Literacy Fund

• Completed online application form
• Letter of support from each participating school principal for organization-led applications
• Creative community project submission
• Supporting materials such as letters of support or survey results, if included
• Working hyperlink for any externally hosted creative content

Who is eligible?

• Publicly funded elementary schools serving JK/K to Grade 8 students
• School boards applying on behalf of eligible schools
• First Nations educational authorities applying on behalf of eligible schools
• Non-profit literacy organizations applying on behalf of eligible partner schools

Who is not eligible

• Daycares
• Schools that do not serve any students in JK/K to Grade 8
• Applicants that are not at least 80% provincially or federally funded
• Schools that have already received a Literacy Fund grant
• Printed, handwritten, mailed, or faxed applications are not accepted

Eligible expenses

• Books purchased through Indigo, Chapters, Coles, or Corporate Sales
• Kobo e-readers
• Educational resources supporting literacy projects
• Guest author fees, literacy-related trips, and transportation costs
• Levelled readers, dual-language books, e-books, reading assessment resources, contest prizes, and teacher literacy training

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Gift cards
• General merchandise such as toys, furniture, and décor
• Gourmet or food items
• Salaries and capital investments
• Textbooks

Eligible geographic areas

• Canada

• Community need, supported by data and context from the school community
• Vision and objectives for addressing literacy gaps and long-term engagement
• Sustainability of the project beyond the 3-year funding period
• Quality of the plan for using books and resources effectively
• Creative community project scored on a 1 to 5 scale across defined criteria

• Review program guide
  • Download and read the application guide to confirm eligibility and understand requirements.
  • Review the application checklist and support materials.
• Prepare application content
  • Download the appropriate worksheet to prepare responses in advance.
  • Gather supporting materials and complete the mandatory creative community project.
  • For organization-led applications, obtain a letter of support from each participating school principal.
• Complete online application
  • Enter all responses directly into the online portal.
  • Ensure all sections are complete and any hyperlinks are functional and accessible.
• Submit application
  • Submit the completed application through the online portal before the deadline.
  • Do not mail, fax, or email the application worksheet as the official submission.
• Receive confirmation
  • Watch for the confirmation email after submission.

• Submitted applications first undergo a completion and eligibility review by Indigo Love of Reading staff.
• Eligible applications move through three review rounds: internal Indigo review, educator review, and final team selection.
• Each application in the first two rounds is reviewed by three judges and scored using a rubric.
• Applicants are notified of their status by the program timeline.
• Funding for selected recipients is then dispersed starting in September 2026.

• Only one application is accepted per school or educational organization.
• Schools can only receive this funding once.
• Recipients receive support over a 3-year period and must complete annual reporting.
• Applicants may opt in to be considered for the Adopt a School program if not selected.