Reading Seed
Reading Seed Children’s Literacy Program helps children in Pima County learn to read so they can read to learn. Reading Seed recruits and trains volunteer reading coaches from the community to assist children reading below grade level in grades one through three. It also provides a lending library of books that match K-12 students’ interests with their reading abilities and distributes free books to children to encourage independent reading.
A PIVOTAL MOMENT
Reading Seed began its partnership with SVP in December 2010 and is our newest investee. Our partnership with Reading Seed started at a pivotal time in the development of their organization. Prior to SVP’s decision for investment, Reading Seed was in the talks of a possible integration with other literacy organizations in the community. SVP has since been involved with Reading Seed in this process.
SVP Partner Ava Butler facilitated strategic planning sessions between the Reading Seed Staff and Board. These sessions helped Reading Seed to create 3-year strategic programming goals, and to examine where Reading Seed could fit into the literacy integration. Reading Seed’s Board has since unanimously voted to participate in the five-organization merger, known currently as the Tucson Literacy Movement. Elizabeth Campbell, Reading Seed Executive Director described, “By the time a vote was taken, it was unanimous in large part because Ava helped create a clear, thoughtful process through which we arrived at our decision.”
During the process, SVP Partner David “Griff” Griffis acted as a neutral convener and facilitator between Reading Seed and the other four organizations, as they decided whether or not to integrate their governance, programs and operations. Griff was also involved in writing a deal document, and creating integration teams between the five organizations Boards and Staff. Executive Director Elizabeth Campbell, commented, “Griff was absolutely instrumental to the successful result of this process! I am so grateful that SVP and Griff were able to provide this technical support!”
LOOKING AHEAD
Recognition Celebration 2011
We are thrilled to have made so much progress with Reading Seed already in this first year of our partnership. SVP will continue to work with Reading Seed in areas of fund development, communications and IT, program evaluation and staff trainings. SVP will specifically support the Reading Seed program, and will help them to identify leveraging opportunities within the Tucson Literacy Movement merger.