Summer Reads Host Site Application

Using this form

This application is for Summer Reads host sites for summer 2026.

For detailed information on hosting Summer Reads, please visit our website.

To save your work:

Click "Save my progress and resume later" at the top of any page.
You will be prompted to enter your email address.
You may then choose to “Resume this form now," or you can log back in later.

At any point before you click "submit" and “confirm” at the end, you may return to a page and make changes. We recommend completing the narrative sections in a Word document, and then copying and pasting into this online form.

Timeline

Please save the dates!

March 25: Host site application due.
April 1, 12 - 2 p.m.: Supervisor Orientation Training.
May 13: Candidate Selection paperwork due to Literacy Minnesota (Greater Minnesota sites only).
May 25: Signed Site Agreements due.
June 15 - August 7: Summer Reads members' term of service.
July 17: Cost shares due.
August 17: Final report (required for continuing with Summer Reads) due.

Cost share

As part of your agency's commitment to host Summer Reads members, who receive additional training beyond that of typical Summer Impact Corps members with Ampact, the host agency contributes a cost-share financial match to allow our robust, development-focused programming model to continue.

For 2026, the cost-share rate is:

$500 per AmeriCorps member.

Questions?

Contact Courtney Zaato, Interim National Service Director, at czaato@literacymn.org or 651-251-9151.

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION

Organization and program description:

Please describe your organization. Include a brief summary of your organization’s history; your organization’s mission and goals; a description of your current programs and services; and a description of your summer program specifically. Provide any relevant statistics about how many people you serve and in what way.

SUMMARY OF REQUEST

How many total members are you requesting?

If you would like multiple groups of Mentors to serve at multiple service locations simultaneously, you could request (for example) 4 total Mentors – 2 per service location.

How many total Summer Reads Mentors are you requesting?

How many total service locations?

Summary and goal statement:

Please provide a brief, 2-3 sentence summary of your request and how you will use the AmeriCorps VISTA resource.
What do you hope to accomplish with the addition of Summer Reads?
How will Summer Reads help your organization serve more children/youth living in poverty, increase focus on literacy, and/or otherwise increase your ability to address the literacy needs of low-income children over the summer?

NEED STATEMENT

Target population and community need:

Please describe the population that will be served by your program. Include:
• Information on poverty in this population and the particular literacy needs of this group, as well as any other relevant demographics (i.e. English language learners, race/ethnicity, ages/grade levels, etc.).
• Current statistical data, citing sources whenever possible, to substantiate the needs of the population who will be served.
• Approximately how many children the Mentors will work with and percentage estimate of the ethnic/racial makeup of student population. .
• Why do you have need for additional summer staff capacity with Summer Reads? How will Summer Reads Mentors help your organization serve more children living in poverty, or help you improve the quality of literacy programming and services you provide in your summer program?

PROJECT MANAGEMENT & SUPERVISION

Project management and supervision plan:

Please describe how you will provide mentoring, coaching and training/orientation to your Summer Reads Mentors to enhance their personal and professional growth and leadership.
Who will provide direct supervision to Mentors, and how frequently will you meet? *We expect supervisors to meet with Mentors at least once per week for formal supervision check-ins.
What skills, values or past experience does this person have as a supervisor? One of the unique aspects of AmeriCorps VISTA is that not only members provide service and support to your program, but your program helps nurture future educators and community leaders in the members.
How will you orient and on-board your Summer Reads Mentors?

REMINDER

To save your work, click "Save my progress and resume later" at the top of any page. You will be prompted to enter your email address and create a password. You may then choose to “Resume this form now.” You may also log back in to the form later. At any point before you click "submit" and then “confirm” at the end, you may return to a page and make changes.

WORK PLAN & SERVICE ACTIVITIES

The mission of Summer Reads is to increase literacy access and success for children entering grades K-5, with the dual goal of increasing members' professional development and community leadership skills.

At least 51% of Summer Reads Mentors' activities should be focused on literacy education for this age group. Mentors may also work on additional activities as a secondary part of their assignment.

Summer Reads Mentors are NOT responsible for:

Supervising other staff, interns or volunteers.
Managing negative child behavior issues and/or discipline.
Transporting students.

What types of activities will Summer Reads Mentors do? Check all that apply.

Literacy education: in-person learning.Literacy education: distance learning (could include synchronous or asynchronous learning activities).Literacy education: hybrid learning (mix of in-person and distance learning).Parent education or family involvement.Wrap-around basic needs support services (e.g., food support, helping families access community resources).Behind-the-scenes capacity-building projects.Other.

Please describe your plan in detail for your Summer Reads Mentors' activities related to literacy education. Appropriate AmeriCorps VISTA activities could include: one-on-one or small group tutoring, leading large group activities, leading literacy stations or enrichment activities, facilitating book club discussions, participating in field trips, creating home learning packets or others.

% of Summer Reads time spent on literacy education (must be at least 51%):

Please describe your plan, in detail, for your AmeriCorps VISTA members’ other activities related to wrap-around basic needs support services, parent education or family engagement, capacity-building projects, or others.

% of Summer Reads time spent on other activities (must be no more than 49%):

SCHEDULES

The Summer Reads Mentor service term is June 15 - August 7, 2026.

SUMMER READS MEMBER TRAINING
The first week (June 15-19) will include required Summer Reads Member Orientation (in-person in the Twin Cities, June 15 - 16), which will involve live trainings, lesson/program planning time, books/literacy kit pick-up.

As members of Literacy Minnesota's Summer Reads program, your AmeriCorps members will additionally have required in-service trainings on most Fridays throughout the summer (typically by webinar).

SERVICE SCHEDULES
All host sites must provide full-time service opportunities for the full service term for their Mentors - including orientation, training, lesson planning, reporting, and programming/service activities.

When does your summer program start?

When does your summer program end?

What is your typical weekly schedule for your program for each service location? (e.g., Monday through Thursday, 9am-4pm; no programming on Fridays)

What is your preferred weekly schedule for your Summer Reads Mentors?

Summer Reads Mentors will have one paid holiday during the summer: Independence Day (observed).

Is your organization closed for any additional dates during the Summer Reads service term (June 15-August 7)? If so, please list dates of closures here and explain whether members will be able to serve with your organization on those dates (could include lesson-planning, reporting, training, working remotely, etc.) or if they will instead need alternate assignments on those dates.

RETURNING GREATER MINNESOTA SITES

Please submit your Service Opportunity Listing for 2026 (position description for recruitment) using the link below.

Use this form to complete your Service Opportunity Listing.

REMINDER

To save your work, click "Save my progress and resume later" at the top of any page. You will be prompted to enter your email address and create a password. You may then choose to “Resume this form now.” You may also log back in to the form later. At any point before you click "submit" and then “confirm” at the end, you may return to a page and make changes.

OPTIONAL

You may submit additional documentation with your application (such as a program one-pager) by uploading it here or emailing it directly to Stevie Lewis.

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

Once you click "Submit," you will have a chance to review your full application.

Please ensure that all fields are complete. You must then click "Confirm."

Once you confirm, a copy of the completed application will be sent immediately to the listed email address of the person completing this form.

Contact Courtney Zaato at czaato@literacymn.org or 651-251-9151 with questions.