Dollar General Literacy Foundation
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is a public charity based in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. Established in 1993, it provides grants for literacy and education initiatives that help people of all ages learn to read, prepare for a high school equivalency test, or learn English.
Dollar General Literacy Foundation at a glance
In short: Dollar General Literacy Foundation gave $14.5M across 564 grants in 2026 (avg $26K), top state New York. 38% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $14,481,656
- +0.0% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 564
- +7.8% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $25,677
- -7.2% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $84,560,436
- +21.2% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (212 of 561, 2026)
- Primary geography
- New York (19% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Dollar General Literacy Foundation
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 Adult, Family, and Summer Reading application cycles have passed; the website says the next Adult and Family cycles will open in January 2027. The 2026 Youth Literacy cycle, listed as opening March 5 and closing April 2, has also passed. Beyond Words requires an eligible school library to apply within 36 months of the disaster; the provided program information does not specify a separate application deadline.
- Deadline
- The 2026 Adult, Family, and Summer Reading application cycles have passed; the website says the next Adult and Family…
- Contact
Mailing address: 100 Mission Ridge, Goodlettsville, TN 37072
Phone: (615) 855-5208
Website: https://dgliteracy.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
10 open opportunities from Dollar General Literacy Foundation
Adult Literacy Grants
Dollar General Literacy Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Beyond Words
Dollar General Literacy Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Beyond Words: The Dollar General School Library Relief Fund Grant
Dollar General Literacy Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Dollar General Literacy Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Save the Children Federation ($1.3M). Together the top 10 received $7.0M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($20,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
2,528 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 2,371 grants of 2,528 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says its grant programs support organizations in states where Dollar General operates, generally requiring the organization to be within 15 miles of a Dollar General store or distribution center. Beyond Words also requires an eligible K-12 public school library to be within 15 miles of a store or distribution center.
In 2026, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were reported in New York (19%), Tennessee (17%), Connecticut (9%), the District of Columbia (7%), and Kentucky (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 564 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Dollar General Literacy Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 212 of 561 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $33K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 47% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (+6%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2026). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $12.9M (2022) to $15.8M (2024). In 2026 it made 564 grants totaling $14.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Save the Children Federation Fairfield, CT | Investing in Rural C | $1,345,500 |
| Proliteracy Worldwide Syracuse, NY | Innovative Approache | $1,301,428 |
| The Ad Council New York, NY | Program Execution - | $942,996 |
| Reading Is Fundamental Inc Washington, DC | RIF X Dollar General | $870,000 |
| National Center for Families Learni Louisville, KY | Family Learning in T | $580,000 |
| Nashville Public Library Foundation Nashville, TN | Limitless Libraries | $500,000 |
| American Indian College Fund Denver, CO | Native Students Step | $434,000 |
| Proliteracy Syracuse, NY | All in 2.0 Backbone | $400,000 |
| United Through Reading San Diego, CA | Storytime and Litera | $350,000 |
| YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee Nashville, TN | YWCA Nashville's Fam | $230,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Dollar General Literacy Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $84,560,436 | $31,561,855 | $19,142,185 | $14,481,656 | 564 | $3,912,259 |
| 2025 | $69,787,336 | $27,444,704 | $18,769,332 | $14,478,198 | 523 | $2,753,717 |
| 2024 | $57,559,978 | $23,064,937 | $19,872,007 | $15,793,684 | 493 | $3,710,479 |
| 2023 | $55,098,689 | $17,706,661 | $18,210,226 | $13,635,077 | 497 | $1,374,804 |
| 2022 | $59,000,845 | $19,656,631 | $17,325,129 | $12,861,147 | 451 | $2,275,212 |
| 2021 | $55,432,300 | $18,652,133 | $16,366,651 | $15,787,604 | 1,839 | $2,565,621 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is “serving others through basic education grants which positions persons for excellence.” It funds literacy programs through grants to charitable organizations, schools, and libraries. Its programs include an individual recipient instruction, high school equivalency preparation, English language acquisition, family literacy, summer reading, youth literacy, and eligible K-12 public school library disaster recovery.
Examples of grantees’ work include ProLiteracy Worldwide’s effort to develop and promote adult literacy learning, content, and programs; Reading Is Fundamental’s work to inspire children’s joy of reading; and the Nashville Public Library Foundation’s support for programs that help the library empower its community and foster lifelong learning. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2026, the foundation reported 564 grants totaling $14,481,656. Individual grants ranged from $5,120 to $1,345,500, with a median of $10,000.
