The Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation

What The Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation does

The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF) is an Australian registered charity founded in 1999 and headquartered in Alexandria, Sydney, that delivers community-led literacy, language, and numeracy programs to First Nations, refugee, and other marginalised communities across Australia. The organisation operates eight national programs: Early Language and Literacy (EL&L), the Early Language and Literacy Developmental Index (ELLDI), Indigenous First Language (anchored by the Living First Language Platform), Refugee Action Support, Subtext: Art for Literacy, Breakfast Library, Share-A-Book, and Literacy and Numeracy Packs. Its core technology comprises two proprietary innovations: the ELLDI, a world-first digital formative assessment for children aged 2.5 to 8 years developed with the Australian Council for Educational Research, and the Living First Language Platform, a multi-award-winning digital innovation that records and converts Indigenous First Languages into interactive community-led literacy apps.

ALNF delivers its programs through 221 sites and 19 Indigenous Language Communities, supported by 40+ ambassadors and a network of corporate partners including Officeworks, David Jones, Teachers Mutual Bank, and Wicked Australia. Its revenue model is fully donation-based, comprising individual donations via the Raisely platform, workplace giving, bequests, corporate sponsorship, and brand collaborations where proceeds from co-branded products (e.g., Officeworks' Otto Indigenous range) fund specific programs. Two nationally accredited training courses (11027NAT Certificate IV in Early Language and Literacy and 10756NAT Certificate III in Coding Aboriginal Languages for Indigenous Literacy) are delivered via Ninti Training Limited.

The organisation is governed by a Board chaired by Glenn Johnston, a Darug Nation Elder, and is currently undergoing a CEO transition as co-founder Kim Kelly has announced her intention to step down. ALNF has received recognition including Edison Gold, World Summit Awards, MIT Solve, SXSW Innovation Awards, Good Design Gold, and Australian Enterprise Awards, and reports reaching over 17,600 children in 2024.

Name

The Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation

Legal name

The Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation

Website

https://alnf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation is an Australian registered charity founded in 1999 that delivers community-led literacy, language, and numeracy programs to First Nations, refugee, and marginalised communities across Australia through eight national programs and proprietary tools including the ELLDI assessment and the Living First Language Platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Literacy and Numeracy Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Phonics, Speech & Language Development Tools (EDACANAC)

Keywords

• Literacy education programs
• Indigenous language revitalisation
• Early childhood literacy
• Community education services
• Refugee literacy support

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: ALNF is a registered charity (ABN 27 098 802 094) that relies entirely on donations from individuals, corporations, and philanthropic organisations. Revenue is generated through one-time and recurring donations via its website donation platform, community fundraising events, workplace giving (payroll donations), and bequests/legacies left in wills. All donations over $2 are tax-deductible in Australia.
2. Brand Collaboration Proceeds: ALNF receives proceeds from the sale of co-branded products through partnerships with companies including Officeworks (Otto Indigenous range), Seed, Wicked Australia, Deus Ex Machina, Bondi Active, Frank Body, David Jones, ORTC, and others. A portion or all of proceeds from specific product sales are directed to ALNF's literacy programs.
3. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorship: Corporate partners provide funding, in-kind support, and promotional reach for ALNF's programs. Partners include Officeworks, Teachers Mutual Bank, and others who co-fund and promote specific programs such as the Breakfast Library.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

ALNF delivers community-led literacy and numeracy programs for marginalised Australians, including Indigenous First Language revitalisation (via the Living First Language Platform), refugee literacy support, early childhood oral language and literacy development, breakfast and book programs, and accredited educator training. Its core technology is the ELLDI digital formative assessment for children aged 2.5 to 8 years, developed with the Australian Council for Educational Research. The organisation supplies books, literacy packs and breakfast meals to communities and operates a national coalition advocating a National Early Language and Literacy Strategy.

