Raising a Reader
Raising a Reader supports families and inspires the development of literacy skills and a lifelong love for reading. We help children attain brighter futures in which they can …
GiveRadar doesn't take a cut. Donate directly on their site.
Make your donationAbout Raising a Reader
Overview: Raising a Reader is a national nonprofit that partners with parents and educators to create brighter futures for children by strengthening family bonds. Family engagement is at the core of what we do. Our evidence-based programs help caring adults set their children up for success by creating shared reading routines, fostering social emotional learning, healthy family relationships and learning skills needed to thrive in school and beyond. Through easy-to-use, multilingual materials and diverse stories, we meet families where they are and make shared reading more engaging and accessible for all children. Vision: Every child has the family support and reading skills they need to thrive. Mission: Raising a Reader supports families and inspires the development of literacy skills and …
Verified certifications
Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.
Mission
Raising a Reader supports families and inspires the development of literacy skills and a lifelong love for reading. We help children attain brighter futures in which they can thrive and contribute in school, the workforce and society.
Focus areas & reach
· What they work on and whereHow it stacks up against peers
· vs. 8 similar education in United StatesConcerns
· None foundWhere every $1 goes
· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)GiveRadar Analysis
Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations
From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Raising a Reader has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 5 independent sources including the IRS.
- GiveRadar has cross-referenced this organization across 5 independent sources, led by the IRS - more than 94% of similar organizations. See the sources
- GiveRadar holds a more complete profile for this organization than for 87% of the 195,586 education charities in the United States it tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. Most of those have little verified data on record yet. View this cohort
- It has more complete contact information than nearly all similar organizations, with a verified website, email, phone and address on record. See national comparisons
- government registration
- financial records (5 filed years)
- disclosed leadership
- a website
- a contact email
- a donation page
- an owner-submitted profile claim
Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.
Common questions
· Auto-generated from filings + methodologyRaising a Reader is a registered education nonprofit based in Milpitas, CA, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1999 and has been operating for 27 years. Its EIN is 943390149. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 80/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $5M in annual revenue. 75 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.
Raising a Reader's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 943390149. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.
Raising a Reader has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 80/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 80 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 79% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for education charities in United States is 90/100.
Raising a Reader is located in Milpitas, CA, United States. The organization was established in 1999 and has been active for 27 years.
Based on official tax filings, Raising a Reader has $5M in annual revenue. It allocates 79% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 82% for education charities in United States. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.
Raising a Reader is classified as an Education organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a medium organization. It has $5M in annual revenue. The organization has 75 disclosed officers and directors.
No red flags have been detected for Raising a Reader. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.
According to GiveRadar's records, Raising a Reader holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 79% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 82%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.
Overview: Raising a Reader is a national nonprofit that partners with parents and educators to create brighter futures for children by strengthening family bonds. Family engagement is at the core of what we do. Our evidence-based programs help caring adults set their children up for success by creating shared reading routines, fostering social emotional learning, healthy family relationships and learning skills needed to thrive in school and beyond. Through easy-to-use, multilingual materials and diverse stories, we meet families where they are and make shared reading more engaging and accessible for all children. Vision: Every child has the family support and reading skills they need to thrive. Mission: Raising a Reader... Raising a Reader is classified as an education organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1999.
Among education charities registered in United States: It allocates 79% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 82%. Its annual revenue of $5M is comparable to the peer average of $7M.
Yes, donations to Raising a Reader are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Raising a Reader is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 943390149, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.
Filing history
5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.
See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.
Sign up to viewTaxes
Tax-deductibility for donors
Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.
RAISING A READER is registered in United States. Donations from the Netherlands to charities outside the EU/EEA are generally not tax-deductible for Dutch donors unless the charity is listed on the Dutch ANBI register with foreign-recognized status.
Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.
Staff & volunteers
From filings and published profiles
Leadership
From FY2024 filing
Officers & trustees (19)
Source: Public filings
19 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.
Latest news
From global news sources
10 articles found
From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.
See tips for beating the 'summer slide' with your young reader - Grice Connect
Raising a Reader in the Digital Age - Harvard Graduate School of Education
Raising readers: Simple ways parents can build strong reading habits - MSN
Raising readers: Simple ways parents can build strong reading habits - The Times of India
Letter to the editor by Todd Cole: Raising a reader in times of state testing - New Castle News
‘Raising a Reader' right at home - NBC Boston
Photos: POETRY Boston Hosts Tonya Mezrich for Raising a Reader MA - Boston Magazine
How to raise a reader: Expert tips for fostering a lifelong love of books - Care.com
Raising a Reader session held at Marie Bauer Early Education Center - Paso Robles Daily News
Wash, read, repeat: Raising A Reader turns Cajun Cleaners laundromat into Colorado’s first libromat - Post Independent
Activity timeline
Filings and press mentions, merged
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience.
Have you donated or volunteered here?
Share your experience - it takes 30 seconds. Verified reviews help other donors decide.
Sign up to write a reviewCause areas in United States
How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.
Most common causes in United States
Causes charities work on most.
Sources and verification
- Registration and legal identity
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
- Financial filings
- IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
- Officers and trustees
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 75 disclosed in the public registry.
- News and media coverage
- GDELT Project + Google News
- Supplementary verification
- GlobalGiving partner directory
- Supplementary verification
- Charity Navigator
Data freshness
What we know and don't know
Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.
-
Financial data · FY2024 on record
-
Named leadership · 75 officers on file
-
Executive pay · Disclosed
-
Government registration · Registered with an official registry
-
Mission statement · Published
-
Official website · On record
-
Headquarters address · On file
-
Direct contact · Email or phone published
-
Tax-deductibility · Verified
-
Founding date · 1999
-
Programs & activitiesNo named programs listed by the charity
Methodology
GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.
Read full methodologyAre you the owner or a board member?
If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.
Report an issue
Tell us what's wrong with this charity's page. We review every report and typically reply within 2 business days.
Report sent
Thanks for flagging this. Our team will review it.
Press Esc to close
Save Raising a Reader?
Create a free GiveRadar account to save charities and track them in your dashboard.
Quick facts about Raising a Reader
- What is Raising a Reader?
- Raising a Reader is a education publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Milpitas, United States. Overview: Raising a Reader is a national nonprofit that partners with parents and educators to create brighter futures for children by strengthening family bonds. Family engagement is at the core of what we do. Our evidence-based programs help caring adults set their children up for success by creating shared reading routines, fostering social emotional learning, healthy family relationships and learning skills needed to thrive in school and beyond. Through easy-to-use, multilingual materials and diverse stories, we meet families where they are and make shared reading more engaging and accessible for all children. Vision: Every child has the family support and reading skills they need to thrive. Mission: Raising a Reader supports families and inspires the development of literacy skills and a lifelong love for reading to help children attain brighter futures in which they can thrive and contribute in school, the workforce and society. We stand firm in our unwavering commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and improving the lives of children in all communities across the United States. It is our belief that strengthening families and early literacy can be a cornerstone in creating equity and opportunity for all.
- When was Raising a Reader founded?
- Raising a Reader was founded in 1999.
- Who leads Raising a Reader?
- Michelle Torgerson serves as President & CEO.
- Where is Raising a Reader located?
- Headquartered in Milpitas, CA, United States.
- What is Raising a Reader's annual budget?
- Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $1M-$10M. 79% of expenses go to program services.
- Is Raising a Reader trustworthy?
- Raising a Reader has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 80 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
- What is Raising a Reader's registration number?
- IRS EIN: 943390149.
- What is Raising a Reader's website?
- http://www.raisingareader.org