Among the largest reported 2026 grants were $1,345,500 to Save the Children Federation, $1,301,428 to ProLiteracy Worldwide, $942,996 to The Ad Council, $870,000 to Reading Is Fundamental, $580,000 to the National Center for Families Learning, and $500,000 to the Nashville Public Library Foundation.
Applicants use the foundation’s online submission process during open grant periods. The website says applicants first complete a prescreening section to check eligibility, then submit an application for the relevant grant category. Applicants need organization identification information: nonprofit organizations use a tax ID, schools use school and district ID numbers, and public libraries not applying through a 501(c)(3) use an IMLS library ID. Eligibility and additional requirements vary by grant type. The website states that Adult and Family Literacy grants have maximum awards of up to $10,000, Summer Reading grants up to $3,000, and Youth Literacy grants up to $5,000; applying does not guarantee the maximum. Adult and Family grant recipients may apply and receive grants in consecutive years. Summer Reading and Youth Literacy grantees that receive awards two years in a row are ineligible for the third year.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Todd Vasos as chairman; Rhonda Taylor as secretary; Anita Elliott as treasurer; Rod West, Kathy Reardon, Barbara Springer, and Steve Brophy as directors; Jeff Rice as vice preside; and Cal Turner Jr. as chairman eme.
Dollar General Literacy Foundation is led by Todd Vasos, Chairman since 2025 (on filings since 2021); none of the 9 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Todd Vasos
Chairman
President → Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$1.4M (2022) → $0 (2026)
Barbara Springer
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$289K (2022) → $0 (2026)
Kathy Reardon
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$505K (2022) → $0 (2026)
Rod West
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$350K (2022) → $0 (2026)
Steve Brophy
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$244K (2022) → $0 (2026)
Anita Elliott
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$428K (2022) → $0 (2026)
Rhonda Taylor
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$626K (2022) → $0 (2026)
Cal Turner Jr.
Chairman Emeritus
Chairman → Honorary Chairman, 2024
Honorary Chairman → Chairman Emeritus, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Rice
Vice President
On filings since 2025
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Barb Springer (2025) — Director
- Former: Jeffery Rice (2021–2024) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $713K, to Rhonda Taylor (Secretary). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Dollar General Literacy Foundation
How much does Dollar General Literacy Foundation give each year?
Dollar General Literacy Foundation gave $14.5M across 564 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990. In 2025 it gave $14.5M across 523 grants.
What is Dollar General Literacy Foundation's typical grant size?
Dollar General Literacy Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $10,000, and its average grant was $25,677, across 564 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Dollar General Literacy Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does Dollar General Literacy Foundation give grants?
Dollar General Literacy Foundation's top state is New York, with 19% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Tennessee (17%) and Connecticut (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Nashville, TN (41 grants), Cleveland, OH (6 grants), Dallas, TX (6 grants) and Memphis, TN (6 grants).
Does Dollar General Literacy Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 1% of Dollar General Literacy Foundation's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 564) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Adult Literacy" (8 grants), "Adult Education Prog" (6 grants) and "Adult Education and" (5 grants).
Who are Dollar General Literacy Foundation's largest grantees?
Dollar General Literacy Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Save the Children Federation ($1,345,500), Proliteracy Worldwide ($1,301,428) and The Ad Council ($942,996), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($20,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Dollar General Literacy Foundation?
Dollar General Literacy Foundation reported $84.6M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $31.6M.
What does Dollar General Literacy Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is “serving others through basic education grants which positions persons for excellence.” It funds literacy programs through grants to charitable organizations, schools, and libraries. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dollar General Literacy Foundation?
Dollar General Literacy Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check dgliteracy.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Dollar General Literacy Foundation's EIN?
Dollar General Literacy Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-1546736. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 18, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 18, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 10, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS June 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work Dollar General Literacy Foundation funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Dollar General Literacy Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Dollar General Literacy Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/dollar-general-literacy-foundation-morg_bea828c56ff645b09b109cf7c58f62f2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_621546736_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Dollar General Literacy Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/dollar-general-literacy-foundation-morg_bea828c56ff645b09b109cf7c58f62f2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Dollar General Literacy Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Dollar General Literacy Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?