Home
Funding Areas
About Us
The Early Literacy Grant Program of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation provided grants for more than 21,000 children's books to 46 local groups. This program provides books to kids to boost early literacy initiatives that improve preschoolers' preparedness for school. Brown County Public Health, Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop Early Childhood, Madelia Early Childhood Family Education, New Ulm ECFE, and Sleepy Eye ECFE were among the local organizations that received Early Literacy Grants because they offer exceptional early literacy opportunities for young children and their families.
Capstone and ABDO, two Mankato-based publishers of children's books and digital goods and services, collaborated on the distribution of the books.
Capstone collaborated with SMIF to establish the BookStart initiative in 2002, distributing thousands of books to kids in the area over a 15-year span.
In order to get even more books into the hands of kids from birth to age eight, SMIF and the two publishers launched the Early Literacy Grant in 2018.
Through funding and programs, SMIF has previously collaborated with both businesses to disperse more than 100,000 books around the area. According to Rae Jean Hansen, vice president of Early Childhood at SMIF, "getting books into the hands of early children fuels their growth with language, reading, and so much more."
Our efforts to provide parents and kids the help they need to be ready for school depend on our long-term collaborations with both Capstone and ABDO, the organization said. The publishing businesses contributed a variety of publications, including bilingual and early childhood books, to the award winners.
Young children will get books to take home and keep from the organizations as part of their activities and programs.
Selected Grant News Headlines
A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
"They have over 100 lobbyists walking the halls here with us today and they're awash in money and it's really a Sisyphean challenge for a bunch of parents to fight against these big interests," says...more
"Now is the time for creative, collaborative solutions that will drive positive outcomes for all children." That's the message from the Saul Zaentz Early Education Initiative at the Harvard...more
A London-based tech startup has come up with 3D-printed headphones specifically designed for kidsand they're going on sale next year, Fast Company reports. The Kibu Headphones, which were...more
Barrett Fortuinair and Calhan Cerf are 10 and 13 years old, respectively, and they're two of six students from South Africa's Booster Kids Robotics Club who have been selected to represent their...more
The University of Pennsylvania is giving $100,000 each to six students who plan to use their knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and math to make a positive difference in the...more
Sam Houston State University's Center for Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship has been awarded a $315,000 grant from VentureWell, a nonprofit that supports early-stage science and technology...more
"No matter how tall or short, fat or thin, standing or sitting, every child can be an athlete and enjoy the fun and benefits of sports." That's the vision behind China's Wheelcheer, an app...more
"By translating seamlessly manual drawings into mesmerizing masterpieces, DoDoboo harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to amplify children's creativity, encouraging them to explore,...more
" dystopia, not only would KOSA censor what children see, but it would further empower the government to ramp up the online surveillance of all internet users by mandating the expansion and use of...more
It's that time of year again: time for kids to spend too much time on their phones, tablets, and other electronic devices and not enough time with their parents. And it's a problem that needs...more
Children News from...
Nike
Gates Foundation
MacArthur Foundation
Boeing Company
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Why People Buy from Social Enterprises?
The Guardian has compiled a list of responses to its latest open thread, and has announced the winner of the social enterprise gift hamper packed with presents.
