Brink Literacy Project is devoted to utilizing the power of storytelling to positively affect the lives of people on the Brink. Through our education, community, and publishing divisions, our nonprofit works worldwide to foster a love of literature, increase Literacy rates, and use storytelling to empower underserved communities. Our education division delivers innovative Literacy and storytelling programs with a focus on increasing Literacy rates and assisting personal development through storytelling. We have a strong focus on bringing our initiatives to low-income, low-Literacy, and marginalized communities, whether that means teaching in prisons or creating completely original curricula to tackle low reading proficiency in our youth. Through our community division, Brink forges partnerships with universities and other humanitarian and literary organizations. As a global community of readers, writers, artists, students, and supporters, Brink brings people from diverse backgrounds to

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
61¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$35K 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

FY2021 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $168K a year · 23% of revenue · last 4 filings
Fine: a surplus in 3 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
61%
of spending
Worth a look: 61% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$35K
to officers and key staff · 25% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 25% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
67 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 67.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $240K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$75K
10% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 10% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 5 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$747K
+299% vs prior year
Spent
$138K
To programs
61%
Net assets
$698K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$747K
FY2021▲ +299%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$187K
FY2021$747K
FY2022$144K
FY2023$654K
FY2024$1.3M
Expenses
$138K
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020Not on file
FY2021$138K
FY2022$508K
FY2023$624K
FY2024$927K
Net assets
$698K
FY2021▲ +715%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$86K
FY2021$698K
FY2022$312K
FY2023$493K
FY2024$887K

From the FY2021 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Sep 2012.

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

Where the money goes

61 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 61% · $84K Management & general 21% · $29K Fundraising 18% · $25K

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

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

6 people listed on the 990; $35K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$19,800Pt VII · Sec A
$15,000Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Danielle Hedlund’s $112K as CEO is at the 42nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M arts & culture 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Danielle Hedlund$111,974$107,858$80,000$15,000$5,500
Helen Maimaris$64,408$44,689$25,833$19,800—

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 Brink Literacy Project executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

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

Empowers underserved communities worldwide through literacy programs and storytelling.

Questions for Brink Literacy Project

Tap to ask. Brink Literacy Project sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Brink Literacy Project answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

3 programs · $72K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

F(r)iction journal. F(r)iction, brink's triannual literary journal, is at the heart of our mission to increase literacy rates and engagement with storytelling that pushes the boundaries of convention.

$61Kprogram expense
02

Publishing internship program. Publishing internship program. Brink's publishing internship program seeks to bring underrepresented and diverse voices into the publishing industry itself. Through our fifteen- week program, interns learn the essential ins and outs of the industry and become crucial contributors to the positive social…

$9Kprogram expense
03

Frames prison program. The goal of the frames prison program is to increase literacy rates, reduce recidivism, and use storytelling to empower incarcerated persons within the us prison system.

$2Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$240K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $7K · 2021–2021
Worldbuilders INCWI · FY2021$7,230

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$747K
Ln 12
Other incomeLn 4–11$662K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$49K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$36K
Money outPt IX
$138K
Ln 25
Programscol B$84K
Managementcol C$29K
Fundraisingcol D$25K
Owns and owesPt X
$698K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$773K
Total assetsLn 16$773K
LiabilitiesLn 26$75K
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$36K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$49K
Investment incomeLn 3$39
Other incomeLn 4–11$662K
Total revenueLn 12$747K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$773K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$773K
Total assetsLn 16$773K
LiabilitiesLn 26$75K
Net assetsLn 32$698K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 633
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$83K$773K
Total assetsLn 16$86K$773K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$75K
Net assetsLn 32$86K$698K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$7K$7K
Management feesLn 11a$76K$38K$13K$25K
Accounting feesLn 11c$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$6K$2K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$37K$30K$7K
Information technologyLn 14$5K$4K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$138K$84K$29K$25K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $1.3M$927K$398K$887K 990 PDF
FY2023 $654K$624K$30K$493K 990 PDF
FY2022 $144K$508K−$364K$312K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $747K$138K$609K$698K 990 PDF
FY2020 $187K$86K 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $747,243 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grants$36,442
I-9 Program service revenue$48,676
I-10 Investment income$39
I-11 Other revenue$662,086
I-12 Total revenue$747,243
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$7,230
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$0
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expenses$131,073
I-18 Total expenses$138,303
I-19 Revenue less expenses$608,940
Part VI · Governance 5 of 5 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members5
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 $747,243 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$36,442
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$36,442
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $48,676$48,676
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $39$39
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$662,086
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $48,715$747,243
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $138,303 across 7 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $7,230$7,230
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $38,392 · Management $13,297 · Fundraising $24,565$76,254
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $4,055$4,055
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $2,002 · Management $3,508$5,510
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,454$2,454
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $30,388 · Management $7,021$37,409
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $4,017 · Management $1,374$5,391
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $84,483 · Management $29,255 · Fundraising $24,565$138,303
Part X · Balance sheet $772,794 assets, 7 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $83,211$772,794
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $85,635$772,794
X-25 Other liabilities$74,900
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$74,900
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $85,635$697,894
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $85,635$697,894
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $85,635$772,794
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $697,894 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$747,243
XI-2 Total expenses$138,303
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$608,940
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$85,635
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$3,319
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$697,894

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.