Navigating Funding for High-Impact Literacy Initiatives

Providing professional learning and high-quality instructional materials that drive real literacy gains requires more than good intentions; it demands a sustainable, long-term funding strategy. This checklist helps pre-K–12 administrators navigate today’s shifting funding landscape to identify, secure, and implement impactful literacy training and instructional resources.

To effectively close literacy gaps, school and district leaders must strategically plan and fund professional development and high-quality instruction that align with their priorities. By following key steps, administrators can select and support the right training for their teachers and instructional programs for their students, ensuring long-term success.

The checklist guides school and district leaders through three essential areas:

• Assessing needs
• Identifying funding
• Securing support

Securing funding for research-backed literacy instruction is a crucial step in implementing a successful program. Priority actions include:

• Researching federal funding options such as Title I, Title II, Title III, and Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grants
• Exploring state-level funding through Department of Education websites, literacy plans, and regional agencies
• Investigating private foundations that offer literacy-focused grants and subscribing to updates for new opportunities
• Engaging community stakeholders to support the identification and application of funding
• Developing compelling proposals to leverage grant opportunities
• Using existing resources to ensure funding supports essential tools and materials
• Monitoring and reporting on funding use to promote long-term resource allocation and planning

Download the complete checklist now to explore additional steps for finding and funding evidence-based literacy professional development and instruction.