Behind the Book
Behind the Book is a NYC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2003, that delivers in-school literacy programs featuring author visits, workshops, and student publishing to K-12 students in Title I public schools across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, funded through donations, corporate partnerships, and foundation grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Behind the Book does
Behind the Book is a New York City-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2003 that delivers in-school literacy programs to K-12 students in Title I public schools across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. Its core offering is a Signature School Program comprising 8-16 classroom sessions of author visits, reading and writing workshops, art workshops, special speakers, and field trips, with many students culminating as published authors in professionally designed student anthologies. The organization also operates All-School Programs, Summer School Programs, an Annual Book Bash community giveaway, and a newly launched Professional Development Program for educators — all rooted in an evidence-based pedagogy grounded in Self-Determination Theory (autonomy, competence, relatedness), validated through a Columbia University Teachers College white paper and recurring Intrinsic Motivation Inventory outcome data.
The organization's underlying "technology" is its pedagogy and curated content library rather than software; there is no digital platform, app, or API. Programs are delivered in person in classrooms, libraries, and corporate offices, with deep engagement from a 100+ author network and recurring corporate volunteer partnerships (KPMG, DTCC, Skadden, Kirkland & Ellis, Mayer Brown, Alston & Bird, Penguin Random House). The 2024-25 school year served 20 schools and 51 classrooms with 383 workshops reaching 1,115 students and producing 325 published authors, contributing to a cumulative footprint of 26,941 students served and 126,900+ books distributed since founding.
The business model is donation- and grant-funded philanthropy. Programs are free to schools; revenue is generated through individual donations (tiered giving levels of $100, $300, $600, and $1,300 per program component), corporate partnerships and sponsorships, foundation grants (notably Guru Krupa Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts), and an annual benefit event (Liberate Literacy!) that in 2025 launched a $1 million fundraising campaign. With approximately 8 staff members and headquarters in Harlem, the organization is lean and mission-constrained by design rather than by market opportunity.
Behind the Book firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Behind the Book
- Legal name
- Behind the Book
- Website
- https://behindthebook.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Behind the Book is a NYC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2003, that delivers in-school literacy programs featuring author visits, workshops, and student publishing to K-12 students in Title I public schools across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, funded through donations, corporate partnerships, and foundation grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Behind the Book industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Literacy Education
- NAICS
- All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Literacy & Numeracy Intervention (Reading/Math Support) (EDAJALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Literature & Book Clubs / Guided Reading Groups (EDAMAJAG), Children’s & YA Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAF), Reading Comprehension & Close Reading Enrichment (EDAMAJAB)
Keywords
Where Behind the Book is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Behind the Book business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting literacy programs. Suggested amounts: $100 for 10 children's books, $300 for classroom books, $600 for author visit, $1,300 for entire school program.
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporate sponsorships, employee volunteer programs, book drives, and event sponsorships. Companies like KPMG, DTCC have partnered for specific programs and events.
- Government and Foundation Grants: Grants from organizations like New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), Guru Krupa Foundation, and other institutional funders supporting literacy programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One-time | $100 donation level |
| Other | One-time | $300 donation level |
| Other | One-time | $600 donation level |
| Other | One-time | $1,300 donation level |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Behind the Book product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Behind the Book designs and delivers in-school literacy programs for K-12 students in New York City Title I public schools, featuring 8–16 workshop sessions with author visits, reading/writing workshops, art workshops, special speakers, and field trips, culminating in professionally designed student book anthologies. All programs are provided at no cost to schools and are funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation/government grants.
Product overview
Behind the Book operates as a nonprofit literacy organization offering educational programs primarily in New York City Title I schools. The core offering is the Signature School Program—a classroom-based literacy intervention featuring workshops, author visits, writing activities, and art projects spanning 8-16 sessions. Students work toward producing professionally published anthologies of their own writing and art. The organization also offers All-School Programs (rebranded as Teacher-Led Programs), Summer School Programs, and a new Professional Development Program for educators. Community engagement includes the Annual Book Bash book giveaway and Mentor Volunteer Program. Corporate partnership opportunities allow businesses to sponsor classrooms, host office visits, or provide volunteer support. The organization does not offer a software product, API, or technology platform—its offerings are exclusively in-person educational programs and events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Signature School Program In-classroom and library program of 8–16 workshops featuring author visits, reading/writing workshops, art workshops, special speakers, and field trips for K-12 students in NYC Title I public schools; many students leave as published authors in professionally designed student books.
- All-School Programs (Teacher-Led Programs) Custom school-wide curriculum implemented across multiple classrooms with author-led assemblies, designed and trained for entire Title I schools (e.g., the Nubia: The Awakening Afrofuturism program at Frederick Douglass Academy III).
- Summer School Programs Intensive literacy programming delivered during July–August summer sessions, primarily targeting middle school students in NYC Title I schools.
- Professional Development Program Educator training on intrinsic motivation strategies, culturally responsive teaching, and critical thinking facilitation designed to help teachers sustain literacy engagement in their own classrooms.
- Student Books Publishing Professionally designed anthologies of student writing, illustration, and creative work produced as the culminating output of Behind the Book programs, turning participating students into published authors.
