Waterbury Center, VT: The Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) seeks applications for its Community Building grant for Winter/Spring 2019-2020. The Community Building grant application is open to organizations, including elementary school classrooms, after-school programs, clubs, libraries, and non-profits, that serve low-income, at-risk, and rural kids in Vermont and New Hampshire. The grant is intended to help build connections between children and other members of their communities through reading and writing. Applications may be found at www.clifonline.org under Literacy Programs. Applications are due November 15, 2019.
Applicants may choose to apply for the grant to start a Reading Buddies with Seniors program in which children and local senior citizens read together or launch a “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” initiative for young children (see 1000booksbeforekindergarten.org for more information). Potential partners wanting to focus on writing can chose from the My Community Story initiative offered by the Young Writers Project or a songwriting workshop with CLiF Presenter Jon Gailmor. We encourage applications for other programming that supports local initiatives or fills a need.
Applicants awarded grants to launch either Reading Buddies with Seniors or 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten programs will receive an on-site children’s library (valued at $500) for their classroom, club, or organization, a training session with one of CLiF’s professional author/illustrators or storytellers, and a book giveaway in which all program participants choose two new books to keep.
Applicants awarded grants to launch My Community Story digital platform (a $250 value) will receive access to their own digital website for students to privately share their writing, prompts and resources for storytelling, research, digital media and editing, a writing workshop with one of CLiF’s professional authors, and funding (up to $150) for a community celebration for children to share their writing with family members and friends. Songwriting workshop include a day-long session with Gailmor and funding for a performance led by Gailmor.
The goals of this grant are to build empathy for others by connecting with new groups, create excitement around books and writing, inspire children and adults to read and write for pleasure, and support young readers and writers.
CLiF Program Director Meredith Scott says, “As this grant develops, we continue to add new and different options that encourage our partners rethink their students’ relationships with their community and reading and writing. We hope this grant allows partners some flexibility to implement an exciting new opportunity.
Any questions about this grant can be directed to Meredith Scott at meredith@clifonline.org.
About the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF)
CLiF is a non-profit organization whosemission is to nurture a love of reading and writing among lowincome, atrisk, and rural children up to age 12 throughout New Hampshire and Vermont. Since 1998, CLiF has supported and inspired more than 250,000 young readers and writers through six literacy program grants and has given away more than $7 million in new, highquality children’s books. For more information about CLiF, visit www.clifonline.org.