Purpose

The Reading Is Fundamental (RIF)-Inexpensive Book Distribution Program provides assistance to local nonprofit organizations and to public agencies for reading motivation programs, including the distribution of inexpensive books to promote reading.

Consistent access to books and other reading materials can increase children's motivation to read and help them keep up academically with their peers. Children who begin school without access to literacy-rich environments at home are at a significant disadvantage compared to other children.

WHAT'S NEW--The No Child Left Behind Act

Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility

• Allows more flexible funding. Organizations operating the program in low-income areas that serve special-needs children may use other federal funds to pay up to 50 percent of the nonfederal share of the program. In addition, RIF may waive the nonfederal share requirement for organizations if the organizations would not be able to participate otherwise.

How It Works

The RIF-Inexpensive Book Distribution program provides a noncompetitive direct grant to Reading Is Fundamental, a nonprofit organization. This program is run as a public-private partnership, with the federal share covering 75 percent of the costs of purchasing books (except for programs serving children of migrant parents, where all funding is federal), and the private share covering 25 percent. RIF enters into subcontracts with local nonprofit organizations or public agencies to provide books to children from birth through high school age. Priority is given to programs that serve a significant number or percentage of children with special needs, including low-income children, children at risk of school failure, children with disabilities, foster children, homeless children, migrant children, children without access to libraries, institutionalized or incarcerated children, and children whose parents are institutionalized or incarcerated.