Salem nonprofits and educators can apply for up to $2,500 in literacy funding from the Rotary Club of Salem, with applications due by 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8.
The club's 2026 Literacy Grants fund projects and existing programs that promote reading skills for children and the broader community in Salem, Marion and Polk counties.
Awards range from $500 to $2,500. International nonprofit literacy projects will also be considered.
Past grants have supported efforts such as expanding libraries, purchasing books in multiple languages, hosting literacy-focused events and buying equipment or supplies for literacy programs, according to the club's application page.
The grant is separate from the Rotary Club of Salem's Good Works Large Grant, which offers $5,000 to $30,000 and has a later deadline of Oct. 21.
The literacy grant targets a narrower audience: educators, reading programs and organizations focused specifically on building literacy skills.
The 2025 Literacy Grant application deadline was Nov. 5, about a month later than this year's.
Demand for literacy resources in Salem remains strong. Catherine Carlson, co-chair of the East Salem Rotary Club's little library program, told Salem Reporter on Sept. 7 that the club's 14 little libraries are "heavily used," cycling through 400 to 500 books a month.
The East Salem Rotary Club is a separate organization from the grant-issuing Rotary Club of Salem.
The Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub also mails free books to thousands of local children in Marion and Polk counties through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program.
Application guidelines and a downloadable form are available at rotaryclubofsalem.com.
What to know
- Who can apply: Nonprofits and educators in Salem, Marion and Polk counties
- Award range: $500 to $2,500
- Deadline: 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8
- Good Works Large Grant deadline: Oct. 21 ($5,000–$30,000)
- How to apply: Download the application at rotaryclubofsalem.com
