Our Education grantmaking is focused on solutions that ensure Oakland children are ready for kindergarten and reading successfully by third grade. The following Ecosystem, Elementary School and Elementary System Grants are offered by invitation only.
Although grant applications are invitation-only, read how you can submit timely project inquiries to our Education Program Staff in the Eligibility section below.
Ecosystem Grants
The Ecosystem Grants support coalitions to further improve literacy in Oakland by increasing alignment, information-sharing, advocacy and collaboration. They also support innovative and creative solutions that impact the broader literacy community. Grants are by invitation only and will launch in 2026.
Funding supports:
- Alignment, advocacy and collaboration across organizations to operationalize Structured Literacy, as well as translanguaging and culturally affirming practices.
Elementary School Grants
The Elementary School Grants support public schools to dramatically strengthen Oakland children’s language and literacy attainment. Grants are by invitation only and will launch in 2026.
Funding supports:
- Training and coaching for educators and leaders to improve their Structured Literacy (decoding, encoding, translanguaging and data-based action planning) and anti-racist, culturally affirming practices.
- Literacy programs that explicitly and systematically support decoding, encoding and translanguaging.
- School-family partnerships that nurture family capacity to engage in literacy development.
Elementary System Grants
The Elementary System Grants support solutions for literacy intervention, instruction and capacity-building within Oakland’s school district and charter management organizations. Grants are by invitation only and the program will sunset in 2026.
Education Grantmaking Approach
Grantmaking Rooted In Research
The Rainin Foundation is committed to supporting organizations that help children progress in literacy development through positive relationships. We know from extensive research that there are specific skills children need to be successful in kindergarten, including:
- Oral Language
- Vocabulary and Meaning
- Phonological Awareness
- Book and Print Concepts
- Alphabet Knowledge
- Motivation, persistence, confidence and curiosity
And by third grade, children are successful when they progress towards the specific reading skills identified by the National Reading Panel:
- Comprehension of grade-level texts
- Fluent decoding
- Comprehension of oral language(s)
Eligibility
The Ecosystem, Elementary School and Elementary System Grants are by invitation only. If you think your organization’s work might be a fit, please email Education Program Staff. We value hearing from potential partners who share our dream of every child reaching their language and literacy potential.
Questions?
- Please email our Education Program Staff.
- Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest grant announcements and Education Program updates.
- Read more about our work in our Education Blog.
Education News & Stories
01/22/2025 | Education
The Kenneth Rainin Foundation awarded $715,000 to eight organizations through our Early Care Spaces Program.
10/29/2024 | Education
Lotus Bloom, Lead Liberated, Parent Voices Oakland, Oakland Literacy Coalition and The Teaching Well are recipients of the Rest and Care Award for Education.
10/15/2024 | Education
Cox Academy’s Omar Currie and Kavitha Senthil share how their creative tutor model boosted literacy, maximized student learning time and increased teacher capacity and retention.
