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Behind the Book Inc

EIN 32-0086097 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair58 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

BEHIND THE BOOK'S MISSION IS TO INSPIRE YOUNG PEOPLE TO CULTIVATE THEIR VAST POTENTIAL THROUGH PROGRAMS CENTERED ON DIVERSE BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$1.1 million
Spent on programs
59%
Reserves
2.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 74%
Employees
16
Volunteers
65
Highest pay
$149,760, 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: 58 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 35% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    59% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 26 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 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

    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 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. $682,257 spent. BEHIND THE BOOK (BTB) DELIVERS MULTI-DISCIPLINARY, CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE LITERACY PROGRAMS TO SCHOOLS IN LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS IN NYC IN ORDER TO MOTIVATE STUDENTS TO BECOME AVID AND PROFICIENT READERS AND WRITERS.BTB WORKS EXCLUSIVELY IN PRE-K THROUGH 12 GRADE CLASSROOMS IN TITLE 1 PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHERE ON AVERAGE 89% OF THE STUDENTS QUALIFY FOR FREE LUNCH. 61% IDENTIFY AS LATINX, 33% AS BLACK, 4% AS WHITE OR OTHER AND 2% AS ASIAN AMERICAN.THE PROGRAMS FEATURE AN 'ANCHOR TEXT SELECTED FROM A CURATED BOOK LIST AND CONSIST OF 6-8 WORKSHOPS THAT MEET NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS LEARNING STANDARDS. DURING THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR, 88% OF THE AUTHORS AND 96% OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF THE BOOKS SELECTED WERE BIPOC OR OTHERWISE DIVERSE, CRITICAL IN FOSTERING THE PARTICIPATING STUDENTS' INTRINSIC MOTIVATION TO READ AND WRITE. PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDE AUTHOR WORKSHOPS, WRITING WORKSHOPS, DRAMA ACTIVITIES, ART PROJECTS, AND FIELD TRIPS. MANY PROGRAMS CONCLUDE WITH A PROFESSIONALLY DESIGNED ANTHOLOGY OF STUDENTS' WRITING AND ART, MAKING THEM PUBLISHED AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS. PROGRAMS ARE CUSTOMIZED FOR EACH CLASSROOM BY A BTB CURRICULUM DEVELOPER AND PROGRAM FACILITATOR WITH INPUT FROM THE PARTNERING CLASSROOM TEACHERS.DURING THE FY2025, (THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR),BTB DELIVERED 51 PROGRAMS AT 20 SCHOOLS. (30% STEM, 30% SPECIAL EDUCATION, 31% ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS) CONSISTING OF 383 WORKSHOPS. WE SERVED 1184 STUDENTS. 14 OF THE 51 PROGRAMS CULMINATED IN THE PUBLICATION OF 9 ANTHOLOGIES OF STUDENT WORK, MAKING 325 STUDENTS PUBLISHED AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS. THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS REPORTED IN THEIR POST-PROGRAM SELF-ASSESSMENTS THAT THEY WOULD CHOOSE ANOTHER BOOK TO READ, WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANOTHER BTB PROJECT, ARE MORE INTERESTED IN READING AND WRITING, FEEL THEIR READING HAS IMPROVED, AND FEEL THEIR WRITING HAS IMPROVED.BTB EVALUATES ITS WORK BASED ON THE CHANGE IN STUDENTS' INTRINSIC (INTERNAL) MOTIVATION TO READ AND WRITE, WHICH IS CRITICAL FOR THEIR OVERALL SCHOOL SUCCESS. THE EVALUATION SURVEY IS BASED ON DECADES OF RESEARCH ON THE ROLE OF INTRINSIC MOTIVATION IN LEARNING SUCCESS.

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 June 2003.

    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.