The Kenan Trust funds primary school literacy projects that aim to promote grade-level reading achievement by the 3rd grade. School-age children learn to read from kindergarten through 3rd grade. Beginning in the 4th grade, children are expected to read to learn. Students who read on grade level are more likely to progress from grade to grade on time, have fewer behavioral problems, and be more engaged in the classroom.
To support grade level reading achievement, the Kenan Trust funds a variety of projects, including:
- Programs that provide access to books at home or in school, particularly during school breaks
- Projects that emphasize targeted interventions for students through one-on-one or small-group tutoring, through reading buddies and book clubs, or through educational games or apps that promote reading skills
Grants in this area are by invitation only, Grant sizes vary depending on the capacity of the applying organization and the scope and reach of the proposed project.
Featured Grant in Primary School Literacy: Book Harvest
Book Harvest’s 12-year-old Books on Break program has emerged as one of the most effective interventions in the country for strengthening students’ reading skills over the summer. This time-tested program allows every student in a school to select 10 new books to take home to read all summer long and keep forever, building their home libraries and preserving the literacy gains they made in the classroom. Book Harvest has distributed more than 500,000 books.
"Teachers and school administrators report that Books on Break helps to provide a culture of literacy in their school communities and in the homes and neighborhoods where their students and families live."
In 2024, the Kenan Trust funded a pilot expansion of Books on Break, creating a sustainable model for implementing the program in other regions across North Carolina and in other states, contributing to a thriving culture of literacy for all children.
