Lifetime Achievement Award from Governor Braun. However, recent events have highlighted the intersection of Parton’s philanthropic efforts and Indiana’s state policies.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, established in 1995, is a renowned literacy program that mails free books to children from birth to age five, fostering a love of reading and learning. The program has achieved global reach, distributing over 3 million books monthly. In 2023, Indiana allocated $6 million over two years to support the expansion of this initiative statewide. Despite its success, the Indiana House recently passed a budget proposal eliminating state funding for the Imagination Library. This decision has sparked significant concern among educators, parents, and community leaders, especially given the decline in child literacy rates exacerbated by the pandemic.
In response to the proposed funding cuts, Governor Mike Braun announced on February 21, 2025, that First Lady Maureen Braun would lead efforts to secure alternative funding for the Imagination Library. Collaborating with philanthropic partners and state leadership, her mission is to identify sustainable solutions to continue providing free books to Indiana’s youngest residents. First Lady Braun expressed her commitment, stating, “I am honored to lead this work to help ensure our youngest Hoosiers have as much exposure as possible to books and learning.”
Dolly Parton has also addressed the situation, urging Indiana’s leadership to reconsider the funding cuts. Through a representative, she conveyed hope that Governor Braun and the Indiana Legislature would restore the state’s funding match for local Imagination Library programs. Parton emphasized the program’s universal appeal, noting, “The beauty of the Imagination Library is that it unites us all—regardless of politics—because every child deserves the chance to dream big and succeed.”
While there is no recent Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Parton by Governor Braun, these events underscore the ongoing dialogue between Parton’s philanthropic initiatives and state-level policy decisions affecting children’s literacy and education.
