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What are Reading Everywhere Action Grants?

Each school year and summer, the Oakland Literacy Coalition awards grants for books and funding to support innovative literacy projects that engage Oakland children and youth in community-based, non-school settings. 

We celebrate reading everywhere it happens- on the bus, at the park, in afterschool programs, at places of worship, and in the comfort of home. Wherever kids read, joy and curiosity grow.

Together with our community partners, we are fostering a culture of reading and expanding access to high quality, culturally-affirming books. Community organizations are trusted ambassadors for the families they serve, and they meet children and families/caregivers exactly where they are. 

One of the OLC’s earliest programs, the action grants have been sparking a love of reading for more than a decade – supporting schools, community groups, and individual literacy champions to integrate literacy into their programs and create opportunities for families and students to share the joy of reading together.

Past recipients have reported significant positive impacts, such as reaching more families and children, offering more culturally-affirming books to spark interest in reading, and communicating with participating families the importance of reading as a shared activity.

A summer grantee reported,

“Having stories in multiple languages was EVERYTHING! I had a parent cry because we had Rainbow Fish in Arabic. She stated that “it was her favorite book and to see it printed in her own language” the experience was priceless! Everyone was crying because she and her child were so impacted. Thank you for those precious moments, that we get to share with the community. Without OLC, this would not be possible!”

For the 2025-26 school year, we prioritized our action grants for literacy projects that integrated STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics) and involved families in the projects. One grantee, St Mary’s Center, will host a Family STEM/Math Night, to help parents understand the importance of STEM in early learning—while also giving families a fun, hands-on experience together. Another, Community Education Partnerships, will incorporate science activities and reading books about science into their Read a Thon. A new grantee, Incredible Church, will do a project during Black History Month to teach students about famous African Americans in STEM and beyond. 

We are excited to announce that this fall, we have awarded grant funding and new books to 20 organizations for the 2025-26 school year cycle!

In total, we awarded $4,250 and provided over 2700 books to the following organizations for their reading projects with Oakland youth. We want to highlight our special grantees of the 2025-26 Reading Everywhere Action Grants and their innovative reading projects.

• BANANAS Inc.: Books For The Brunch
• Bodacious Bombshells: Divine Radiance
• Brighter Beginnings: Halloween Early Literacy Family Event
• Brighter Beginnings Family Partnership Program: Early Literacy Family Event
• Community Child Care Council (4Cs) of Alameda County: Books on Vacation!
• Community Education Partnerships: FM Read-a-Thon & OK Program Read-a-Thon
• East Oakland Boxing Association: Books, Hooks, and Homework: Knockin’ Out Success After School
• East Oakland Collective: 2025 Winter Holiday Extravaganza and Reading Corner
• Family Support Services (Kinship Support Services Program): Let’s Read
• Girl Scouts Troop 31878: OPL Winter Bingo
• Harbor House Ministries: Literacy Night
• Incredible Church: 1,000 Incredible Books For 1,000 Incredible Kids
• Literacy is Fundamental/Who Am I Today?: Preschool Family Storytime
• Ms. Honey Family Childcare: Reading for Kids
• Oakland Elizabeth House: Book Club Nights & After School Reading Circles
• Reading and Roller Skating: Reading and Roller Skating
• Realized Potential Inc.: Dads Are Reading Today
• St. Mary’s Center: St. Mary’s Preschool
• The Children’s Education Project: Turk the Turtle Family Night
• The Real Love Project: Reach one, Teach one
• Through the Looking Glass: Books for Families with Disabilities

Our action grants are possible with the generous support of the Golden State Community Foundation, PG&E, and The Barrios Trust.