Three new grants supporting literacy efforts across the nation were announced last month, the latest in an influx of funding that will have a tremendous impact on communities in our network.

The federal Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) program awarded $28 million for 46 grants to organizations and school districts working to improve literacy skills for students in high-need districts and schools. The grantees included such national groups as Reading Is Fundamental, Raising a Reader, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Children’s Defense Fund, Parents as Teachers and the Children’s Reading Foundation, as well as 11 local districts connected to the Grade-Level Reading Communities Network.

Reading Is Fundamental received the largest grant, $4.8 million, to launch a new program aimed at combating summer reading loss among children living in poverty. The program will reach 22,000 students in 200 schools – in districts where at least a quarter of the students are living below the poverty line.

Other grants went to organizations and districts in 21 states and the District of Columbia. In addition to implementing new reading programs and enhancing existing literacy efforts, grantees will use the new funding to provide free books for children and families. The grant awardees in our network included districts and schools in Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, GA; Indianapolis, IN; Kansas City, MO; Camden, NJ; New York City; Houston, TX; Austin, TX; and Milwaukee, WI.

On October 15, the U.S. Department of Education recognized 24 community-based organizations, including some working with our Grade-Level Reading Communities Network, as Together for Tomorrow (TFT) Challenge winners for the 2012-2013 school year.

Together for Tomorrow is a joint initiative of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, the Education Department and the Corporation for National and Community Service. TFT Challenge honorees were recognized for their efforts to target disadvantaged schools and set measurable goals to improve attendance, behavior, course performance and college access.

Those recognized in our network include the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Dubuque, IA, and United Way for Southeastern Michigan in Detroit.

The third wave of funding came from Cities of Service, which announced the award of nearly $1 million to 18 cities across the nation in its first round of Impact Volunteering Fund grants, aimed to help cities use volunteers to tackle pressing local challenges.

The grants, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies and administered by Cities of Service, range from $25,000 to $100,000. The programs are led from the mayor’s office in each city and focus on several priority issues, including education. Baltimore received a grant for a school attendance project, while Orlando and Providence won support for literacy programs.

A full list of Cities of Service grantees and their local efforts may be found here.