Providing books to school libraries for disadvantaged children
Awarded Grants
2026 Awarded Grants
In our 18th year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was pleased to receive nearly 1000 applications from all types of schools and from nearly every state in the country! 25 grants ranging from $1000 to $10,000 have been awarded to the deserving schools below. Our winners will be additionally notified before the first week in May via email. We apologize for not being able to give specific feedback on proposals and hope that you’ll consider reapplying next year. Check back in August for our announcement of the 2025 “Next Up” school, our fall fundraiser to raise money for one more lucky school. The 2027 application will be available in October 2025 and will be due by late January/early February of 2027.
Academy of the Americas
Detroit, MI
More Manga, Más Español
Cannon Ball Elementary
Cannon Ball, ND
Growing Readers: A Leveled Chapter Book Initiative
Carman Trails Elementary
Ballwin, MO
Windows, Mirrors, and Doors: Building an Inclusive Elementary Library Collection
Central Elementary School
Hoquiam, WA
Central Reads – Bringing Books Back Again
CO-OP High School
New Haven, CT
Finding the Fountain of Youth: Updating an Aging Collection
East Main Elementary; Port Jervis City School District
Port Jervis, NY
The Print, New Gains Initiative
Fort Washakie School
Fort Washakie, WY
Books & Brains
Griffith Elementary
Ferguson, MO
The Turning the Page Project
Jerseyville East Elementary
Jerseyville, IL
Keeping Readers Hooked: Completing Book Series to Sustain Engagement
L. H. Tanglen Elementary School
Minnetonka, MN
Building a Bridge for Readers
Litzsinger School
SAINT LOUIS, MO
“Stories That Reflect Us: Expanding Access and Representation Through Graphic Novels and Inclusive Fiction”
Logos School
St. Louis, MO
Classroom Libraries and Reading Encouragement for Logos School
Loving School – Children’s Home Society of SD
Sioux Falls, SD
Healing Hearts and Building Brave Minds
Palm Middle School
Moreno Valley, CA
Turning Pages Toward Equity
Perquimans County High School
Hertford, NC
Reimagining Non-Fiction and Graphic Novels
Plavan Elementary School
Fountain Valley, CA
Rediscovering Facts: A Non-Fiction Library Refresh
Scott Lake Elementary
Miami Gardens, FL
Bring Your A Game
South Mesa
Pueblo, CO
Hungry for Books!
Southern Hills Elementary School
Oklahoma City, OK
Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Doors: Building a Diverse Library
Star View Elementary School
Westminster, CA
Bruh! We need books that slay!
Sycamore Elementary School
Holt, MI
Transitioning to K-5 from K-4: Meeting the Reading Needs of Our
Thomas Jefferson High School
Auburn, WA
Cultural and Affinity expansions
Van Wert Middle School
Van Wert, OH
Building Book Buddies
Westside Middle School
Winder, GA
From Reluctant to Riveted: Inspiring Readers at Westside Middle
Wewoka Elementary School
Wewoka, OK
Moving to the 21st Century
2025 Awarded Grants
In our 17th year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was pleased to receive over 600 applications from all types of schools and from nearly every state in the country! 22 grants ranging from $1000 to $10,000 have been awarded to the deserving schools below. Our winners will be additionally notified before the first week in May via email. We apologize for not being able to give specific feedback on proposals and hope that you’ll consider reapplying next year. Check back in August for our announcement of the 2025 “Next Up” school, our fall fundraiser to raise money for one more lucky school. The 2026 application will be available in October 2025 and will be due by late January/early February of 2026.
Academia Antonia Alonso Charter School
Newark, DE
Cultivating Bilingual Readers: Building K-5 Classroom Libraries for Equity and Imagination
Altoona School
Altoona, FL
Out with the old; in with the new!
Center McMechen Elementary School
McMechen, WV
The Heart of It All!
Chesapeake Center for Student Success
Chesapeake, VA
Gaining Growth with Graphics
Chiloquin Elementary School
Chiloquin, OR
Hook Them into a Super Series
Dale Junior High School
Anaheim, CA
Dale’s Quest for (Up-to-date) Knowledge
Delta Elementary
Bay Minette, AL
Connecting the Dots: Updating the Library with Books that Link Learning to Life
In our sixteenth year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was pleased to receive over 770 applications from all types of schools and from nearly every state in the country! Grants ranging from $400 to $10,000 have been awarded to the deserving schools below. Winners will be additionally notified the first week in May via email. We apologize for not being able to give specific feedback on proposals and hope that you’ll consider reapplying next year. Check back in August for our announcement of the 2024 “Next Up” school, our fall fundraiser to raise money for one more lucky school. The 2024 application will be available in November and will be due in January of 2025.
Amelia Earhart Elementary
Provo, UT
Stories That Inspire
Brendel Elementary
Grand Blanc, MI
This is NOT Fiction: Brendel Needs Updated Non-Fiction!
Crockett Academy
San Antonio, TX
Self-Selected Reading
Durant Road Elementary School
Raleigh, NC
A Celebration of Our Diversity
Elkhorn City Elementary
Elkhorn City, KY
Building Self Esteem Through Reading
Empire Elementary
Carson City, NV
Spanish Readers Need Books Too!
Kendrick Middle School
Jonesboro, GA
Vote for Books!
Magic City Acceptance Academy Charter School
Birmingham, AL
Acurrucarse Con Un Buen Libro (Cuddle Up With A Good Book)
Memphis Grizzlies Prep Charter School
Memphis, TN
A Diverse and Inclusive Collection
Millington Primary School
Millington, TN
“YES! We DO have that book!”
