The Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) is an Australian

not-for-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

founded in 2011 that works to address the educational disadvantages faced by

Indigenous Australian Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...

children and young people by providing access to books and literacy programs. ILF was set up in 2011, taking over from the Indigenous Literacy Project (ILP) which had been associated with

The Fred Hollows Foundation The Fred Hollows Foundation is a non-profit aid organisation based in Sydney, Australia, which was founded in 1992 by eye surgeon Fred Hollows. The foundation focuses on treating and preventing blindness and other vision problems. It opera ...

. In 2010 the ILP had raised $607,000. Juliet Rogers, formerly CEO of Murdoch Books, was the inaugural chair. Patrons of the ILF, as of 2021, are

Quentin Bryce Dame Quentin Alice Louise Bryce, (née Strachan; born 23 December 1942) is an Australian academic who served as the 25th governor-general of Australia from 2008 to 2014. She is the first woman to have held the position, and was previously the ...

(appointed February 2015) and

June Oscar June Oscar is an Australian Aboriginal woman of Bunuba descent, Indigenous rights activist, community health and welfare worker, film and theatre ,and since 2017 and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. She is bes ...

(appointed September 2019). Lifetime ambassadors of the ILF include

Justine Clarke Justine Clarke (born 16 November 1971) is an Australian actress, singer, musician, author and television host. She has been acting since the age of seven and has appeared in some of Australia's best-known TV shows. She is best known as a presen ...

, Andy Griffiths,

Kate Grenville Catherine Elizabeth Grenville (born 1950) is an Australian author. She has published fifteen books, including fiction, non-fiction, biography, and books about the writing process. In 2001, she won the Orange Prize for '' The Idea of Perfectio ...

Anita Heiss Anita Marianne Heiss (born 1968) is an Aboriginal Australian author, poet, cultural activist and social commentator. She is an advocate for Indigenous Australian literature and literacy, through her writing for adults and children and her mem ...

Alison Lester Alison Jean Lester (born 17 November 1952) is an Australian author and illustrator who has published over 25 children's picture books and two young adult novels; ''The Quickstand Pony'' and ''The Snow Pony''. In 2005 Lester won the Children's ...

David Malouf David George Joseph Malouf AO (; born 20 March 1934) is an Australian poet, novelist, short story writer, playwright and librettist. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2008, Malouf has lectured at both the University of Quee ...

and

Josh Pyke Joshua Jon Pyke (born 18 December 1977) is an Australian singer-songwriter, producer, musician and children's book author. Biography Josh Pyke is a prolific songwriter, with a successful and critically acclaimed career both domestically and ove ...

. In September 2021 Karen Williams, who had been member of the ILP and executive director of the ILF, stepped down and was replaced by Ben Bowen as Chief Executive Officer, with Mike Milnes appointed Chief Operating Officer. The ILF was nominated for the

Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award ( sv, Litteraturpriset till Astrid Lindgrens minne) is an international children's literary award established by the Swedish government in 2002 to honour the Swedish children's author Astrid Lindgren (1907– ...

in 2021 in which it was unsuccessful, and is a nominee again 2022.

Indigenous Literacy Day

Each year the ILF organises and promotes Indigenous Literacy Day, held in the first week of September.

References

{{Authority control Educational charities based in Australia Organizations established in 2011 Non-profit organisations based in New South Wales 2011 establishments in Australia Indigenous Australian literature