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An Open Book Foundation

EIN 27-4234601 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AN OPEN BOOK FOUNDATION (AOB) CONNECTS WASHINGTON, DC-AREA STUDENTS WITH AUTHORS, ILLUSTRATORS, AND THEIR BOOKS TO NURTURE A LIFELONG LOVE OF READING. WE SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE BY BUILDING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO INTERACTIVE LITERACY ENRICHMENT AND HIGH-QUALITY BOOKS.

Income
$689,047
Spending
$769,258
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 77%
Employees
7
Volunteers
19
Highest pay
$76,328, 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

Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 38% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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

    10 of 10 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 (1)
  1. $543,738 spent. AN OPEN BOOK FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO CONNECT WASHINGTON, DC-AREA STUDENTS WITH AUTHORS, ILLUSTRATORS, AND THEIR BOOKS TO NURTURE A LIFELONG LOVE OF READING. WE SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE BY BUILDING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO INTERACTIVE LITERACY ENRICHMENT AND HIGH-QUALITY BOOKS. OUR VISION IS THAT CHILDREN SEE THEMSELVES AS READERS, WHO USE THEIR WRITTEN AND VISUAL LITERACY SKILLS TO NAVIGATE A COMPLEX WORLD AND DEFINE THEIR OWN FUTURES. AOB PARTNERS WITH TITLE 1 SCHOOLS IN THE DC METRO AREA: WARDS 1,2,4,5,6,7,8 IN DC; MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD; AND ALEXANDRIA CITY AND FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA. IN TERMS OF THE STUDENTS WE SERVE, 71% OF STUDENTS ARE IN DC, 24% IN MARYLAND, AND 5% ARE IN VIRGINIA. BECAUSE WE WORK IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS, WE ALSO CONSIDER OTHER DATA POINTS TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY. DUE TO A LONG HISTORY OF DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES IN OUR COUNTRY, STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOLS WE SERVE ARE PREDOMINANTLY BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR. NOT ONLY DO AOB'S LITERACY PROGRAMS ADDRESS THESE DISPARITIES, BUT THEY ALSO INFUSE JOY IN THE STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND AUTHORS WHO EXPERIENCE THEM. AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS PRESENT ENGAGING BOOK TALKS AND INTERACTIVE WRITING AND DRAWING DEMONSTRATIONS AND AOB GIVES EVERY STUDENT ATTENDING THE EVENT A COPY OF THE AUTHOR'S BOOK TO ADD TO THEIR HOME LIBRARY. SCHOOL AND CLASSROOM LIBRARIES RECEIVE A SET OF THE AUTHOR'S TITLES. SINCE OUR FIRST EVENT IN 2010, WE HAVE GIVEN OVER 125,000 BOOKS TO STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS AT NEARLY 1,400 SCHOOL VISITS WHERE AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS MADE NEARLY 2,500 PRESENTATIONS. DURING PRESENTATIONS, AUTHORS INTERACT WITH CLASSES; WHILE SIGNING STUDENTS' BOOKS AUTHORS ENGAGE IN ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH STUDENT. THESE TALENTED AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS DONATE THEIR TIME TO PROVIDE DYNAMIC, INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES INCLUDING WRITING WORKSHOPS, READ-ALOUDS, AND LITERACY-BASED ART PROJECTS. MEETING PROFESSIONAL BOOK CREATORS CAN INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO A FUTURE CAREER PATH THEY MAY NOT HAVE OTHERWISE CONSIDERED. STUDENTS CAN IMAGINE THEMSELVES AS WRITERS OR ARTISTS WHEN THEY MEET AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS WHO SHARE THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE OR CULTURE. FURTHERMORE, WITH THE ADDITION OF BOOKS TO HOMES AND SCHOOLS, LIBRARY CIRCULATION INCREASES, HOME LIBRARIES EXPAND, AND STUDENTS' ENTHUSIASM GROWS. IN ADDITION TO OUR FLAGSHIP AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR SCHOOL VISITS PROGRAM, AN OPEN BOOK OFFERS SEVERAL OTHER PROGRAMS: -NEW AND EMERGING ARTISTS OF COLOR - AMPLIFYING THE CREATIVE VOICES OF DEBUT BIPOC AUTHORS/ILLUSTRATORS.-ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE - MULTI-SESSION VISUAL ART LESSONS.-STEM RESIDENCE - MULTI-SESSION LESSONS EXPLORING STEM-RELATED SKILLS AND CONCEPTS.-EXTENSION ACTIVITIES - FOLLOW-UP EVENTS THAT DEEPEN STUDENTS' EXPERIENCES WITH THE BOOKS THEY RECEIVE.-COHORT INITIATIVE - OFFERS OUR FULL RANGE OF PROGRAMMING ACROSS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAREER OF AN ENTIRE GRADE AT SELECTED SCHOOLS.

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 May 2011.

    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.