American Dream Literacy Initiative: How to Apply
Learn how your public library can receive $5,000 to support services for adult English language learners or adults in need of basic workforce development through ALA's American Dream Literacy Initiative.
Funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, the American Dream Literacy Initiative has provided more than $1.5 million in funding to 204 libraries since the program’s inception, reaching approximately 25,000 English language learners.The grants allow libraries to augment their print and digital English as a second language (ESL) collections; increase computer access and training; provide job training; hold English language learning (ELL), general educational development (GED) and citizenship classes; and raise the visibility of services for immigrant populations.
Applications for the 2021 American Dream grants will be accepted until January 29, 2021. Apply and learn more.
Participants in this webinar will:
- learn about the history, goals and grant guidelines of the American Dream Literacy Initiative
- get tips for submitting a competitive American Dream grant application
- hear from previous recipients of American Dream grants about how the funding made a difference in their library's service offerings
Resources
Mary Davis Fournier is deputy director of ALA’s Public Programs Office, where she specializes in institutional partnerships, new project development and community program support for public, school and academic libraries. Prior to her work with libraries, Fournier served as program director of Chicago’s Printers Row Book Fair and programming associate at the Miami Book Fair International. She is active in Chicago’s arts and humanities communities and previously served on the board of Chicago Women in Philanthropy. Fournier holds a M.Ed. in Education Policy Studies from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and a B.A. in History and English Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.