Cow Tipping Press

What Cow Tipping Press does

Cow Tipping Press is a Minneapolis-based 501c3 nonprofit literary press founded in 2006 that teaches and publishes creative writing by adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Its core product is an integrated program of semester-based writing classes (three semesters per year) led by college-aged Teaching Fellows using differentiated instruction methods, culminating in the publication of each student's work as an individually numbered book. To date, the organization has published more than 193 individual titles across poetry, prose, and creative writing, plus five volumes of its 'Best of Cow Tipping Press' anthology and a Cow Tipping Prize publication category. Over 400 alumni have completed the writing program since inception.

The business operates from a single Minneapolis office (1400 Van Buren St NE #200) with a small core team (Executive Director Bryan Boyce, Program Director Rachel Lieberman, Arts Manager Natalie Martell, two Inclusion Associates, and approximately six Teaching Fellows on stipends). The technology stack is intentionally light: a WordPress-based website with an online shop, Amazon marketplace listings for back-catalog distribution, and basic social media presence on Facebook and Instagram. There is no proprietary platform, mobile app, or API. Differentiated instruction methods — transcription of student speech, adaptive topic exploration, and creation of space for inventive voices — constitute the core pedagogical IP.

Revenue is generated through four streams: (1) transactional book sales via Amazon and Twin Cities bookstore partners (Wild Rumpus, Strive Bookstore, Sistah Co-Op), with authors earning a 33% royalty — more than double standard publishing practices; (2) recurring subscriptions at $50/year, $100/two-year, and $500/lifetime tiers delivering five new books three times annually; (3) merchandise including $25 T-shirts, $5 Mystery Meat Poetry Parcels, and $50 Best of Box Sets; and (4) tax-deductible donations supporting a budget comprised of earned revenue and charitable contributions. The organization also conducts paid speaking engagements and workshops at schools and workplaces. Customer base spans individual writer-students, educational institutions (University of Minnesota, UMass Amherst, Syracuse University, The Blake School), county government partners (Hennepin, Ramsey), disability services organizations (Lifeworks, ProAct, ACT, PAI, Rise, and others providing referral channels), and individual subscribers/supporters.

Name

Cow Tipping Press

Legal name

Cow Tipping LLC

Website

https://cowtippingpress.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cow Tipping Press is a Minneapolis-based 501c3 nonprofit that teaches and publishes creative writing by adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, producing 193+ books and serving 400+ alumni through semester-based classes taught by college-aged Teaching Fellows.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Creative Nonfiction & Memoir Workshops (EDAMAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fiction Writing Workshops (Short Story, Novel) (EDAMAMAA)

Keywords

• Creative writing instruction
• Disability publishing
• Nonprofit literary press
• Inclusive education
• Book subscription services

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Individual book sales through Amazon and direct online shop. Authors earn 33% from sale of their work—more than double standard publishing practices. Books include individual titles and Best of collections.
2. Subscription Service: One-year subscription ($50), two-year ($100), and lifetime ($500) subscription options delivering five newly published books per semester three times yearly to subscribers' doorsteps.
3. Merchandise: T-shirts ($25), Mystery Meat Poetry Parcels ($5), and Best of Box Sets ($50) sold through online shop.
4. Donations: As a 501c3 nonprofit, Cow Tipping accepts tax-deductible donations to support programming. Budget is comprised of earned revenue and donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cow Tipping Press teaches creative writing to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through semester-based classes taught by college-aged teaching fellows, then publishes the resulting work as individually numbered books, anthologies, and prize-recognized titles. Revenue is generated through direct book sales, multi-tier subscriptions, merchandise, and tax-deductible donations supporting a 501c3 nonprofit operating model.

Product overview

Cow Tipping Press is a Minneapolis-based nonprofit literary press that operates as a unified publishing and educational program. The core offering combines creative writing classes for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities with the publication and distribution of their written works. The product portfolio includes: (1) Creative Writing Classes — inclusive writing instruction using differentiated methods; (2) Published Books — individually numbered books (199+ titles) published per semester, organized by publication date; (3) The Best of Cow Tipping Press — annual anthology series compiling best works; (4) Cow Tipping Prize Publications — special recognition category for outstanding works; (5) Subscriptions — one-year, two-year, and lifetime plans delivering new books three times yearly; (6) Merchandise — including Best of Box Sets, Mystery Meat Poetry Parcels, and T-shirts. All offerings support the mission of empowering writers with disabilities to share their voices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creative Writing Classes Semester-based inclusive creative writing instruction for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Each cycle includes staff training, five two-hour classes, and culminates in publication of a customized book of the students' writing.
• Published Books (Individual Titles) Individually numbered books authored by adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, organized by semester of publication. Titles span poetry, short fiction, and personal essays on topics from daily life to advocacy. Available via the Cow Tipping online shop and Amazon Marketplace.
• The Best of Cow Tipping Press (Anthology Series) Annual anthology series compiling the strongest works published by Cow Tipping Press across prior semesters, with five volumes released to date and available through the online shop and select retail partners.
• Cow Tipping Prize Publications Special recognition publications highlighting outstanding works from the catalog, distinguished from standard semester releases by the Cow Tipping Prize designation.
• Book Subscription (One-Year) Annual subscription delivering five newly published Cow Tipping books to the subscriber's door three times per year, with access to limited first-print editions. Priced at $50 per year.
• Book Subscription (Two-Year) Two-year subscription delivering five newly published Cow Tipping books three times per year across two years of programming. Priced at $100.
• Book Subscription (Lifetime) Lifetime subscription delivering five newly published Cow Tipping books three times per year for as long as the subscription is held. Priced at $500.
• Best of Box Set Collector's box set bundling all four volumes of The Best of Cow Tipping Press anthologies plus the exclusive 'Best of Bios' zine, encased in a handmade box. Priced at $50.
• Mystery Meat Poetry Parcel Wax-sealed envelope containing two stickers and five themed pieces drawn from any Cow Tipping published book, printed on quality paper. Priced at $5.
• T-Shirt Super-soft cotton t-shirt featuring the Cow Tipping Press logo on the front and mission statement on the back, available in sizes XS through XXXL. Priced at $25.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of audiences report Cow Tipping authors change their fundamental perspective on disability
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PAI (Possibilities Adult Independence)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing services to adults with disabilities. Cow Tipping provides writing classes as part of their programming, allowing participants to publish their work.
• LifeworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability services organization. Cow Tipping writing classes are offered through Lifeworks, enabling their clients to participate in creative writing and publication.
• Mary T (Mary T. Inc.)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability services provider. Classes offered in partnership for their clients to access Cow Tipping programming.
• RiseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability services organization. Partnership provides writing class opportunities for Rise participants.
• HammerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability services organization. Hammer clients access Cow Tipping writing classes through this partnership.
• HFCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability services organization partnering with Cow Tipping for writing programming.
• MSS (Minnesota Stroke Support)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing support services. Partnership enables their clients to participate in Cow Tipping writing classes.
• ProActcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability services organization in Eagan. ProAct clients regularly participate in Cow Tipping writing classes and publication programs.
• SojournminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability services organization. Partnership provides writing class access for Sojourn participants.
• RobinsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability services organization. Robins clients access Cow Tipping programming through this partnership.
• ACT (Activists for Change Together)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelf-advocacy organization for people with disabilities. Cow Tipping Inclusion Associate Shaunte Martin is involved with ACT. Strong alignment in disability advocacy mission.
• AccordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability services organization. Partnership enables Accord clients to participate in Cow Tipping writing classes.
• Achieve MinneapolisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting employment and independence for people with disabilities. Partnership for programming and referrals.
• Strive BookstoreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBlack-owned Minneapolis bookstore that sells Cow Tipping Press books. Store specializes in Black literature and underrepresented voices including disability.
• Sistah Co-OpminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIDS Center mini-bookshop specializing in Black literature that carries Cow Tipping Press books.
• Northeast LibraryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublic library hosting Cow Tipping Press author readings and events.
• Arc (Minnesota)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocacy organization for people with developmental disabilities. Multiple Cow Tipping authors are Arc advisory committee members and engage in advocacy work through Arc.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Bellevue Literary Press: Nonprofit literary press affiliated with NYU's Bellevue Project publishing fiction and nonfiction at the intersection of literature, medicine, and human experience. Comparable as a nonprofit literary publisher with a thematic focus beyond mainstream commercial publishing.
• Lambda Literary: Nonprofit organization supporting LGBTQ+ literature through writers' workshops, mentorship, and the Lambda Literary Awards. Comparable as a literary nonprofit serving an underrepresented community through both programming and recognition, with similar model of publishing underrepresented voices.

Direct peers

• The Loft Literary Center: Minneapolis-based nonprofit literary center offering writing classes, workshops, and community programming. Directly comparable as a Twin Cities literary nonprofit combining instruction with author development, though broader in audience scope than Cow Tipping's disability-focused mission.
• 826 National: Nonprofit organization that combines creative writing education with student publication, operating through a network of writing centers. Cow Tipping Press partner 826 MSP is a chapter of 826 National; both run differentiated writing instruction and publish student work, making 826 National the closest direct peer in education-plus-publishing model.
• Milkweed Editions: Minneapolis-based nonprofit literary publisher producing books of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Directly comparable as a mission-driven literary press based in the same Twin Cities market, with a similar nonprofit publishing model and curated catalog approach.

Others

• Arc Minnesota: Advocacy organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and a Cow Tipping Press strategic partner. Comparable as an ecosystem partner serving the same disability community, with mutual advocacy overlap though not directly competitive as a publisher.

Broad incumbents

• Coffee House Press: Established Minneapolis-based nonprofit literary publisher known for publishing boundary-pushing fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Broader incumbent in the same literary nonprofit publishing space, with overlapping distribution channels and Twin Cities roots but a much larger catalog and broader author base.
• Haymarket Books: Independent nonprofit publisher focused on progressive and social justice-oriented books. Comparable as a mission-driven literary nonprofit using publishing as activism, with overlap on advocacy themes though broader in political subject matter than Cow Tipping's disability focus.
• Graywolf Press: Major nonprofit literary publisher based in Minneapolis with a national reputation for publishing poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Comparable as a nonprofit literary press with similar distribution through independent bookstores, but operates at significantly larger scale across mainstream literary categories.
• Tin House Books: Independent literary publisher and former literary magazine known for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Comparable as an independent literary press with workshop-style community engagement, though operating at a much larger commercial scale than Cow Tipping Press.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cowtippingpress
• Instagraminstagram.com/cowtippingpress
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cow-tipping-press

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Cow Tipping Press