SHARP Literacy

What SHARP Literacy does

SHARP Literacy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization founded in 1996 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It delivers STEAM-based experiential learning programs — combining science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics with hands-on activities — to approximately 8,500 elementary students in grades K3-5 across roughly 50 public, choice, and charter schools in Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Racine Counties in southeastern Wisconsin. Core programs include in-school workshops, the Design Through Code / Create Art with Code curriculum (block coding and Microbit programming), the We Love to Learn professionally published book series (15+ titles developed through student-author workshops), the Summer Learning Program, the Interschool Design Challenge held at Fiserv Forum, and intergenerational programs pairing students with seniors.

The organization is funded through foundation and corporate grants (Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation, Kohl's Hometown Giving, Brewers Community Foundation), individual donations averaging $250 annually, and annual fundraising events (Unwrapped MKE, Unwrapped Waukesha, A Novel Event). Programs are delivered to schools at no charge, with a stated cost of $180 per student per year and a programmatic efficiency ratio of 85 cents of every donated dollar going directly to classroom programs. Distribution is sales-led and relationship-driven: the VP of Programs and Partnerships acquires new schools through direct outreach to administrators, and curriculum delivery occurs in classrooms by SHARP educators with supporting field trips to museums and community learning sites (Milwaukee Art Museum, Discovery World). The core technology stack is a curriculum-and-content platform rather than software: STEAM lesson plans, student-authored published books, and partnerships with educational and community institutions form the durable delivery infrastructure.

Name

SHARP Literacy

Legal name

SHARP Literacy, Inc.

Website

https://sharpliteracy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SHARP Literacy is a Milwaukee-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers STEAM-based experiential learning programs to approximately 8,500 K3-5 students across 50 schools in southeastern Wisconsin, funded through grants, donations, and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Literacy Foundations (Phonics, Reading Fluency, Comprehension) Platforms (EDAFAOAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reading Comprehension & Close Reading Enrichment (EDAMAJAB), Early Literacy & Phonics Programs (EDAMAJAA)

Keywords

• STEAM education programs
• Elementary literacy services
• Experiential learning curricula
• Nonprofit educational services
• Youth coding programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

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. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Major funding from foundations and corporations including Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation, Kohl's Charitable Giving, and Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County.
2. Individual Donations: Individual donor contributions with average annual gift of $250, ranging from $5 to $25,000. Also planned giving programs available.
3. Special Event Fundraisers: Annual fundraising events including Unwrapped MKE, Unwrapped Waukesha, and A Novel Event featuring celebrity speakers and local chefs.
4. 85% to Classroom Model: 85% of every dollar donated goes directly into classroom programs, with strong emphasis on program efficiency and donor impact.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SHARP Literacy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that partners with public, choice, and charter schools to deliver STEAM-based experiential learning programs to elementary students in grades K3-5. Core offerings include in-school hands-on workshops, coding education through Design Through Code/Create Art with Code, the professionally published We Love to Learn Book Series, and summer learning programs. Programs are provided at no cost to schools, funded through donations, grants, and fundraising events, with a stated program cost of $180 per student per year.

Product overview

SHARP Literacy is an educational nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of STEAM-based experiential programs for elementary students in grades K3-5. The core offering consists of SHARP in Schools, a comprehensive in-school program delivering hands-on workshops, coding education through Design Through Code/Create Art with Code, and arts integration. Supporting programs include the We Love to Learn Book Series (student-authored and professionally published books), the Summer Learning Program (preventing summer slide), the Interschool Design Challenge (annual competitive event), and the Video Game Expo (student coding showcases). The organization also runs community engagement events including Unwrapped MKE (fundraising gala), A Novel Event (annual fundraiser), Holiday Happiness (student gift program), intergenerational programs with senior communities, and reading partnerships with university athletics programs. These programs collectively reach approximately 8,500 students across 50 public, choice, and charter schools in Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Racine Counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SHARP in Schools Primary in-school STEAM-based experiential program delivered directly to students in grades K3-5 at partner schools, providing hands-on workshops, coding education, and arts integration at no cost to schools.
• We Love to Learn Book Series

Quantifiable outcome

• Programs at 50 schools serving approximately 8,500 students annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Quad MKEminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership for Century City location programming bringing STEAM education to new community locations.
• Quad/GraphicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Publishes SHARP's We Love to Learn books. The 15th book Discover Waukesha was published by Quad/Graphics in December 2019.
• Marquette University Men's BasketballcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Reading with the Golden Eagles program where Marquette basketball players read to students and serve as role models. Coach Steve Wojciechowski partners with SHARP.
• Milwaukee Art MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal founding partnership in 1994 with Milwaukee Art Museum where founder Marlene Doerr Kreilkamp was a docent. SHARP began with museum-based educational tours.
• Carroll UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReading with the Pios program where Carroll University men's basketball team reads to and mentors SHARP students at partner schools. Coach Paul Combs leads the program.
• Discovery WorldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational tour site and programming partner where SHARP students visit for hands-on science and technology learning experiences.
• Fiserv ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for SHARP's Interschool Design Challenge events, hosting 4th graders from multiple schools for design competitions.
• Wisconsin Department of Public InstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with SHARP to develop curriculum and track results for Create Art with Code program.
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with I.T. professionals and higher education institutions including UWM's Girls Who Code Clubs for curriculum development.
• Green Bay Packers (AJ Dillon, Donald Driver)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerPackers players serve as keynote speakers at A Novel Event fundraiser and authors of children's books featured by SHARP.
• Milwaukee BuckscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner through Fiserv Forum for enhanced SHARP Literacy programs culminating in design challenges held at the arena.
• Ovation Communities / ShorehavencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntergenerational programs connecting SHARP students with seniors for mural projects and reading programs at assisted living facilities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SharpLiteracy
• Xx.com/sharpliteracy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sharp-literacy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 SHARP Literacy