Product overview

ALNF offers a portfolio of community-led literacy and education programs operating as interconnected modules under a unified mission. The core EL&L Program (with its companion ELLDI assessment tool) forms the evidence-based foundation, delivering oral language and literacy development through accredited training. Surrounding this are specialised programs addressing specific communities: the Indigenous First Language Program (featuring the Living First Language Platform and CALIL training), Refugee Action Support, Subtext: Art for Literacy, Breakfast Library, Share-A-Book, and Literacy & Numeracy Packs. Research and Advocacy anchors the portfolio with evidence generation and policy influence. All programs share a community empowerment approach, building local capacity rather than delivering services externally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Living First Language Platform: A multi award-winning innovation that records, revitalises and celebrates Indigenous First Languages and turns them into dynamic, community-led and interactive digital literacy apps.
• Early Language and Literacy Developmental Index (ELLDI)

Products and services

• Early Language & Literacy (EL&L) Program A community-led early childhood program that equips educators, parents and community members with knowledge, tools and nationally accredited training (11027NAT Certificate IV in Early Language and Literacy) to develop foundational oral language and literacy skills in children aged 2.5 to 8 years in marginalised communities.
• Early Language and Literacy Developmental Index (ELLDI) A world-first digital formative assessment tool providing real-time feedback on children's early language and literacy development across seven subdomains, used by early childhood educators and teachers in approximately 50 educational sites across 4 Australian states and territories.
• Indigenous First Language Program A community-led initiative that revitalises and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander First Languages through the Living First Language Platform, digital literacy apps, and the CALIL training program (10756NAT Certificate III in Coding Aboriginal Languages for Indigenous Literacy).
• Refugee Action Support An award-winning initiative supporting children and young people from refugee backgrounds through individualised one-on-one tutoring, creating safe learning spaces for language and classroom learning practices through a 3-way partnership between ALNF, Department of Education and participating universities.
• Subtext: Art for Literacy A program merging arts with oral and written literacy approaches, partnering young people with arts mentors to explore creative self-expression and storytelling through various art forms.
• Breakfast Library An innovative program supplying children and young people with regular healthy breakfasts combined with access to high-quality children's literature to promote nutrition, wellbeing and literacy development.
• Share-A-Book A program providing new and quality pre-loved, culturally appropriate books to First Nations, refugee and marginalised communities across Australia, establishing Share-A-Book Libraries in schools, pre-schools, and community centres.
• Literacy & Numeracy Packs A program equipping children and young people in marginalised communities with vital learning supplies including carefully selected books and age-appropriate literacy and numeracy resources packaged in reusable drawstring totes.
• Living First Language Platform A multi award-winning digital innovation that records, revitalises and celebrates Indigenous First Languages, turning them into community-led and interactive digital literacy apps for youth and community.
• Research and Advocacy Research and advocacy initiatives including the Overcoming Disadvantage in Early Childhood (ODEC) Study, peer mentoring reports with AERO, digital divide reports with World Vision Australia, and leadership of a National Coalition calling for a National Early Language and Literacy Strategy.
• 11027NAT Certificate IV in Early Language and Literacy A nationally accredited training course delivered through Ninti Training Limited (NTL), RTO 70018, combining speech pathology and early years education best practice to equip educators, parents and community members with skills and tools for early language and literacy development.
• 10756NAT Certificate III in Coding Aboriginal Languages for Indigenous Literacy (CALIL) A nationally accredited training course delivered through Ninti Training Limited (NTL), RTO 70018, that equips community participants with skills to collect, categorise and convert oral First Language elements into effective reading and writing resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 17,600 children reached in 2024 across 8 national programs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vivid Sydney FestivalcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022ALNF was the Official Charity Partner of the 2022 Vivid Sydney Festival, the world-famous celebration of light, music and ideas, using the platform to shine a spotlight on the power of literacy to help young Australians write their own bright futures.
• OfficeworkscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficeworks has been a long-standing partner of ALNF for over a decade, conducting the annual 'Literacy is Freedom' fundraising campaign in September. Each product sold from Officeworks' Otto Indigenous product range helps support ALNF's work in First Nations communities nationwide.
• Teachers Mutual BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTeachers Mutual Bank joined as a proud partner of the Breakfast Library program, providing funding to help strengthen the program's impact and enable more children and young people to start the day with a nutritious meal and access to books.
• SeedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSeed is a proud partner of ALNF, creating bespoke collections (children's bucket hat, Book Week costumes) with proceeds supporting ALNF's literacy programs.
• Wicked AustraliaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerALNF was selected as the Official Charity Partner of Wicked Australia, the iconic production championing inclusivity, self-belief and finding your voice — core values aligned with ALNF's mission.
• Deus Ex MachinaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe partnership between Deus Ex Machina and ALNF is driven by a joint mission to tackle educational inequality. Through the sale of the ALNF x Deus Ex Machina 'Literacy is Freedom' t-shirt, this collaboration creates change to give every Australian a voice through language, literacy and education.
• Bondi ActiveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBondi Active partnered with ALNF, with proceeds from their bespoke Riptide collection supporting ALNF's multi-award-winning Living First Language Platform.
• Frank BodyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFrank Body is a proud supporter of ALNF, championing strong literacy and learning for children around Australia, with proceeds from every sale of a bespoke Original Coffee Scrub going directly to ALNF's literacy programs.
• David JonescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDavid Jones proudly supports ALNF's life-changing literacy programs across Australia to close the Indigenous literacy gap and empower First Nations communities through the sale of a 'Literacy is Freedom' t-shirt.
• ORTCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerORTC is a proud partner of ALNF, sharing a vision for a nation where every First Nations child can read, write and dream big. Collaborative swimwear is sold with proceeds supporting ALNF.
• Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALNF partnered with AERO to release a report highlighting the value of a peer mentoring approach for workforce development across early childhood education and care settings, with reflective practices, collaborative learning and shared knowledge helping educators respond practically to children's needs.
• World Vision AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALNF and World Vision Australia jointly released the report 'Connecting on Country: Closing The Digital Divide for First Nations Students In The Age of COVID-19', calling on the Australian Government to close the unfair Digital Divide disproportionately affecting Indigenous communities.
• Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACER collaborated with ALNF to develop the ELLDI as part of a comprehensive five-year independent evaluation of ALNF's EL&L Program (the ODEC Study). ACER conducted independent research validating the ELLDI scale against major Australian and international datasets.
• National Coalition for Early Language and LiteracycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALNF spearheaded a National Coalition of leading organisations in Australia calling for a National Early Language and Literacy Strategy — the first of its kind in Australia — with a proposed strategy published at earlylanguageandliteracy.org.au.
• Ninti Training Limited (NTL), RTO 70018coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerALNF delivers its nationally accredited training courses (Certificate IV in Early Language and Literacy and Certificate III in Coding Aboriginal Languages for Indigenous Literacy) through Ninti Training Limited (NTL), RTO 70018.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Australian Literacy Educators' Association (ALEA): National professional association for literacy educators in Australia. Comparable focus on evidence-based literacy practice and policy advocacy, though operating as a membership body rather than direct service provider.
• ProLiteracy: US-based adult literacy organisation supporting programs worldwide. Comparable focus on literacy instruction and assessment for marginalised populations, with similar evidence-based advocacy approach.
• Room to Read: Global literacy non-profit operating in low-income communities with a focus on literacy instruction and book publishing in local languages. Comparable mission and community-led delivery, though larger international footprint.
• Mission Australia: One of Australia's largest community organisations addressing homelessness, education, and youth disadvantage. Larger scope and scale than ALNF but overlapping focus on literacy, education access, and refugee support.

