Compiled by Maria Wen Adcock
Click HERE for a printable document
Author visits are a wonderful way to bring books to life for children. According to a survey conducted by SchoolVisitExperts.com, the top benefits of an author visit include:
1. Motivates students to read more. (91%)
2. Inspires creativity and expression. (75%)
3. Motivates students to write more. (70%)
Check out this other great article by TheBookingBiz.com: The 5 Ways Author Visits Benefit You.
Given all of these benefits, an investment in an author visit is a good investment in children’s education. Need to raise funds for your school, library, or organizations for an author visit? Below is a list of fundraising ideas and grants.
Organizations/Clubs
- Booster Clubs
- Local Organizations – Contact local arts and culture organizations. Apply for a community or educational grant (Rotary, Kiwanis, Optimists, etc.)
- PTA / PTO
Other Funding Ideas
- Book Fair – Use earnings from book fairs.
- Coin Box Collection – Place a box in each classroom and ask families to have their students bring spare and loose change to donate.
- Donation Funding Sites – Set up a fundraiser on GoFundMe.com or KickStarter.com. Create wish lists on Changing the Present Wish List, DonorsChoose.org, or AdoptAClassroom.org.
- Fundraisers – Organize a bake sale, basket raffle, lunch raffle with the author (get approval from the author), or anything else that could raise funds.
- In-School Field Trip – Collect contributions from students to cover the cost of the author’s visit for an in-school field trip (no need to pay for bus transportation).
- Local Business Sponsorship – Ask a local business to sponsor an author visit in exchange for promoting their business to parents.
- Title I Schools – Schools qualifying for Title 1 status may be eligible to apply some of these funds towards special programs like author visits.
- Virtual Author Visit – Schedule a virtual visit that costs less than an in-person visit and has no student limit.
Local/State Resources (NY)
- Aldi Cares Community Grants
- Eastern Suffolk BOCES Arts in Education Program
- Nassau BOCES Arts in Education Program
- New York State Arts in Education Network
- New York State Education Department Grants
- Target Community Grants
- Walmart Local Community Grants
- Western Suffolk BOCES Exploratory Enrichment – Search programs under “Diversity” and “Maria Wen Adcock” for the Author’s program.
National Grants
- AASL (American Association of School Libraries) Innovative Reading Grant
- Association of American Educators Foundation Classroom Grant
- Barnes & Noble Sponsorship & Charitable Donations
- The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
- Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature
- Crayola Champion Creatively Alive Children Grant Program
- Dollar General Literacy Foundation
- Education Enrichment Foundation
- Fund for Teachers
- FundsNet Education and Literacy Grants & Fundraisers
- GetEdFunding.com
- Google Educator Grants
- Grants.gov
- GrantsAlert.com
- GrantWatch.com
- Learning for Justice Educator Fund
- MDEF (McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation) Academic Enrichment Grants
- National Art Education Foundation
- National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
- National Book Fund
- National Education Association Foundation
- National Endowment For the Arts
- National Endowment for the Humanities
- ProLiteracy Grants and Funding
- SCBWI (Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators) Amber Brown Grant
- Sony Corporation Grant
- Teach.com Grants
- Voya Unsung Heroes Awards Program
- Wells Fargo Grant
Articles on How to Write a Grant
- 21 Steps to Writing a Perfect Grant Proposal for Education
- Grant Guide for Educational Funding
- Grant Writing 101
- How to Write a Grant Proposal: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Tips and Resources for Successful Grant Writing
- Writing an Effective Educational Grant
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