What 826NYC does

826NYC is a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth writing organization founded in 2004 as the second chapter of the 826 National network (originated by Dave Eggers and Nínive Calegari in San Francisco in 2002). It delivers in-person creative and expository writing programs to approximately 3,600 New York City students ages 6–18 annually, with a deliberate focus on Title I public schools and underserved youth. Core programs include Write After School (grades 6–8 after-school workshops), Young Writers Publish (in-school residencies that produce student-authored books), Teen Writers' Collective (grades 8–12 year-long program), Write Away Workshops, Dungeons & Dragons & Writers, summer storytelling camps, personal-statement/college essay workshops, and field trips. The organization operates behind a "secret door" inside the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., a retail storefront whose proceeds support programs.

The underlying operating model is service-based rather than technology-based: no proprietary software platform, app, or AI system is disclosed in the source material. Programs are delivered by a mix of paid staff (Executive Director, Director of Education, Senior Volunteer and Programs Manager, Senior Store and Operations Manager, Development & Communications Coordinator, Store Associate, and Teaching Artists) plus a volunteer base referenced as "hundreds." The organization reports self-measured outcome metrics — 94% of after-school students show social-emotional gains, 95% agree 826NYC improves their writing, and 95% agree it lets them be creative and try new things.

Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) donations and charitable contributions from individual donors, institutional funders, corporate partners (Amazon Literary Partners, Penguin Random House, Microsoft, JetBlue), and government arts grants (NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, National Endowment for the Arts, NYC Council, NYS Council on the Arts, Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation); (2) Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. retail and e-commerce sales; and (3) sliding-scale program fees (e.g., summer camp at $600/week full price, $300 partial scholarship, or free; Write After School free for income-qualified families). Distribution is entirely NYC-domestic, delivered through the Brooklyn writing center and partner school residencies.

Name

826NYC

Legal name

826NYC INC

Website

https://826nyc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

826NYC is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit youth writing organization that delivers in-person creative and expository writing programs to roughly 3,600 NYC students ages 6-18 annually, prioritizing Title I schools, and funds operations through donations, retail sales at the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., and sliding-scale program fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Creative Writing Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s & YA Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

College Application & Personal Statement Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAN), Writing Skills & Composition Enrichment (EDAMAJAC), Writing, Journalism & Publishing Camps (EDAMALAM)

Keywords

• Creative writing education
• Youth writing programs
• After-school enrichment
• Student publishing
• Nonprofit education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donors, institutional funders, corporate partners, and government grants provide the primary funding for operations. The organization accepts stock donations, DAF donations, and matching gifts. Various donor tiers from $50,000+ to $4,999 and under are listed.
2. Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. Retail Sales: The organization's retail store sells superhero supplies, books by young authors, and novelty items. All store purchases directly support 826NYC's creative writing programs.
3. Program Fees: Some programs charge fees on a sliding scale including full price ($600/week for summer camp), partial scholarships ($300/week), and free options. Write After School is free for income-qualified students meeting 80% area median income criteria.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

826NYC is a nonprofit creative writing organization that delivers in-person writing programs to NYC students ages 6-18 (grades 1-12), including after-school workshops, in-school residencies, field trips, teen leadership collectives, weekend workshops, and summer camps, all culminating in published student-authored work. Programs are led by trained teaching artists and volunteers and offered on a sliding scale with full scholarships for income-qualified families. The organization also operates the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., a retail store located behind a secret door at its Brooklyn writing center, whose sales directly fund the writing programs.