Direct peers

• The Smith Family: Large Australian education charity focused on children's learning and literacy support for disadvantaged families. Comparable scale, donation-driven model, and mission to address educational inequity for marginalised Australian children.
• Indigenous Literacy Foundation: Australia's other major Indigenous-focused literacy charity, running the Book Buzz and Community Publishing programs. Directly comparable mission targeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander literacy outcomes through community-led programs.
• Literacy for Life Foundation: Australian charity delivering adult literacy programs via the 'Yes I Can' campaign, focused on functional literacy in disadvantaged communities. Overlapping donor base and similar community-led delivery model.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (Australia): Global book-gifting program with Australian operations providing free books to children. Direct overlap with ALNF's Share-A-Book and Literacy & Numeracy Packs in distributing high-quality books to children in marginalised communities.

Regional players

• First Nations Foundation: Australian Indigenous-led foundation focused on financial wellbeing and cultural strength for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Comparable mission-driven, community-led model and donor ecosystem.

Others

• Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO): Australian national education research body that has partnered with ALNF on workforce development reports. Adjacent ecosystem participant — not a competitor but a strategic research collaborator in evidence-based literacy practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheALNF
• LinkedInau.linkedin.com/company/the-australian-literacy-&-numeracy-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/alnf_/?
• Xx.com/theALNF

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation