Bessie Minor Swift Foundation
Our Mission
Contribute to an informed and active citizenry by supporting programs that promote literacy and educational enrichment. We focus our work in Washoe County, Nevada; Ada and Canyon Counties, Idaho; and, the North County area of San Diego County, California, and will only consider applications from non-profit organizations in those areas.
Examples include programs that promote:
- Literacy, reading and writing skills
- Programs focused on literacy, sciences and interdisciplinary efforts
Objectives
The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation awards grants to programs that provide direct service to:
- help with the implementation or expansion of literacy programs for children who are below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading
- develop programs in the literacy, STEM, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) and Interdisciplinary areas for preschool, primary and secondary school-aged students
- develop reading and writing skills at all age levels
2026 Awards
For 2026 a total of $86,675.59 was awarded to 18 organizations. The maximum award was increased two years ago to $5,000, thus introducing a larger gap between the number of awards and the dollars granted. Details of these awards can be found in Grant History. Since inception, over 482 awards have been granted for a total of $1,120,000. Over 18 years the Foundation has awarded grants as follows:
While grants have been primarily given for Literacy programs in the past, STEM, STEAM and Interdisciplinary projects continue to be on the rise.
Contact Us
Address
Sterling Foundation Management
12030 Sunrise Valley Drive
Suite 450
Reston, VA 20191
