Justino Balderrama Book Grant

Program Overview

The Reforma de Valle Central Justino Balderrama Book Grant was founded to create an opportunity for an organized community-based group to purchase new books and incorporate reading into their program activities and/or create access to much needed books for the community they serve. This grant is aimed to provide financial support to community organizations who wish to celebrate and encourage continued growth and education through reading.

The Justino Balderrama Book Grant is a program that reaches out to local community organizations in the Central Valley that are in need of creating or building lifelong literacy skills. The program was created in honor of Justino Balderrama, father of life-long Reformista Sandra Rios Balderrama, in gratitude for his influence and passion for books. He saw the importance of books and literacy as a key to learning, healing, pleasure, equity, critical thinking, opportunity,and social justice.

Eligibility

Non-profit organizations or established community groups in the Reforma del Valle Central services area are eligible to apply. The Reforma del Valle Central region includes the following counties: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Tulare, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus counties.

Award Amount

The awarded organization will receive 1 grant of $500 from Reforma del Valle Central.

Use of Funds:

Funds may be used to purchase books, including audio books.

• Funds cannot be used for organization costs, such as staff wages or organizational expenses.

• Funds may be used at any retail bookstore, including online bookstores; however, we encourage the support of local business when possible. Central Valley bookstores include - Petunia’s Place, My Corazon Libros y Cultura, Russo’s Books.

Reporting

Please include any promotional materials you may have used and photographs taken of book distributions to the community being served. Please include a statement or permission slip acknowledging whether we will be permitted to publish photographs to Reforma del Valle Central’s social media pages.

Questions?

Just write to us at justinobalderramabookgrant@gmail.com