Role of the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation in the funding ecosystem
The Indigo Love of Reading Foundation is a national charitable foundation established by Indigo to address gaps in access to books for children in high‑needs communities across Canada. Since 2004, the foundation reports having committed over $36 million in funding to more than 3,600 schools, reaching over 1 million students. Its core role is to provide grants and in‑kind book funding that revitalize school libraries, classroom collections and home reading resources.
The foundation focuses primarily on Canadian elementary schools serving students in Kindergarten to Grade 8 that receive most of their funding from provincial or federal governments and can demonstrate significant financial need and a strong commitment to literacy. It also supports certain education authorities and literacy non‑profits, especially where they serve priority schools and high‑needs families.
Main grant programs and financial support
- Literacy Fund Grant – The flagship national program, distributing over $1 million per year to roughly 25–30 partners. Grants are typically multi‑year and are intended to dramatically increase access to books and literacy resources in high‑needs schools. Around 90% of each grant is provided as a discounted corporate account for purchasing books and e‑readers from Indigo, while 10% is a discretionary cash portion for literacy projects such as author visits, field trips, contests, and professional development.
- Adopt a School – A combined fundraising campaign and grant program run with Indigo, Chapters, Coles, and Indigospirit stores. Each participating store “adopts” a local high‑needs elementary school, and 100% of funds raised at that location go directly to the partner school to buy new books and literacy materials. Schools apply to be selected, and the program includes specific eligibility criteria and participation agreements.
- Community Response Fund – Launched in 2020 as a COVID‑19 response, this $1,000,000 fund provided grants to community‑based non‑profits across Canada and national partners such as Jays Care Foundation, the Martin Family Initiative, and Boys and Girls Clubs. Grants, generally up to about $25,000 per organization, were used to purchase children’s books and literacy resources at a discount through Indigo.
General eligibility and assessment approach
Across its programs, the foundation targets communities facing socio‑economic and other intersectional barriers. Eligibility for major school‑based programs requires that applicants:
- Receive at least 80% of their funding from provincial or federal government sources.
- Serve elementary‑aged students (K–8) and demonstrate high financial need.
- Show a strong institutional commitment to literacy and a clear plan for using books and resources.
Applications for the Literacy Fund Grant follow a structured multi‑round review process. Eligible submissions are scored by an internal Indigo committee, then by a panel of educators from current grant schools, and finally by the Indigo Love of Reading team. Decision‑makers consider both the level of community need and the strength of the school’s literacy vision, with attention to geographic distribution and priority audiences, including First Nations and northern or remote schools, BIPOC communities, and Francophone and French‑immersion schools.
Supported audiences and overall impact
The foundation’s grants are used to enhance school library infrastructure and inventory, increase student engagement with reading, improve literacy achievement, and build skills related to Indigenous knowledge, diversity and inclusion, STEM, environmental literacy and more. Funding often supports family and community engagement around reading and helps schools create culturally responsive collections where students can see themselves reflected.
Annual grant recipient lists published by the foundation highlight schools and education organizations across all provinces and territories, as well as significant investments in Indigenous communities and remote regions. In addition to financial support, grantees can access professional development, classroom resources, and storytelling opportunities that help share the impact of their literacy initiatives nationwide.
