Corporate Partner Spotlight: Trane Technologies
Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) and Trane Technologies address one of the most pressing barriers to future education and workforce success: childhood literacy. Advancing the power of literacy, together we create sustainable futures for all.
Building Sustainable Futures through Literacy
RIF and Trane Technologies joined forces in 2022 to design the Building Sustainable Futures through Literacy initiative. Finding the intersection of literacy and STEM, the initiative brings literacy access, STEM engagement, and community involvement together for lasting impact.
Students reached through print and digital resources
Books and reading resources provided to students nationwide
Communities supported across Trane Technologies’ U.S. footprint
Creating a sustainable future, together
Trane Technologies and RIF share the same belief that a sustainable future begins with a strong educational foundation. The partnership is built on a shared understanding that sustainable futures depend on educated, engaged, and empowered individuals. By fostering literacy at an early age, the initiative helps children develop the critical thinking, communication, and learning skills necessary for future STEM exploration, workforce participation, and civic engagement. Through a multi-pronged initiative of developing reading content, school-based program implementations, and employee engagement efforts, the partnership seeks to ensure that both children and their families and educators have the tools to begin taking care of the world around them today and in the future.
Sustainable Futures Center
Through a collaborative effort in our first year partnering, RIF introduced its digital Sustainable Futures Center with Trane Technologies, bringing curated book collections, classroom and home activities, and practical tools and research. Sparking curiosity and possibility, the digital center is anchored on four themes – Careers in STEM, Environmental Stewardship, Natural Resources, and Sustainable Solutions. In 2025, the family-facing content and resources were translated into Spanish and Amharic for children, parents, and caregivers to explore during reading time together at home. More than one million children have been reached through this joint effort.
Read for Success
RIF’s supplemental reading program, Read for Success (RFS), brings together themed book collections, educator-led read alouds, and independent reading opportunities for children in kindergarten through third grade. For nearly five years, Trane Technologies has supported 35 elementary schools across six of its U.S. communities with RFS program support.
A critical component to the RFS program is equipping educators with proven read-aloud techniques and companion materials that make literacy instruction engaging and effective. In addition to classroom book collections and extension activities, RIF’s Literacy Services team has developed professional learning resources and opportunities for schools in these communities as well as nationwide. With in-person workshops, on-demand coaching, and thematic webinars and video resources, RIF bridges the connection between literacy and STEM for educators: “I never considered thinking about looking for problems to solve in a book. This is a great way to engage the listener, as there are multiple issues that might need to be solved in a story.” – Attendee of Every Book is an Engineering Book webinar.
Employee Engagement
An equally important component, our partnership with Trane Technologies fosters relationships between its local business footprint and the communities in their backyard. From assembling RIF literacy kits and bringing new books and resources to schools and community organizations to leading STEM read alouds sessions, these volunteer experiences connect Trane Technologies’ expertise directly to student learning while helping children envision future educational and career pathways. Classroom visits – virtually and in person – create opportunities for children to engage with STEM and sustainability professionals and open their worlds to a future of possibility.
Champions for a culture of literacy
We tackle the literacy crisis by inspiring a joy of reading—a critical element to not only driving reading engagement, motivation, and frequency, but to developing reading proficiency—because if we create a foundation of joy for children, then development, discovery, and opportunity follow.
We’re laser focused on underrepresented students. Education is our main focus, and the foundation of literacy must happen for the students to get into the next phase of learning—experiential learning—and all the things related to STEM.
The power of partnership
Reading Is Fundamental is grateful to our corporate partners, whose commitment to tackling the literacy crisis means that more children will become skilled readers, the foundation for discovery, growth, and opportunity. Thank you for making this important work possible.
The impact that Trane Technologies and RIF have had together in reaching thousands of children through bridging the gap between literacy and STEM has exceeded our expectations. Thanks to the support of Trane Technologies and their remarkable employee volunteers, we have supported children in historically under-resourced communities. Literacy challenges in elementary school are among the leading causes for children to struggle with STEM. Our partnership is addressing this issue by connecting children with the power of books to help them understand their planet and inspire them to care for it, now and in the future.
Proud to be a top-rated U.S. nonprofit
Reading Is Fundamental, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization (52-0976257)
Ways to partner
There are many ways your organization can get involved with RIF! Explore how your company can support children’s literacy through a custom corporate partnership.