Philanthropy Insights: Educational Access and Literacy

Posted January 23, 2026 under:

Written by Dionne Griffiths, CAP®

Charitable giving research shows that education continues to be an important priority in national and local donor giving trends, and it ranked number one in our January 2025 Community Foundation of Louisville fundholder survey. This includes K-12 education and higher education. Education is also often referred to as being the “great equalizer” impacting people’s quality of life and access to upward mobility. Education can open doors, expand horizons, and increase people’s opportunities in life and in their careers. Unfortunately, there are educational disparities in Kentucky and across the U.S.A. Yet, there are organizations in Louisville making a difference in educational access and literacy.

Here are philanthropy insights about two local organizations filling the educational gap and making an impact.

 

Decode Project

 

LaToya Whitlock, Co-Founder and Executive Director

Mission: “Decode Project is eliminating inequities in education by fostering a diverse group of learners prepared to navigate the world.”

Decode Project was a Racial Justice Cohort grantee, and they participated in Give for Good Louisville. I sat down with LaToya in September 2025 and learned more about her motivation for co-founding this organization and the challenges and opportunities facing Louisville’s children related to literacy. That conversation led me to researching current news related to literacy needs in Louisville, the Science of Reading, and the International Association of Dyslexia.  Literacy is an important topic that is an essential tool in educational access. Decode Project is an organization partnering with students, parents, and schools to make strides in this area.

 

I Would Rather Be Reading

Ashley Dearinger and Allison Ogle, Co-Founders

Mission: “I Would Rather Be Reading (IWRBR) provides equitable access to trauma-responsive literacy support and social-emotional learning to children across greater Louisville.”

In my virtual and in-person meetings with the co-founders of this organization, I learned more about the role of teachers learning how to teach students to read, the impact Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can have on children’s ability to concentrate and learn, and how trauma-informed care can make a positive difference in children’s educational journey. This organization partners with students, parents, and teachers across Louisville making a positive difference and ‘creating literate citizens who become our future leaders’ as one of the co-founders mentioned to me. This organization is a Sparking Change Mini-Grant recipient and a Give for Good Louisville participant.

 

Other Related Resources

Here are a few reports and national organizations that provide related context and resources for students, parents, and teachers.

I hope these resources will support you in your philanthropic giving strategies. If you would like to talk more about your specific charitable goals or about how to give strategically, please contact me at dionneg@cflouisville.org.