2021 Grants Accepted through October the 15th

✨Announcing RFP grant recipients soon! ✨

Featured Recipients

Friends of Aurora After-School Program

Results over 15 years:

  • 46,300 library books borrowed and returned by children in the FAAP programs
  • 12,373 books given away to children in the programs
  • 85% of children in the programs come from low-income homes
  • 50% of students come from homes where English is not the primary language

2017-2018 Results:

  • 1,104 hours that FAAP students spent with their reading mentors
  • 565 family members participated in FAAP’s Family Library Nights at Aurora Public Library
  • 312 family members came to FAAP’s Summer Reading Buddies Program at Santori Aurora Public Library
  • 75 children had a reading mentor for four weeks during summer camp
  • 70 children had a reading mentor for 25 weeks during the school year

Oswego Foundation for Educational Excellence

The Gloria J. Taylor Foundation

The Gloria J. Taylor Foundation

Water Street Studios

Fox Valley Montessori

Geneva History Museum

Water Street Studios

Aurora Public Library Foundation

Marklund

Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board

Fox Valley United Way – SPARK

Fox Valley Hands of Hope

Indian American Community Outreach Advisory Board

Agape Connection Inc.

Agape Connections, Inc.

Girls Run the World

Aurora East Educational Foundation

A+ Foundation for West Aurora Schools

North Central College

Aurora University Arts & Ideas

DuPage Children’s Museum

Education

We believe that access to strong early care and educational opportunities is the foundation for a child's success in school and in life.

Our Goals

Our long-term goal for our education initiatives is for an increasing number of children in the Dunham Foundation Service Area to be reading at grade level by the third grade. As an interim benchmark, we will look at kindergarten-readiness as an indicator of early learning success.

Our Strategy

IF we invest in high-quality support for children from birth through age eight, THEN they will have the necessary foundation to be reading at grade-level by the time they reach the third grade. 

The first eight years of a child’s life play a significant role in guiding their success in school and beyond. It is critical to take a holistic approach to a child’s wellbeing by focusing on programs and initiatives that support their long-term development and success; and ensures that they are healthy, safe and engaged. 

When a child’s early experiences and educational opportunities positively contribute to their lifetime success, the community as a whole benefits for generations.

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