WriteAway.org

What WriteAway.org does

Write Away is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit organization founded in 2020 by Deanna Santoro, EdD, whose mission is to close the digital divide by providing meaningful opportunities for digitally-based writing and self-expression to learners lacking technology access and digital literacy skills. The organization delivers its impact through two core programs: the Digital Literacy Mentorship, a nine-week virtual program (two hours per week) pairing individual Title I school students with trained volunteer mentors for writing-focused digital literacy instruction; and Empower Hour, virtual speaker sessions featuring guests who share their career paths alongside structured writing exercises. A branded merchandise storefront selling stickers, journals, mugs, water bottles, tote bags, apparel, and accessories priced between $5.99 and $39.99 provides a secondary revenue stream alongside small-dollar tax-deductible donations processed via PayPal and credit card. The organization operates with an all-volunteer staff of approximately 9 educators, researchers, writers, and subject matter experts, and partners with the Bonner Racial Justice Community Fund to anchor anti-racism and social justice in its programming. Underlying technology consists of standard virtual meeting platforms and a Squarespace-hosted website and e-commerce shop; no proprietary AI, app, or API capabilities are disclosed.

Name

WriteAway.org

Legal name

Write Away

Website

https://writeaway.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Write Away is a Washington, DC nonprofit founded in 2020 that runs a nine-week virtual Digital Literacy Mentorship program and Empower Hour speaker series to teach writing and digital literacy skills to Title I school students, funded by donations and branded merchandise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Mentorship Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Writing Skills & Composition Enrichment (EDAMAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Online & Hybrid Creative Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAL)

Keywords

• Digital literacy mentorship
• Writing tutoring services
• Nonprofit education programs
• Student mentorship programs
• Digital divide initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted via PayPal or credit card. Donations help keep the organization running and support their mission to close the digital divide.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of Write Away branded merchandise including stickers, journals, mugs, water bottles, t-shirts, sweatshirts, tote bags, and mouse pads through their online shop.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WriteAway.org runs a free 9-week Digital Literacy Mentorship program that matches students from Title I schools with volunteer mentors for one-on-one virtual tutoring focused on digital skills and creative writing. The organization also offers Empower Hour sessions, a virtual program pairing students with volunteer mentors to explore creative writing and digital self-expression.

Product overview

Write Away is a nonprofit organization operating two core programs: the Digital Literacy Mentorship (a nine-week program pairing students with mentors for writing-focused digital literacy instruction) and Empower Hour (virtual speaker sessions with writing exercises). The organization also operates a merchandise shop selling branded items including stickers, journals, mugs, water bottles, tote bags, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and mouse pads to support its mission of closing the digital divide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Literacy Mentorship Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Digitally-based writing opportunities are associated with improved writing outcomes (Santoro, 2020)

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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.

• Bonner Racial Justice Community FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWrite Away is working with the Bonner Racial Justice Community Fund to ensure that anti-racism and social justice are central to their work. They commit to anti-racism and social justice work by facilitating inclusive conversations with mentors, allowing them to express diverse perspectives and experiences.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• EveryoneOn: Nonprofit dedicated to closing the digital divide by connecting low-income families to affordable internet, devices, and digital skills training. Comparable target population and digital equity mission.
• Digital Promise: Nonprofit working to close the digital learning gap by supporting innovative edtech use in underserved schools. Similar focus on Title I schools and digital equity, with a more research/policy orientation than Write Away.
• Code.org: Nonprofit delivering computer science and digital literacy education to K-12 students, especially those historically excluded from tech education. Directly comparable mission to close the digital opportunity gap, but operates at vastly larger scale with paid staff and major institutional funding.
• Common Sense Education: Nonprofit arm of Common Sense Media providing digital citizenship and digital literacy curriculum to schools serving Title I and underserved students. Closely comparable target beneficiary (Title I students) and mission emphasis on digital skills for self-expression.
• 826 National: Network of writing and tutoring centers serving students ages 6-18 with a focus on under-resourced communities. Strongly comparable writing-enrichment focus for Title I–style student populations, with in-person rather than virtual delivery.
• Mouse (Mouse.org): Nonprofit providing STEM and technology learning programs to underserved youth, with explicit emphasis on digital equity. Comparable mission and youth-mentorship delivery model.

Regional players

• NetHope: Nonprofit consortium of NGOs and technology partners advancing digital inclusion globally. Operates at a different scale and geography but shares the digital equity/divide mission framing.

Broad incumbents

• Khan Academy: Large nonprofit providing free online educational content, including writing and digital literacy, to students globally. Far larger scale and broader curriculum, but competes for the same Title I student attention and digital equity funders.
• Per Scholas: Larger, established nonprofit providing tuition-free digital skills training to adults from underserved communities. Addresses a related digital divide segment (workforce vs. K-12) with a much larger professional staff and corporate funding base.
• National Digital Inclusion Alliance: National nonprofit coalition advancing digital equity through policy, advocacy, and affiliate networks. Broader umbrella organization addressing the same digital divide issue Write Away targets at the student level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/writeaway-org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 WriteAway.org