National Campaign for Grade-Level Reading Commitment to Action Recognized at Clinton Global Initiative Meeting
DENVER, June 9, 2015 – The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (CGLR) is being featured on stage at the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) meeting. CGLR will launch the More Hopeful Futures Initiative in 2017 as the next phase of a decade-long effort to increase reading proficiency among children from low-income families. Over the next three years, the planned pre-launch activities will reach at least 50,000 children with an enhanced package of screenings and supports designed to accelerate ongoing efforts to improve school readiness, school attendance and summer learning.
The Dubuque Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, launched by Every Child/Every Promise and the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque in 2012, is now a growing network of dedicated individuals and organizations working together to help more local children achieve reading proficiency by the end of third grade. As part of the national grade-level reading network and a 2014 recipient of the CGLR’s Pacesetter Award, the Dubuque Campaign will be a partner in the More Hopeful Futures Initiative and a recipient of enhanced support and resources from the initiative.
Since it began in 2010, CGLR has grown to include 167 communities in 42 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than 2,100 civic and community-based organizations, public libraries, public housing agencies and higher-education institutions have joined the local sponsoring coalitions. At last count, these local efforts were being supported by over 200 family and community foundations, individual donors, corporate giving programs and United Ways.
"We see this recognition by CGI America as an affirmation of the great work already underway in these local communities. The plans and aspirations embodied in today's commitment build upon what these communities already have accomplished and anticipate the important work they will continue to do," said Ralph Smith, managing director of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. "Our work going forward, including More Hopeful Futures, draws heavily on the experience, lessons and insights of the civic leaders and public officials who have mobilized their communities and the state and local funders who have supported the work.”
The CGLR commitment will be supported by Funding Partners in six states (Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa and New York) that have pledged to invest $34.6 million over the next three years and by two dozen organizations with exemplary programs who have agreed to align, link and, where practicable, bundle their work to achieve greater impact.
About the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
Launched in May 2010, the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is a collaborative effort of funders, nonprofit partners, business leaders, government agencies, states and communities across the nation to ensure that many more children from low-income families succeed in school and graduate prepared for college, a career and active citizenship.
About Clinton Global Initiative America
The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. Established in June 2011 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) addresses economic recovery in the United States. CGI America brings together leaders in business, government, and civil society to generate and implement commitments to create jobs, stimulate economic growth, foster innovation, and support workforce development in the United States. Since its first meeting, CGI America participants have made more than 400 commitments, which have improved the lives of nearly 1.4 million people.
CGI also convenes an Annual Meeting, which brings together global leaders to take action and create positive social change, CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world, and, this year, CGI will also convene CGI Middle East & Africa, which will bring together leaders across sectors to take action on pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.
About the Dubuque Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
Every Child/Every Promise, in partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, launched the Dubuque Campaign for Grade-Level Reading in 2012, answering a call to action by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the national Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. The Dubuque Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is now a growing network of dedicated individuals and organizations working together to ensure all children read at grade level by the end of third grade. For more information, visit www.readdbq.org.