Raising A Reader® training and curriculum are available to early childhood professionals, agencies and communities nationwide. Wondering how to start? Contact a member of the Raising A Reader outreach staff at 650.581.4300 or email us at rarinquiry@raisingareader.org.

Step One:  Learn the details and develop an action plan
Outreach staff at Raising A Reader's national headquarters in California will provide you with a template for determining budgets, grant samples and coaching in the development of an action plan. In one community, Raising A Reader might be introduced at a "show and tell" convening of multiple donors and nonprofits working in the early childhood space. In another case, a leader from United Way, Head Start, local school district or public library might take the initiative, seeking partners and funding from local philanthropists. The Raising A Reader staff understands how to work with donors and "community doers," and we have helped dozens of communities tailor Raising A Reader to fit their local needs.

The national headquarters can also provide you with sample materials and information to start your conversations about Raising A Reader.

Step Two:  Develop a budget
Raising A Reader outreach staff can help you think through the potential costs as you begin thinking about who and how many children you want to serve. The following are some of the general costs that most consider as they start to budget:

• Start-up Affiliate Licensing Fee.
• Travel & lodging for start-up training.
• Material Costs. Prices are dependent upon size and composition matched to the site demographics.
• Ongoing Refresher Costs. Replacement of lost or damaged books; Blue Library Bags for new families.
• Operation Costs. The plug-and-play nature of Raising A Reader is a fit within many existing staff structures. For a full community-wide movement, we suggest one coordinator take the program to scale across hundreds of sites.

Raising A Reader will provide you with interactive worksheets and sample budgets to assist with calculations. The start-up cost for Raising A Reader is approximately $100/child for program materials. Over the lifetime of the material, approximately a 5-year period, the average cost per child is $35.

Step Three:  Join the Affiliate Network
Before you can order materials, you must first join the Raising A Reader Affiliate Network and be trained by headquarters. Affiliates are issued a license by headquarters under the terms of an Affiliate Agreement. Affiliate partners agree to strive for standards of excellence that enhance Raising A Reader's Five Anchor Behaviors. Affiliate partners become a part of a national network of early literacy leaders striving to achieve a collective vision.  All families will engage in a routine of daily “book-cuddling” with their children from birth to age five, supporting early brain development, parent-child bonding, early literacy skills and kindergarten readiness!