First Literacy Awards Over $38,000 in Grants to Eight Organizations

Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center received a grant to pilot a 12-week AI Powered English program for ESOL learners. From left to right Terry Witherell, First Literacy Executive Director; Christa Andrade and Linda Zhou, from Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center; and Annie Sferrazza, First Literacy Program Director.

BOSTON, MA – First Literacy recently announced their 2025-2026 grant recipients. Eight organizations were awarded grants to carry out innovative initiatives that will impact adult learners across Massachusetts. In total, $38,523 in grant funds were distributed to nonprofits with new and innovative Adult Basic Education or English Language Learning projects.

Since 1988 First Literacy has focused on improving Adult Basic Education (ABE) in the community. Grant funding initiatives have grown immensely over the years, supporting hundreds of organizations in the development and trial of innovative education programs.

“Adult Basic Education programs are consistently underfunded,” said Terry Witherell, Executive Director. “First Literacy grants offer a unique opportunity for ABE organizations to pilot new and innovative programs that will have a lasting impact; and their ideas can be shared with the broader ABE community.”

Grants of up to $15,000 are open to all not-for-profit Adult Basic Education and English Language Learning organizations in Massachusetts. Grants can be used for projects such as developing and piloting a program idea, offering a short-term class that fills an unmet student need, or organization-wide initiatives.

“This year we awarded grants to five organizations that have never before received funds from First Literacy,” said Annie Sferrazza, First Literacy Program Director. “We are excited to expand our impact into new communities and watch these innovative ideas come to life.”

First year funded programs include a 4-week summer intensive program to help students with limited digital literacy skills better access digital resources and increase their ability to master English; a 12-week AI Powered English program for ESOL learners; a program for waitlisted students to participate in a 6-week summer boost ESOL class; a summer family literacy class; a Book Tasting café-style literacy experience where participants “sample” books and media in multiple formats; and a new ESL class that will focus on the English skills needed to find and succeed in a job.

Community Learning Center in Cambridge received a second year of funding for their Students Are Leaders Program.

Two organizations were also awarded second year funding to continue their programs. Community Learning Center (CLC) will continue their Students Are Leaders program that provides adult learners with the opportunity to develop leadership skills and participate in activities that focus on the climate crisis.

Criminal Justice Organization of Hampden County will also use funds to continue building their Mother/Child Reading Program for Incarcerated Women. The program is held at the Western Mass Regional Women’s Correctional Center in Chicopee, Massachusetts. Funds from the grant provide age-appropriate books for children and assist the mothers in learning to read aloud with their children.

“First Literacy funding will play a critical role in ensuring the continuity and growth of the Mother/Child Reading Program beyond the first year,” said Kelly Graziano of the Criminal Justice Organization of Hampden County. “The program has the potential to greatly strengthen and sustain the educational offerings at the Women’ Correctional Center, providing long-term benefits to both incarcerated mothers and their children.”

In addition to offering grants, First Literacy provides free professional development to adult educators and awards scholarships to adult learners pursuing higher education. Since the organization’s founding in 1988, over $6 million has been allocated to support teachers and innovative literacy programs and over 600 scholarships have been awarded.