Literacy Partners

What Literacy Partners does

Literacy Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1973 (originally as Literacy Volunteers of New York City, renamed in 1995) that operates adult-literacy programs built around a research-based, two-generation model in which parents' literacy gains and child literacy outcomes are pursued simultaneously. The organization delivers free intensive English classes (English for Parents) and foundational reading instruction (Reading for Adults) to parents, caregivers, and adults 18+, paired with community workshops in English and Spanish, a home-library book distribution program (Books of Their Own) that mails tens of thousands of culturally relevant children's books each year, and an Emmy Award-winning educational-media portfolio that includes the Univision telenovela La Fuerza de Creer and the dramatic comedy series We Speak NYC. The technology layer combines a two-generation literacy curriculum with media content designed under Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles so it remains visually accessible to low-literacy adult learners in both English and Spanish, distributed via broadcast television, social media, and WhatsApp chats operated by a bilingual team.

The intensive reading-instruction model pairs teacher-led classroom instruction with one-on-one volunteer tutoring and access to trained social workers, with students receiving five age-appropriate books twice yearly to build home libraries. All programs and materials are provided at no cost to participants. Literacy Partners is funded through individual donations (one-time, recurring, and legacy/Planned Giving via the Literacy Champions Circle), corporate matching gifts, foundation and institutional grants, an Evening of Readings annual gala with a multi-tier sponsorship stack, cy pres awards, and an NYC Marathon charity running team. From a single headquarters at 75 Maiden Lane in Manhattan, the organization serves participants in more than 30 states and Puerto Rico, with current direct-service focus on New York City, San Diego, Philadelphia, and Nevada.

Name

Literacy Partners

Legal name

Literacy Partners, Inc.

Website

https://literacypartners.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Literacy Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1973 that delivers free adult literacy programs using a two-generation model, combining intensive English and reading classes, home-library book distribution, and Emmy Award-winning educational media for parents and caregivers in New York City, San Diego, Philadelphia, Nevada, and beyond.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult and Family Literacy Education

NAICS

Language Schools (611630), Educational Services (611), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Literacy (Parent/Child & Intergenerational) (EDAAAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Foundational Reading & Writing Literacy (EDAAAAAA), Family Literacy & Early Language Development Programs (EDACALAE), Early Literacy & Reading Intervention Programs (EDAGAAAD), Graded Readers & Extensive Reading Programs (EDAGAHAK)

Keywords

• Adult literacy education
• Family literacy programs
• English language instruction
• Educational media production
• Community workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual donations (one-time and recurring): One-time and monthly/annual recurring gifts from individual donors processed via donate page, Donor-Advised Funds, checks, wire transfers, stock gifts, and Planned Giving/legacy bequests (Literacy Champions Circle).
2. Corporate matching gifts: Employer-matching programs where companies match employee donations and volunteer hours, facilitated through Double the Donation.
3. Annual Gala & corporate sponsorships: Evening of Readings Gala tiers (Visionaries, Trailblazers, Patrons, Benefactors, Partners, Friends, Contributors), corporate sponsorships of NYC Marathon team, and high-impact program sponsorships.
4. Foundation and institutional grants: Foundation grants visible as funder logos on the Community Workshops page.
5. Planned giving / legacy bequests: Bequests, retirement plan beneficiary designations, donor-advised fund future distributions, and non-probate assets (IRAs, life insurance) designated to Literacy Partners; recognized through The Literacy Champions Circle.
6. Cy Pres awards: Designated beneficiary of unclaimed or leftover funds from class action lawsuits or court cases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Core offering

Literacy Partners delivers free adult and family literacy education through intensive classes (English for Parents and Reading for Adults), community workshops (Science of Reading in English; La Fuerza de Familias Latinas in Spanish), the Books of Their Own home-library book distribution initiative, and award-winning bilingual educational media including the Univision telenovela La Fuerza de Creer and the dramatic-comedy series We Speak NYC. All programming is built on a research-based two-generation approach that develops adult literacy while building parents' capacity to support early childhood literacy.

