Raising Readers in Story County

Name

Raising Readers in Story County

Legal name

Raising Readers in Story County

Website

https://raising-readers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Literacy Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Literacy & Reading Intervention Programs (EDAGAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Literacy & Early Language Development Programs (EDACALAE), Family & Parenting Education (Family Literacy, Parenting Skills) (EDAAAFAF), Literature & Book Clubs / Guided Reading Groups (EDAMAJAG)

Keywords

• Early literacy programs
• Childhood reading initiatives
• Community literacy services
• Preschool literacy education
• Family literacy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ames, Iowa

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals accepted via PayPal, check, or credit card. Donors can make one-time or recurring gifts and dedicate donations in honor of loved ones.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Grant funding from organizations including United Way of Story County, Story County Community Foundation, Early Childhood Iowa, and various corporate sponsors. Major funders include City of Ames, Story County, and ISU Student Government.
3. Program Sponsorships: Corporate and organizational sponsorships for specific programs such as Reach Out and Read, where sponsors fund books at different developmental stages (4 months through 5 years).
4. Planned and Legacy Giving: Bequests, life insurance beneficiary designations, retirement fund beneficiary designations, IRA charitable rollovers, stock donations, and Donor Advised Fund grants.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Raising Readers in Story County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free early childhood literacy programs, book distributions, and caregiver education to families with children from birth through age 8 across Story County, Iowa. Its offerings combine volunteer-driven reading programs in schools and preschools, healthcare-based book distribution through Reach Out and Read, family workshops and storytimes at its North Grand Mall Community Play Space, and a county-wide Little Free Libraries network. Programs are funded through individual donations, grants, corporate sponsorships, and planned giving.

Product overview

Raising Readers in Story County operates as a unified portfolio of early childhood literacy programs and resources serving children from birth to age 8. The core offerings include volunteer-driven reading programs (Story Pals for preschoolers, Reading Buddies for K-2, Summer Reading Buddies), caregiver education (Small Talk LENA Start), and family engagement activities (Playful Pages workshops, STARS Storytime). Supporting infrastructure includes the Community Play Space, Little Free Libraries network, and Reach Out and Read medical partnerships distributing nearly 10,000 books annually. Educational resources complement the programs through 365 Amazing Days (infant development), Read Aloud Tips, Vroom app connections, and Kindergarten Preparation materials. All programs are offered free of charge to Story County families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Story Pals A dialogic reading program for 4- to 5-year-old preschoolers, delivered through twice-weekly sessions with trained volunteers using research-based methods to support language and early literacy skill development at partner preschools.
• Reading Buddies

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 10,000 books distributed annually through Reach Out and Read
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• United Way of Story CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor ASSET funder of Raising Readers. Supports Little Free Libraries, community events, and early literacy programming through grants and community investment.
• City of AmescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASSET funder providing municipal support for early literacy initiatives.
• Story CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASSET funder providing county-level support for early literacy programs.
• Iowa State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ISU College of Education and ISU Extension for literacy programs and research. ISU Student Government provides funding support.
• Ames Public LibrarymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for early literacy initiatives including Books for Babies and collaborative programming.
• McFarland ClinicmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Reach Out and Read program where pediatricians distribute books to children at well-child check-ups.
• Mid-Iowa Community ActionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for book distributions through WIC clinics and family support programs.
• LENA HomecoreTechnology or IntegrationLicensed technology partner for the Small Talk program. LENA technology helps measure and improve language environments for young children.
• Ames Morning RotarymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term supporter providing funding for Reach Out and Read (4 and 6 month book sponsorship), community events, and early literacy initiatives.
• Mary Greeley Medical CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreates book labels for each developmental level in the Reach Out and Read program.
• Story County ReadscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of Story County Reads, a collaborative literacy initiative.
• Campaign for Grade Level ReadingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the National Campaign for Grade Level Reading focused on ensuring children read at grade level by end of third grade.
• Ames Community School DistrictmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive partnership for delivering literacy programs including Story Pals and Reading Buddies in schools.
• Nevada Community School DistrictmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Reading Buddies and Story Pals programs at Nevada schools.
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Story CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for youth literacy programming.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Reading Is Fundamental (RIF): RIF is the largest U.S. children's literacy nonprofit, providing free books and literacy resources to children nationwide through community partnerships — operating a model scaled nationally that resembles RRSC's book-distribution-and-partnerships approach.
• First Book: First Book is a nonprofit social enterprise that distributes new, free, and low-cost books and educational resources to educators and programs serving children in low-income communities — comparable in providing books and literacy materials at scale through community partners.
• Reach Out and Read: Reach Out and Read is the national nonprofit whose pediatric-clinic book-distribution model RRSC delivers locally; it is the originating program for RRSC's flagship physician-embedded initiative and provides the broader operational umbrella.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library: Imagination Library mails free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age 5 — a direct conceptual parallel to RRSC's free book-distribution and early-literacy mission across a defined geographic region.

Direct peers

• Raising A Reader: Raising A Reader is a national nonprofit that partners with libraries, schools, and community organizations to deliver early-literacy programming for children birth through age 8 — closely mirroring RRSC's community-embedded, multi-channel model.
• 1000 Books Before Kindergarten: 1000 Books Before Kindergarten is a national early-literacy initiative encouraging families to read aloud before kindergarten, typically implemented through libraries and community partners — operationally and missionally similar to RRSC's caregiver-focused early-literacy programs.
• The Literacy Lab: The Literacy Lab provides direct literacy intervention services in early childhood settings through community partnerships and trained tutors — directly comparable to RRSC's tutor- and volunteer-led reading programs like Reading Buddies and Story Pals.

Emerging players

• Vroom: Vroom provides free, science-based brain-building tips and a mobile app for parents of children ages 0-5 — a direct resource partner referenced on RRSC's site, sharing the caregiver-education and early-language-development focus.

Others

• LENA Home: LENA Home is the technology partner that licenses LENA language-environment analysis to RRSC for its Small Talk program — included as an enabling/thematic peer given the close operational link to RRSC's most differentiated program.

Regional players

• United Way of Story County: United Way of Story County is RRSC's major funder and an ecosystem partner operating in the same Story County geography, funding early-childhood and family-support programs that overlap with RRSC's mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RaisingReadersInStoryCounty
• Instagraminstagram.com/raising.readers.storyco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/raising-readers-in-story-county

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Raising Readers in Story County