Barbara Bush Fund for Family Literacy
Funding Amount
Not stated
Deadline
Expected ~December
Based on past cycles
Grant Type
Foundation
Deadline history & next window
- Cycle
- Annual
- Current deadline
- December 31, 2026
- Tracked since
- April 2026
Deadlines typically fall in: December
Source: the cycle recorded on this listing. Confirm dates with the funder.
Overview
Geographic Scope: Nationwide across all 50 states and the District of Columbia
Focus Areas:
- Comprehensive family literacy programming
- Support for parents and children lacking literacy skills
- Programs addressing multigenerational cycles of poverty, poor health, low educational attainment, and workforce readiness deficits
Mission: To provide grant support to high-quality family literacy programs nationwide, carrying forward the legacy of Former First Lady Barbara Bush's 40+ year commitment to literacy. Rather than operating its own programs, the Fund will amplify impact by investing in well-respected national and community-based organizations already doing extraordinary work.
Background: This Fund replaces the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy (established 1989), which raised and provided more than $130 million in support for national family literacy programming over 36 years. The transition was announced November 5, 2025, with the first round of grants expected to be awarded in 2026.
Key Statistics:
- More than half of U.S. adults read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level
- 69% of fourth graders lack proficiency in literacy
Initial Grant Recipients (2025):
- First Teachers Family Literacy Program in Biddefeld, Maine
- Briya Public Charter School in Washington, D.C.
- Achieve Plant City in Plant City, Florida
Contact Information:
- Phone: (979) 862-2251
- Email: bush.foundation@bush41.org
- Mailing Address: P.O. Box 14141, College Station, TX 77841-4141
How to Apply
Application Process
The George & Barbara Bush Foundation will draw on the expertise of a robust network of national family literacy experts to design the grantmaking process for the Fund.
Timeline:
- First round of grants expected to be awarded in 2026
- Specific application details, deadlines, and requirements to be announced
How to Apply:
Detailed application instructions have not yet been published. Interested organizations should contact the foundation or visit www.georgeandbarbarabush.org for updates.
What The George and Barbara Bush Foundation actually gave
Source: IRS Form 990, 2024
- Grants in 2024
- 2
- Total given
- $1.9M
- Median grant
- $950K
- Range
- $40K–$1.86M
- By dollars: Texas 100%. Top recipient cities: College Station, TX.
Example grants
Bush School of Government & Public Service · College Station, TX
Scholarships
$1.86M
Texas A&M University · College Station, TX
Travel grants
$40K
Focus Areas & Funding Uses
Fields of Work
- Nonprofits
- Literacy
- Family services
Categories
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