What Black Literacy Matters does

Black Literacy Matters® is a private nonprofit educational advocacy organization headquartered at 3205 N. 90th St., Suite 108, Omaha, Nebraska, founded in 2020 by Clarice L. Jackson to address persistent literacy achievement gaps among Black students across the United States. National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data underlying the organization's mission shows only 14% of Black students in Nebraska and between 10-20% in most states reach reading proficiency. The organization pursues evidence-based, structured literacy and dyslexia-informed instruction, frames literacy as both a civil-rights and instructional-quality issue, and advances solutions that explicitly benefit all learners while centering those most impacted.

The company's core product is its annual National Black Literacy Matters Conference, held at the University of Nebraska Omaha (4th edition scheduled March 17-20, 2027; 2026 edition March 11-14, 2026), featuring 60+ breakout session presenters and keynote speakers drawn from the national literacy-science community. In 2024 the organization launched The Institute for Black Literacy as its year-round governance body, adding a tiered membership program (Student, Access for All, Individual, Organizational, Educational Institution) with quarterly newsletters, webinars, and a private online community. Adjacent offerings include The Voice Advocacy Center (literacy screening and structured-literacy tutoring, founded 2012 as fiscal sponsor under EIN 45-4619431), Decoding Dyslexia Nebraska, the Black & Dyslexic Podcast, Lift Every Voice Parent Day programming, and the Alonzo James Littlejohn Black Male Educator Memorial Scholarship.

Revenue is generated through four streams: tiered conference registration fees ($375 early-bird to $625 on-site, plus a $2,225 group rate for 5+), corporate sponsorship and exhibitor packages ($2,500-$7,500 plus à la carte items), membership dues across five tiers, and tax-deductible donations processed through The Voice Advocacy Center. The go-to-market motion is hybrid — primarily event-driven through the annual conference, supplemented by community-led year-round engagement via the membership program, with distribution via Zeffy ticketing, Google Forms, direct website donation, and organic social on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X. Customer segments include classroom and special education teachers, reading specialists and interventionists, school and district administrators, speech-language pathologists, parents and literacy advocates, and community-based literacy organizations across the U.S.

Name

Black Literacy Matters

Legal name

Black Literacy Matters

Website

https://blackliteracymatters.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Literacy Professional Development and Advocacy

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Remedial Reading & Literacy Intervention (EDANAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Reading Comprehension & Close Reading Enrichment (EDAMAJAB)

Keywords

• Literacy advocacy services
• Structured literacy training
• Educator professional development
• Dyslexia awareness programs
• Literacy conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

Omaha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Conference Registration Fees: Annual national conference with tiered pricing: Early Bird $375, Regular $475, On-Site $625, Group Rate $2,225 for 5+ attendees. Revenue generated from educator and administrator attendance.
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership program with multiple tiers (Student, Access for All, Individual, Organizational, Educational Institution). Membership provides ongoing benefits including quarterly newsletters, webinars, community forum access, and conference discounts.
3. Sponsorships and Exhibitor Fees: Corporate sponsorship packages (Gold $7,500, Silver $5,000, Bronze $3,000, Exhibitor-only $2,500) and à la carte sponsorship options (Keynote $5,000, Registration Bags $1,000, Name Tags $500, Refreshments $500). Revenue from organizations seeking visibility among literacy professionals.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations facilitated through the Voice Advocacy Center as legal fiscal sponsor (EIN 45-4619431). Donation page emphasizes supporting Black literacy initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Black Literacy Matters delivers evidence-based literacy professional development through an annual national conference featuring 60+ breakout sessions on structured literacy, the science of reading, and dyslexia-informed practices, targeting educators, school administrators, and parents. The Institute for Black Literacy extends the offering year-round via a tiered membership program with quarterly newsletters, webinars, and an online community forum. Supporting services include literacy screening, structured literacy tutoring, and parent advocacy through the affiliated Voice Advocacy Center.

