Swift foundation to award literacy grants

The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation is accepting grant applications from nonprofit organizations that promote literacy, reading and writing skills and offer programs in the arts, languages and sciences in Carson City and surrounding communities. Applications will be accepted until March 1 and decisions will be made by May 1. The foundation will consider applications for grants requesting a minimum of $500 and a maximum of $2,500. The foundation awards grants to organizations that provide direct services to help implement and expand literacy programs for children who are below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading, and to develop reading and writing skills at all age levels. Further, the foundation supports programs in the arts, languages and sciences for preschool, primary and secondary school-age children. More than $125,000 in grants have been awarded since 2008. The foundation prefers to consider grants for programs instead of grants strictly for technology, and also prefers to award grants to organizations that do not have access to large fundraising budgets and are local in nature. Grants are made only to nonprofit organizations certified as tax exempt. More information is available on the Foundation's website, www.bessieminorswift.org.