project made a difference for the children and their families for one thing because they got to hear the stories, see the books, which have gorgeous illustrations, and keep a book. Being able to meet and talk to the author, gives the kids a very different experience than from just getting a book with no context for the author, especially for young children of color. They can see from an early age that people who look like them can be successful creatives.”
-Oakland Technology & Education Center, who received grant money for an local author visit and to purchase his books
If you have questions about applying for an action grant or book distribution, please send us an email at julia@oaklandliteracycoalition.org