Northern Piedmont Community Foundation Awards $29,950 Kortlandt Grant to Fauquier Education Foundation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Warrenton, VA— The Fauquier Education Foundation (FEF) received a grant through the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation’s Patricia and Nicolaas Kortlandt Memorial Fund. The entire amount requested—$29,950—was awarded and will fund three initiatives, collectively called “Launch into Literacy.”
More than $10,000 of the grant will be used for the Foundation’s early child literacy program, My First Book Club, which provides 100 at-risk preschool students in Fauquier County Public Schools with a new book each month during the school year as well as a small bookshelf to start their home library. This year, the funds increased to double the number of books—each student will receive two new books each month of the school year.
Approximately half of the grant funding will support the Fauquier affiliate of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library (DPIL), managed by Fauquier Reaches for Excellence in School Health (FRESH). DPIL provides age-appropriate books to all children from birth through their fifth birthday, mailing books directly to their homes at no charge to families. FRESH and the Commonwealth of Virginia share the cost of this program; grant funds should cover the entire amount that FRESH is expected to pay. In previous years, FRESH has received support for this program from various organizations, including FEF as well as Learning Starts Early (LSE), another local nonprofit.
The remaining funds will cover the cost of pre-K kits that FRESH distributes to families with preschool-aged children during their summer events. In years past, LSE has provided funding for this initiative, which includes a variety of kindergarten preparedness activities and supplies.
This collaborative effort among three entities has an overarching goal of continuing to increase literacy gains in young children. Research has shown that these types of programs have a profound and lasting impact on their overall lives, extending far beyond academic success. Literacy programs address the foundational gaps that may be present in children—especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds—leading to improvements across various developmental domains.
The Fauquier Education Foundation is deeply grateful to the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation for the grant funding, which will significantly benefit many young learners in Fauquier County.
The Fauquier Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to its mission of initiating, magnifying, and sustaining unique educational opportunities within Fauquier County Public Schools. All donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
Visit fauquiereducationfoundation.org.
More than $10,000 of the grant will be used for the Foundation’s early child literacy program, My First Book Club, which provides 100 at-risk preschool students in Fauquier County Public Schools with a new book each month during the school year as well as a small bookshelf to start their home library. This year, the funds increased to double the number of books—each student will receive two new books each month of the school year.
Approximately half of the grant funding will support the Fauquier affiliate of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library (DPIL), managed by Fauquier Reaches for Excellence in School Health (FRESH). DPIL provides age-appropriate books to all children from birth through their fifth birthday, mailing books directly to their homes at no charge to families. FRESH and the Commonwealth of Virginia share the cost of this program; grant funds should cover the entire amount that FRESH is expected to pay. In previous years, FRESH has received support for this program from various organizations, including FEF as well as Learning Starts Early (LSE), another local nonprofit.
The remaining funds will cover the cost of pre-K kits that FRESH distributes to families with preschool-aged children during their summer events. In years past, LSE has provided funding for this initiative, which includes a variety of kindergarten preparedness activities and supplies.
This collaborative effort among three entities has an overarching goal of continuing to increase literacy gains in young children. Research has shown that these types of programs have a profound and lasting impact on their overall lives, extending far beyond academic success. Literacy programs address the foundational gaps that may be present in children—especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds—leading to improvements across various developmental domains.
The Fauquier Education Foundation is deeply grateful to the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation for the grant funding, which will significantly benefit many young learners in Fauquier County.
The Fauquier Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to its mission of initiating, magnifying, and sustaining unique educational opportunities within Fauquier County Public Schools. All donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
Visit fauquiereducationfoundation.org.
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Fauquier Education Foundation
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Nancy Griffin-Bonnaire Executive Director
- September 18, 2025
- (703) 407-3984
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