A week from today we’ll be welcoming many of the 100+ funders active in the GLR Campaign and our Communities Network at a meeting in Washington, DC. Until then we’ll be featuring some of the foundations and donors who are making a difference. Today’s blog is by Sally Fuller of the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation.

The Davis Foundation is a small family foundation in Springfield, Massachusetts, that has launched one of the most comprehensive and collaborative local efforts to improve third-grade reading proficiency in the nation.

The foundation has excelled at leveraging partnerships with local, state and national experts, leaders and residents through intensive collective impact and public awareness strategies. A pivotal part of this work has involved educating the local business community — and garnering their support — to form a funder collaborative including representatives of more than a dozen banks, businesses and foundations who meet regularly to consider proposals to strengthen and advance early literacy skill development in children from birth to age 9.

Since it was formed in 2010, the Funder Collaborative for Reading Success has contributed $773,786 and has committed another $108,962 to help families support children’s language and literacy skill; boost the ability of early childhood, after-school and summer learning programs to provide high-quality programs for young children; and increase children’s access to these programs.

All of these efforts have resulted in an aligned set of initiatives and resources to bolster early literacy, engage parents and educators and improve the early childhood workforce. The foundation’s Reading Success by 4^th Grade initiative addresses all of the major milestones of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading.