To reduce disparities in access to education and health.
The Molina Foundation’s grantmaking centers on literacy as a way to reduce disparities in access to education and health. Its recent awards show a strong pattern of large book- and resource-distribution grants to schools, libraries, food banks, health clinics, and community organizations that serve children, families, and low-literacy adults. In 2023, Region One Esc in Edinburg, Texas, received $2,063,145 for literacy, and Psja Library Services Department in Pharr, Texas, received $2,010,675 for literacy. Those awards sit alongside substantial support for public library systems and community-based partners, suggesting a direct-service model that moves books and literacy materials through local intermediaries rather than through individual grants. The foundation’s program names reinforce that approach: Book Buddies distributes new books through partner organizations, while WordUp and On My Way to Kindergarten provide structured literacy resources for young children. Across the grant list, the same theme appears repeatedly in different settings: building home libraries, supporting reading readiness, and increasing access to books where families already receive services.
Education and literacy are the clearest throughline in the foundation’s recent work. It gave $1,558,791 to Cleveland Public Library in 2024 for literacy, and $1,394,040 to Boys & Girls Club of the Los Angeles Harbor in San Pedro for literacy. Early childhood and school readiness also appear in the active programs: On My Way to Kindergarten offers activities, songs, crafts, and games for young children, and WordUp provides curated book sets and literacy resources with themed modules such as Space, Animals, and Pirates. The foundation also supports access to reading materials through community partners; for example, Capoc Oc Food Bank in Garden Grove received $985,380 for literacy, showing that food distribution sites are part of the delivery network. Taken together, the grants and program names point to reading support that is embedded in schools, libraries, and family-serving organizations.
Typical grant size sits at a p25 of $37,324, a median of $328,771, and a p75 of $505,937. The recent grants list shows repeated awards to some recipients across multiple years, including Cleveland Public Library, Teachers' Treasures, South Texas Literacy Coalition, Kiwanis #1 Club of Detroit, Psja Library Services Department, Jenna Welch & Laura Bush Community Library, and others, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-off awards. The foundation is a regular funder and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. It also accepts unsolicited partner sign-up requests through its network programs, including Join Our Network. The pattern is operational and direct-service oriented, with grants flowing to organizations that distribute books and literacy resources.
$2.8M
$19.9M
$3.8M
$3.5M
Most grants fall between $37K and $506K, with a median of $329K.
25th Percentile
$37K
Median
$329K
75th Percentile
$506K
MARY MARTHA BERNADETT M
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The foundation gives nationally, and every grant in the supplied recent list goes to a U.S. recipient. California is the top state by grant count, and 27% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state of California. Recent recipients span a wide set of places, including Edinburg and Pharr in Texas, Cleveland in Ohio, Detroit in Michigan, Indianapolis in Indiana, Garden Grove and San Pedro in California, and El Paso in Texas. The geographic pattern is broad, but it repeatedly favors community-based organizations and public institutions that can distribute books and literacy materials locally.
Its stated mission is to reduce disparities in access to education and health. Recent grants and active programs show a strong emphasis on literacy, early childhood education, book distribution, school readiness, and community-based support for children, families, and low-literacy adults.
Yes, through its Join Our Network partner sign-up programs. Those intake paths are open to nonprofits, clinics, agencies, and schools that want books and literacy resources for distribution to children and families.
The typical grant size is $37,324 at the 25th percentile, $328,771 at the median, and $505,937 at the 75th percentile. The recent grant list also includes much larger awards, showing a wide spread within a direct-service funding model.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Cleveland Public Library, Teachers' Treasures, South Texas Literacy Coalition, Kiwanis #1 Club of Detroit, Psja Library Services Department, and Jenna Welch & Laura Bush Community Library. That pattern points to ongoing relationships with selected partners.
The foundation gives nationally, but California is the top state by grant count. In the provided data, 27% of grants go to recipients in California, while the recent grants list also shows recipients in Texas, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Washington.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Molina Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations that serve children and families and can distribute themed book sets and literacy materials to young children.
Who can apply: Available for free to qualified nonprofit organizations through the Book Buddies program.
Deadline: No fixed deadlines stated.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEACHERS TREASURES | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $744,126In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| KIWANIS #1 CLUB OF DETROIT | DETROIT, MI | $405,154In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP - ORANGE COUNTY FOOD BANK | GARDEN GROVE, CA | $308,300In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| WARREN ARTS & EDUCATION FOUNDATION | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $281,563In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF KERN (CAPK) | BAKERSFIELD, CA | $201,262In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| THE VOLUNTEER CENTER SOUTH BAY - HARBOR - LONG BEACH | TORRANCE, CA | $174,098In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| NEW IMAGE EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS | LONG BEACH, CA | $122,938In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (LBUSD) | LAKEWOOD, CA | $69,120In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| MY STUFF BAGS FOUNDATION | WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA | $69,120In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| GIRL SCOUTS OF SOUTHERN ALABAMA | MONTGOMERY, AL | $58,053In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| WEST ANGELES CHURCH | LOS ANGELES, CA | $52,500In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA INC | BATON ROUGE, LA | $23,478In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA COLORADO | DENVER, CO | $23,280In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA SW | FONTANA, CA | $21,330In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA WESTERN WASHINGTON | EVERETT, WA | $20,983In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA MID-STATES | LOUISVILLE, KY | $20,951In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA OF FLORIDA | ST PETERSBURG, FL | $19,854In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOALA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $19,513In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA OREGON | PORTLAND, OR | $19,335In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA MICHIGAN | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $19,335In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA OF PENNSYLVANIA | HARRISBURG, PA | $19,222In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA NORTHERN CALIFORNIA & NORTHERN NEVADA | SACRAMENTO, CA | $18,715In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA OF WESTERN NY | ROCHESTER, NY | $18,683In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| LIFECARE ALLIANCE | COLUMBUS, OH | $18,408In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND | BRUNSWICK, ME | $17,886In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA NORTHERN ROCKIESMOMMY'S CLOSET | RAPID CITY, SD | $17,844In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA OF MINNESOTA | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $16,636In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA ALASKA | ANCHORAGE, AK | $8,884In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA SOUTHEAST | MOBILE, AL | $8,685In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| BRIDGEPORT RESCUE MISSION | BRIDGEPORT, CT | $7,561In-kind: books & educational materials | 2026 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| TEACHERS' TREASURES | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $709,102In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| CHILDRENS LITERACY PROJECTBERNIE'S BOOK BANK | LAKE BLUFF, IL | $649,598In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| CHILDRENS LITERACY PROJECTBRILLIANT DETROIT-313READS | DETROIT, MI | $619,153In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| QUEENS CITY BOOK BANK | CINCINATTI, OH | $403,000In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| SOUTH TEXAS LITERACY COALITION | EDINBURG, TX | $398,347In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| CHILDRENS LITERACY PROJECT-OREGON | LAKE OSWEGO, OR | $323,516In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| THE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP | PITTSBURGH, PA | $312,000In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| SC STATE UNIVERSITY 1890 RESEARCH & EXTENSION PROGRAM | ORANGEBURG, SC | $312,000In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| SAN DIEGO COUNCIL ON LITERACY | SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA | $312,000In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| BEVERLY'S PGH | NORTH HUNTINGDON, PA | $312,000In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF KERN (CAPK) | BAKERSFIELD, CA | $194,688In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VOLUNTEER CENTER SOUTH BAYHARBORLONG BEACH | TORRANCE, CA | $163,350In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| NEST HEALTH | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $156,221In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| THURSTON COUNTY FOOD BANK | OLYMPIA, WA | $144,986In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHOP OF SAN BERNADINO COUNTY | SAN BERNADINO, CA | $133,952In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| WEST ANGELES CHURCH | LOS ANGELES, CA | $45,475In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| NEW IMAGE HOMELESS SHELTER | LONG BEACH, CA | $35,379In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| VIRGINIA 4-H | BLACKSBURG, VA | $31,750In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| WAYNE METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY HEAD START PROGRAM | DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI | $8,358In-kind: books & educational materials | 2025 | PROMOTE LITERACY |
| CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY | CLEVELAND, OH | $1,558,791In-kind: books & educational materials | 2024 | LITERACY |
PROMOTE LITERACY
KIWANIS #1 CLUB OF DETROIT
$405,154In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP - ORANGE COUNTY FOOD BANK
$308,300In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
WARREN ARTS & EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$281,563In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF KERN (CAPK)
$201,262In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
THE VOLUNTEER CENTER SOUTH BAY - HARBOR - LONG BEACH
$174,098In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
NEW IMAGE EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS
$122,938In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (LBUSD)
$69,120In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
PROMOTE LITERACY
GIRL SCOUTS OF SOUTHERN ALABAMA
$58,053In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
WEST ANGELES CHURCH
$52,500In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA INC
$23,478In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA COLORADO
$23,280In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA SW
$21,330In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA WESTERN WASHINGTON
$20,983In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA MID-STATES
$20,951In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA OF FLORIDA
$19,854In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOALA
$19,513In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
PROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA MICHIGAN
$19,335In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA OF PENNSYLVANIA
$19,222In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA NORTHERN CALIFORNIA & NORTHERN NEVADA
$18,715In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA OF WESTERN NY
$18,683In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND
$17,886In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA NORTHERN ROCKIESMOMMY'S CLOSET
$17,844In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA OF MINNESOTA
$16,636In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA ALASKA
$8,884In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA SOUTHEAST
$8,685In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
PROMOTE LITERACY
PROMOTE LITERACY
CHILDRENS LITERACY PROJECTBERNIE'S BOOK BANK
$649,598In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
CHILDRENS LITERACY PROJECTBRILLIANT DETROIT-313READS
$619,153In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
QUEENS CITY BOOK BANK
$403,000In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
SOUTH TEXAS LITERACY COALITION
$398,347In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
CHILDRENS LITERACY PROJECT-OREGON
$323,516In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
PROMOTE LITERACY
SC STATE UNIVERSITY 1890 RESEARCH & EXTENSION PROGRAM
$312,000In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
SAN DIEGO COUNCIL ON LITERACY
$312,000In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF KERN (CAPK)
$194,688In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
VOLUNTEER CENTER SOUTH BAYHARBORLONG BEACH
$163,350In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
NEST HEALTH
$156,221In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
PROMOTE LITERACY
COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHOP OF SAN BERNADINO COUNTY
$133,952In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
WEST ANGELES CHURCH
$45,475In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
NEW IMAGE HOMELESS SHELTER
$35,379In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
WAYNE METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY HEAD START PROGRAM
$8,358In-kind: books & educational materialsPROMOTE LITERACY
