826 Nationa
826 National is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the largest U.S. youth writing network through nine in-person chapters and the free 826 Digital platform, serving 903k+ students and 23k+ educators annually with tutoring, publishing, and mental health programming.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What 826 Nationa does
826 National is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002 in San Francisco that operates the largest youth writing network in the United States. The organization supports nine in-person chapters (Boston, Chicago, Ann Arbor, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New Orleans, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.) that deliver free after-school tutoring, field trips, in-school support, and workshops to students ages 6-18 from under-resourced communities, with 86% of students identifying as students of color. Complementary to the chapter network, 826 Digital is a free online platform providing lesson plans, writing prompts, student writing samples, and author-led video content to 23,000+ educators and parents nationwide. The organization publishes over 16,000 students annually in 3,500+ books and products, with annual anthologies co-developed with authors including Amanda Gorman, Jason Reynolds, Dave Eggers, and Ada Limón.
826 National's core technology is the 826 Digital platform, which functions as both a free content library and a self-serve educator acquisition channel. The platform features content from named literary figures and is integrated into third-party ed-tech distribution partners (Newsela, Common Sense Education, Overdrive). The 826 Writers' Room is a research-backed physical product co-developed with Northeastern University, embedded in partner schools as a dedicated third space for writing instruction. The publishing program, including a bookstore at store.826digital.com, produces branded outputs that double as marketing assets.
826 National operates a donation-based revenue model with three principal streams: individual donations (one-time, recurring, planned, stock, DAF, employer matching, in-kind, and cryptocurrency), institutional foundation grants tied to strategic plan goals, and bookstore sales of student anthologies. All core programs are 100% free for students and educators. The strategic plan targets serving one million students and 35,000 educators while growing annual revenue to $4M. Go-to-market combines a community-led hub-and-spoke model (chapters + digital) with direct donor engagement via website, newsletters, and volunteer cultivation. The 2025 launch of the Write to Thrive Fund extends the model into youth mental health, positioning the organization at the intersection of writing education and preventative mental health intervention.
826 Nationa firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 826 Nationa
- Legal name
- 826 National
- Website
- https://826national.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- 826 National is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the largest U.S. youth writing network through nine in-person chapters and the free 826 Digital platform, serving 903k+ students and 23k+ educators annually with tutoring, publishing, and mental health programming.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
826 Nationa industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Writing Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Children’s & YA Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Writing Skills & Composition Enrichment (EDAMAJAC), Essay, Research & Academic Writing (Middle/High School) (EDAMAJAL)
Keywords
Where 826 Nationa is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices10 records
Markets served
826 Nationa business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: One-time, recurring, and planned gifts from individual donors supporting free writing programs for students and resources for educators.
- Institutional Grants: Foundation and institutional funding to support strategic plan goals including serving one million students, 35,000 educators, and growing annual revenue to $4M.
- Student Publications Sales: Sales of student anthologies and books through the 826 Bookstore, with proceeds supporting free publishing opportunities and writing resources.
- Volunteer Services (In-Kind): Over 5,000 volunteers annually provide after-school tutoring, field trip facilitation, in-school support, and workshop leadership at no cost to students.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free programs for students |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
826 Nationa product offering
Product offeringCore offering
826 National operates the largest youth writing network in the United States, supporting nine in-person chapters that provide free after-school tutoring, field trips, in-school support, and workshops for students ages 6-18 from under-resourced communities. The organization also runs 826 Digital, a free online platform offering lesson plans, writing prompts, and educator resources, and publishes student writing in over 3,500 books and products annually.
Product overview
826 National operates a multi-component platform approach centered on the 826 Network (nine in-person chapters providing free writing programs), 826 Digital (free online teaching resources including lesson plans, writing prompts, and videos), and Student Publishing (publishing opportunities for young authors). The Write to Thrive Fund extends their model as a mental health initiative, while the 826 Writers' Room brings their approach into partner schools. Research Publications document impact and best practices. Together, these offerings create a comprehensive youth writing education ecosystem reaching over 903,000 students annually.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 826 Digital A free online platform providing hundreds of lesson plans, writing prompts, student writing samples, videos, and educator tools designed by educators and field-tested by the 826 Network.
- 826 Network Chapters The largest youth writing network in the country, consisting of nine in-person chapters across major U.S. cities (Boston, Chicago, Detroit/Ann Arbor, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New Orleans, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington DC) providing free writing and publishing programs in creative spaces.
- Student Publishing Program Program that publishes books by young writers, empowering students with platforms to share their voices and see their words in print. Publishes over 16,000 students annually in over 3,500 books and products.
