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Passes our checks

Prime Time Family Reading

EIN 20-0960673 · New Orleans, LA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceGood82 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF PRIME TIME FAMILY READING IS TO CREATE THE PRECONDITION FOR FUTURE LEARNING AMONG ECONOMICALLY AND EDUCATIONALLY VULNERABLE FAMILIES.

Income
$10.7 million
Spending
$10.4 million
Spent on programs
91%
Reserves
0.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 100%
Employees
272
Volunteers
127
Highest pay
$283,400, president/executive direct

Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 26% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    91% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 13 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 October 31, 2024, 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 (2)
  1. $9.5 million spent. IN SEPTEMBER 2016, PRIME TIME WAS SELECTED BY THE FEDERAL OFFICE OF HEAD START TO ADMINISTER A HEAD START PROGRAM IN OUACHITA PARISH, LA, SERVING 505 STUDENTS. PRIME TIME HAS TRANSITIONED OUT OF OUACHITA PARISH AS OF MAY 2023. IN SEPTEMBER 2020, PRIME TIME WAS SELECTED TO ADMINISTER THE HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM FOR LAFAYETTE AND IBERIA PARISH, LA, SERVING 635 STUDENTS WITH A HIGH-QUALITY, COMPREHENSIVE HEAD START PROGRAM.
  2. PRIME TIME DIRECTLY EXECUTES A SET OF UNIQUE, HUMANITIES-FOCUSED, OUTCOMES-BASED PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO ENGAGE UNDERSERVED CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. CREATED IN 1991, PRIME TIME READING ROGRAMS ARE PROVEN TO GENERATE LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS IN FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. PRIME TIME PROGRAMS OFFER PARTNER SITES SUCH AS LIBRARIES, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICE AGENCIES RESEARCH-BASED INITIATIVES THAT ENGAGE CHILDREN, PARENTS, TEACHERS, EDUCATION ADMINISTRATORS, AND THE COMMUNITY AT-LARGE IN HIGH-QUALITY, FAMILY-FOCUSED LEARNING EXPERIENCES. PRIME TIME DIRECTLY OPERATES ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE OF LOUISIANA AND IS LICENSED ACROSS THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2024, 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 October 2024.

    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 June 2004.

    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.