Better Beginnings Family Literacy Community Grants Program

The final round of the Better Beginnings Family Literacy Community Grants Program is now closed.

Since 2004, the State Library of Western Australia’s Better Beginnings Program has supported parents of children aged 0-5 years to create literacy-rich home environments. The program aims to encourage the development of pre-reading skills, the building blocks that children need to be ready to learn through reading, talking, singing, writing, and playing.

In March 2021, the McGowan Government announced an election commitment of $ 1 million over five years for the enhanced delivery of the Better Beginnings program in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions. A new grants program of $200,000 per annum for 2021-2025 was also announced, to assist libraries and community organisations to develop early literacy activities that meet their local communities’ needs.

The Better Beginnings Family Literacy Community Grants Program builds on the aims and messages of the Better Beginnings program and encourages partnerships across public libraries and community groups to develop early literacy activities that meet their communities’ needs.

Previous Successful Applicants

Applicant Project Amount 
CLAN Midland Inc Ready, Set, School $30,000.00 
City of Mandurah Community Garden Storytime - Let's grow together! $30,000.00 
Nyamba Buru Yawuru Ltd Janigun: at the beach $19,935.00 
City of Gosnells Learning Launchpad $14,400.00 
Shire of Quairading Paint Quairading REaD Literacy Project and Quairading Sensory Education Tent $12,520.00 
City of Stirling Stories, Rhyme and Sign $10,000.00 
Shire of Gingin Early Years Backpacks $10,000.00 
City of Wanneroo Feel the Wonder of Stories - Sensory Tales $9,900.00 
City of Joondalup Literacy Playtime Bags $8,900.00 
Play Matters Australia Let’s Play in Language $8,846.00 
City of South Perth Read and Play Packs $7,995.90 
Shire of Harvey Sensory Journeys: Enhancing Early Literacy through Sensory Play Workshops $7,156.70 
Shire of Carnarvon Story Tent Fun! $6,415.81 
Multilingual Australia Bilingual Beginnings: Empowering Families Through Storytime $6,370.00 
Town of Bassendean Sensory Rhyme Time $5,500.00 
Gidgegannup Primary School P&C Association Inc Growing Better Beginnings for Gidgegannup $5,283.20 
Shire Wyndham East Kimberley Read, Rhyme & Shine $5,105.00 
Shire of Narembeen Sensory sparks adventures - Sense & play in Narembeen $5,000.00 
Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale SJ Little Learners in the Park Series $5,000.00 
Local Government/Community OrganisationProjectAmount
Mirima Council Aboriginal CorporationMultilingual board books with audio support$27,000
BroomeLittle Fulla Yarns Storytime Project$14,985
MelvilleWhadjuk Noongar Language Storytime$23,500
Culture Care WA IncBuilding Bilingual Learning Culture$30,000
DardanupInteractive Touch eLearning Tables$11,184
Communicare IncMy Play School extension$29,693
VincentSTEM Play$6,958.50
JoondalupReading Ready Packs$9,992.16
WilliamsRhyme Time Plus$8,255
CockburnToddler – Sing and Play$7,160
East PilbaraMusic and Movement$8,131.95
Wyalkatchem CRCWylie Tots Storytime$7,121.81
Armadale Community Family CentreBrain Boost – Drumbeat!$5,170
KarrathaJourney/Explorer Packs$9,500
Local Government/Community OrganisationProjectAmount
Port HedlandOutdoor Storytime – Celebrating Pilbara Culture$28,000
Library for AllLibrary for All$30,000
Communicare IncPlay School Program$29,900
BusseltonThe Storytime Way$30,000
JoondalupCity of Joondalup Inclusive Early Childhood Program$10,000
MelvilleSensory Storytime Project$9.937.97
Investing In Our YouthSensory Storytelling$6,626
Cunderdin CRCTales for Tots$7,000
Useless Loop PlaygroupStory Time$6,333.48
NannupLittle Possums$7,760
YorkLittle Ditties$5,040
Serpentine JarrahdaleEarly Learning Discovery Project$5,000
StirlingWandjoo to Nyoongar$10,000
City of Nedlands Floreat Toy LibraryLiteracy through Play$5,349
South Perth Toy LibraryToy Stories$9,915
Local Government/Community OrganisationProjectAmount
CanningCultural Ambassadors$10,000
Boyup Brook CRCStories, Rhymes and Fun Times$9,151.80
BunburyTeddy Bears Roadshow$9,711
Quairading CRCQuairading Story Time$5,040
South PerthABC, You and Me$9,900
Port HedlandOutdoor Indigenous Literacy Classroom$8,010
Wanneroo (Micro)It’s All About Learning Together: Senses Alive$8,930
BoddingtonAdventure Storytime$5,000
SwanBuilding Inclusive and Imaginative Communities$5,000
Kalgoorlie-BoulderAdding Literacy to Library Playground and Sensory Garden$9,643
Wanneroo (Innovation)It’s All About Animal Tales$21,779
Earbus FoundationListen Well, Learn Well, Live Well$30,000
BroomeLittle Fulla Yarns Storytime$20,293
Plantagenet-Mount BarkerReading for Generations$14,055
CLAN MidlandRead, Play, Grow in CALD and Disadvantaged Communities$29,817

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