Connecting people of all ages to a world of opportunities through Literacy and creative expression.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
74¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 482 volunteers and 52 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $263K a year · 10% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
74%
of spending
Fine: 74% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$174K
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
29
named funders · $1.1M
Looks good: 29 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$185K
4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 4% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
17
of 17 voting members
Looks good: 17 of 17 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.2M
+1% vs prior year
Spent
$3.3M
To programs
74%
Net assets
$4.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$3.2M
FY2025▲ +1%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.1M
FY2021$2.4M
FY2022$2.3M
FY2023$3.5M
FY2024$3.1M
FY2025$3.2M
Expenses
$3.3M
FY2025▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.0M
FY2021$1.9M
FY2022$2.2M
FY2023$2.5M
FY2024$3.1M
FY2025$3.3M
Net assets
$4.3M
FY2025▲ +10%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.3M
FY2021$2.8M
FY2022$2.9M
FY2023$3.8M
FY2024$3.9M
FY2025$4.3M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 1969.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

74 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 74% · $2.5M Management & general 5% · $169K Fundraising 21% · $679K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

19 people listed on the 990; $174K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Di
$100,127Pt VII · Sec A
Finance/Ops
$73,625Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Past Board C
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sharon O'Brien’s $100K as Executive Di is at the 32nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3394 $1–10M education nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Betty Stauffer————$113,912$119,693
Matthew Wahlquist——$109,223$110,000$7,692—
Sharon O'Brien$100,127$87,549$57,446———
Daniel Small$73,625$33,173————
Rebecca Werner——$57,966$55,681$55,748—

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Literacy Connects executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Empowering all ages with literacy and creative expression to unlock opportunities.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $2.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The adult and workforce education program literacy connects train and support volunteers to tutor adult students in english language acquisition, basic literacy, digital skills, high-school equivalency certification attainment, workplace readiness, and career promotions.

$983Kprogram expense
02

Stories that soar is a literacy and arts integration program that promotes writing, collaboration, and creative expression through interactive professional theatre, in-school and out-of-school k-12 programming, and educator training workshops.

$614Kprogram expense
03

Literacy connects' reading seed is an evidence-based program that helps kindergarten through 2ND graders advance their assessed literacy skills through once a week, one-to-one, coaching from trained volunteers for a minimum of 16 weeks. At each session, students select a free, high-quality book to build their home libraries.

$491Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 29 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.2M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.8M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$382K
Investment incomeLn 3$12K
Money outPt IX
$3.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.5M
Managementcol C$169K
Fundraisingcol D$679K
Owns and owesPt X
$4.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$4.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$185K
PeoplePt VI, VII
19
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a17
IndependentVI 1b17
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.8M
Government grantsLn 1e$173K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$104K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$382K
Investment incomeLn 3$12K
Total revenueLn 12$3.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$546K
SavingsLn 2$568K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$30K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.7M
Other assetsLn 15$373K
Total assetsLn 16$4.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$185K
Net assetsLn 32$4.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 552
VolunteersI 6482
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.2M$1.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$30K$30K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.7M$1.7M
Total assetsLn 16$4.0M$4.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$137K$185K
Net assetsLn 32$3.9M$4.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$213K$143K$70K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.9M$1.4M$23K$417K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$45K$32K$4K$9K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$184K$143K$4K$37K
Payroll taxesLn 10$178K$136K$6K$36K
Management feesLn 11a$98K$98K
Legal feesLn 11b$6K$6K
Accounting feesLn 11c$37K$37K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$68K$68K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$62K$62K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$48K$37K$2K$10K
Office expensesLn 13$207K$158K$7K$42K
OccupancyLn 16$48K$36K$2K$10K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$32K$25K$1K$7K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$66K$50K$2K$13K
InsuranceLn 23$44K$34K$1K$9K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$119K$91K$5K$23K
All other expensesLn 24e$2K$2K$502
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.3M$2.5M$169K$679K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $3.2M$3.3M−$154K$4.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.1M$3.1M$48K$3.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $3.5M$2.5M$972K$3.8M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.3M$2.2M$162K$2.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 $2.4M$1.9M$451K$2.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.1M$2.0M$100K$2.3M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,152,082 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $3,146,682$2,811,994
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $18,328$382,360
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $46,092$12,271
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$105,586−$54,543
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,105,516$3,152,082
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,191,123$2,470,757
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $20,850$67,687
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $845,049$767,267
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,057,022$3,305,711
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $48,494−$153,629
Part VI · Governance 17 of 17 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body17
VI-1b Independent voting members17
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $3,152,082 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$103,946
VIII-1e Government grants$173,172
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,534,876
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,811,994
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $382,360$382,360
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $12,271$12,271
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$55,353−$55,353
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $810$810
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $382,360 · Excluded from tax −$42,272$3,152,082
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,305,711 across 18 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $142,940 · Management $70,195$213,135
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,412,166 · Management $22,635 · Fundraising $416,629$1,851,430
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $32,077 · Management $3,660 · Fundraising $8,892$44,629
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $142,631 · Management $4,113 · Fundraising $37,243$183,987
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $135,703 · Management $6,038 · Fundraising $35,835$177,576
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $97,853$97,853
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $5,784$5,784
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $36,530$36,530
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $67,687$67,687
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $62,207$62,207
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $36,503 · Management $1,624 · Fundraising $9,639$47,766
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $157,875 · Management $7,024 · Fundraising $41,689$206,588
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $36,364 · Management $1,618 · Fundraising $9,603$47,585
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $24,758 · Management $1,101 · Fundraising $6,538$32,397
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $50,305 · Management $2,238 · Fundraising $13,284$65,827
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $33,600 · Management $1,495 · Fundraising $8,873$43,968
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $90,661 · Management $5,227 · Fundraising $22,748$118,636
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $1,624 · Fundraising $502$2,126
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,457,267 · Management $169,282 · Fundraising $679,162$3,305,711
Part X · Balance sheet $4,492,776 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $132,175$545,608
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,053,549$567,636
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $656,079$1,240,909
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $53,462$45,094
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $84,180$23,250
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,670,499$1,650,383
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $30,000$30,000
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $13,680$16,964
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $344,300$372,932
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $4,037,924$4,492,776
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $137,407$184,504
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $137,407$184,504
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $2,756,075$2,707,128
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,144,442$1,601,144
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,900,517$4,308,272
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $4,037,924$4,492,776
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $4,308,272 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,152,082
XI-2 Total expenses$3,305,711
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$153,629
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,900,517
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$72
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$529,457
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$31,855
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$4,308,272

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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