Literacy Match connects businesses and donors directly with Utah’s K-3 reading needs
SALT LAKE CITY (October 13, 2026) — Utah Community Builders, a program of the Salt Lake Chamber Foundation, today announced Literacy Match, a new program for improving literacy rates statewide. This summer, elementary schools throughout the state submitted specific kindergarten through third-grade literacy needs (see menu here). And now Utah Community Builders is looking to match businesses and donors to meet these high-impact needs.
Literacy Match supports Utah Rising, the Chamber’s business-led economic vision for Utah’s future, which set a goal to raise third-grade reading proficiency to 100% by 2030. To get involved in this program: fill out the Literacy Match form and a member of Utah Community Builders will be in touch.
“This is the kind of problem-solving Utah is known for,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. “Generations of Utahns built the prosperity we enjoy today by investing in the people who came after them, and now that responsibility is ours. Literacy Match gives employers of every size a direct way to support Utah’s children and future.”
Through Literacy Match, donors identify the type of support they want to provide, Utah Community Builders pairs them with a matching school need and participating schools report back on exactly how the funds were used. Investments of $100 to $500 can sponsor classroom literacy materials, investments of $1,000 to $5,000 can support literacy nights, leveled libraries or summer literacy access. Investments of $10,000 to $25,000 can fund intervention materials, multiple literacy events or school-wide resources, while $50,000 to $100,000 or more can support staffing, intervention expansion or multi-school literacy initiatives. Investments of $250,000 or more can support regional or district-level literacy initiatives.
“Every child who learns to read carries that gift forever. This is more than reading, this helps a child gain the confidence to raise their hand, read aloud and picture a bigger future. Literacy Match invites Utah’s business community into that moment for thousands of students, and our whole state shares in the reward,” said Jake Boyer, co-chair of the Utah Community Builders Advisory Board.
Roughly half of Utah’s K-3 students are not yet reading at grade level. In 2025, only 53.3% of kindergartners, 48.2% of first graders, 48.7% of second graders and 50.3% of third graders met grade-level literacy expectations. With more than 183,000 K-3 students enrolled across 41 school districts and charter systems, that gap reaches thousands of children in every corner of the state. Third grade is a critical milestone, and students who read proficiently by the end of that year are far more likely to graduate from high school and enter the workforce prepared to succeed.
The challenge is solvable. Research shows that with consistent, evidence-based support, the vast majority of young readers who start behind can catch up. In 2026, Utah’s business community has stepped up to support early literacy, turning commitment into action through partnerships, volunteer efforts and strategic initiatives.
- May and August: Utah Community Builders hosted literacy nights at four high-need pilot schools across the state (identified by data from the Utah State Board of Education), connecting families and schools to support early literacy.
- June-August: Utah Community Builders provided 15 schools with $500 each to host Summer Read-a-Thons, engaging 939 students (and their parents) who collectively read 58,809 pages and logged 35.5 total hours of reading.
- June: Utah Community Builders partnered with the Granite Education Foundation to assemble 6,000 literacy kits for kids in need.
- June-July: Utah Rising and Utah Community Builders hosted Little Readers, Big Stories, a series of free events at the Downtown Farmers Market where business leaders read their favorite books to children, designed to encourage imagination and inspire the next generation of readers.
- August: The Chamber released the updated Utah Rising plan, which includes the goal of raising third-grade reading proficiency to 100% by 2030 and added new ways for businesses to help, including giving employees paid time to mentor young readers, sponsoring local literacy initiatives and partnering directly with schools.
For more information, visit slchamber.com/literacy-match.
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About Utah Community Builders
Utah Community Builders, a program of the Salt Lake Chamber Foundation, creates a platform for businesses to engage our most pressing challenges, harnessing the innovation and efficiency of the private sector to drive real progress on community issues affecting our businesses, workforce, families and all Utahns.
About the Salt Lake Chamber
The Salt Lake Chamber is Utah’s largest and longest-serving business association, and an organization of the Utah Chamber portfolio. It represents the broad interests of the Salt Lake metropolitan area, its employers, Chamber members and employees. With roots that date back to 1887, the Chamber stands as the voice of business, supports its members’ success and champions community prosperity.
