Grants on offer to community groups and libraries to boost family literacy

The State Library of Western Australia is offering micro and innovation grants for libraries and community groups to launch and deliver family literacy programs.

The pool of grants totals $200,000, with micro grants of $5,000 to $10,000 and innovation grants from $10,001 to $30,000 available through the Better Beginnings Community Grants offering. 

Since 2021, the State Library of Western Australia has awarded 44 grants totalling $596,000 to assist libraries and community organisations to develop early literacy activities that meet their local communities’ needs.

“Pre-reading skills are the building blocks that children need to be ready to learn through reading, talking, singing, writing and playing,”  WA Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman said.

Previous successful applicants include the Town of Port Hedland, which received funding to trial and launch Under the Yarning Tree, an interactive storytelling event in an outdoor environment. 

The program, which is now ongoing, was commended at the 2024 Library Board of Western Australia Awards last month.

Communicare used its grant funding to deliver its Play School initiative in the Canning area. 

The pilot program supports parents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds with children from three to five years of age, simulating kindergarten activities so families can learn the structures of the Australian education system and helps prepare children with additional needs to transition to school.

Applications for round four of the Better Beginnings Family Literacy Community Grants are open until 5pm on Monday, 30 September 2024.

For more information and to apply please see here.