Spellbinders
Spellbinders is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that recruits and certifies senior volunteers to deliver free oral storytelling sessions in elementary school classrooms across a federated network of 14 Licensed Local Storyteller Organizations, primarily in Colorado.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersGreensburg, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Spellbinders does
Spellbinders is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 1988 in Colorado, that operates an oral storytelling program connecting trained senior volunteers with elementary school children. The stated mission is to encourage character development and build intergenerational community through the art of oral storytelling. The organization's primary activity is recruiting, training, and certifying volunteer storytellers who deliver free in-person storytelling sessions at schools, libraries, senior centers, parks, and other community venues. There is no proprietary technology stack; service delivery is entirely people-driven. The organization is headquartered in Aurora, Colorado (mailing P.O. Box 461681), is governed by an all-volunteer Council of Trustees, and has cumulatively served more than 1 million elementary students since founding.
Spellbinders operates a federated affiliate model in which the national organization (Spellbinders National) supplies accredited training materials, certifies Spellbinders Certified Trainers, and maintains trademarked branding and standards, while 14 Licensed Local Storyteller Organizations (LLSOs) deliver the program locally across Colorado, Virginia, and Arkansas. Each LLSO is independently managed and recruits, trains, and places volunteer storytellers in local classrooms. As of the 2023-2024 outcomes report, approximately 303 active volunteer storytellers served 218 schools, visited 1,236 classrooms, and reached 215,628 audience members, supplemented by 46 other venues including libraries, parks, and senior centers.
Revenue is derived exclusively from donations, charitable contributions, grants, and licensing fees paid by LLSOs. All storytelling services are provided free of charge to schools and other venues; volunteers may accept travel reimbursements and limited administrative fees (e.g., $50 background checks). Go-to-market is community-led: teachers and schools contact the national office or local LLSOs directly, and awareness grows through teacher referrals, word-of-mouth, Rotary club sponsorships (e.g., Boulder Flatirons Rotary), partnerships with local arts councils (e.g., Broomfield Council on the Arts & Humanities), and earned media coverage.
Spellbinders firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Spellbinders
- Legal name
- Spellbinders
- Website
- https://spellbinders.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Spellbinders is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that recruits and certifies senior volunteers to deliver free oral storytelling sessions in elementary school classrooms across a federated network of 14 Licensed Local Storyteller Organizations, primarily in Colorado.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Spellbinders industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Services
- NAICS
- Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Writing Craft & Technique Workshops (Voice, Structure, Character, Style) (EDAMAMAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Creative Nonfiction & Memoir Workshops (EDAMAMAC)
Keywords
Where Spellbinders is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Greensburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Spellbinders business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: Spellbinders operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded primarily through donations and grants. The national organization and local LLSOs accept donations to support training materials, operations, and volunteer programs. The Colorado Gives Foundation is mentioned as a donation platform.
- Licensing Fees: Local organizations pay licensing fees to become Spellbinders Licensed Local Storyteller Organizations (LLSOs), providing revenue to support the national organization and its certified training materials, guidelines, and communication network.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Free storytelling program for schools and communities |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Spellbinders product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Spellbinders trains and certifies volunteer oral storytellers — predominantly retired adults — and places them in elementary school classrooms, libraries, and senior centers to deliver free, monthly storytelling sessions that build literacy and intergenerational connections. The national organization provides standardized training, certified trainers, and accredited curriculum, while 14 Licensed Local Storyteller Organizations (LLSOs) handle local volunteer recruitment and school scheduling.
Product overview
Spellbinders is a nonprofit organization offering an oral storytelling volunteer program that connects trained senior volunteers with children in schools and community settings. The core offering consists of the Spellbinders Oral Storytelling Program, supported by Volunteer Storytelling Training workshops and a network of 14 Licensed Local Storyteller Organizations (LLSOs) across multiple states. Additional offerings include Teacher Classroom Integration Services, a Storytelling Resources and Story Library, the Healthy Aging Initiative, and Family Storytelling Guidance. The organization operates as a platform model where Spellbinders National provides standardized training materials and certification while local LLSOs deliver the storytelling services independently.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Spellbinders Oral Storytelling Program The primary program connecting trained volunteer storytellers (primarily seniors) with children in classrooms, libraries, senior centers, and community venues to enhance literacy and build intergenerational connections through the art of oral storytelling.
- Volunteer Storytelling Training Comprehensive training workshops conducted by Spellbinders Certified Trainers that teach volunteers the art of oral storytelling, including story selection, delivery techniques, and classroom management.
- Licensed Local Storyteller Organizations (LLSOs) Local nonprofit chapters licensed by Spellbinders National that recruit, train, and place volunteer storytellers in their communities. Currently 14 LLSOs operate across multiple states including Colorado, Virginia, and Arkansas.
- Teacher Classroom Integration Services Coordination services connecting schools with trained volunteer storytellers who visit classrooms monthly to support literacy curriculum and the Common Core State Standards through oral storytelling.
- Storytelling Resources and Story Library Online repository of traditional folktales, fables, and stories with searchable categories, source lists, and guidance for finding stories suitable for oral storytelling performances.
- Healthy Aging Initiative A research-backed program utilizing intergenerational storytelling to promote healthy aging for seniors, featuring documented benefits including improved memory, social connection, and mental health for volunteer storytellers.
