In the funding year 2004-05 (the last year for which data is currently available), FLIP funded 59 projects that served over 9,500 parents/ caregivers and over 10, 400 children. ^{Footnote 6}

While FLIP is a major funder in Alberta, it is not the only source of funds. Canwest Global’s Raise-a-Reader campaigns in Edmonton and Calgary are an additional source of funding. For example, the Calgary campaign has raised more than $644,000 since 2002. ^{Footnote 7}

Who delivers family literacy in Alberta?

In 2007 Advanced Education and Technology provided funding for family literacy to a wide variety of organizations: school boards, community-based literacy programs, family services organizations, family resource centres, religious organizations, libraries and aboriginal friendship centres.

Literacy Alberta (LA), as the provincial literacy coalition, provides training, professional development and networking opportunities for people (both paid staff and volunteers) working in the literacy field. It holds regional conferences, workshops and hosts an annual conference. It also plays a key role in the development of public policy on literacy. LA does not provide family literacy training for literacy workers, but it does provide some service delivery.

LA also provides support to all literacy programs and other organizations that provide family literacy programming. It does this directly by distributing Family Literacy Day^™ materials and indirectly by providing professional development and networking opportunities for people working in any type of literacy program.

The Centre for Family Literacy (CFL) is a strong advocate and leader in the family literacy field in Alberta and beyond. In Edmonton, CFL provides a wide range of adult and family literacy programs. Across the province it also provides training, resources and information. CFL defines family literacy as “the way parents, children, and extended family members use literacy at home and in their community. Family literacy occurs naturally during the routines of daily living and helps children and adults ‘get things done’.” ^{Footnote 8} For CFL, family literacy programs offer a range of programming that build on the literacy development of the family as a whole – not just the children and not just the parents, but the family as a unit. According to the Parent Child Literacy Strategy Progress Report (2006), the government of Alberta funds CFL to “provide consultative advice and assistance, training and other services to support family literacy in Alberta.”

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