Read Across America State Affiliate Event Grant

Read Across America State Affiliate Event Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: National Education Association Staff Organization
Amount: Up to US $7,500
Last Updated: August 27, 2025

Summary

The Read Across America State Affiliate Event Grant supports NEA state affiliates in enhancing coordinated events that celebrate diverse reading. This grant encourages proposals aimed at providing students with access to diverse books, addressing challenges such as curriculum bans. Activities may include guest readings, establishing diverse book clubs, and promoting literacy through community engagement. Applications are open only to state affiliates, with a strong emphasis on year-round reading awareness.

Overview

Description NEA state affiliates may apply for a "Read Across America Grant" to enhance state affiliate coordinated Read Across America events and/or activities grounded in celebrating key ingredients in building a nation of diverse readers—books, reading, and the freedom to learn. Acknowledging that book and curriculum bans are challenges that NEA members across the country face, this grant program encourages proposals that use funds as a way to get diverse books into the hands of students. By diverse books, we mean books that feature diverse characters and recognize all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) diversity of race, culture, language, setting, beliefs, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, income, ability, religion, family structure. Examples of Appropriate Events and/or Activities Meeting Criteria Include: Plan events with special guest readers, activity centers, and opportunities for students to leave the events with a diverse book of their choosing.Make your state the place where Read Across America is on everyone’s calendar. Use the Read Across America Calendar to help implement a Diverse Books Challenge and establish regular guest readers to read aloud and do book related activities with students.Partner with Little Free Library and install, fill, and maintain association-branded little free libraries to support and improve student literacy and community exposure to diverse books.Provide resources for members and K-12 public school educators to host a diverse book club in their classroom or school challenging members and educators to host at least one book club per county.Bring diverse authors and illustrators to schools or to communities for special virtual or in-person visits and provide students with copies of their books.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. This grant opportunity is open only to state affiliates.

Ineligibility

Applications from local affiliates will not be considered. Local affiliates may work with state affiliates to develop a proposal, however, the application must be submitted by the state affiliate.