Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

First Literacy Inc

EIN 04-2997446 · Boston, MA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

FUNDING INNOVATION IN ADULT LITERACY TO CHANGE LIVES. WE DO THIS BY: OFFERING FREE BEST PRACTICE WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS AND OTHER ADULT EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS; ENCOURAGING, SUPPORTING, AND SHARING INNOVATIVE PRACTICES, CURRICULUM AND RESOURCES THROUGH OUR FIRST LITERACY LAB PROGRAM GRANT INITIATIVE; AND AWARDING SCHOLARSHIPS AND PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR ADULT LEARNERS WHO ARE STARTING COLLEGE.

Income
$669,780
Spending
$769,794
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
14.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 47%
Employees
8
Volunteers
50
Highest pay
$174,387, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 14.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 16% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 33 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 18 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $529,860 spent. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS PROVIDE ADULT EDUCATORS WITH INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ON EVIDENCE-BASED TEACHING METHODOLOGY AND CURRICULUM DESIGN, CROSS-CULTURAL ISSUES, AND STUDENT ASSESSMENT APPROACHES RELEVANT TO THE ADULT EDUCATION CLASSROOM. TEACHERS WHO PARTICIPATE IN WORKSHOPS, FACILITATED BY KNOWLEDGEABLE PEERS OR EXPERT CONSULTANTS, ARE SUPPORTED IN TRYING OUT NEW IDEAS IN THEIR CLASSROOM AND SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH PEERS ON SITE AND AT FOLLOW-UP WORKSHOPS.
  2. SCHOLARSHIPS AND SUPPORT FOR ADULT LEARNERS WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED BASIC STUDIES IN AN ABE PROGRAM AND ARE PURSUING COLLEGE OR TECHNICAL EDUCATION ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A FIRST LITERACY SCHOLARSHIP. RECIPIENTS ARE AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND POTENTIAL, THEIR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND THEIR RESILIENCY AND PERSEVERANCE IN THE FACE OF HARDSHIP. TO SUSTAIN THIS ONGOING LEARNING COMMUNITY, WE HOST SCHOLAR NETWORKING EVENINGS, INVITE SCHOLARS TO ALL FIRST LITERACY EVENTS, ASK INTERESTED SCHOLARS TO SPEAK AT EVENTS, AND FIRST LITERACY REPRESENTATIVES ATTEND ALL COMMUNITY AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS WHERE OUR SCHOLARS ARE HONORED. WE ALSO LOOK FOR WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN MORE DEEPLY INVOLVE THE SCHOLARS WITH THE BROADER COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL LIFE OF OUR CITY.
  3. FIRST LITERACY OFFERS SMALL GRANTS TO ADULT BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE PRACTICE AND TO STRENGTHEN PROGRAMS. THE FLEXIBILITY OF THESE GRANTS ALLOWS PROGRAMS TO MEET EMERGING STUDENT NEEDS IN A TIMELY FASHION. THE GRANTS ALSO ALLOW VENUES SUCH ASLIBRARIES AND VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS TO INTRODUCE OR EXPAND THEIR SERVICES TO IMMIGRANTS. RECIPIENTS OF FIRST LITERACY GRANTS SHARE THE RESULTS OF THEIR WORK WITH THE GREATER ABE COMMUNITY AT AN ANNUAL EVENT AND ARE SUPPORTED AND MENTORED TO BECOME FACILITATORS OFWORKSHOPS FOR ABE TEACHERS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 1988.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.