Funding Sources

UPCOMING FUNDING SOURCES:

If your site needs help in applying for these grants, needs template language, sample letters of inquiry or quotes/budget proposals, please reach out to Mikaela Houghton, Manager Affiliate Growth and Development at mhoughton@raisingareader.org. Furthermore, if you’ve found success in funding your RAR program through grants, we’d love to know!

1. MIDWEST

Michigan

Gerber Foundation (West MI communities with quarterly deadlines) http://www.gerberfoundation.org/west-michigan-grants/interests

Minnesota

Bigelow Foundation (deadlines are January and July for nonprofit organizations in the Saint Paul Area) https://www.frbigelow.org/apply-grant

2. NORTHEAST

New York

Lily Auchincloss Foundation (quarterly grants for NYC affiliates) http://lilyauch.org/index.php/mission/

Hyded & Watson Foundation http://fdnweb.org/hydeandwatson/application-procedures/

Robin Hood Foundation https://www.robinhood.org/

Tiger Foundation. http://tigerfoundation.org/funding_guidelines/education/

New Jersey

Comprehensive List of NJ Funding:

Princeton Area Community Foundation: https://pacf.org/

FM Kirby Foundation: http://fmkirbyfoundation.org

Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation: http://www.grdodge.org/what-we-fund/

Turrell Fund Application: https://www.turrellfund.org/guidelines.html

Provident Bank Foundation: https://www.theprovidentbankfoundation.org/

New Jersey Community Capital: https://www.newjerseycommunitycapital.org/

3. SOUTHEAST

Georgia

Gozizueta Foundation (10 area Atlanta counties, deadlines are April and October) https://www.goizuetafoundation.org/eligibility-requirements/

Missouri

Hall Family Foundation (must be located in Kansas City)

https://www.hallfamilyfoundation.org/

4. SOUTHWEST

Arizona

Arizona Community Foundation (several opportunities with deadlines in February and March 2020)

https://www.azfoundation.org/GrantsLoans/CurrentGrantOpportunities.aspx

Oklahoma

George Kaiser Family Foundation (Tulsa area only) http://www.gkff.org/faq/

5. WEST

California

Arata Brothers Trust (Sacramento) http://aratabrotherstrust.org/

Beth Longwell Foundation (Bay area applicants only, deadline is March 2020) http://bethlongwellfoundation.org/grantinfo/

Kelly Foundation (deadline is April 15, 2020)

http://kellyfoundationsacramento.org/

The Clorox Foundation (for affiliates in Oakland) https://www.thecloroxcompany.com/corporate-responsibility/social-impact/foundation/

National Opportunities

The following national funding sources may require more documentation and time than a local funding opportunity. These grants also may require data reports which show the impact of their donation in terms of mid-year and/or end of year reporting requirements. These grants, if approved, would typically produce funds significantly larger than local funds.

American Dream Literacy Initiative (focuses on adult education programs in libraries): http://www.ala.org/advocacy/literacy/americandream

Better World Books (focuses on innovative programs in libraries): https://cares.betterworldbooks.com/grants/literacy-grants-for-libraries/

Better World Books (focuses on innovative programs in nonprofit organizations): https://cares.betterworldbooks.com/grants/literacy-grants-for-nonprofits/

Brown Rudnick Center for the Public Interest Community Grants (focus on inner-city education in Boston, Providence, Hartford, New York, Washington DC and Orange County): http://www.brownrudnickcenter.com/foundation/community-grants/community-grant-application/

Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood (new programs to improve early childhood welfare and education and will not fund any organizations religiously affiliated, deadline is May 31, 2020): https://earlychildhoodfoundation.org/

Dollar General Literacy Foundation: https://www.dgliteracy.org/grant-programs/#beyond-words

Halliburton Foundation (grantmaking to schools): https://www.halliburton.com/en-US/about-us/community/halliburton-foundation/default.html?node-id=hgeyxt9a

Honda (focuses on STEM education): https://www.honda.com/community/applying-for-a-grant

John Edward Fowler Memorial Fund (DMV area, focuses on at-risk children and youth as well as adult literacy): http://fdnweb.org/fowler/

Kresage Foundation (broad funding priorities): https://kresge.org/programs/education

Umpqua Bank (focuses on nonprofit organizations, not schools, who are making lasting change in their community): https://www.umpquabank.com/globalassets/media/documents/umpqua-bank-community-grant-guidelines.pdf

Walmart, Sam’s Club and Costco additionally have provided RAR grants to affiliates in the past.

Additional Funding Opportunities (non-grants)

GroupRaise – This is a wonderful way for Affiliates to raise money for their RAR program with more than 6,000 participating restaurants nationwide.

DonorsChoose.org – This is a crowd-sourcing website specifically for teachers and classrooms to raise money for projects, particularly the RAR program and materials.

Striving Readers

The U.S. Department of Education recently announced states who received funding for the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Grant Program. If you wish to begin a Raising a Reader program in one of these states or are currently implementing and need funding to continue implementing, do reach out to us. Please note states have pre-designated their own priorities within their applications, which may include high-need populations, Head Start and Native American communities. We have resources to assist in your application, including templates and webinars with more information.

Alaska (award winners announced in Spring 2020)

American Samoa

Arkansas

California

Georgia (deadline for applicants is 2/10)

Guam

Hawaii (2/6 for round one and 4/16 for round two)

Kentucky (upcoming deadline for applicants is 4/13)

Louisiana (award winners announced in Spring 2020)

Minnesota

Montana (upcoming deadline for applicants is 3/31)

New Mexico (award winners announced in Spring 2020)

North Dakota (upcoming deadline for applicants is 2/14)

Northern Mariana Islands

Ohio (2/14 for round one, mid-March for round two)

Rhode Island (upcoming deadline for applicants is 2/26)

Virgin Islands