Rbbb's mission is to connect young readers and youth leaders to inspire a love of literacy and leadership.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
73¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$146K 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
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $351K a year · 17% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
73%
of spending
Fine: 73% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$146K
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
12 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 12.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $2K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$88K
4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 4% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.7M
+12% vs prior year
Spent
$1.6M
To programs
73%
Net assets
$2.3M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$1.7M
FY2023▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$1.6M
FY2022$1.5M
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$3.5M
FY2025$1.8M
Expenses
$1.6M
FY2023▲ +27%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$899K
FY2022$1.3M
FY2023$1.6M
FY2024$2.2M
FY2025$2.4M
Net assets
$2.3M
FY2023▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$1.9M
FY2022$2.1M
FY2023$2.3M
FY2024$3.6M
FY2025$3.0M

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending June 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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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 Dec 2015.

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

Where the money goes

73 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 73% · $1.2M Management & general 12% · $194K Fundraising 15% · $243K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $146K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
Board Member and CEO
$93,273Pt VII · Sec A
$52,560Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sophie Allen-Etchart’s $105K as Board Member and CEO is at the 35th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3395 $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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Sophie Allen-Etchart$105,454$93,272$93,273——
Sophie Etchart———$77,803$69,923
Lora Leon Adukeh—$52,559$52,560——
Rebeka Johnson———$27,015—
Jennifer Gutenberg$16,979————

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 Read Better Be Better 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Connects young readers and youth leaders to inspire a love of literacy and leadership.

Questions for Read Better Be Better

Tap to ask. Read Better Be Better sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Read Better Be Better answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

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1 program · $1.2M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Read better be better (RBBB) was founded in 2014 as a response to arizona's literacy crisis. Though the organization began as a third-grade literacy intervention, read better be better has evolved to serve the needs of every grade level. The preventative k-1 program ensures that a child does not fall behind in reading.

$1.2Mprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$2K

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$12K
Money outPt IX
$1.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.2M
Managementcol C$194K
Fundraisingcol D$243K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.6M
Total assetsLn 16$2.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$88K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$8K
Other incomeLn 4–11$12K
Total revenueLn 12$1.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$728K
SavingsLn 2$897K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3K
Other assetsLn 15$53K
Total assetsLn 16$2.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$88K
Net assetsLn 32$2.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5213
VolunteersI 610
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.6M$1.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7K$3K
Total assetsLn 16$2.2M$2.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$33K$88K
Net assetsLn 32$2.1M$2.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$148K$35K$55K$58K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$956K$778K$62K$116K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$54K$41K$5K$8K
Payroll taxesLn 10$87K$64K$9K$14K
Accounting feesLn 11c$29K$29K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$28K$18K$10K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$13K$7K$42$6K
Office expensesLn 13$9K$2K$7K$910
Information technologyLn 14$35K$22K$4K$8K
OccupancyLn 16$76K$50K$15K$11K
TravelLn 17$26K$22K$4K$918
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$4K$3K$586$775
InsuranceLn 23$19K$14K$2K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$100K$98K$672$1K
All other expensesLn 24e$10K$4K$1K$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.6M$1.2M$194K$243K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.8M$2.4M−$600K$3.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.5M$2.2M$1.3M$3.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $1.7M$1.6M$124K$2.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.5M$1.3M$282K$2.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.6M$899K$664K$1.9M 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 $1,716,906 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,581,864$1,704,816
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$12,090
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,581,864$1,716,906
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $923,594$1,244,750
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $376,448$348,471
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,300,042$1,593,221
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $281,822$123,685
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,716,906 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$7,600
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,697,216
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,704,816
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $12,090$12,090
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $12,090 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$1,716,906
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,593,221 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $34,860 · Management $54,938 · Fundraising $58,009$147,807
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $778,143 · Management $61,916 · Fundraising $116,095$956,154
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $40,917 · Management $5,237 · Fundraising $7,956$54,110
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $63,914 · Management $9,138 · Fundraising $13,627$86,679
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $28,870$28,870
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $17,901 · Fundraising $9,655$27,556
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $6,725 · Management $42 · Fundraising $5,909$12,676
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,613 · Management $6,818 · Fundraising $910$9,341
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $22,354 · Management $3,826 · Fundraising $8,480$34,660
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $49,698 · Management $15,225 · Fundraising $10,880$75,803
IX-17 TravelPrograms $21,622 · Management $3,703 · Fundraising $918$26,243
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $2,852 · Management $586 · Fundraising $775$4,213
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $14,002 · Management $1,567 · Fundraising $3,241$18,810
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $98,299 · Management $672 · Fundraising $1,489$100,460
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $3,852 · Management $1,245 · Fundraising $4,742$9,839
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,156,752 · Management $193,783 · Fundraising $242,686$1,593,221
Part X · Balance sheet $2,359,556 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $446,500$727,935
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,169,103$896,505
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $552,002$657,936
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $5,771$20,768
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $7,328$3,116
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$53,296
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,180,704$2,359,556
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $32,877$34,748
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$53,296
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $32,877$88,044
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,324,288$1,861,512
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $823,539$410,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,147,827$2,271,512
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,180,704$2,359,556
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,271,512 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,716,906
XI-2 Total expenses$1,593,221
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$123,685
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,147,827
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,271,512

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

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