Reading literature aloud to all ages

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
55¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$22K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2023 · 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
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $4K a year · 2% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
55%
of spending
Worth a look: 55% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$22K
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.4 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $60K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$190K
-43% vs prior year
Spent
$256K
To programs
55%
Net assets
$53K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$190K
FY2023▼ -43%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$155K
FY2021$182K
FY2022$337K
FY2023$190K
FY2024$266K
FY2025$190K
Expenses
$256K
FY2023▼ -3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$181K
FY2021$193K
FY2022$264K
FY2023$256K
FY2024$248K
FY2025$200K
Net assets
$53K
FY2023▼ -36%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$22K
FY2021$11K
FY2022$83K
FY2023$53K
FY2024$71K
FY2025$60K

From the FY2023 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Feb 1973.

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

Where the money goes

55 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 55% · $140K Management & general 40% · $103K Fundraising 5% · $13K

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

8 people listed on the 990; $22K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$22,000Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2023FY2020
Veronica Murphy—$29,460
Walter Ritter$22,000$24,000

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.

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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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Reads literature aloud to people of all ages.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $118K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Read imagine createre-imagine the images and themesand create a project in a medium important to them

$57Kprogram expense
02

Twainfest all day 19TH century free festival of literature, culture and history. Free books distributed, games and prizes.

$33Kprogram expense
03

Story boxpresent illustrated stories to youngsters in classroom and libraries

$29Kprogram 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
Arts MidwestFY2024$40K
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$60K
See all 3 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$190K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$159K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$16K
Other incomeLn 4–11$15K
Money outPt IX
$256K
Ln 25
Programscol B$140K
Managementcol C$103K
Fundraisingcol D$13K
Owns and owesPt X
$53K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$52K
Total assetsLn 16$53K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$159K
Government grantsLn 1e$86K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$16K
Other incomeLn 4–11$15K
Total revenueLn 12$190K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$52K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$52K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1K
Total assetsLn 16$53K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$53K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 529
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$117K$52K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K$1K
Total assetsLn 16$119K$53K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$119K$53K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$72K$21K$51K
Payroll taxesLn 10$10K$10K
Accounting feesLn 11c$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$82K$51K$18K$13K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K$200
Office expensesLn 13$27$27
Information technologyLn 14$9K$9K
OccupancyLn 16$11K$10K$891
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$345$345
InsuranceLn 23$9K$9K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$56K$56K
Total functional expensesLn 25$256K$140K$103K$13K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $190K$200K−$10K$60K 990 PDF
FY2024 $266K$248K$17K$71K 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $190K$256K−$65K$53K 990 PDF
FY2022 $337K$264K$73K$83K 990 PDF
FY2021 $182K$193K−$11K$11K 990 PDF
FY2020 $155K$181K−$27K$22K 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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $190,483 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grants$159,016
I-9 Program service revenue$16,267
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$15,200
I-12 Total revenue$190,483
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$82,100
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expenses$173,605
I-18 Total expenses$255,705
I-19 Revenue less expenses−$65,222
Part VI · Governance 7 of 8 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $190,483 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$86,253
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$72,763
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$159,016
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $16,267$16,267
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $15,200$15,200
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $31,467 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$190,483
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $255,705 across 11 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $20,734 · Management $50,949$71,683
IX-10 Payroll taxesManagement $10,417$10,417
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $3,569$3,569
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $51,141 · Management $18,150 · Fundraising $12,600$81,891
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,177 · Management $200$2,377
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $27$27
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $9,015$9,015
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $10,167 · Management $891$11,058
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $345$345
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $9,392$9,392
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $55,931$55,931
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $140,150 · Management $102,955 · Fundraising $12,600$255,705
Part X · Balance sheet $53,432 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $116,934$52,050
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,727$1,382
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $118,661$53,432
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $118,661$53,432
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $118,661$53,432
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $53,432 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$190,483
XI-2 Total expenses$255,705
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$65,222
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$118,661
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$7
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$53,432

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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