Reading Is Fundamental
Provides books and literacy resources to children in underserved communities.
At a glance
Rating and filings checked Oct 13, 2026. Sources: Charity Navigator, IRS Form 990 via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. How we check
Is Reading Is Fundamental a good charity?
Reading Is Fundamental holds Charity Navigator's highest rating: 4 out of 4 stars, with an overall score of 96%. Its 2023 Form 990 reports $11.2M in revenue, about the same as in 2019, and $11.5M in expenses. Rating checked Oct 13, 2026.
Finances
From Reading Is Fundamental's annual IRS Form 990 filings (filed as Reading Is Fundamental Inc).
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Officer & key staff pay | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $11.2M | $11.5M | $20.7M | $819K | 990 PDF |
| 2022 | $16.1M | $9.2M | $20.2M | $814K | 990 PDF |
| 2021 | $10.0M | $7.6M | $15.8M | $756K | 990 PDF |
| 2020 | $6.7M | $8.7M | $12.6M | $725K | 990 PDF |
| 2019 | $11.7M | $8.9M | $14.3M | $711K | 990 PDF |
A newer filing for 2025 is out but not yet summarized: read the 2025 Form 990 (PDF).
Officer & key staff pay is the 990's total for current officers, directors, trustees and key employees, not one salary.
What charities in education & literacy do
Education nonprofits operate across school infrastructure, teacher training, learning materials, scholarships, and policy advocacy. The most effective international education charities concentrate on a few high-leverage interventions — teacher training, structured curriculum, formative assessment — backed by randomized evidence. US-focused groups span charter networks, after-school programs, college-access advisors, and adult-literacy initiatives. Funding supports staff, training, materials, scholarships, and facility development.
How to judge charities in this area
Look for outcome data: learning gains measured by standardized assessments, graduation rates, college persistence. Strong education charities use comparison-group methodology to demonstrate their programs cause improved outcomes. Pratham, Room to Read, and Teach For All have published independent evaluations — that level of transparency is the gold standard.
How to support beyond a one-time gift
- + Recurring monthly gifts let organizations plan multi-year teacher-training cohorts and scholarship commitments
- + Sponsor specific programs (a scholarship, a teacher cohort) rather than individuals for cleaner accountability
- + Volunteer as a tutor, mentor, or college-access advisor — most nonprofits in this space rely on volunteer support
- + Donate professional skills (career mentoring, mock interviews, college essay coaching)
- + Advocate for evidence-based education policy in your local school district
Verify before you give
A few minutes of independent verification pays off — especially for larger gifts. These resources let you confirm the details on Reading Is Fundamental:
Frequently asked
Is Reading Is Fundamental a good charity?
What is Reading Is Fundamental's Charity Navigator rating?
What is Reading Is Fundamental's EIN?
How much money does Reading Is Fundamental raise and spend?
Are donations to Reading Is Fundamental tax-deductible?
Represent Reading Is Fundamental? Add a free, self-updating rating badge to your website →