This grant provides $500 to support literacy goals. Successful applicants will select from a menu of options and explain in their proposal how they will use grant components to stimulate interest and enthusiasm for literacy activities.
All CLiF former grantees are eligible to apply as long it has been at least three years since your last grant ended (2019 or earlier).
Because of the nature of this grant, we are looking for partners who can act quickly and implement activities for Spring 2023. Applications are due February 10, 2023. Applicants will be notified if they received a grant by February 17, 2023. Grant funds must be spent by June 30, 2023 but it is okay to have activities/events happen in the summer.
In order to unite people and create connections, CLiF has designed a grant opportunity to help build bridges and strengthen relationships between different groups within communities. CLiF offers four opportunities that use reading and writing to connect kids to their communities while building a love of literacy. Grant funds must be spent by June 30, 2023 but it is okay to have activities/events happen in the summer.
- Reading Buddies for Seniors - includes an author visit, an onsite library, and a two book giveaway.
- 1000 Books Before Kindergarten - includes an author visit, an onsite library, and a two book giveaway.
- Family Engagement - includes a CLiF presenter, book giveaway, literacy workshop, and/or reimbursement for food/supplies at an event of your design to engage with children and their families around literacy. Maximum grant of $1000.
- Design your own! What project will bring your students into contact with their community with literacy as an engagement point? What about re-connecting with an audience that has been out of touch due to the pandemic? How about multi-cultural programming to bring people together and enhance understanding of each other? Are there inclusive ways to serve your community around reading and writing that could use CLiF's support? Maximum grant of $1000.
Goals of the Community Building Grants
- Build empathy for others by connecting with new groups
- Create excitement around sharing books and writing
- Inspire students and adults to read and write for pleasure
- Encourage an appreciation for similarities and differences
- Support all kinds of young readers and writers
- Ensure children have high-quality books of their own at home
- Engage parents/caregivers and encourage reading and writing at home
Who Is Eligible to Apply?
- Community/nonprofit organizations, youth-serving programs, libraries, or schools located in New Hampshire or Vermont.
- Your project must serve a community with at least 35% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. Your application must show how you will partner with CLiF’s target audience of children ages 0-12 in under-resourced or under-represented communities.
- At least 30 kids must participate in the program, either virtually or in-person.
- Organizations with an enthusiastic and organized coordinator willing to collaborate with CLiF on planning, organizing, and communicating about your project.
How CLiF Will Select Grant Recipients
Criteria include:
- Demonstrated need and excitement
- Enthusiasm, creativity, and collaboration exhibited by the partner
- Clear demonstration of how this grant will benefit students and their communities
Questions should be sent to Cassie Willner, Program Manager, cassie@clifonline.org.
Application Process
The deadline to apply for a Year of the Book Grant is March 1, 2023 for the 2023-2024 school year. All applications must be submitted online no later than this date to be considered. A completed application will include:
- A completed Year of the Book application form
- A statement of support from the school principal
- A statement of support from the director or children’s librarian of the local public library
- A statement of support from the school librarian
- Statements of support from your school's literacy interventionist or other educators (optional, but strongly encouraged)
- Any additional materials that demonstrate the school’s need for supplementary literacy programming and/or the creative, enthusiastic ways that the school staff will help this initiative to succeed
- Final statement: CLiF may ask grant finalists to submit a one-page final statement summing up their commitment to Year of the Book programs
All grant applicants will be notified no later than April 1, 2023.
WHAT CLiF ASKS OF GRANT RECIPIENTS IN THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR 2022-2023
Schools that receive Year of the Book grants are asked to facilitate their grant’s success by completing the following activities before the end of the current school year:
- Local Coordinator: Schools must select a local coordinator. The coordinator will be CLiF’s onsite contact and it is crucial they have the capacity and energy for this project. They will work with the school and a local advisory committee to organize, schedule, and report on events and programs. The coordinator may be an administrator, educator, parent, or librarian. CLiF will pay the coordinator a stipend of $600 for the year as a small expression of our thanks for their efforts.
- Advisory Committee: CLiF asks the local coordinator to assemble a committee of teachers, staff, parents, administration, and/or community members to help with event planning and promotion and with maintaining momentum after the grant period.
- Informational Kickoff Meeting: In April or May 2023, CLiF will set up meetings (either in-person or virtually) at each sponsored school to meet the local coordinator, advisory committee, principal, and staff involved with the planning process. At this meeting, CLiF staff will work with your school to plan the fall kickoff event, brainstorm an initial calendar of events for the upcoming year, and answer any questions.