- Family Storytelling Guidance Educational materials and seasonal story prompts to help families share personal stories and create intergenerational connections through structured storytelling activities at home.
Quantifiable outcome
- 218 schools, 1,236 classrooms visited, 215,628 total audiences reached (2023-2024 school year)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Spellbinders
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Spellbinders technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Spellbinders partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Boulder Flatirons RotarycoreBoulder Valley Spellbinders is a Literacy Project sponsored by Boulder Flatirons Rotary. The Rotary club provides funding, visibility, and community support for the storytelling program serving Boulder Valley School District.
- Denver Public SchoolscoreOriginal partnership formed in 1988 when Volunteer Services Office of Denver Public Schools began sponsoring workshops to train volunteers. DPS Office of Volunteer Services remains a strong partner, providing access to schools and coordinating volunteer placements. This partnership was instrumental in the founding of Spellbinders.
- Broomfield Council on the Arts & Humanities (BCAH)coreBroomfield Spellbinders is a program of the Broomfield Council on the Arts & Humanities, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. BCAH provides organizational support, meeting space at Brunner Farmhouse, and administrative infrastructure for Broomfield Spellbinders.
- Denver Public Schools Office of Volunteer ServicescoreDPS Volunteer Services manages the Denver Spellbinders program, coordinates training at DPS Acoma Campus, conducts background checks for volunteers, and serves as a liaison between storytellers and schools.
- Libraries and Community CentersminorLocal libraries and community centers provide meeting space for LLSO monthly meetings and volunteer training sessions. Examples include Boulder Public Library, Castle Rock Library, Koelbel Library, and Frasier Meadows.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Spellbinders competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Generations United: National nonprofit dedicated to intergenerational programs and policies. Directly comparable as an advocacy and program organization focused on connecting older adults and youth—the core demographic model behind Spellbinders.
- The Moth: Nonprofit storytelling organization that produces live storytelling events and a popular podcast. Comparable to Spellbinders as a nonprofit built around the craft and community impact of oral storytelling, though The Moth skews adult and entertainment-oriented.
- StoryCorps: National nonprofit that records and preserves oral stories from everyday Americans, including intergenerational interviews. Highly comparable to Spellbinders as an oral-storytelling nonprofit with a mission centered on capturing lived stories across generations.
- National Storytelling Network: Membership organization promoting the art of storytelling across the US. Directly comparable as the umbrella body for storytelling practitioners and educators that Spellbinders' trainers and LLSOs would naturally interact with.
Broad incumbents
- AARP Foundation: Large nonprofit addressing social isolation, food insecurity, and aging in place. Comparable on the senior-engagement side of Spellbinders' intergenerational value proposition, though AARP Foundation is a much larger, broader organization.
- First Book: Nonprofit providing books and educational resources to children in underserved schools. Comparable as a school-channeled literacy nonprofit, though focused on book distribution rather than oral storytelling.
- Reach Out and Read: National nonprofit that partners with pediatricians to promote early literacy. Comparable as a literacy nonprofit integrating literacy into existing touchpoints (doctor visits for ROR, classrooms for Spellbinders), though targeting younger children and via healthcare.
- Reading Is Fundamental (RIF): Large national literacy nonprofit serving K-5 children. Comparable to Spellbinders as a literacy-enrichment nonprofit partnering with schools, though RIF focuses on book distribution rather than oral storytelling.
- Raising A Reader: National nonprofit delivering early literacy and family-engagement programming in elementary schools. Comparable as a school-based literacy-enrichment nonprofit, though its model is book-bag rotation versus oral storytelling.
Emerging players
- Gramma's House: Volunteer-driven oral storytelling program placing older adults in schools. Conceptually a small, emerging direct peer in the same niche; included cautiously given limited public visibility.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Spellbinders social profiles
Digital presenceSpellbinders financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Spellbinders leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Spellbinders funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
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Spellbinders 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 Spellbinders
What does Spellbinders do?
Spellbinders trains and certifies volunteer oral storytellers — predominantly retired adults — and places them in elementary school classrooms, libraries, and senior centers to deliver free, monthly storytelling sessions that build literacy and intergenerational connections. The national organization provides standardized training, certified trainers, and accredited curriculum, while 14 Licensed Local Storyteller Organizations (LLSOs) handle local volunteer recruitment and school scheduling.
Is Spellbinders a public or private company?
Spellbinders is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Spellbinders founded?
Spellbinders was founded in 1988. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Spellbinders based?
Spellbinders is headquartered in Greensburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does Spellbinders make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are licensing Fees.
Who are Spellbinders's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Generations United, The Moth, StoryCorps and National Storytelling Network. Broad incumbents are AARP Foundation, First Book, Reach Out and Read, Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) and Raising A Reader. Gramma's House is listed as an emerging player.
Does Spellbinders have an API?
No public API is recorded for Spellbinders.
What industry is Spellbinders in?
Spellbinders's product category is Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAMAH, Writing Craft & Technique Workshops (Voice, Structure, Character, Style), with a secondary code of EDAMAMAC, Creative Nonfiction & Memoir Workshops. Its NAICS code is 611691 and its SIC code is 8200.