Imperial County Seeks $30K Grant for Airport Literacy Program

-Editorial 

The Imperial County Board of Supervisors approved the submission of a Statement of Interest to apply for funding through the First 5 Imperial FY 2026–2027 Community Development Mini-Grant program to support an early childhood literacy outreach initiative at the Imperial County Airport.

The action authorizes the County of Imperial to seek up to $30,000 for a proposed project titled “Future Flyers & Tiny Travelers Early Literacy Outreach (Aviation Day and Year-Round).” The program is designed to promote early literacy, school readiness, and family engagement for children ages 0 to 5 and their caregivers throughout Imperial County.

According to Deputy CEO Gil Rebollar, the Imperial County Airport plans to use the funding to create and distribute bilingual English- and Spanish-language family literacy and early learning materials. The outreach effort would take place during the airport’s annual Wally Hale Aviation Day event and through year-round distribution to families with young children who visit or use the airport.

Rebollar said the Aviation Day event, typically held at the beginning of each calendar year, attracts large numbers of families and community members. The event is organized in partnership with aviation organizations and volunteer groups including the Palm Springs Wings Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1116, the Civil Air Patrol, and the Imperial So-Lo Ninety-Nines.

Rebollar said the project would use the high-attendance event and the airport’s community presence as a platform to connect families with educational resources that support early childhood development.

If funded, the grant would support the development, translation, and printing of bilingual outreach materials and take-home kits for families with children ages 0 to 5. The materials may include age-appropriate board books and early learning activity sheets, as well as caregiver guides with tips on building daily reading routines, strengthening early vocabulary, and introducing counting and basic learning concepts.

Additional educational handouts may also highlight aviation-related community helpers, such as pilots, emergency responders, and aviation volunteers, in an effort to encourage curiosity and learning among young children while connecting the theme of aviation to early childhood education.

The outreach effort would also provide information about local early childhood resources available to families in Imperial County. The program is intended to expand access to educational materials and encourage caregivers to engage children in simple learning activities at home that support school readiness.

The grant application aligns with eligible activities under the First 5 Imperial Community Development Mini-Grant program, which supports projects that benefit expectant parents, children from birth to age 5, and their families. Eligible projects include family literacy initiatives, one-time events or workshops targeting families, educational outreach efforts, and the distribution of materials designed to support early childhood development.

The action carries no fiscal impact to the county’s General Fund. If Imperial County is invited to submit a full proposal and later awarded grant funding, any resulting agreements and potential budget adjustments would be brought back to the Board of Supervisors for review and approval.

In related items, the board ratified the submission of a grant application to the Federal Aviation Administration under the FY 2026 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Airport Infrastructure Grant program to support the design phase of the Taxiway A Rehabilitation project at Imperial County Airport. The project will develop plans to rehabilitate Taxiways A, A1, A6, and A7 to address pavement deterioration, extend pavement life, and improve aircraft safety. If awarded, the design phase will cost $124,803, with most funding coming from federal support and a small required local match.