Grant Proposal
Introduction/Statement of Purpose:
As a little girl, the first place I developed a passion for reading was inside the classroom. My second grade English teacher had a small library inside her class where we were able to pick any book from an array of different genres. She’d assign us book reports that helped me build a love for analysis and looked to create conversation about the books we have just read. She invited us to search for little stories and shine a light on them. Our initiative, “Little Stories”, aspires to create safe spaces for young readers and foster reading habits in children. We’d like to create the jumping off point for schools and other education centers to create their own book clubs and lead thought-directed discussions. We are seeking funding to create and support book clubs for young children in impoverished areas. There is a lack of emphasis in learning literature in schools and we’d like to foster a love towards reading in children by providing them with a fun afterschool activity. The project will include creating guidelines schools can follow in order to create their book clubs and how to conduct student-run discussions with the hopes that they can become self-sufficient. We are seeking funding from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to provide books, materials, and support for our after-school books clubs that will aim to nurture literary confidence.
Background and Mission:
The purpose of our project is to create life-long passion for reading while improving reading proficiency and comprehension in young kids. Through the book club discussion, we want to encourage critical thinking and create safe environments where kids can explore their interests. I believe this work is imperative in the world we live in today. With declining literacy rates and reading-comprehension at an all-time low, it’s in imperative to fix the problem when children are most impressionable. I believe the most important foundation children can have are strong reading skills. Comprehension and Discussion skills can complement a dozen of other skills, whether a child wants to become a doctor or a coder, reading is still fundamental.
Project Description:
The “Little Stories” initiative aims to provide free weekly after-school book clubs at local libraries, schools, and community centers. Each “meeting” will feature a new children’s book followed by interactive adult-lead discussion and a themed activity. The activity could vary from arts and crafts to role-play. The book selection will be up to the organizers with an emphasis on varied topics and diversity, but we also urge educators and role models to offer up a level of choice to their participants. Funds will be mainly used on materials. Materials include age-appropriate books, craft supplies, and supplies for activities. We would like to incorporate a stimulating activity in every session to supplement the lesson and keep the children engaged. The weekly book club sessions will span the almost entire school year which would add up to 24 in total, taking 2 months to account for planning, onboarding, and outreach and a month to account for breaks in the school year. By the end of the school year, we’d like to collect data on the children’s reading levels in comparison to the beginning of the year to see if our club would help boost scores and interest in reading.
Alignment:
Little Stories directly supports the Dollar General Literacy Foundation’s core purpose. We both want to aid students who are reading below grade level and with the book club we will try to address literacy gaps by providing reading practice, pushing for fluency and comprehension, and encouraging reading as a fun activity. We believe that every child should have the opportunity to become confident readers.
Sustainability Plan:
After the grant period is over, we hope to sustain the program through community support, partnerships, and additional donations. We hope through the process to develop partnerships with local schools and libraries so we can continue to have a space to hold the book clubs. Through community volunteers, future sessions can propagate in other schools if the volunteers are trained. Additional donations can come from local businesses oriented in literature or those who aim to support causes that cater to children’s learning. The goal for the project is to have simple objectives and criteria that anyone can adhere to and create their own Little Stories children’s book club.
Budget Overview:
The budget would be used over the span of 9 months or the average length of a school year. Most of the funds will go towards materials. Any surplus of materials and books in good condition can be easily re-used for following project cycles.
Total Requested Amount: $3,000
| Item | Cost |
| Books | $1,000 |
| Program Supplies | $1,000 |
| Outreach | $500 |
| Facilitator Stipends | $500 |
| Total | $3,000 |
Conclusion:
The Little Stories Book Club aims to be more than an after-school program, it’s a steppingstone towards reading confidence. With the Dollar General Literacy grant, we can begin to empower struggling readers and create a lasting love for reading in these kid’s lives. Thank you so much for your consideration and we cannot wait to build more little stories with you.
Grant Guidelines:
Dollar General does not provide access to their guidelines/application outside of the application cycle, so I’ve crafted my proposal around the information they have on their website.
Reflection:
I tailored the proposal to appeal to the Dollar General Literacy Grant. Initially, I thought of the book club project more so as a fun activity rather than something that could aid in raising literacy rates and reading comprehension. The Grant helped me shaped the direction in which my project took. The Literacy Grant emphasizes on things relating to “access to literacy”, “instructional support”, and “helping students who are below grade level”, which are all things my project aims to include and tackle. I acknowledge the fact that where we are at now in terms of our reading rates in the United States, there is a need for increased attention to reading and developing an interest. The book clubs would be an accessible form of introducing children to different kinds of literature and would certainly help boost literacy rates. While there weren’t any specific keywords listed in the guidelines, I just made sure my purpose aligned securely with their own mission.
