Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute is a Saint Paul, Minnesota-based nonprofit that delivers arts-centered literacy, author development, and cultural preservation programs for children, families, schools, and aspiring Black authors through its bookstore, writing workshops, and community events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSaint Paul Island, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute does
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute (PPGJLI) is a Minnesota-based, Black woman-owned nonprofit and social enterprise founded in 2015 and headquartered in Saint Paul. The organization operates an arts-centered literacy and cultural preservation mission, serving children ages 0-18, families, schools, libraries, aspiring Black authors, and Black-owned bookstores. Its core offerings integrate a physical and online bookstore (PPGJ Books), author development through writing workshops, the Leaders Are Readers read-aloud program, the PPGJLI Children's Book Awards, the 100 Black Authors Campaign, the Rondo Renaissance cultural programming initiative, and educational anthologies including the Rondo History & Values Anthology and the Aya Youth Anthology (third edition).
The underlying platform combines community-driven programming, in-house publishing, and curated retail. Programs operate through school and library partnerships, monthly community events, book drives, and the 2019 Year of Return Pilgrimage to Ghana, which expanded international cultural programming. The Difference Makers publishing series highlights trailblazing figures such as Charlotte E. Ray, the first Black woman lawyer in the United States. The team's diversity — speaking 12+ languages across three continents — supports cross-cultural programming and content development.
Revenue is generated through three streams: donations and fundraising (including one-time gifts at $10 per book and $40 per workshop scholarship), book sales via PPGJ Books, Bookshop.org, and Amazon, and corporate sponsorships tiered at Gold, Silver, and Bronze. The Difference Makers Circle introduces recurring monthly giving at $10, $25, and $50 tiers. The 10th Annual Fundraiser in October 2026 targets $120,000. The 2026-2029 Strategic Plan "Empowering Voices Through Books" sets a goal to donate 40,000 diverse children's books, signaling programmatic scaling over the planning horizon.
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute
- Legal name
- Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute
- Website
- https://ppgjli.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute is a Saint Paul, Minnesota-based nonprofit that delivers arts-centered literacy, author development, and cultural preservation programs for children, families, schools, and aspiring Black authors through its bookstore, writing workshops, and community events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Literacy Education
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Racial & Ethnic Justice Organizations (BPAGAFAC), Civic Participation & Leadership Development (Voting, Advocacy, Community Leadership) (EDAAADAL)
Keywords
Where Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Paul Island
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue from individual donations ($10 for a book, $40 for a writing workshop scholarship), monthly giving programs (Difference Makers Circle), birthday fundraisers, and annual fundraising events targeting $120,000
- Book Sales and Publishing: Revenue from publishing and selling children's books focused on leadership development, cultural appreciation, and career exploration
- Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships at Gold, Silver, and Bronze tiers supporting the organization's annual fundraising events and programming
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time | $10 donation provides one book to a child |
| Other | One time | $40 donation provides a scholarship for a writing workshop |
| Subscription | Monthly | $10/month = Provides a new book for a child each month |
| Subscription | Monthly | $25/month = Supports literacy workshops and book distribution |
| Subscription | Monthly | $50/month = Empowers leadership development programs for young readers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute is a nonprofit social enterprise that delivers literacy, leadership development, and cultural preservation programs for Black children, families, and communities. Its core offerings include the Leaders are Readers reading program, writing workshops, the Children's Book Awards, the 100 Black Authors initiative, the Rondo Renaissance community history project, and a line of culturally relevant children's books authored and curated by its founder.