Product overview

Literacy Partners operates a portfolio of integrated literacy-education programs organized around a two-generation approach rather than a single unified software product. The core offerings are two intensive classroom programs—English for Parents and Reading for Adults—paired with the Books of Their Own (BOTO) home-library initiative that distributes culturally relevant children's books to every student. Layered on top are educational-media productions (the Emmy-winning "La Fuerza de Creer" telenovela and "We Speak NYC" dramatic-comedy series), community workshops (the Science of Reading series for English speakers and La Fuerza de Familias Latinas for Spanish speakers), and engagement programs including Corporate Volunteering and the TCS NYC Marathon team. Together these components form the organization's service platform, with BOTO and educational media serving as cross-cutting modules that reinforce the outcomes of both the intensive classes and the community workshops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• La Fuerza de Creer: Emmy Award-winning educational television miniseries produced in partnership with Univision, modeling ways Latine families and caregivers promote children's literacy, healthy development, and social-emotional growth. Won Emmy Awards in 2019 and 2024.
• We Speak NYC
• Books of Their Own (BOTO)
• La Fuerza de Familias Latinas
• The Power of Families

Products and services

• English for Parents Free English classes for parents, grandparents, and caregivers of young children, delivered in-person, hybrid, or online. Curriculum focuses on health literacy and everyday language to help parents advocate for their families, with built-in small-group conversation practice with native English-speaking partners.
• Reading for Adults Foundational literacy and reading program for adults 18+ combining teacher-led reading instruction with personalized one-on-one volunteer tutoring, social worker access, and pathways to further Adult Basic Education, GED prep, or workforce credentials.
• Books of Their Own (BOTO) Program that distributes tens of thousands of age- and language-appropriate, culturally responsive children's books annually to families nationwide, providing every student with a home library plus parent coaching to make family reading a daily habit.
• Broadcast Television, Video, and Digital Content Award-winning multimedia portfolio including the Emmy-winning Univision telenovela La Fuerza de Creer, the Emmy-winning nine-episode dramatic comedy We Speak NYC for new immigrants, video shorts, tip cards (Consejos), and read-aloud (Cuentacuentos) content, designed with Universal Design for Learning principles for low-literacy adult learners in English and Spanish.
• Science of Reading Workshop Five-session parent workshop (available in English and Spanish) equipping parents and caregivers of elementary school children with evidence-based tools across the five pillars of the Science of Reading — phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension — plus parent advocacy strategies.
• La Fuerza de Familias Latinas Spanish-language literacy, reading, and STEM workshop program comprising the Family Engagement Workshops (5 x 90-minute virtual sessions) and Leyendo en Casa (1 x 60-minute sessions built around the Emmy-winning telenovela La Fuerza de Creer), designed to build Spanish-speaking parents' capacity to promote early learning, social-emotional growth, and school readiness.
• Corporate Volunteering Program for corporate groups offering in-person Books of Their Own bundling days, letter-writing workshops, 1:1 tutoring and conversation-practice partnerships (online and in-person), plus high-impact sponsorships tied to the NYC Marathon team, the annual Gala, and Annual Program Benefactors.
• Team Literacy Partners (TCS NYC Marathon) Charity running team offering guaranteed entry into the TCS New York City Marathon in exchange for fundraising, with team t-shirt, exclusive events, personalized fundraising page, and social-media promotion.
• Evening of Readings Annual Gala Long-running annual benefit (first held in 1986, marking its 40th anniversary in 2026) featuring honorees, gala committee leadership, multi-tier corporate sponsorships (Visionaries, Trailblazers, Patrons, Benefactors, Partners, Friends, Contributors), and ticketed tables.
• Literacy Champions Circle (Planned Giving Society) Planned-giving society that recognizes donors who include Literacy Partners in their will, trust, retirement plan, or donor-advised fund, offering optional recognition, exclusive events, and impact updates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 78% graduate to the next English level in English for Parents
• +9 more outcomes

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• UnivisionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-created the Emmy Award-winning STEM-focused educational telenovela La Fuerza de Creer. Trusted content partner referenced in collaboration with the Department of Education to tailor content for Latine families and caregivers.
• U.S. Department of EducationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNamed trusted partner collaborating on tailored educational media for adult learners and parent leaders.
• News CorpflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerVisionaries-tier sponsor of the Evening of Readings Annual Gala (2026 listing).
• Bloomberg PhilanthropiesflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTrailblazers-tier sponsor of the Evening of Readings Annual Gala (2026 listing).
• Penguin Random HouseflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPatrons-tier sponsor of the Evening of Readings Annual Gala (2026 listing). Industry-aligned publisher with deep mission overlap on literacy.
• HarperCollinscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBenefactors-tier sponsor of the Evening of Readings Annual Gala (2026 listing).
• Simon & SchustercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBenefactors-tier sponsor of the Evening of Readings Annual Gala (2026 listing).
• Macmillan PublisherscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBenefactors-tier sponsor of the Evening of Readings Annual Gala (2026 listing).
• LexisNexiscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBenefactors-tier sponsor of the Evening of Readings Annual Gala (2026 listing). Todd Larsen, President of Nexis Solutions/LexisNexis, sits on the board.
• Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & KatzcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTrailblazers-tier sponsor of the Evening of Readings Annual Gala (2026 listing).
• The Venetian Resort Las VegascoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBenefactors-tier sponsor of the Evening of Readings Annual Gala (2026 listing). Calvin Siemer, Chief Legal Officer of The Venetian Las Vegas, sits on the board.
• Writers HouseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBenefactors-tier sponsor of the Evening of Readings Annual Gala (2026 listing).
• Double the DonationcoreTechnology or IntegrationPowers the matching-gift and volunteer-grant lookup widget on the Matching Gifts page to help donors identify and submit employer match requests.
• Galaxy Digital (volunteer portal)coreTechnology or IntegrationPowers the volunteer registration and program sign-up pages for English for Parents, Reading for Adults, Books of Their Own, and corporate volunteering.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ProLiteracy: National adult literacy nonprofit that supports a network of local literacy programs across the U.S. Most direct peer: comparable adult basic education mission, volunteer-tutor model, and national advocacy footprint.
• National Center for Families Learning (NCFL): Family-literacy nonprofit operating two-generation programs across the U.S. Closely aligned with LP's two-generation approach; confirmed grant funder relationship ($30,000 grant on file) underscores peer overlap in mission and donor ecosystem.
• Reach Out and Read: National nonprofit that leverages pediatricians to promote early childhood literacy, including book distribution to low-income families. Comparable model of combining book distribution with parent coaching to build home libraries.
• First Book: Nonprofit distributor that provides low-cost or free books to programs serving children from low-income families. Comparable book-distribution mechanism to LP's Books of Their Own, with publisher partnerships supplying inventory.
• Reading Is Fundamental (RIF): Long-standing U.S. children's literacy nonprofit providing free books and literacy resources to underserved kids. Comparable mission, book-distribution scale, and reliance on corporate/publisher sponsorships.
• Literacy Inc (LINC): NYC-based family literacy nonprofit serving low-income communities with school-based reading programs. Direct geographic peer operating in LP's primary market with overlapping two-generation approach and school partnerships.
• Raising A Reader: National family-literacy nonprofit that partners with schools and libraries to deliver book rotation and parent engagement programs. Closely comparable home-library and parent-coaching model to LP's Books of Their Own + workshops.
• Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy: Foundation funding family-literacy programs nationally, with grantmaking and its own programming. Comparable two-generation mission, federal/foundation funding profile, and advocacy leadership in the family-literacy sector.
• Dollar General Literacy Foundation: Corporate foundation funding adult literacy, family literacy, and English-language learner programs across the U.S. Comparable funder-adjacent role in the adult-literacy ecosystem and overlapping grant-recipient landscape.

Regional players

• National Literacy Trust: U.K.-based independent charity working to improve literacy across the U.K. Comparable adult-and-family literacy mission, programmatic + media advocacy model, and major-award positioning, but operates in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/LiteracyPartners
• Facebookfacebook.com/LiteracyPartners
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/literacy-partners
• Instagraminstagram.com/litpartners
• Xx.com/LitPartners

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Literacy Partners