North Shelby Elementary
Shelbyville, MO
Raiders Read! Nabbing Nonfiction
Oakland Middle School
Columbia, MO
The Library is For Everyone
PAVE Academy Charter School
Brooklyn, NY
K-8 Lending Library for English Language Learners
Quincy Elementary School
Zeeland, MI
Comic Read a Book With Me
South Davie Middle School
Mocksville, NC
¡Viva el español!
South Mesa Elementary School
Pueblo, CO
Help! Upper Elementary Students Do Not Want to Read “Clifford the Big Red Dog”!
Talcott Elementary School
Talcott, WV
Book Blastoff
Union East Elementary
Cheektowaga, NY
Our Students Deserve to See Themselves in Our Library!
Uniontown Elementary School
Uniontown, KY
High Need for High Interest Nonfiction
Washington Elementary School
Richmond, CA
Creating a More Culturally Responsive School Library So That Everyone’s Stories Can Be Told
Whispering Pines Education Center
Miramar, FL
The Power of Choice
2023 Awarded Grants
In our fifteenth year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was pleased to receive nearly 500 applications from all types of schools and from nearly every state in the country! Grants ranging from $500 to $12,000 have been awarded to the deserving schools below. Winners will be additionally notified via email. We apologize for not being able to give specific feedback on proposals and hope that you’ll consider reapplying next year. Check back in August for our announcement of the 2023 “Next Up” school, our fall fundraiser to raise money for one more lucky school. The 2023 application will be available in November and will be due by February of 2024.
Ator Heights Elementary
Owasso, OK
A Place Where We All Belong
Audubon Schools
New Orleans, LA
Dream Your Big, Diverse Dreams – Incorporating STEM and Diversity Collections To Encourage Big Dreams
Burnett Elementary
Houston, TX
Never Enough Nonfiction
Crater Renaissance Academy
Central Point, OR
Nonfiction and Spanish Collection Update
Gettysburg Area Middle School
Gettysburg, PA
Book Clubs
Grove Park Elementary
Riviera Beach, FL
Grove Park is Leveling Up
Guilford Elementary School
Greensboro, NC
Support Beginning Readers
Holy Family Catholic School
Lafayette, LA
African American Children’s Literature
Madison Comprehensive High School
Mansfield, OH
Modernize and Diversify the MCHS Library Project
Madison Elementary
Wheeling, WV
Finding the Magic
Meeker Public School
Meeker, OK
Meeker Public Schools Secondary Library
Satilla Marsh Elementary
Brunswick, GA
Nonfiction Investigation
Savoy Elementary School
Washington, D.C.
Savoy Joy
Stapleton School
Stapleton, AL
000 – 900 Reasons Students Love the Library
Turnpike Elementary School
Troy, NY
10 x 10 – Updating nonfiction 10 sections x 10 books
2022 Awarded Grants
In our fourteenth year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was pleased to receive nearly 700 applications from all types of schools and from nearly every state in the country! Grants ranging from $300 to $20,000 have been awarded to the deserving schools below. Winners will be additionally notified via email. We apologize for not being able to give specific feedback on proposals and hope that you’ll consider reapplying next year. Check back in August for our announcement of the 2022 “Next Up” school. The 2023 application will be available in November and will be due in February of 2023.
Elsanor Elementary School
Robertsdale, AL
Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
Orrenmaa Elementary School
Riverside, CA
Appealing Books for Orrenmaa Owls to Boost a Love of Reading
Dennis G. Earl Elementary
Turlock, CA
Reading Minds Bloom Where They Are Planted
Jefferson Middle School
Caldwell, ID
Books for Hispanic Representation
Pleasant Acres Elementary/Rantoul City Schools
Rantoul, IL
Bilingual Books Unite Us as a School Family of Readers
Springfield Prep Charter School
Springfield, MA
Accountable to our Mission: Building Mirrors and Windows for our Students
Harmony Elementary
Harmony, ME
Get Excited for Reading!
Central Academy Elementary
Ann Arbor, MI
Growing Graphics for a Global View
Distinctive College Prep – Redford
Redford, MI
The Goodman Library: A Legacy of Literacy
Saint Joseph Pro-Cathedral School
Camden, NJ
Growing and Building Beyond Our Walls
Mission Elementary
Anadarko, OK
Mission: Books for Learning
Emerson North Alternative High School
Oklahoma City, OK
A Safe & Sacred Space
Austin East Magnet High School
Knoxville, TN
Reluctant to Ready Readers
Magoffin Middle School
El Paso, TX
Creating a Truly Great Collection
Alderwood Elementary School
Bellingham, WA
Empowering Readers through Books that Affirm their Interests and their Identities
J.I. Case High School
Mt. Pleasant, WI
Read, Reflect, Rise Up – Elevating Voices Through Literacy
2021 Awarded Grants
In our thirteenth year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was pleased to receive nearly 700 applications from all types of schools and from nearly every state in the country! Grants ranging from $1000 to $20,000 have been awarded to the deserving schools below. Winners will be additionally notified via email. We apologize for not being able to give specific feedback on proposals and hope that you’ll consider reapplying next year. Check back in August for our announcement of the 2021 “Next Up” school. The 2022 application will be available in November and will be due in February of 2022.
Academia Cesar Chavez Charter School
Saint Paul, MN
The Great Eight Book Challenge
The Academia Cesar Chavez Charter School library will offer multiple copies of eight, high-interest, new titles each month for eight months to their middle school readers to ignite a passion for not only reading books, but sharing in the love of reading.
Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women
Baltimore, MD
Building Resilience by Reaching the Whole Girl
This project will provide books about and by women of color. The books will help amplify the voices of those who were historically oppressed and marginalized. Connecting the shelves’ stories to the girls’ resilience will emphasize the books’ place in writing their own story.
Buffalo Collegiate Charter School
Buffalo, NY
Reading Their Stories and Writing Our Stories… A Library to Build Ourselves and Our Impact
Buffalo Collegiate will transform their small “”rolling cart”” library to a dedicated library space. This project will fill their shelves with culturally-relevant, fun and rigorous books to engage the various reading levels of their students.
Butler Traditional High School
Louisville, KY
ReadWokeButler
ReadWokeButler will provide the Butler High community with reading material that promotes diversity, inclusion, and mutual
respect for others. Founded by Cicely Lewis, a library media specialist at Meadowcreek High School in Georgia, the Read Woke movement encourages students to read books that “challenge a social norm; give voice to the voiceless; provide information about a group that has been disenfranchised; seek to challenge the status quo; include a protagonist from an underrepresented or oppressed group.” She invites educators around the world to join the movement, and Butler High School is all in!
Grant Wood Elementary School
Cedar Rapids, IA
Refresh and Re-engage
This project will update and refresh the fiction and picture book collection. It will also be used to completely replace the well loved and worn nonfiction books about dinosaurs and sharks. These are 2 sections in the library that are consistently checked out no matter the collection or the age!
Life School Oak Cliff Elementary
Dallas, TX
Culturally-Responsive Classroom Libraries for Low-Income Children in South Dallas
This project will provide an in-classroom library for each of the school’s 25 elementary classrooms. Every classroom will include approximately 300 books that span a rich variety of genres, so children will have a broad range of book selections that match their personal tastes.
Mni Wičhóni Nakíčižiŋ Wounspe
McLaughlin, SD
Indigenous School Library
This project will create an indigenous-rooted library that affirms and supports our young people and our community. Begun as a homeschool resource center for kids at the Oceti Sakowin Camp at Standing Rock whose families were standing in support of the water and against an oil pipeline, Mni Wičhóni Nakíčižiŋ Wóuŋspe will now be a long-term school based in the environment and Lakhota tradition on Standing Rock.
Russell Springs Elementary School
Russell Springs, KY
RSES Library Collection Revitalization Project
This project is a complete overhaul of the Russell Springs library. They will update the collection to make sure students have access to accurate nonfiction, popular book series, recently released picture and chapter books, and graphic novels.
Saint Benedict Catholic School
Richmond, VA
A Second Century of Service
As Saint Benedict Catholic School enters their second century of service, their library will get a much needed update to all sections. They will refresh fiction and nonfiction sections, preparing the school for the next 100 years.
Shackelford Junior High
Arlington, TX
Beyond the Dead White Dudes: Finding Ourselves in Books
This project will provide new and relevant biography, autobiography, and memoir books that serve, reflect and amplify the voices that identify with our diverse student body. Titles will reflect their ethnicity, gender, disabilities, reading level, reading style, and languages.
Sharon Elementary
Orem, UT
Engaging Nonfiction
This project will update the Historical and Geographical sections of the library with the addition of the engaging series “”You Choose”” History books. This will increase the collection of history books by more than a third and enable the Sharon Elementary library to weed out old text books and outdated resources.
Visitation Catholic School
Chicago, IL
Hi-Low & Equitible Access
High/Low books and many graphic novels will make reading more accessible and enjoyable to the students at Visitation Catholic School. This project will give students an opportunity to pursue high interest books and empower them to read independently.
Walnut Creek Elementary
McDonough, GA
Wallabies Only Move Forward in Reading
This project is focused on providing books for students at their reading level and appropriate age. The outdated collection will receive a much needed update in nonfiction, graphic novels, and other books that can help bridge the gap for struggling readers between picture books and chapter books.
West Utica Elementary
Shelby Township, MI
Updated Library Books: A “Novel’ Idea!!!
This project will create a much needed Graphic Novel section at West Utica Elementary. They will add popular series like Dog-Man and The Babysitters Club, newer graphic series such as Wings of Fire and Amulet, nonfiction stories like March which is about the American Civil Rights Movement, and historically classic plays by Shakespeare.
Whiddon-Rogers Education Center
Fort Lauderdale, FL
CLASS Library – Children’s Library to Advance Student Success
This project will provide a small library of high-interest paperback books to incarcerated youth. The aim is to encourage a passion for reading, develop inquiring minds, improve student success in school, and expand student knowledge with real-world reading materials.
2020 Awarded Grants
In our twelfth year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was quite pleased to receive nearly 750 applications from all types of schools and from every state in the country! This was our most competitive year yet! Grants ranging from $1000 to $20,000 have been awarded to the deserving schools below. Winners will be additionally notified via email. We apologize for not being able to give specific feedback on proposals and hope that you’ll consider reapplying next year. Check back in August for our announcement of the 2020 “Next Up” school. The 2021 application will be available in November and will be due in February of 2021.
Emmonak School
Emmonak, AK
School-wide Literacy Promotion
This project, part of a larger school-wide focus on literacy, will add a variety of high-interest, low-level books to the existing library so that older students will have age-appropriate books that are written at their grade level.
Vista Heritage Global Academy
Santa Ana, CA
No More Swiss Cheese – Filling in the gaps in series, favorite authors, and popular genres
This project will fill in the holes by getting more of what students ask for again and again. This project will fill in the missing books for popular series, add more books from favorite authors, and get more mystery, horror, realistic fiction, and books about exciting historical events.
Cross Creek School
Pompano Beach, FL
Diverse Books for All
With the belief that reading can be very therapeutic when students have access to information they can identify with, Cross Creek school will add books to their collection that better serve and reflect the needs of their diverse student population. The new books will focus on marginalized and underrepresented populations, real issues that their students can relate to, and stories that highlight the positive and successful lives of people of color, people with disabilities, or other marginalizaed populations.
Longwood Elementary
Glenwood, IL
Two Teachers with a Dream
This project will revive the outdated school library and connect students with engaging and varied books in order to encourage a life-long love of reading. With updated book titles and fresh copies of classic favorites, the library will renew an important purpose of promoting reading for pleasure.
Springfield Ball Charter School
Springfield, IL
DeWEy Have This Book? Yes!
This project will help revamp the school’s K-8 non-fiction collection, specifically in the areas of zoology, true crime, history, technology, art, and biography, the highest areas of interest among students at the school.
Fairview Elementary Artful Learning & Performing Arts Academy
Bloomington, IN
Reading for our future at Fairview
An all-around update of the library in the most-loved sections: Nonfiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Manga, Comic Books, Chapter Books and more!
Collegiate Academies
New Orleans, LA
Libraries to Challenge the Single Story: Books that explore Power and Perspective
This project will empower students to challenge ‘single stories’ through their independent reading. Through new fiction and nonfiction in their classroom libraries, students will be able to access new perspectives and new ways of thinking about topics both familiar and foreign.
Brockton School District
Brockton, MT
Breathing Life into Our Library
This project will see the purchase of new books to replace those damaged by summer flooding as well as titles recently weeded due to their age and inaccurate information.
Washington Avenue School
Pleasantville, NJ
Blastoff to Learning: Books to Support Reading and Classroom Learning
The Washington Avenue School Library will foster student engagment in the library and support classroom learning by purchasing high-interest, current, accurate books in nonfiction including the most requested sections of animals, geography and biography.
Mott Hall Science and Technology Academy
Bronx, NY
Founding the Mott Hall Literacy Lab
This project will fill the empty shelves of the Mott Hall Science and Technology Academy’s new dedicated library space with high interest fiction, graphic novels, comic books and manga, magazines, and books to serve the large bilingual and English Language Learner population.
North Shore Middle School
Houston, TX
Cars, Stars, Czars and Memoirs..
This project will update the 20-year old non-fiction section of the North Shore Middle School library, by adding new and updated books in Technology (Cars), Science (Stars), History (Czars), and Biographies (Memoirs), while also adding to Literature, Arts and Social Services.
Tucker County High School
Hambleton, WV
A Classroom Library
This project will expand a small classroom library, filling it with high-interest books targeted at young adult readers in order to encourage and facilitate students to read independently. With new books at the ready, this project will promote reading among a high-risk group of students for whom age-appropriate, culturally relevant reading material is often unavailable.
2019 Awarded Grants
In our eleventh year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was quite pleased to receive nearly 600 applications from all types of schools and from every state in the country (including the Virgin Islands, the Mariana Islands, Alaska and Hawaii)! This was our most competitive year yet! Grants ranging from $1000 to $20,000 have been awarded to the deserving schools below. Winners will be additionally notified via email. We apologize for not being able to give specific feedback on proposals and hope that you’ll consider reapplying next year. We’ll keep making additional changes and additions to our website over the course of the year, too, so check back for our soon-to-be-announced 2019 “Next Up” school. The 2020 application will be available in November and will be due in February of 2020.
Clinton Middle School
Knoxville, TN
Remembering the Holocaust
A project aimed at increasing overall awareness of the Holocaust and the World War II time period in an effort to inspire students to prevent acts of evil, great or small.
Community Education Building
WIlmington, DE
Just Beyond the Classroom
Engaging Students Academically with Trade Books: The aim of this project is to engage students just beyond the classroom, making connections between academic work, leisure reading, and new-found passions in deep and meaningful ways.
DC International School
Washington, D.C.
Reading to Learn About Ourselves and the World
This project will stock our shelves with literature in which students can learn about the world, and literature in which they can see themselves. Students will have access to books that reflect their own experiences, as well as fiction and non-fiction that will bolster their understanding of the world around them.
Maries County R-II (Belle Elementary)
Belle, MO
Opening up Young Minds to the World Around Them!
Books that expose students to different cultures and ways of life, people who have made a difference in the world, significant events in history that have helped shape the world today, and different regions/animals of the world.
Marion Junior High School
Marion, IL
“Women are nurses, Men are doctors”–That book says WHAT?!
Breathing new life into the nonfiction collection.
Mark Twain Elementary School
Tulsa, OK
Hi-De-High, We are Going to Reach the Sky!
This project will build a high interest – low level reading section specifically for 3rd through 6th graders. This section will have books that interest that age group while keeping the reading level on a kindergarten through fourth grade reading level. Range from computer coding to teen angst to mystery thrillers, the books for these upper graders will snare them into the magical world of books.
Nixon Elementary School
Chicago, IL
Graphic Novels and Manga Books for Bilingual Readers
Beefing up the graphic novel and manga collection for some manga maniacs!
Northeast Middle School
Minneapolis, MN
Represent!
Diversifying Northeast Middle School’s Library Media Collection: This purpose will fill gaps in the areas of diversity, experiences, and representation through new fiction and nonfiction titles that were named to the following children’s and young adult literature lists: the A Mighty Girl’s Books of the Year list, the Amelia Bloomer List, the Notable Books for a Global Society List, and the Rainbow Book List.
Orlando Science High School
Orlando, FL
Good Book Project
This project has the simple goal of stocking the shelves of the high school’s new campus library with good books.
Video project update from Orlando Science High School
San Miguel School of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK
Using Literacy to Unlock a Lifetime of Potential
New timeless books for this school’s library.
Sapulpa Middle School
Sapulpa, OK
The Human Experience
Whether it’s disabilities, homelessness, illegal status, drug abuse or sexual orientation, students should be able to pick up a book and read about themselves
Washington Elementary School
Waterbury, CT
Building a Community of Learners
Building a collection that encompasses students’ interests, meets their reading levels, highlights different cultures and backgrounds, and helps support the curriculum. This project will transform the library into a learning community in which the students are excited to spend time discovering a new book each week.
Webster Learning Center
St. Joseph, MO
Webster Library Spaces
The goal of this project is fill our new shelves with new books and finally create a real library space.
2018 Awarded Grants
In our tenth (!!) year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was quite pleased to receive nearly 600 applications from all types of schools and from every state in the country (including the Virgin Islands, the Mariana Islands, Alaska and Hawaii)! This was our most competitive year yet! Grants ranging from $1000 to $20,000 have been awarded to the deserving schools below. Winners will be additionally notified via email. We apologize for not being able to give specific feedback on proposals and hope that you’ll consider reapplying next year. We’ll keep making additional changes and additions to our website over the course of the year, too, so check back for our soon-to-be-announced 2018 “Next Up” school, video tours of our awarded schools and to sign up for our newsletter. We’re changing our application timeline for next year: the 2019 application will be available in November and will be due in February of 2019.
Abraxas School of Ohio
Shelby, OH
Voices Will Be Heard
Students at Abraxas School of Ohio will help select books that represent them and their experiences to improve the selection of relevant and quality literature for pleasure-reading.
Barnwell High School
Barnwell, SC
El Lector Espanol y El Espectador del Mundo (“The Spanish Reader and World Viewer”)
Barnwell High School will stock its library with basic and advanced fiction and nonfiction books in Spanish that both Spanish-speaking students and Spanish language learners students can benefit. They will also improve the overall diversity of the collection so that all students can be world viewers!
Bay View Elementary School
North East, MD
Bringing Bay View Elementary library into the 21st Century!
Bay View Elementary will get a much needed update as they start to replace the 4,000+ old and outdated volumes that were weeded from nonfiction sections that were over 30 years old.
Boston Preparatory Charter Public School
Hyde Park, MA
Building Windows and Mirrors on Shelves: Our First Central Library
Boston Preparatory Charter School will finally have books to fill their new school building, built with a central library as the heart of the school, the empty shelves are waiting to be filled with books that help students see themselves and learn about the world around them.
Columbia Falls Junior High School
Columbia Falls, MT
More Bridges to Build: Growing Writers Through Reading
Books to support a classroom library dedicated to help students grow as writers, readers, and thinkers, to help them heal from trauma they have experienced in their lives, to help them see that there is a diverse world beyond our valley, and to help them see how books are mirrors, windows, and doors into familiar as well as new experiences.
Kau High and Pahala Elementary School
Pahala, HI
Read Aloud with Ohana/Family
Books will support a dedicated time for family members and older students to read to younger students and to work together to create plays and projects inspired by books.
Kensington High School
Philadelphia, PA
Establishing a School Library
A dedicated group of current students and teachers will create Kensington High School’s first central school library. They have the room, the shelves, the furniture. Now they’ll have the books!
Morris Schott STEAM Elementary
Mattawa, WA
Full STEAM Ahead! Fueling STEM Identities for Rural Readers
Award winning STEM picture books, graphic novels, mysteries, adventure, science fiction as well as high interest non-fiction STEM books of every kind will be checked out to students as part of a reading challenge. The focus will be on STEM books that feature people of color, women and other underrepresented groups in STEM contexts.
Scriber Lake High School
Edmonds, WA
Owning Our Own Voices
Hearing voices which have been historically marginalized or silenced empowers and unites us all. Scriber Lake High School will continue to fight institutional ISMs by filling their shelves with “Our Own Voices” — books that are written by members of the communities they represent. Every single student will be able to see her/him/themselves in this collection.
Ysleta High School
El Paso, TX
“Walk a Mile in Someone Else’s Shoes through Reading”
A project dedicated to providing books that highlight life, culture and experience in different communities around the country and the world to help students understand both differences and similarities inexperiences, lifestyles and values.
2017 Awarded Grants
In our ninth year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was quite pleased to receive over 500 applications from public, private, and charter schools from almost every state in the country. This was our most competitive year yet! Grants ranging from $1000 to over $15,000 have been awarded to the deserving schools below. Winners will be additionally notified via email. We apologize for not being able to give specific feedback on proposals and hope that you’ll consider reapplying next year. We’ll keep making additional changes and additions to our website over the course of the year, too, so check back for our soon-to-be-announced 2017 “Next Up” school, some video tours of our awarded schools and to sign up for our newsletter. The 2018 application will be available on the website on January 1, 2018. Have a great summer, everyone!
San Antonio Elementary School
Huntington Park, CA
The Winter/Summer Reading Project
The Winter/Summer Project will make Snapdragon books available to students through a special section of a classroom library during long recess breaks when school library books cannot be accessed!
Nathan Hale Middle School
Crestwood, IL
Collection Reboot
Nathan Hale Middle School will undergo a comprehensive collection update with the goal to inspire, close gaps and broaden student exposure to fiction and nonfiction – from fairy and folk tales to award winners to STEAM books.
Lynwood Elementary School
Novato, CA
Families Reading Together
Lynwood Elementary School will increase the size of the Spanish language section in order to support families reading to their children at home in Spanish.
Monte Vista High School will expand their offerings of texts to highlight books featuring groups that are often disenfranchised, specifically youths from the LGBTQ, African-American, Hispanic, and Arab communities, as well as recent immigrants of all statuses so that every student can see his/her experiences reflected in reading materials and learn about others.
Video project update from Monte Vista High School:
Pocomoke Elementary School
Pocomoke City, MD
Readers to Leaders: Extinguishing Generational Proverty One Book, One Child at a Time
The Pocomoke Elementary School library’s worn, outdated book collection will be revitalized and renewed through the purchase of exciting, current, culturally responsive and high interest reading selections across genres, grades and personal preferences of students. Books will be carefully selected with regard to student interest and equitable accessibility to 21st Century themes, topics and educational needs!
Video project update from Pocomoke Elementary School
First Flight High School
Kill Devil Hills, NC
Own Voices Reading: Honoring & Reflecting Students’ Authentic Experiences Through Literature
Students at First Flight High School will help develop their own classroom library by selecting books that represent their “own voices,” and books to expand the poetry and nonfiction sections of the classroom library.
Brodhead Elementary School
Brodhead, KY
MY Library
Students at Brodhead Elementary School will be involved in the selection of new books to develop the library collection, leaving their legacy at the school through the book they select for the collection.
Whispering Pines School will be upgrading, updating and enhancing their collection so that there is something for everyone: new fun biographies, new high-low fiction, chapter books, series, and books related to out-of-school interests!
Chimborazo Elementary School
Richmond, VA
Relax And Read
This project will help Chimborazo Elementary School build their collection to include upper level fiction chapter books, graphic novels, sports books, and more up-to-date biographies to build empathy and become interested and avid readers.
The Judy and Ray McCaskey Preschool at The Chicago Lighthouse
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Lighthouse: Books and Reading for All
The first and only school in the Midwest where at-risk children who are blind, visually impaired, or sighted learn in a blended environment, this project will help The Chicago Lighthouse Preschool purchase high-quality hardcover and tactile materials (in Braille and large-print) for at-risk pre-schoolers.
Video project update from The Chicago Lighthouse Preschool:
Blessed Stephen Bellesini, OSA Academy, Inc.
Lawrence, MA
Girls’ School Library Expansion
Formerly a Boys’ School, Blessed Stephen Bellesini, OSA Academy, will develop their collection for the young women who now also attend the school, as well as expand their existing collection for all students.
2016 Awarded Grants
In our eighth year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was quite pleased to receive over 575 applications from public, private, and charter schools from almost every state in the country (Delaware, where were you?!). This was our most competitive year yet! Grants ranging from $500 to over $15,000 have been awarded to the deserving schools below. Winners will be additionally notified via email. We apologize for not being able to give specific feedback on proposals and hope that you’ll consider reapplying next year. We’ll be making additional changes and additions to our website over the next couple of months, too, so check back often for blog posts from previous winners, more pictures, and to sign up for our newsletter. The 2017 application will be available on the website on January 1, 2017.
Crane Middle School
Yuma, AZ
“Alice Dreams of a Library (Without Scotch Tape)”
With at least 75% of the collection already having undergone extensive repairs and an average of 16 books being repaired every single day (along with the entire nonfiction collection being over 25 years old) the Crane Middle School library will finally be upgraded with new fiction and nonfiction!
Frostig School
Pasadena, CA
“New Nonfiction for Students with Learning Differences”
Exciting STEM books to be incorporated into science labs, coding and technology classes as well as high-interest nonfiction texts for K-12 students.
Jerome Middle School
Jerome, ID
“The Genre Challenge Literacy Initiative”
Every student at Jerome Middle School will be participating in the Genre Challenge and encouraged to read from Mystery, Romance, Horror, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Sports, Humor, Survival, Historical, Newberry Award, Multicultural, Graphic novel/Manga, Biography/Autobiography, Nonfiction, and Poetry. Students will be recognized through whole school events as they make progress in the challenge.
Jefferson Middle School
Springfield, IL
“The Jefferson Middle School BINGO Book Challenge”
Students participate in a individual and class reading challenges to earn a square on a BINGO card like: Read a Graphic Novel, Read a State Award Book (in Illinois it is called the Rebecca Caudill Children’s Choice Awards), Read a Nonfiction book, Read a Book with Blue or Yellow on the Cover (our school colors), and Read a Free Choice Book.
Cathedral School
Springfield, IL
“Teens Choose”
Students in the upper grades will select new books for their library to help motivate peers and make recommendations.
Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary School
Bowling Green, KY
“PBC: Providing Books for Children”
Project PBC will provide books in the areas for which there are the most requests: more nonfiction books on sports, cars, animals, and holidays for primary students; mythology, sports, biographies about celebrities and athletes and more “scary” (but not too scary) books for intermediate students.
Kagman High School
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
“The Real Deal: Finding Yourself in Nonfiction”
Everyday in the library, the question is asked, “Where are all the books about “real life?” High school students are immersed in the process of figuring out who they are, what they believe, and how to face the struggles and hardships that is part of living. They are looking to be inspired; to know whatever obstacles they encounter, they have what it takes to prevail because others have. Through this project, students can have access to a wide range of memoirs, autobiographies, self-help books, and historical anecdotes to find out how “ordinary” people handle life.
Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy
Chattanooga, TN
“Read the Whole Series: Library Expansion and Update”
Refreshing the Calvin Donaldson library through new engaging series books, books with more diverse characters, and new nonfiction to update the aging library.
White Swan Elementary/Middle/High School
White Swan, WA
“Project Makeover: Library Edition”
A much needed makeover to the elementary, middle and high school libraries to provide updated, interesting reading material for students.
2015 Awarded Grants
In our seventh year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was quite pleased to receive nearly 550 applications from public, private, and charter schools from every state in the country. Grants ranging from $1,500 to over $15,000 have been awarded to the schools below. Winners will be additionally notified via email. We apologize for not being able to give specific feedback on proposals and hope that you’ll consider reapplying next year. The 2016 application will be available on the website in January.
Walnut Grove Elementary
New Market, AL
Junior Librarians: Collection Specialists
Students collaborating to select and purchase new books for the library
Jane Addams Elementary School
Chicago, IL
Expert 10 Challenge: Students are challenged to become an expert on a topic by reading 5-10 books on a single subject
Garinger High School
Charlotte, NC
Garinger Reads: The Garinger Reads Project would allow the students at Garinger to participate in building the library collection with books of their own choosing.
Northwoods Middle School
North Charleston, SC
Diverse Students Need Diverse Books: increasing the diversity represented in the collection
William Hart Elementary School
Gretna, LA
Books Are My Best Friends: Matching students with the books that they want and need the most.
Rosita E. Del Castillo Elementary
Brownsville, TX
Quality Books for Amazing Students: Simply put, new much-needed books for very deserving students
P53K
Brooklyn, NY
We Can ALL Be Heroes: Creating a School Library that Celebrates Diversity: Building a new school library for a satelliet school campus
Howard C. Reiche Community School
Portland, ME
Friends of the Library: Reviving the library collection for families and students
Houston Academy for International Studies
Houston, TX
Books And Nooks: 20 High School Juniors and Seniors will lead up a team to create and run a library for their school.
Port Isabel Junior High School
Port Isabel, TX
Literature for English Language Learners: bringing current and relevant Spanish literature into the Port Isabel Junior High library.
2014 Awarded Grants
In our sixth year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was quite pleased to receive nearly 400 grant applications from public, private, and charter schools across the nation. After much thought and review, grants ranging from $2,250 to $15,000 have been awarded to the schools below for their exemplary proposals and innovative programs. Winners have been notified via email. Many thanks to all who applied; the quality of applications this year was truly remarkable and made our decisions very very difficult. We apologize in advance for not being able to give specific feedback on proposals and hope that you’ll consider reapplying next year. The 2015 application will be available on the website in January.
Hornets Nest Elementary
Charlotte, NC
Bridging the Gap with Good Books
Juniper Elementary School
Bend, OR
Rookie Readers — High interest new books for K, 1st and 2nd graders
Edward Best Elementary
Louisburg, NC
“Mrs. Jones, do we have …?” Updating a dated library with current award winners, newly published titles
YES Prep East End
Houston TX
“Serious About Series Books”
The Chiles Academy (TCA)
Daytona Beach, FL
“Everybody Reads: A Family Literacy Project For All Ages” – Providing quality books for teen parents and their young children
Cairo High School
Cairo, GA
Children’s Section in a High School Media Center – For older students to check out books to read to their younger family members
2013 Awarded Grants
In our fifth year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was quite pleased to receive nearly 500 grant applications from public, private, and charter schools across the nation. After much thought and review, grants ranging from $1,300 to $20,000 have been awarded to the schools below for their exemplary proposals and innovative programs. Winners have been notified via email. Many thanks to all who applied; this was our most competitive application year to date. We apologize in advance for not being able to give specific feedback on proposals and hope that you’ll consider reapplying next year. The 2014 application will be available in January
Morris Jeff Community School
New Orleans, LA
Read To Vote: A project to help students participate in statewide book award voting.
Tonasket Elementary School
Tonasket, WA
Engaging reluctant and struggling readers through the power of graphic novels.
Rosenwald Elementary/Middle School
Society Hill, SC
G.E.T. (Gathering and Engaging Thinkers) Project.
Liberty Collegiate Academy
Nashville, TN
Ligers who LOVE Literacy! A project to support classroom libraries in a new and growing school.
McKinley Elementary School
Des Moines, IA
Library Literacy Expansion and Outreach: Fostering a love for reading beyond school walls among refugee children and other children most in need.
Foley Elementary School
Foley, AL
New Nonfiction!
2012 Awarded Grants
In our fourth year of operation, the Snapdragon Book Foundation was quite pleased to receive 199 grant applications from public, private, and charter schools across the nation. After much thought and review, grants ranging from $800 to $20,000 have been awarded to the schools below for their exemplary proposals and innovative programs:
Mackay Junior-Senior High School
Mackay, ID
Funding was provided to increase the fiction and nonfiction options for students in a district with many cut-backs.
Herff Elementary
San Antonio, TX
Funding was provided to update a 20+ year old collection with a focus on increasing the love of reading through programs run by the librarian and social worker.
W.W. White Elementary School
San Antonio, TX
Funding was provided to increase the variety of popular authors, genres and award-winning books to encourage students to read for pleasure more regularly.
Kayenta Unified School District #27
Kayenta, AZ
Funding was provided to launch a Language Arts Wilderness course focused on providing high-interest texts to this 99% Navajo student population. Funds will also be used to add books for a newly split-school so there are enough books to serve the students.
Southeast Middle School
Baton Rouge, LA
Funding was provided to launch a school wide differentiated book club with separate sections for advanced readers and struggling readers.
Whittier Elementary School
West Valley City, UT
Funding was provided to create a board book library for students with special needs for whom typical books present physical challenges.
Dixon Middle School
Provo, UT
Funding was provided to increase the diversity of the fiction and nonfiction collections through books that feature multiple perspectives on a topic or multicultural protagonists.
2011 Awarded Grants
The Snapdragon Book Foundation was quite pleased to receive 123 grant applications from public, private, and charter schools across the nation in our third year of operation. After much thought and review, grants ranging from $800 to $15,000 have been awarded to the schools below for their exemplary proposals and innovative programs:
Yukon Flats School District
Fort Yukon, AK
Funding was provided to seven village schools to add much needed relevant nonfiction books and periodicals in the fields of science, geography and history. Three books per student will be purchased to serve the remote Athabascan Indian community.
Ocean Hill Collegiate Charter School
Brooklyn, NY
Funding was provided to this “reader’s library” to help develop the Accelerated Readers program by adding high-interest, low-level books, gender targeted mid-level series, and informative non-fiction books.
Brodnicki Elementary School
Justice, IL
Funding was provided for their unique Battle of the Books, a tournament style reading program that encourages 6th graders to build and keep relationships, deal with change and adversity, adapt to new cultures, make positive choices and promote a love of reading for pleasure.
Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School
Urbana, IL
Funding was provided to purchase multiple copies of books nominated for the Monarch and Rebecca Caudill awards. Students from this diverse community will continue to have the opportunity to read and vote in these statewide programs.
Delta Academy
El Paso, TX
Funding was provided to assist Project Wings with their mission “to increase literacy and instill the love of reading while improving reading skills in our disadvantaged youth through the creation and provision of a first-rate school library and an intense cross-disciplinary organizational emphasis on reading skills development.”
St. Aloysius School
New York City, NY
Funding was provided to purchase high quality books of fiction, poetry, and other essential literature to support the 100 Books Program, where students are challenged from grades 5 to 8 to read and respond to 100 books.
2010 Awarded Grants
The Snapdragon Book Foundation was quite pleased to receive close to 200 grant applications from public, private, and charter schools across the nation in our second year of operation. After much thought and review, grants ranging from $800 to $8,500 have been awarded to the schools below for their exemplary proposals and innovative programs:
Genesis Academy
Phoenix, AZ
Funding provided to finance an after school reading club, Los Literati Book Club.
Ridgewood High School
Norridge, IL
Funding provided for a Teen Literature Symposium to be held on March 19th, 2011. More information is available here.
Whitford Middle School
Beaverton, OR
Funding provided for an excellent summer bookmobile program.
Dorton Elementary
Dorton, KY
Funding was provided for the It’s All About Boys Middle School High Interest reading program.
Hmong College Prep Academy
St. Paul, MN
Funding was provided to procure fiction and nonfiction books to a relatively small library serving a 100% Hmong population.
Excel Academy Charter School
East Boston, MA.
Funding for a DEAR Library Expansion was granted for this top performing school that keeps students engaged in pleasure reading.
Coney Island Prep
Brooklyn, NY
Funding was provided for an ever expanding library serving a very diverse population. These needs were communicated in an outstanding application.
Excel Academy Public Charter School
Washington D.C.
Funding to add books to their early reader’s lending library was provided to the first all girls public school in Washington D.C.
2009 Awarded Grants
The Snapdragon Book Foundation was quite pleased to receive more than 25 grant applications from public, private, and charter schools across the nation in the inaugural year of 2009. After much thought and review, grants ranging from $500 to $2,200 have been awarded to the schools below for their exemplary proposals and innovative programs:
West Denver Preparatory Charter School
Denver, CO
Funding provided to add books to a new location and to serve their 6th grade expansion.
High School of Economics and Finance
New York, NY
Funding provided to add global history biographies and Spanish speaking country books. The school is located near the 9/11 site and is currently rebuilding their library.
Bard High School Early College II
Queens, NY
Funding provided for a new library serving students who are given the opportunity to work on their associates degree in this innovative high school program.
Coney Island Preparatory Public Charter School
Brooklyn, NY
Funding was provided for a new library serving a very diverse population. These needs were communicated in an outstanding application.
Excel Academy Charter School
Boston, MA
Funding for a DEAR Library Expansion was granted for this top performing school that keeps students engaged in pleasure reading.
Excel Academy Charter School
Washington D.C.
Funding to add books to their lending library was provided to the first all girls public school in Washington D.C.
Marist High School
Bayonne, NJ
Funding was provided to assist developing a Women’s history and accomplishments program and an AsianAmerican History program.
Platte Valley Youth Service Center
Greeley, CO
Funding to provide urban literature for incarcerated youth was provided to this program that has a specific way to measure the impact of the books.
St. Raymond High School for Boys
Bronx, NY
Funding was granted to provide urban literature to cater to the student population that has changed from 80% white to 89% non-white in ten years.