Rock For Reading

About Grants

Rock For Reading has been awarding grants since 2005. Grants are awarded to groups that support our mission to fight the rising tide of illiteracy and renew interest in reading. Rock For Reading targets organizations that focus on functional literacy programs as well as those that encourage a culture of reading. Rock For Reading supports stand alone reading and literacy programs as well as public, school and in-class libraries whose objectives include:

  • Gaining the support of the administration, librarians, classroom teachers, parents and community leaders.
  • Purchasing engaging and age-appropriate books.
  • Having books available and presented in a way that encourages use of school libraries, in-class libraries and reading and literacy programs.
  • Developing goals regarding the number of books children read.
  • Developing a means to objectively track improvement.

Proposal Deadlines

Currently, Rock For Reading has no endowment. We raise funds throughout the year through concerts, special events and individual and corporate donations. As a result, Rock For Reading does not have fixed grant cycles. Grants are generally awarded once a year and proposals are accepted on a rolling basis.

Range of Grants

$1,000-$10,000; most between $1,000-$3,000

Reporting

Rock For Reading requires that you submit a final end-of-year report by December 15th. Please include in it a short narrative describing the program’s progress, accomplishments, challenges, and if any changes occurred from the original program budget.

Projects Rock For Reading Does Not Fund

The following types of projects are generally not eligible for Rock For Reading funding:

  • grants or loans to individuals
  • production of book, film, television or radio projects
  • projects outside the United States
  • projects directed by government bodies (federal, state, local)
  • capital campaigns, equipment purchases, endowments or deficit financing
  • lobbying to influence elections or legislation
  • conferences, publications or research projects unless they are directly connected to ongoing program activities
  • Organizations with operating budgets in excess of $500,000
  • Organizations that operate outside the Chicago Metropolitan area

Endorsements

Grants awarded from Rock For Reading in no way constitute an endorsement and recipients are not entitled to use this information in any form of their organization’s advertising and marketing efforts.

Rock For Reading