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How California Bungled $1 Million in a Collaboration with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Lawmakers said the nonprofit spent taxpayer money without delivering books, and the program later shifted 90% of funding to the Dollywood Foundation.
- A nonprofit organization created by the California State Library to improve childhood literacy has spent roughly $1 million in taxpayer money but has yet to put a single book in the hands of a child.
- In 2022, Sen. Shannon Grove, Bakersfield Republican, authored legislation requiring the State Library to coordinate with a local nonprofit partner to manage $70 million in literacy funding, establishing the Strong Reader Partnership.
- During an April 7 hearing, Sen. Sasha René Pérez, a Pasadena Democrat, and Grove grilled State Librarian Greg Lucas, citing bounced checks and missing reports while questioning if expenditures violated state contracts.
- Lawmakers redirected 90% of the program's funding to the Dollywood Foundation in 2024 after budget officials found most money remained unspent, and the foundation has since distributed nearly 3 million books.
- Susan Shelley, vice president of communications for the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association, said taxpayers "lose transparency" when governments delegate services to nonprofits, arguing responsibility lies with both the Legislature and nonprofits.
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11 Articles
Times of San Diego+8 Reposted by 8 other sources
How California bungled $1 million in a collaboration with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Lawmakers grilled the state library and a California nonprofit over funds aimed at bringing Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to California children.
·San Diego County, United States
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How California bungled $1 million in a collaboration with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
In summary Lawmakers put millions toward a state library program aimed at bringing Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to California children. Now the state library and a California nonprofit are under fire for how they spent some of the money. A nonprofit organization created by the California State Library to improve childhood literacy has spent more than $1 million in taxpayer money but has yet to put a single book in the hands of a child. La…
·Sacramento, United States
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Total News Sources11
Leaning Left2Leaning Right0Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Left, 50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left, 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 50%
C 50%
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