READ Nebraska Grant Program

The READ Nebraska program is administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and is designed to improve reading ability and support age appropriate professional growth and academic success among students in Nebraska. The program reflects a legislative priority to strengthen literacy outcomes through structured mentorship programs delivered by experienced nonprofit organizations. It emphasizes that reading improvement can be closely tied to broader developmental outcomes such as communication skills, leadership, responsibility, and long term academic success. The program operates under a beneficiary grant model that prioritizes organizational experience and demonstrated program effectiveness over prescriptive program design. The purpose of the program is to fund mentorship based initiatives that integrate reading engagement with educational development. Eligible programs must demonstrate a meaningful and intentional connection between mentoring relationships and literacy outcomes. Activities may include reading exercises, academic support services, and developmental programming that promotes school engagement, attendance, and study habits. The Department expects applicants to show how these components work together to improve student outcomes, rather than functioning as isolated activities. Flexibility is a core principle, allowing organizations to design programming that aligns with their established models while still meeting program goals. Funding for the program totals 2880762 dollars for the fiscal year 2026 to 2027. Awards are distributed through a noncompetitive pro rata allocation based on the number of qualifying mentors reported at the time of application. A qualifying mentor must meet all eligibility requirements, complete required screening and training, and actively participate in the mentorship program. Final award amounts may be adjusted based on factors such as prior performance, compliance history, reporting accuracy, financial management practices, and overall implementation capacity. Payments may be issued in advance following contract execution, and funds must be maintained in a separate account dedicated solely to program use. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations based in Nebraska that have maintained continuous operations for at least fifteen years with a primary mission of delivering structured youth mentorship programming. These organizations must demonstrate established experience serving elementary students and the operational capacity to support literacy development and academic success. Programs must include structured mentoring relationships, consistent reading engagement opportunities, and activities designed to improve literacy outcomes. Mentors must meet age, education, and residency requirements and complete background checks and training. Eligible mentees include students in kindergarten through eighth grade residing in Nebraska, with priority given to those demonstrating academic need. The application process requires submission through the Nebraska Department of Economic Development grants management system. Applicants must provide detailed documentation demonstrating organizational experience, program design, mentor screening procedures, and anticipated outcomes. Applications are reviewed based on eligibility, program quality, operational capacity, and the ability to achieve literacy and educational outcomes. The Department may request additional information during the review process. Awards are contingent on available funding and verification of submitted data. The application period for the 2026 to 2027 cycle opens on July 10 2026 and closes on August 2 2026. The Department anticipates approximately two weeks for review and notification following the deadline. Successful applicants must execute a grant agreement and comply with reporting requirements, including a final report submitted within thirty days after the end of the contract period. This report must summarize program participation, mentorship activities, reading outcomes, and use of funds. While detailed expenditure reporting is not routinely required, recipients must maintain records for three years and make them available upon request. Grant funds are intended to support mentorship programming and related literacy development activities, but certain uses are prohibited. These include political activities, fundraising, alcohol or tobacco purchases, costs incurred outside the contract period, and any uses prohibited by law. The program emphasizes accountability while minimizing administrative burden, allowing experienced organizations to focus on delivering impactful mentorship services that improve reading ability and support long term student success.

Emphasize demonstrated mentorship experience and clear integration of reading activities with student development outcomes; provide strong evidence of organizational capacity and past performance