Children's Literacy Project

What Children's Literacy Project does

Children's Literacy Project (CLP) is a faith-motivated nonprofit founded in 2015 and headquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregon, that connects volunteer reading mentors with vetted literacy organizations, schools, and faith communities across the United States. The organization operates a Volunteer Placement Engine and searchable national database of 5,200+ vetted literacy organizations spanning 350 communities, enabling zip-code-based matching of individual volunteers and groups (churches, universities, businesses) with structured local reading programs. Beyond the matching platform, CLP produces and distributes a portfolio of media and training assets, including the award-winning SENTENCED feature documentary co-produced and narrated by Stephen Curry (launched at the Library of Congress and streamed on Peacock), the READ book, a library of 18+ short films, a nine-module Moonshot Masterclass, and the forthcoming READ Campaign church literacy kit (Fall 2026). The organization also runs a University Project connecting colleges with local schools for student volunteer placement, and a SENTENCED Private Screening Program that enables qualified partners to host documentary screenings as fundraising events with a 15% net donation contribution back to CLP.

CLP's revenue model is donation-driven: as a crowdfunded 501(c)-style nonprofit, it relies primarily on individual and foundation contributions, supplemented by Amazon book/guide sales (READ, Launching a Literacy Partnership), screening-event contributions, and partner support from entities such as the Keller Foundation. Core services (mentor matching, organization vetting, training resources) are free to users and partner organizations. The go-to-market operates through three motions: community-led grassroots activation via churches, universities, and civic groups; event-driven fundraising and awareness through SENTENCED screenings; and direct-to-consumer volunteer sign-up via the website. The organization maintains a lean 1-10 person staff led by Executive Director Steve Sammons, Founder Jeff Martin, and Co-Founder Tony Kriz, with a board chaired by David Austin and including senior figures from Nickelodeon, Sesame Workshop, the UN World Food Programme, and the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading.

Name

Children's Literacy Project

Legal name

The Children's Literacy Project

Website

https://childrensliteracyproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Children's Literacy Project is a nonprofit that connects volunteer reading mentors with vetted literacy organizations across the United States through a national database and produces literacy media including the SENTENCED documentary with Stephen Curry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Literacy Nonprofit Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Remedial Reading & Literacy Intervention (EDANAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Literacy Foundations (Phonics, Reading Fluency, Comprehension) Platforms (EDAFAOAD), Early Literacy & Reading Intervention Programs (EDAGAAAD)

Keywords

• Children's literacy nonprofit
• Volunteer mentor matching
• Literacy organization network
• Reading mentor recruitment
• Faith-based literacy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Oswego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: CLP is a crowdfunded nonprofit that relies on donations from individuals, foundations, and organizations to fund its operations and mission to combat illiteracy in the US. Donations are the primary funding source.
2. Film SENTENCED Screenings: Organizations can host private screenings of the SENTENCED documentary as fundraising events. CLP invested $1 million in producing the film and offers it at no cost to qualified organizations, who may contribute 15% of net donations back to CLP.
3. Book Sales: CLP publishes and sells books including READ (available on Amazon) that provide guidance on literacy advocacy and faith-based literacy work.
4. Resource Guide Sales: The organization sells the 'Launching a Literacy Partnership' guide on Amazon, providing step-by-step resources for individuals and groups committed to advancing literacy in their communities.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Children's Literacy Project runs a national volunteer matching network that pairs reading mentors with vetted local literacy organizations across 350+ US communities, supported by a 5,200-organization searchable database. The organization also produces and distributes literacy-focused media — most notably the award-winning SENTENCED documentary co-produced with Stephen Curry — and publishes books and training resources (READ, Launching a Literacy Partnership) to recruit volunteers, raise awareness, and enable fundraising for partner programs.

Product overview

Children's Literacy Project is a nonprofit literacy network offering a portfolio of interconnected programs, media, and services. The core offering is a volunteer matching platform that connects reading mentors with vetted literacy organizations nationwide through their Literacy Partnership Network and Literacy Organization Database. The organization's flagship media properties include SENTENCED, an award-winning documentary co-produced with Stephen Curry, and the READ book—both designed as call-to-action tools to recruit volunteers and drive fundraising. Additional offerings include the Diverse Short Films library, the Moonshot Masterclass (a 9-module educational series), and the Launching a Literacy Partnership guide. The READ Campaign (launching Fall 2026) will provide churches with a comprehensive kit to mobilize congregations. All offerings are designed to work together: media raises awareness and recruits volunteers who are funneled through the platform to literacy organizations, while training materials and resources support program implementation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SENTENCED Documentary An immersive feature documentary exploring childhood illiteracy through character-driven stories, co-produced and narrated by Stephen Curry (4x NBA champion). Used as a call-to-action to recruit reading mentors and as a fundraising tool for partner literacy organizations through private screenings.
• Literacy Partnership Network National network that connects vetted literacy organizations with reading mentors and volunteers. Provides recruitment support, national visibility, fundraising resources, peer collaboration, and access to training materials. Free to join for qualifying organizations.
• Reading Mentor Program Volunteer matching service connecting individuals with local literacy organizations for one-on-one reading mentorship with children, requiring approximately one hour per week commitment. Free for volunteers.
• Diverse Short Films Library Library of inspirational films providing intimate storytelling, whimsical education, and truth-telling about the illiteracy crisis for inspiring volunteers and fueling missions. Over 18 short films are referenced.
• Moonshot Masterclass Nine-module video masterclass series documenting school transformation strategies from Indian River County School District, providing educators and community leaders with replicable models for systemic change in childhood literacy.
• Group Volunteer Program Program for businesses, schools, faith groups, and other organizations wanting to volunteer together, with CLP coordinating curated matches to vetted local programs and providing support materials.
• University Project Initiative connecting colleges and universities with local literacy programs and schools, providing a pathway for students to serve as reading buddies and fulfill service-learning requirements.
• Literacy Organization Database National searchable database of vetted literacy organizations enabling volunteers to find programs by zip code with radius filtering, covering 5,200+ organizations across 350+ communities.
• Literacy Resources Library Curated collection of educational materials including getting-started guides, school partnership resources, church resources, literacy champion materials, and academic research resources.
• SENTENCED Private Screening Program Program allowing qualified literacy organizations to host private screenings of SENTENCED documentary as a fundraising and awareness tool, with promotional materials and operational support provided; qualified organizations may contribute 15% of net donations back to CLP.
• READ Book Award-winning book by Tony Kriz and Jeff Martin serving as a clarion call to love neighbors through literacy, illuminating the connection between poverty and illiteracy through a faith-based lens; sold on Amazon.
• Launching a Literacy Partnership Guide Step-by-step guide equipping readers to build and sustain community literacy initiatives with actionable checklists, trauma-informed mentoring methods, and evidence-based curriculum implementation; sold on Amazon.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reading proficiency improved from 18% to 70% in Indian River County School District (Moonshot Moment Initiative)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (CGLR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLP partners with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, a national collaborative focused on grade-level reading proficiency. CLP's SENTENCED film has been shown to CGLR communities, increasing investments of energy, capital, and partnership engagement. Matthew T. Peterson from John & Janice Wyatt Foundation testified to the film's impact on CGLR communities.
• Library of CongressflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SENTENCED documentary premiered at the Library of Congress, establishing institutional credibility and national visibility for CLP's mission to combat childhood illiteracy.
• Stephen Curry and Eat. Learn. Play. FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBA champion Stephen Curry co-produced and narrated the SENTENCED documentary. His production company and foundation partnership brought significant celebrity endorsement, national media attention, and fundraising capacity to the literacy cause.
• Unanimous (Production Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnanimous is the production company behind SENTENCED, working with Stephen Curry and CLP to create the award-winning documentary about childhood illiteracy.
• The Learning Alliance (TLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLP partners with The Learning Alliance on the Moonshot Video Series, documenting the transformation of Indian River County School District's literacy outcomes from 18% to 70% reading proficiency.
• Bushnell UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExample of university partnership where students engage in reading buddy programs with local schools, demonstrating CLP's university engagement model.
• School Connect WAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLP partners with School Connect WA on metropolitan impact initiatives, with Founder Rev. Roy Chang providing endorsement of the READ book.
• Read2Win, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFort Worth, TX literacy organization led by Sultan Cole that works with CLP as a proponent for creating educational ecosystems to increase childhood reading outcomes.
• SOAR DetroitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder Doug Kempton credits CLP as a 'godsend' that allowed SOAR Detroit to network with other literacy champions across the US and share best practices.
• Reading Pals (Chico, CA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichelle Curran from Reading Pals describes CLP as a 'powerful force' raising awareness about the urgent illiteracy crisis and supporting front-line workers.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Reading Is Fundamental: The largest US children's literacy nonprofit, providing books and literacy resources to underserved children. Directly comparable to CLP in mission (children's literacy), nonprofit model, and national reach, though RIF focuses on book distribution rather than volunteer mentor matching.
• First Book: Nonprofit that provides new books and educational resources to children in low-income communities. Comparable as a fellow nonprofit addressing children's literacy through a national network model and corporate/foundation partnerships.
• LitWorld: Nonprofit promoting literacy and social-emotional learning through the LitClub model, combining reading with youth empowerment. Comparable as a literacy-focused nonprofit with a global perspective and partnership-driven program delivery.
• Reach Out and Read: National nonprofit that partners with pediatricians to promote early literacy. Directly comparable in mission (early-childhood literacy) and nonprofit funding model, with strong evidence of impact — a benchmark for outcome measurement that CLP currently lacks.
• Reading Partners: Nonprofit that mobilizes volunteer tutors to provide one-on-one literacy support to K-5 students. Closely matches CLP's volunteer-mentor matching model and target population, and is a direct competitor for foundation funding in the reading-mentor space.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library: Book-gifting program mailing free books to children from birth to age five. Comparable as a high-profile celebrity-backed literacy nonprofit (Dolly Parton) operating nationally with a partner-network model analogous to CLP's vetted-organization network.
• 826 National: Network of youth writing and tutoring centers supporting students ages 6-18. Comparable as a volunteer-driven literacy nonprofit with a national footprint and curated programming model similar to CLP's vetted-partner approach.
• Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy: Foundation funding family-literacy programs nationwide, including The Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE. Comparable as a literacy-focused foundation with celebrity/presidential brand association and a grantmaking rather than direct-service model.
• Raising A Reader: National nonprofit that partners with schools and community organizations to promote early literacy through book rotation and family engagement. Closely comparable to CLP in target population (early-childhood literacy), nonprofit model, and partner-network distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Campaign for Grade-Level Reading: National collaborative of funders, nonprofits, and communities focused on grade-level reading proficiency. Functions as a network/convener rather than a direct service provider, and is both a CLP partner and an adjacent player shaping the literacy-policy landscape.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@childrensliteracyproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/childrensliteracyproject

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Children's Literacy Project