Literacy Request for Proposals (RFP)

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:12:45 GMT

The Irene & George Davis Foundation is pleased to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) to support literacy in Hampden County. Proposals are due May 1, 2026 .

Massachusetts is focusing on literacy, prioritizing evidence-based reading instruction through legislative efforts as well as initiatives such as Literacy Launch. At this important moment, The Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation is eager to join in helping children become strong readers.

We seek proposals that support literacy in Hampden County youth. We welcome evidence-based literacy approaches , including efforts in early childhood programs, K–12 schools, after-school or summer programs, and other community-based initiatives.

Applicants must demonstrate a clear and established connection to Hampden County through existing programs or partnerships. Awards will be announced and disbursed in mid-June. Grants will be for one year, and award recipients will be expected to share a brief impact and learning overview toward the end of the funding cycle.

The maximum amount granted for any request will be $100,000. Cost efficiency will be considered in proposal review.

We welcome proposals from:

Public, charter, or private schools and districts
Nonprofits or community-based partnerships
Current Davis Foundation grantees and new applicants

Proposals must include:

A clear description of the literacy initiative, aligned with evidence-based best practices
A way to assess impact, such as pre- and post-reading assessment scores
Identification of partner organizations and roles

A proposed budget and timeline

To support organizations considering applying, the Foundation will host a virtual information session to share more about this funding opportunity and answer questions.

Literacy RFP Virtual Information Session
Wednesday, March 25th from 12 PM – 1 PM
Register here

Questions may be directed to info@davisfdn.org .
Proposals are due May 1, 2026 .

Additional Resources on Evidence- or Science-Based Literacy Instruction:

The Davis Foundation Names Kiley O’Meara as Next Leader

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 21:30:24 GMT

O’Meara formerly served as Director of Strategy and Learning for the Davis Foundation

Springfield— The Directors of The Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation have announced that Massachusetts native Kiley O’Meara has been named new Executive Director of the Foundation. In her role, O’Meara will oversee the Foundation’s strategic initiatives and brings with her three decades of experience in philanthropy, policy, and education.

For the past year, O’Meara has served the Davis Foundation as Director of Strategy and Learning. She previously worked as a senior researcher at Stanford University at the PACE (Policy Analysis for California Education) research center. In that position, she supported continuous improvement in policy and philanthropy through research, data-based insights and analysis, and strategic planning.

Specializing in improving education for low-income youth, O’Meara has conducted pivotal research on initiatives supported by major foundations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Her diverse career spans roles such as Director of Policy and Research at GreatSchools; Program Officer at The Stupski Foundation in San Francisco; and Policy Director of the Bay Area School Reform Collaborative, part of the national Hewlett-Annenberg Challenge school improvement effort.

O’Meara served as an AmeriCorps member after graduating college, teaching inmates at the Suffolk County House of Correction in Boston. She then went on to be a TK-12 educator before entering the realm of policy and research.

According to O’Meara, “I am grateful and honored to be a part of the Davis family’s tradition and legacy of giving and am excited to continue the Foundation’s strong commitment to early literacy as a key lever to accessing opportunity. I have deep respect for all those in this region doing important, challenging work every day to improve the lives of children and families.”

According to Laurel Ferretti, Davis Foundation Director, “We welcome Kiley to this critically important leadership position at the Foundation. We identified her as a vital resource to the Foundation when bringing her onboard last year to serve as Director of Strategic Learning and Evaluation. In that position she has played an important role in helping us develop our strategic priorities. Most of all, her work experience demonstrates her passion and her alignment with the goals of the Foundation in advancing early learning, innovation in education and helping people in our region access the tools necessary for their own economic success.”

O’Meara grew up, studied and worked in Massachusetts and spent 20 years in California before returning to the East Coast. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the Kennedy School at Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Middlebury College. In the community, O’Meara serves in leadership roles at Choate Rosemary Hall’s Parent’s Association and the Harvard Alumnae Association, and also volunteers at Healing Meals in Simsbury, Connecticut.

O’Meara is a mother of four, including a dyslexic son which, according to O’Meara, “created a strong, personal passion for rigorous, science-based literacy supports for all children.” She lives in Hartford, Connecticut with her husband and two youngest children, still in high school, and is “happy to be back working in my home state.”

Last year, the Davis Foundation completed a strategic planning exercise. Early learning and education continue to be at the forefront of support. The Foundation’s Priority Areas are: Early Childhood Education (birth-5 years); Early Literacy (Grades K-3); Innovation & Excellence in Education (Grades K-16); and Economic Mobility. The Foundation also remains committed to general community support grants.

davis-foundation

Literacy Request for Proposals (RFP)

The Davis Foundation Names Kiley O’Meara as Next Leader