Literacy Grants for Nonprofits

GrantStation’s exclusive database features 523 active funding opportunities giving towards this area of interest, all accepting requests from new grantseekers!

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The Seabury Foundation

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Application Deadline:
  • Letters of introduction: May 22, 2026
  • Full proposals: July 31, 2026

  • Historically, this opportunity has an application cycle in the spring and fall.

The Seabury Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that instruct, inform, and guide people toward the development of knowledge, skills, and understanding in Chicago, IL, and Benzie County, MI…

The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette

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Application Deadline:
  • Spring Grants: March 12, 2026
  • Field of Interest Grants: May 22, 2026
  • Fall Grants: July 29,2026
  • NOW Grants: Applications are accepted on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis through November 30, 2026, or until funds are expended.

The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Tippecanoe and the surrounding counties in Indiana. (Most grants are awarded to organizations that…

Children’s Literacy Foundation

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Application Deadline:

May 25, 2026

The mission of the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) is to inspire a love of reading and writing among children up to age 12 throughout New Hampshire and Vermont.

The Rural Library…

East Tennessee Foundation

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Application Deadline:

May 29, 2026

The East Tennessee Foundation is dedicated to enriching lives and strengthening communities across 25 counties in East Tennessee.

The Literacy Endowment Fund supports literacy projects in…

Sandia National Laboratories Corporate Contribution Program

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Application Deadline:

January 30 and May 29, 2026 by 6:00pm MST

Grant Range:
$5000 - $20000

The Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Corporate Contribution Program supports charitable nonprofit organizations in the Albuquerque, NM, metropolitan area, including Bernalillo, Sandoval,…

Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation

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Application Deadline:

May 29, 2026

Grant Range:
$2204 - $223786
Average Grant:
$30875

The Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation Inc. provides support for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes.

The Foundation administers the Deborah Rochelle Teacher…

United Way of the Plains

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Application Deadline:

May 29, 2026

Grant Range:
$5261 - $415294
Average Grant:
$71336

United Way of the Plains invests in nonprofit programs in south central Kansas, including parts of Barber, Butler, Cowley, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Pratt, Reno, Sedgwick, and Sumner counties.…

Spirit Mountain Community Fund

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Application Deadline:

Small Grants
Letters of inquiry: September 3 and December 5, 2025, and March 6, 2026
Applications: August 12 and November 3, 2025, and January 30 and May 1, 2026

Large Grants
Letters of inquiry: October 1, 2025, and January 5 and April 3, 2026
Applications: August 27 and December 1, 2025, and February 27 and May 29, 2026

Tribal Grants
Letters of inquiry: June 2, 2025
Applications: August 18, 2025

Deadlines will be added when a new funding opportunity is announced.

Grant Range:
$2500 - $100000

The Spirit Mountain Community Fund, funded by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, provides support for the health, education, and social needs of Oregonians, primarily those in underserved…

 Literacy rates in the United States are alarming for a developed country. 21% of American adults are functionally illiterate, with 54% having a literacy rate below that of a sixth grade level. In many cases, this lack of literacy is due to being born outside the country and struggling to find the resources to quickly acquire English literacy. However, many native American citizens have also let their literacy levels slip. This could be for a variety of reasons, including an increasingly digital landscape that rewards short form, low attention-span content.

Low literacy rates can affect an individual's ability to secure stable employment, manage their finances, and involve themselves in civic life. It also makes an individual much more vulnerable to an increasingly complex online world filled with scams and misinformation.

There are many nonprofits that seek to tackle illiteracy, which they can only do through the support from literacy grants. These literacy grants can be used to fund a variety of useful programs that seek to promote greater literacy. Nonprofits can use these grants to fund adult tutoring programs, build libraries or establish digital literacy courses.

These literacy grants come from a wide range of sources. Often, state organizations or local school districts will distribute these grants to help tackle illiteracy in local communities. There are many private foundations that distribute literacy grants as well, such as the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, and the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries.

When preparing a proposal for a literacy grant, leaning into the data regarding literacy rates in the community you want to serve is an excellent start. You can use federal sources of data such as the NAEP as a place to start, or local education department reports. Data you may want to bring up could include reading proficiency rates, test scores, or literacy rates for adults.

If you need further guidance on preparing excellent grant proposals that will get noticed, make sure to read our complete overview on the subject. You can also start browsing literacy grants above, all ready for applications.