Product overview
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute (PPGJLI) is a Minnesota-based nonprofit and Black woman-owned social enterprise operating a comprehensive literacy and arts ecosystem. The organization centers on its physical and online Bookstore as the core retail product, supported by programs including the Leaders Are Readers Event for community engagement, Writing Workshop Collection for author development, and the PPGJLI Children's Book Awards for author recognition. Additional offerings include the 100 Black Authors Campaign, Rondo Renaissance cultural programming, and Free Teaching Guides for educators. The organization conducts book drives and fundraisers, publishes anthologies including the Rondo History & Values Anthology and Aya Youth Anthology, and operates the Difference Makers Circle monthly donor program. All programs work together to advance the mission of planting seeds of social change through education, training, and community outreach, with a focus on expanding access to diverse children's literature.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Leaders are Readers Program
Companies that use Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Great NonprofitsminorPartnership badge displaying Great Nonprofits Top Rated Nonprofit 2025 recognition
- Project World ImpactminorPartnership badge indicating membership in impact organization network
- CandidminorPlatinum transparency seal from Candid indicating organizational transparency
- Springboard for the ArtscoreVenue partner for the 10th Annual Fundraiser event on October 2, 2025
- National Association of Black BookstorescorePartner in National Black Bookstore Day movement to promote visibility and economic support for Black-owned bookstores
- Saint Paul City CouncilminorProclaimed April 7, 2026, and annually thereafter as National Black Bookstore Day
- Bookshop.orgcoreOnline marketplace partner for book sales and wish list registries
- AmazoncoreAmazon Wish List for book donations supporting youth programs
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- First Book: National nonprofit focused on providing access to new books and educational resources for children in underserved communities. Closely comparable mission in addressing disparities in access to diverse literature and literacy resources.
- Room to Read: Global nonprofit focused on literacy and gender equality in education, including book publishing for local authors. Comparable integrated model of publishing, author development, and literacy programs for children.
- We Need Diverse Books: Nonprofit advocating for greater diversity in children's literature. Highly comparable mission focus on diverse voices in publishing and addressing representation gaps.
- Reading Is Fundamental: Long-standing children's literacy nonprofit distributing books and providing literacy resources to underserved youth. Comparable focus on book distribution, reading engagement, and partnerships with schools and communities.
- The Brown Bookshelf: Initiative designed to increase visibility of Black children's book authors and illustrators. Closely aligned with PPGJLI's 100 Black Authors Campaign and author development pipeline.
- Dolly Parton's Imagination Library: Books-gifting program that mails free books to children from birth to age five. Comparable scale of book distribution and home library-building model for early literacy.
Emerging players
- Just Us Books: Black-owned children's book publisher focused on Black history, culture, and social responsibility. Comparable niche focus on Black voices in children's publishing.
- Lee & Low Books: Independent children's book publisher specializing in diverse books. Overlaps with PPGJLI's publishing arm and the Difference Makers Series focus on underrepresented voices.
Broad incumbents
- Reach Out and Read: Established nonprofit leveraging pediatricians to promote literacy through book distribution. Comparable literacy mission but operates through a clinical channel rather than community/school partnerships.
Others
- National Association of Black Bookstores: Industry association supporting Black-owned bookstores, with whom PPGJLI partners on National Black Bookstore Day. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute social profiles
Digital presencePlanting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute
What does Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute do?
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute is a nonprofit social enterprise that delivers literacy, leadership development, and cultural preservation programs for Black children, families, and communities. Its core offerings include the Leaders are Readers reading program, writing workshops, the Children's Book Awards, the 100 Black Authors initiative, the Rondo Renaissance community history project, and a line of culturally relevant children's books authored and curated by its founder.
Is Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute a public or private company?
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute founded?
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute based?
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute is headquartered in Saint Paul Island, United States, in the North America region.
How does Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are book Sales and Publishing and sponsorships.
Who are Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are First Book, Room to Read, We Need Diverse Books, Reading Is Fundamental, The Brown Bookshelf and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Emerging players are Just Us Books and Lee & Low Books. Reach Out and Read is listed as a broad incumbent. National Association of Black Bookstores is listed as an others.
Does Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute.
What industry is Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute in?
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute's product category is Nonprofit Literacy Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAI, Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGAFAC, Racial & Ethnic Justice Organizations. Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.