The Maine Family Literacy Initiative 

The Maine Family Literacy Initiative (MEFLI) began in 1996 and it has been continuously funded by generous donations from Maine residents and the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy for fifteen years. As of June 2011 the Maine Family Literacy Initiative has awarded 243 family literacy grants, totaling $4,341,991.

The Maine Family Literacy Initiative offers three types of grants: planning, family literacy program and a Lighthouse Model Program grants. A $5,000 planning grant helps communities explore need, examine their current community resources, build collaborations and design programs. A $25,000 family literacy program grant allows Maine communities to provide family literacy services designed to meet the needs of local families. Lighthouse Model Programs receive $25,000 to conduct outreach to potential applicants; open their doors to anyone interested in family literacy; and provide technical assistance to all programs on design, recruitment and retention of families, collaborations, and resources.

The Maine Family Literacy Initiative provides the Family Literacy Academies, a series of professional development workshops on topics such as: recruitment strategies; promoting persistence; evaluation; childcare options; family literacy and career pathways; and lessons learned in the home. The Maine Family Literacy Initiative also hosts the annual Family Literacy Connections Conference in March of each year. For more information on either the Family Literacy Academy or the Literacy Connections Conference, visit www.mainefamilyliteracy.com/conferences.

An expanded partnership between Raising Readers, a program funded by the Maine-based Libra Foundation which provides high quality books at well-child visits for every child in Maine between the ages of birth and five, and the Maine Family Literacy Initiative was launched in September 2011. This partnership produced Explorer Kits to accompany each of the sixteen books in the 2010 Raising Readers Collection. These Explorer Kits are available for use by family literacy programs, community-based organizations, schools and parents. The 2011 Explorer Kits are currently under development and will be available by April 1, 2012. To download these Explorer Kits for use in your program visit www.mainefamilyliteracy.com.

The Maine Family Literacy Initiative also has a presence on Facebook and Twitter. Please look for us and “Follow” or “Like” us to hear more about our wonderful programs.

For information on the 2011-2012 Grantees, please click here.

NEW! The Maine Family Literacy Initiative has released the 2012-2013 grant application. Grants are due on March 16, 2012. For a copy of the application, go to www.mainefamilyliteracy.com/grants.