Foundation Awards Nearly $8 Million In Education Grants - Kenneth Rainin Foundation

Foundation Awards Nearly $8 Million In Education Grants

Two people are seated and smiling facing the camera holding children's books and a tablet Always Dream promotes home reading through coaching, books to build home libraries as well as access to a significant digital library. Photo courtesy of Always Dream.

The Kenneth Rainin Foundation awarded $7.8 million in Education grants in July to support Oakland’s early learning ecosystem. These single- and multi-year grants aim to advance literacy efforts within the community. This round of funding supports:

  • Boosting literacy achievement through access to evidence-based interventions.
  • Strengthening literacy instruction and intervention infrastructure within elementary school systems and educator preparation.
  • Promoting anti-racist and culturally responsive practices in school systems.
  • Elevating family knowledge and partnership in literacy development.
  • Increasing educator retention through decolonized healing and wellness programming.
  • Bolstering early care and literacy convening and advocacy spaces.

Organizations that received funding in this round include:

A panel of six people sit below a projection that reads "What is your education story? What do you want for your child?" The audience sits at long tables facing them.
Education for Change Public Schools’ families participate in Families in Action’s Lit4Literacy Institute. Photo courtesy of Families in Action.
  • 3Ls Academy
  • Always Dream
  • American Public Media
  • Aspire Public Schools
  • Center for Collaborative Classroom
  • Education for Change Public Schools
  • East Bay Agency for Children
  • Families in Action
  • FULCRUM
  • High Expectations
  • Lead Liberated
  • Lighthouse Community Schools
  • Lotus Bloom
  • Oakland Literacy Coalition
  • Oakland Public Education Fund
  • Oakland Starting Smart and Strong
  • Oakland Unified School District
  • Reach University
  • The Oakland REACH
  • The Teaching Well

The Rainin Foundation remains focused on our goal of every child entering kindergarten ready to learn and reading at grade level by third grade. This round of awards reflects recommendations aimed at strengthening our grantmaking to ensure literacy proficiency for third graders in Oakland. As a learning organization, the insights we gain help shape our grantmaking and other efforts. See the complete list of 2024 Education grantees.

Want to learn more about our grantees and their partnerships? Contact our Education Team.