About
First Book is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit social enterprise founded in 1992 that works to remove barriers to equitable education for children in need. Built around the belief that education offers children a path out of poverty, First Book provides books, educational resources, and support to a nationwide network of educators serving kids in low-income communities.
Mission
First Book is building a world where all children have access to a quality education, working to ensure that all children — regardless of their background or zip code — can succeed by removing barriers to equitable education.
What they do
- The First Book Marketplace: an online resource where educators serving children in need can access books, supplies, digital learning resources, and activities
- The National Book Bank: distributing brand-new donated books to programs serving kids in low-income communities
- Specialized initiatives including Stories For All (diverse books), STEAM education, social-emotional learning resources, and support for reluctant readers
- Community engagement and educational events
Scale and impact
First Book's network includes more than 600,000 individual educators, professionals, and volunteers, reaching 6.5 million kids in low-income communities each year. Over its history the organization has distributed more than 250 million high-quality books and educational resources.
Financials
According to its IRS Form 990 as reported by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, for the fiscal year ending 2024 First Book reported total revenue of $92,324,711, total expenses of $93,812,596, and net assets of $26,985,866. Contributions comprised 81.9% of revenue (about $75.6 million), with program services providing 17.9% (about $16.5 million). The IRS issued the organization's tax exemption in November 1992 (EIN 52-1779606). First Book has earned Charity Navigator's Four-Star rating and GuideStar Gold Participant status.
Governance
First Book is headquartered at 1319 F Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004, and operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit classified under educational institutions and related activities, with a focus on remedial reading and reading encouragement.