Adopt A School Applications will open on February 3rd, 2025.
2025 Adopt A School applicants will be contacted with their status in May. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified when applications are open.
Adopt a School is a fundraising campaign and grant program designed in partnership with Indigo, Coles, Chapters, and Indigospirit stores to raise funds for literacy in schools across Canada. What makes this program so unique is that 100% of the funds raised by each store location goes directly to their partner school for the purchase of new books and literacy materials for their school and classroom libraries.
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Why do we support school libraries?
- Equitable Access: Children living in underserved communities often rely on school classrooms and libraries as their only access point to new and diverse books.
- Academic Achievement: Studies consistently show that students in schools with well-staffed, stocked, and funded libraries score from 10% to 25% higher on standardized tests compared to students in schools with poorly resourced libraries.
- Diversity and Inclusion: Filling schools with new and diverse books means students have access to stories that not only reflect their own identities but also broaden their perspectives. The Association for Library Service to Children suggests that “By including diversity in its programs and collections, the library has the potential for helping children make cross-cultural connections and develop the skills necessary to function in a culturally pluralistic society”.
If your school is interested in applying to be selected as a participating partner school, please review the eligibility and application information below.
Note: schools who have applied for the Literacy Fund Grant, and indicated a preference to be considered for the Adopt a School grant, do not need to submit a separate application.
Eligibility
To be eligible for consideration for the Adopt a School Grant, school applicants must:
- Receive at least 80% of their funding from the provincial or federal government
- Demonstrate financial need
- Serve elementary age students in grades K-8
- Exhibit a strong commitment to literacy!
Note: Schools that are currently receiving a Literacy Fund Grant from the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation are not eligible to receive an Adopt a School Grant. Additionally, schools that have received Adopt a School grants in the past are welcome to apply again, however, preference will be given to schools with outstanding applications who have not participated previously to help ensure these resources reach as many kids as possible.
Application Process
- Step 1: Download the application worksheet and take the time to draft your responses
- Note: This worksheet cannot be uploaded to the online portal, nor emailed to us as an official application. All responses must be entered directly into the online application
- Step 2: When you are ready with your responses, complete and submit the online application.
Additional Information
- You will be notified in May with the status of your application. If your school is selected to participate in the program, a participation agreement will be sent to your school principal
- Selected schools will receive the funds raised on their behalf 2-3 weeks after the close of the fundraising period and will be required to complete an impact survey by the end of the school year. Further detail on fund distribution and impact reporting will be provided upon successful acceptance of your application.
Learn more about Indigo Love of Reading Foundation’s other grants