Grant Request LitShop
Hermanowski Family Foundation Initial Request Form
Organization Name: LitShop
Legal Name (if Different): N/A
Also Known As: N/A
Mailing Address: 614 Haven St.
City: St. Louis
State: Missouri
Postal Code: 63111
Main Phone: 314-941-3845
Main Fax: N/A
Organization Website: www.litshopstl.org
Employer ID Number: 83-3522861
Organization Tax Status: 501(c)(3)
Proposal Information
Today’s Date: 02/17/2022
Requested Amount: 10,000
Project Title: Afterschool Literacy & Building Workshops
Project Description:
LitShop is seeking funds for Fall 2022 Afterschool Literacy & Building Modules to encourage growth in girls in the areas of literacy, leadership, and building and making.
About Us: LitShop, founded in 2019, provides afterschool and summer programming that pair engaging literacy opportunities with building and making for girls and gender-expansive youth ages 10-15. LitShop’s academic and technical programming, implemented in an empowering female-centric environment, encourages girls to solve problems in their communities and build the world they want to see critically, creatively, and collaboratively. By intentionally creating a supportive space where girls can take risks, LitShop fosters leadership and confidence girls can use through adolescence and early adulthood.
Statement of Need: LitShop’s programming is answering two critical St. Louis needs: the building and making gender gap and the socioeconomic literacy gap. To illustrate, only 9.1% of the construction workforce is female, and 2.2% of building trades apprenticeships are held by women. In addition, makerspace use by K-12 students is considerably gendered, with girl usage sharply declining after middle school. Regarding literacy, more than 80% of freshmen enter a St. Louis Public Schools high school reading below grade level.
Program Description: LitShop’s Afterschool Literacy & Building Modules are 16 weeks in length and serve girls attending schools in St. Louis City. In Fall 2022, LitShop plans to host six modules, two school-based and four open to the community. This grant request, therefore, represents expansion of the program, as we currently host two modules of each type. The 16-week modules allow for the completion of two building and making projects as well as two literacy projects. Workshops meet weekly and are staffed by two highly qualified instructors with backgrounds in literacy or the hands-on medium highlighted in the module. Each session also includes intentional community-building and social-emotional learning.
Total Project Budget: 76,772
Other Funding
Sources For The Project (Committed & Potential): In planning for 2022, we have already secured funding from the following: Federal government (from ERC owed, $6394) The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (through CREATE Accelerator, $15,000 awarded in April 2022) Bellwether Foundation (awarded for Spring 2022, $6500) CIGNA (through CIGNA Ambassadors program, $10,000 awarded in Q3 2022) $5,000 secured from repeat corporate givers. Our total secured funding amount is $42,894. We will also reapply for a program grant with the Saigh Foundation ($10,000, notification in Q3), as well as submit initial applications with SLPO ($10,000), the Saxena Foundation ($10,000, Q2), the Pott Foundation ($10,000, notification in Q3), the Dana Brown Charitable Trust ($10,000, notification in Q3), Mary’s Pence Fund ($10,000, notification in Q3) and others. Finally, we are awaiting information about additional funding as participants in the CREATE Accelerator. As part of the accelerator, we will gain access to facilitated funding through a variety of foundations and private donors. In total, we anticipate submitting applications for more than $250,000 worth of funding.
Project Duration: 16 weeks
Geographical Area Served: St. Louis City, Missouri
Age Group To Be Served: Ages 10-15
Contact Information
Contact Prefix (Mr,Mrs etc.): Dr.
Contact First Name: Michelle
Contact Last Name: Arellano Haberberger
Contact Title: Development Manager/Writing Instructor
Contact Phone: 314-941-3845
Contact Email: michelle@litshopstl.org