WIU Receives Grant Funds
State Sen. Mike Halpin announced five organizations in the 36th District will be receiving over $320,000 for literacy program enhancements, workplace skills development and more.
“Literacy programs support our community by giving everyone access to resources to bolster their education,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “With this funding, we can continue to support our neighbors who want to continue improving their reading, writing and math literacy skills.”
The latest round of funding through the Illinois Secretary of State includes more than $28 million for library services and literacy programs throughout Illinois. The grants will enhance online catalogs at local libraries, support day-to-day operations and expand interlibrary loan programs. Funding also supports radio information services that provide local news and information to individuals who cannot read standard print materials.
Literacy grants promote basic reading, math, writing and English language skills through adult, family and workplace literacy programs. In Halpin’s district, five organizations are set to receive a total of $322,579 to enhance adult literacy instruction, including Western Illinois University's Tri-States Audio Information Services ($47,947).
Tri-States Audio Information Services is a volunteer- driven, regional radio reading service for the print-impaired serving individuals in all or part of 20 counties in west central Illinois, southeast Iowa and northeast Missouri. A service of Tri States Public Radio and the College of Fine Arts and Communication at Western Illinois University, AIS serves people of all ages, educational levels, and social backgrounds and fosters equal access to printed materials for individuals with disabilities.
For a full list of entities receiving grants across Illinois, visit the ILSOS website https://www.ilsos.gov/ news/2026/august-13-2026giannoulias-awards-nearly-29-million-in-library-andliteracy- grants.html.