- Write to Thrive Fund A first-of-its-kind literacy mental health fund providing grants, educator training, and curriculum to schools and youth organizations to integrate writing as a preventative mental health tool for students in grades 4-12.
- 826 Writers' Room Dedicated third spaces housed within partner schools where students immerse themselves in writing craft, build writing skills, and explore creativity in a supportive environment.
- 826 Bookstore Online bookstore offering printed publications, teaching resources, and student anthologies for educators and parents, with proceeds supporting free publishing opportunities.
- Research Publications Reports and studies on writing education, program impact, and best practices including 'The Truth About Writing Education in America' series, quick reports on student gains, and external evaluations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 91% of students report 826 helped their writing improve
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use 826 Nationa
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
826 Nationa technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
826 Nationa partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Tony Weaver, Jr.coreWriter and educator partner who collaborated on the 2026 student anthology 'No Ordinary Dreamer' featuring science fiction and visions of the future. Contributed the foreword to the anthology and created the 'Write Your Power' 826 Digital lesson exploring world-building and speculative fiction.
- Jason Reynoldscore#1 New York Times bestselling author of award-winning books who has created 826 Digital lessons including 'A Place Worth Being' with students writing personal narratives. Active advocate for youth writing education.
- Amanda Gormancore#1 New York Times bestselling author and presidential inaugural poet who partnered on student publications and shares poetry through 826 Digital lessons including 'Last Times.' Board member of 826 National.
- Dave EggerscoreFounder of McSweeney's Publishing and award-winning author who created 826 Digital lessons on golden details, character development, and setting. Long-time supporter and board member.
- Ada Limóncore24th Poet Laureate of The United States who created the 826 Digital lesson 'The Beast' inviting students to consider personal connections to animals through poetry.
- John KrasinskiflagshipWriter and Director collaborated on the 'Big Book of IFs' between 826 and Paramount Pictures, inspired by the 2024 film 'IF'. Described 826 as 'a beacon of creativity and exploration like no other.'
- Mychal ThreetscoreLiteracy Ambassador who partnered on the 2025 student anthology 'UNBOUND: The Power and Possibility of Young Writers' Emotions' and collaborated on Poem in Your Pocket Day celebrations.
- Javier ZamoracoreSalvadoran poet and activist who created the 'Hear Me Out' 826 Digital video lesson featuring writing activities.
- Academy of American PoetscoreAnnual partner for Poem in Your Pocket Day celebrations, creating printable pocket poem zines featuring student work alongside 826 National.
- Cartoon NetworkcoreProgram partner that has collaborated on youth writing initiatives including student lessons and educational content.
- PBS News HourcoreMedia partner collaborating on student reporting and youth writing coverage.
- Paramount PicturesflagshipFilm studio partner on the 'Big Book of IFs' collaboration inspired by the 2024 film 'IF', bringing 826 student writing to wider audiences.
- National Writing ProjectcoreProgram partner supporting writing education initiatives and educator professional development.
- The Jed FoundationcorePartner supporting youth mental health initiatives. Director of Community Programs Erlinda Delacruz quoted endorsing the Write to Thrive Fund as a preventative mental health intervention.
- We Need Diverse BookscoreProgram partner advocating for diversity in publishing and supporting underrepresented youth voices.
- New York Public LibrarycoreInstitutional partner supporting youth literacy and student writing programs.
- Teach For AmericacoreProgram partner supporting educator development and classroom writing instruction.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
826 Nationa competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
826 Nationa social profiles
Digital presence826 Nationa financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
826 Nationa leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
826 Nationa subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries10 records
826 Nationa funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
826 Nationa 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 826 Nationa
What does 826 Nationa do?
826 National operates the largest youth writing network in the United States, supporting nine in-person chapters that provide free after-school tutoring, field trips, in-school support, and workshops for students ages 6-18 from under-resourced communities. The organization also runs 826 Digital, a free online platform offering lesson plans, writing prompts, and educator resources, and publishes student writing in over 3,500 books and products annually.
Is 826 Nationa a public or private company?
826 Nationa is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was 826 Nationa founded?
826 Nationa was founded in 2002. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is 826 Nationa based?
826 Nationa is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does 826 Nationa make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are institutional Grants, student Publications Sales and volunteer Services (In-Kind).
Does 826 Nationa have an API?
No public API is recorded for 826 Nationa.
What industry is 826 Nationa in?
826 Nationa's product category is Youth Writing Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAMAF, Children’s & YA Writing Workshops, with a secondary code of EDAMAJAC, Writing Skills & Composition Enrichment. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.