Product overview

Black Literacy Matters operates as an advocacy organization centered around its flagship annual conference, The Black Literacy Matters Conference, a national professional learning event focused on evidence-based literacy instruction and structured literacy practices. The organization has established The Institute for Black Literacy as its formal organizational home, providing a year-round membership program with resources, webinars, and consultations. Supporting offerings include The Voice Advocacy Center (literacy screening and tutoring services), Decoding Dyslexia Nebraska (state-level dyslexia advocacy), the Black & Dyslexic Podcast, the Lift Every Voice Parent Day program, and the Alonzo James Littlejohn scholarship and award program for Black male educators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Literacy Matters® Conference: Annual national professional learning convening focused on structured literacy, the science of reading, dyslexia-informed practices, and effective intervention for improving literacy outcomes.
• The Institute for Black Literacy

Products and services

• Black Literacy Matters Conference Annual national professional learning convening featuring keynotes, 60+ breakout sessions, action labs, and parent-focused programming on structured literacy, the science of reading, dyslexia-informed practices, and effective intervention. Targeted at classroom teachers, reading specialists, interventionists, school and district administrators, speech-language pathologists, and parents.
• The Institute for Black Literacy Membership Program Year-round membership program providing quarterly newsletters, two free webinars per year, online community forum access, expert consultations, and 20% conference discounts. Available across Student, Access for All, Individual, Organizational, and Educational Institution tiers.
• The Voice Advocacy Center Literacy Services Affiliated service providing literacy screening, structured literacy tutoring, and parent advocacy for children and adults with dyslexia and reading difficulties. Helps families and educators navigate evidence-based instructional pathways.

Quantifiable outcome

• National reach addressing literacy gaps across nearly every state in the U.S.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and flagship.

• The Voice Advocacy Center (VAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Clarice L. Jackson in 2012 to address unmet needs in literacy screening, structured literacy tutoring, and parent advocacy. VAC supports children and adults with dyslexia and reading difficulties while helping families and educators navigate evidence-based instructional pathways. VAC serves as the legal fiscal sponsor for Black Literacy Matters (EIN 45-4619431).
• Decoding Dyslexia NebraskacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState branch of the national Decoding Dyslexia movement, founded by Clarice L. Jackson. Focuses on raising dyslexia awareness, advocating for evidence-based literacy instruction, and supporting families and educators in Nebraska.
• The Reading League of NebraskasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerState chapter of The Reading League, aligned with Black Literacy Matters' mission to advance evidence-based literacy instruction and structured literacy practices in Nebraska schools.
• NAACPflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2014, Clarice Jackson authored and advanced a dyslexia resolution within the NAACP, elevating national awareness of the instructional needs of students with dyslexia. This effort informed broader dialogue within national education and policy spaces, including engagement with members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Reading Is Fundamental (RIF): Long-standing national children's literacy nonprofit focused on book access and literacy resources for underserved communities. Comparable equity-and-literacy focus with substantially larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Learning Ally: Established national nonprofit providing literacy resources, professional development, and audiobook solutions for students with reading differences including dyslexia. Comparable educator and parent audience with broader service portfolio.
• National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE): Large professional association delivering literacy-focused conferences, publications, and professional learning to educators. Overlapping audience of classroom teachers and reading specialists, though not race-specific or structured-literacy focused.
• International Dyslexia Association (IDA): Larger, established organization providing dyslexia-informed professional development, conferences, and educator credentials. Comparable in mission around structured literacy and dyslexia, but operates at significantly greater national scale and is not race-specific.

Direct peers

• The Reading League: National nonprofit that advances evidence-based literacy instruction through state chapters, annual conferences, and educator professional development. Highly comparable mission and conference-driven model, and Black Literacy Matters already partners with its Nebraska chapter.
• Decoding Dyslexia: National grassroots network of parent-led dyslexia advocacy groups operating at the state level. Black Literacy Matters' founder founded the Nebraska chapter, making the structures, advocacy focus, and parent-engagement model directly comparable.
• The 95% Group: Organization focused on structured literacy professional development for educators, with leadership councils that include Black Literacy Matters' founder. Highly comparable PD content and educator audience.

Emerging players

• Reach Out and Read: National nonprofit partnering with pediatric clinicians to promote early literacy. Comparable in being a literacy-focused nonprofit serving families and educators, though its delivery model (clinical integration) differs.
• Liaison Educational Partner: Educational consulting firm led by Black Literacy Matters board member Dr. Tanji Reed Marshall, focused on culturally responsive teaching practices. Comparable niche in culturally responsive educator PD, though operating as a consultancy rather than conference-and-membership nonprofit.
• Reading Partners: National nonprofit providing volunteer-based tutoring and literacy intervention for students reading below grade level. Comparable literacy-intervention mission with direct student-service delivery rather than educator PD.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/blklitmatters
• Facebookfacebook.com/blackliter8cymatters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blkliteracymatters

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Black Literacy Matters