Q: Why should I start a RIF program?
A: If you work with a group of children in an organized program already, a RIF program may be a wonderful supplement to the services you provide. You can provide the children in your program with free books and resources, motivational activities, and the parental and community support that may help them become lifelong readers.
Q: When and where do RIF programs operate?
A: You may schedule your program to run year-round, during the school year, or for the summer. You can organize and run your RIF site from a school, library, childcare center, Head Start program, park, community center, health clinic, migrant camp, domestic shelter virtually any place that serves children or where children gather. RIF operates in 25,000 sites in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories.
Q: Who is involved in running a RIF program?
A: RIF programs are run locally and supported nationally. Programs are started, funded, and run at the grassroots level by a variety of community volunteers parents, educators, librarians, members of service clubs, employee volunteers, local leaders, retirees, and others who want to encourage children to grow up reading.
The national support comes from program specialists at RIFs headquarters in Washington, D.C. We provide advice on developing your program, ideas on how to make it effective and fun, nationally negotiated discounts on books, and more.
Q: What types of programs are available?
A: RIF has two major types of programs: the National Book program and Special Literacy Programs.
The National Book Program has three major components: books for ownership, motivational activities, and parent and community involvement.
Special Literacy Programs contain these three elements, but they are targeted towards specific populations (e.g., teenage parents, young children), often have an increased role for parents or caregiver involvement, and may include a training component. Currently, RIF is only starting Special Literacy programs at the request of private funders.
Q: Who is eligible to run a RIF program?
A: Any public agency or private nonprofit group may apply to RIF to start a program. To qualify for federal funding, you must be able to service a minimum of 100 children. You also must demonstrate that 80% or more of the children you will service qualify for free or reduced meals under federal guidelines. If you are not sure how to demonstrate that requirement, contact RIF.
Pending a review, RIF is not currently starting locally funded RIF programs.
Q: What age children should we plan to serve?
A: The program is designed for youngsters of any age, from infancy through high school, and can be adapted to the needs of young people from all backgrounds.
Q: How many children can we serve?
A: Any number, depending on the resources you have available, but you must serve all youngsters equally. For example, if you choose to work with children in a second-grade Title 1 program, all children in that program must participate. If you target an eighth-grade classroom, everyone in the class must be included.
Q: What should I do to apply?
A: Please view the RIF Service Request (formerly the Preliminary Application).
If you qualify for federal funding, your group will be placed on our funding waitlist. When funding is available we will contact you and send a proposal for you to complete and you will be able to enter an agreement with RIF to operate a 12-month, renewable project. Any questions about the proposal? Just call; our staff is happy to help.
Q: How long will I wait for my information to be processed?
A: Due to limited federal funds and high demand, the waitlist is typically more than one year long for a new federal program, and has frequently been longer than two years. You will get a notice regarding your eligibility within two to four weeks.
Q: What can we expect from RIFs national headquarters?
A: Our staff offers wide-ranging assistance in conducting effective programs:
- Technical help.
We offer guidance with such tasks as fund raising, book ordering, handouts, motivational activity ideas, volunteer recruitment and more. Explore this website and/or contact your account representative.
- Book discounts.
We negotiate nationwide discounts and other services from nearly 150 book suppliers. We then make the full list of these suppliers available online to local RIF project volunteers so you can take advantage of the reduced-price offerings.
- National programs and events.
To build excitement for reading, we invite all local projects to participate in RIF's reading celebrations. Keep posted with our monthly newsletter and on www.rif.org.