- Annual Book Bash Annual community book giveaway event in Harlem that distributes thousands of new, diverse books to NYC children and families, particularly in book deserts and underserved neighborhoods.
Quantifiable outcome
- 78% of students reported increased sense of autonomy
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Behind the Book
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Behind the Book technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Behind the Book partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- KPMGcoreCorporate partner providing lawyers as volunteers for social justice education programs. Students from M.S. 296 visited KPMG's Midtown Manhattan offices to work with lawyers on case law research related to BtB programs exploring youth and the law.
- DTCC (Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation)secondaryCorporate partner hosting author events for Behind the Book programs. DTCC Takeaway Book program sponsors book distribution to students.
- Penguin Random HousecorePublisher collaboration on All-School Programs, including the Nubia: The Awakening program with authors Omar Epps and Clarence Haynes at Frederick Douglass Academy III in the Bronx.
- New York Public LibrarysecondaryFeatured community partner providing library spaces for programming and extending reach to families outside of school settings.
- Queens Public LibrarysecondaryFeatured community partner providing library spaces for programming and extending reach to families.
- Innocence ProjectsecondaryNonprofit partner that exonerates wrongfully convicted individuals through DNA testing. Sent guest speakers to BtB classroom programs exploring criminal justice themes through literature like 'From the Desk of Zoe Washington.'
- Columbia University Teachers College (CPET)coreCollaborated on white paper examining best practices in literacy engagement. Dr. Roberta Lenger Kang and G. Faith Little from CPET conducted research and writing for the study.
- Frederick Douglass Academy IIIcorePartner school for Afrofuturism All-School Program featuring 'Nubia: The Awakening' with authors Omar Epps and Clarence Haynes. 300 students participated in author panel and creative activities.
- Mayer BrownsecondaryLaw firm providing volunteer lawyers to work with students on case law research for social justice education programs.
- Alston & BirdsecondaryLaw firm providing volunteer lawyers to work with students on case law research for social justice education programs.
- Adaptive DesignssecondarySpecial speaker organization visiting BtB classrooms to discuss real-world accessibility changes for people with disabilities, complementing books on engineering and equity themes.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Behind the Book competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Literacy Inc. (LINC): NYC-based nonprofit focused on literacy outcomes for children in under-resourced communities. Direct comparable in mission, target population (low-income NYC families), and school-based delivery model.
- Reach Out and Read: Literacy nonprofit integrating book distribution into pediatric care for low-income families. Comparable mission around early literacy and book access in underserved communities, with similar evidence-based approach.
- 826NYC: NYC nonprofit providing writing tutoring and author-engagement programs for students ages 6–18. Closely comparable in author-visit-centric programming and student publishing model in NYC schools.
- Raising A Reader: National early-literacy nonprofit focused on book distribution and family engagement routines. Comparable mission and book-rotation model serving low-income families through partner sites.
- BookSpring: Nonprofit focused on building literacy skills and book-ownership habits among underserved children. Comparable in book distribution, school partnerships, and early-childhood literacy mission.
- Children's Literacy Initiative (CLI): Nonprofit providing literacy coaching, books, and professional development for educators in high-need schools. Comparable in professional-development-for-teachers model and Title I school focus.
Broad incumbents
- Room to Read: Global literacy nonprofit supporting reading instruction, author engagement, and book distribution. Comparable in mission and book-centric programming, but operates at much larger international scale.
- First Book: Large nonprofit that distributes books and educational resources to children from low-income families. Comparable in book-distribution model and Title I-equivalent targeting, but operates nationally and at greater scale.
- New York Public Library - Literacy Initiatives: NYPL operates literacy and after-school programs for NYC youth, including for Title I neighborhoods. Already a BtB partner; comparable in geography, target population, and program delivery.
Emerging players
- Dreamsickle Kids Foundation: Smaller emerging literacy/book-access nonprofit. Partial overlap in mission around book access for underserved youth, though at a much earlier stage of scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Behind the Book social profiles
Digital presenceBehind the Book financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Behind the Book leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Behind the Book funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Behind the Book M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Behind the Book
What does Behind the Book do?
Behind the Book designs and delivers in-school literacy programs for K-12 students in New York City Title I public schools, featuring 8–16 workshop sessions with author visits, reading/writing workshops, art workshops, special speakers, and field trips, culminating in professionally designed student book anthologies. All programs are provided at no cost to schools and are funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation/government grants.
Is Behind the Book a public or private company?
Behind the Book is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Behind the Book founded?
Behind the Book was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Behind the Book based?
Behind the Book is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Behind the Book make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and government and Foundation Grants.
Who are Behind the Book's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Literacy Inc. (LINC), Reach Out and Read, 826NYC, Raising A Reader, BookSpring and Children's Literacy Initiative (CLI). Broad incumbents are Room to Read, First Book and New York Public Library - Literacy Initiatives. Dreamsickle Kids Foundation is listed as an emerging player.
Does Behind the Book have an API?
No public API is recorded for Behind the Book.
What industry is Behind the Book in?
Behind the Book's product category is Youth Literacy Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJALAD, Literacy & Numeracy Intervention (Reading/Math Support), with a secondary code of EDAMAJAG, Literature & Book Clubs / Guided Reading Groups. Its NAICS code is 61169 and its SIC code is 8200.