Product overview

826NYC is a nonprofit youth writing organization offering a portfolio of creative writing programs for students grades 1-12. The core offerings include Write After School (after-school writing programs for grades 2-8), Young Writers Publish (in-school residencies), Teen Writers' Collective (year-long teen program), Dungeons & Dragons & Writers, Write Away Workshops, and Summer Storytelling & Bookmaking camps. All programs culminate in published student work. The organization also operates the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., a retail store whose proceeds fund programs. There is no unified software platform—the organization functions as a service-based nonprofit with in-person programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Write After School An engaging, personalized after-school program where middle school students (grades 6-8) develop creative writing skills through semester-long projects and weekly workshops covering genres from playwriting to podcasting. Free for income-qualified students meeting 80% area median income.
• Young Writers Publish An in-school residency program where 826NYC teaching artists collaborate with educators to transform students in grades 5-12 into published authors through creative writing projects culminating in books, chapbooks, or zines. Delivered at partner schools, with prioritization of Title I schools.
• Write Together Field Trips Interactive 2-hour writing field trips to 826NYC where student groups step behind the secret door and leave as published authors. Designed for school classes visiting the Brooklyn writing center.
• Teen Writers' Collective A year-long program for motivated young writers (grades 8-12) exploring the art of writing and literary citizenship.
• Dungeons & Dragons & Writers Weekly meetings where students in grades 5-8 plot epic quests and stories through an unknown land with magical creatures, combining collaborative storytelling with creative writing.
• Write Away Workshops Five-week workshops throughout the school year exploring themes from science fiction to scene writing and other genres (e.g., The 826 Space Voyage: Sci-Fi & Circuitry for grades 4-6).
• Summer Storytelling & Bookmaking Collaborative one-time writing workshops where young storytellers become published authors, creating original stories with staff and volunteers. Offered as summer camp at $600/week full price, $300/week partial scholarship, or free with $25 deposit.
• Personal Statement Workshops Workshops helping high school students craft college application essays that show their power, potential, and voices.
• Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. A retail store located behind a secret door at 826NYC, selling books by young authors, superhero costumes and accessories, and novelty items; all proceeds support 826NYC's creative writing programs. Operates both a physical storefront and an e-commerce site.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of after-school students demonstrate social-emotional gains
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• 826 NationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner826NYC is part of the 826 Network, a chapter-based system of youth writing centers. 826 National operates 826 Digital and provides organizational support, resources, and brand association with other chapters including 826 Valencia, 826 Boston, 826CHI, 826DC, 826LA, 826 Michigan, 826MSP, and 826 New Orleans.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• 826 Boston: 826 Boston is a sister chapter operating the same youth writing center model in Boston. Same programs (after-school, residencies, publishing), same 826 Network brand backing, same volunteer-driven delivery—but in a different U.S. metro than 826NYC.
• 826 Valencia: 826 Valencia is the founding 826 chapter in San Francisco, using the identical operating model, volunteer pipeline, and student-publication approach—but in a different geography. It is the structural template 826NYC was built from and a benchmark for replication.
• 826DC: 826DC is the Washington, D.C. 826 chapter operating the same storefront-plus-secret-door concept with a comparable youth writing program portfolio. Sister-chapter comparison with strong geographic separation from 826NYC.
• Badgerdog Literary Arts: Badgerdog Literary Arts is an Austin, TX-based nonprofit running in-person creative writing workshops for youth, school residencies, and student publications—an offering structure almost identical to 826NYC's, but serving a different region.
• 826LA: 826LA runs the Los Angeles 826 chapter with the same youth writing center and student-publication model. National network affiliation and shared operating approach make it a highly comparable non-competing peer.
• 826CHI: 826CHI runs the Chicago chapter of the 826 Network, offering the same menu of creative writing workshops, school partnerships, and student publication opportunities to Chicago youth. Operates in a separate geography but with highly comparable mission and delivery.

Direct peers

• Writopia Lab: Writopia Lab runs in-person creative writing workshops for youth (and has NYC locations), directly competing with 826NYC for the same student demographics and parent-paid programming. Core offering—published student writing through small-group, taught workshops—mirrors 826NYC's Write After School and Personal Statement programs.
• Lighthouse Writers Workshop: Lighthouse Writers Workshop is a Denver-based nonprofit creative writing center offering youth and teen workshops, school partnerships, and community programs. Comparable mission and programming model to 826NYC, but operates in a distinct geography with its own independent infrastructure.
• Girls Write Now: Girls Write Now is a NYC-based nonprofit pairing teen girls with professional writers for year-long mentoring and publication. Its publishing-focused youth writing model in the same NYC market—serving many of the same Title I and underserved demographics—makes it a directly comparable peer (a former 826NYC Director of Education, Naomi Solomon, also worked there).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/826NYC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles26 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 826NYC