More Than ‘School-based’: Unpacking Definitions of Literacy in Local Nonprofit Work

Authors

• Angela J. Stefanski, Ball State UniversityFollow
• Peggy S. Rice, Ball State UniversityFollow
• Veronica M. Fife-Demski, CFI 70, Indianapolis Public SchoolsFollow

Keywords

non-profit, literacy initiative, collective impact, community-engaged action research

Abstract

This participatory action research explores how non-profit literacy initiatives in a Midwestern city define literacy as they engage in an ongoing collective effort to ‘move the needle’ on local literacy outcomes. Data for this study includes interviews, marketing materials, and participatory fieldnotes focusing on the work of 20 local initiatives. Analysis of the data reflects both compliance and resistance to institutionalized literacy norms. Additionally, findings demonstrate that where literacy occurs shapes how initiative leaders define literacy, including the involvement of community members in the shaping of the initiatives. The discussion includes recommended resources for researchers and local non-profit organizations focusing on community literacy initiatives.

Recommended Citation

Stefanski, Angela J.; Rice, Peggy S.; and Fife-Demski, Veronica M. (2026) "More Than ‘School-based’: Unpacking Definitions of Literacy in Local Nonprofit Work," Mid-Western Educational Researcher: Vol. 38: Iss. 1, Article 18.
Available at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/mwer/vol38/iss1/18

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License