Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Book Fairies Inc

EIN 46-3262048 · Hicksville, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

BOOK FAIRIES SOURCES AND REDISTRIBUTES BOOKS TO UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES ON LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK CITY AND INTERNATIONALLY TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN, GROW, AND THRIVE.

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$1.0 million
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
8.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 94%
Employees
9
Volunteers
888
Highest pay
$164,423, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 29% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 30% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 9 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 December 31, 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. $706,468 spent. DURING 2025, THE BOOK FAIRIES DISTRIBUTED APPROXIMATELY 747,000 BOOKS TO PEOPLE IN NEED THROUGHOUT LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK CITY, AND INTERNATIONALLY THROUGH ITS VARIOUS PROGRAMS.BOOK FAIRIES DISTRIBUTES BOOKS THROUGH: MONTHLY BOOK FAIRS: ONCE A MONTH, WE OPEN OUR BOOK BANK TO EDUCATORS FROM SCHOOLS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES. ATTENDEES SELECT AS MANY OF OUR CAREFULLY SORTED BOOKS AS THEY CAN DURING A 1-HOUR TIME SLOT. TYPICALLY, 12,000-20,000 BOOKS ARE DISTRIBUTED AT EACH EVENT, HELPING TO INCREASE ACCESS TO BOOKS FOR PEOPLE ACROSS LONG ISLAND AND NEW YORK CITY.COMMUNITY/SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS: ESTABLISHED IN 2021, THIS PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE TARGETED, MULTI-YEAR SUPPORT TO TEACHERS, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WORKING IN UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES. THROUGH A COMBINATION OF STUDENT BOOK FAIRS, CUSTOMIZED DELIVERIES TO TEACHERS, AND GIVEAWAYS TO PROMOTE READING DURING SCHOOL BREAKS, WE HELP TO BUILD HOME, CLASSROOM, AND SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND FOSTER A CULTURE OF LITERACY.PUBLIC BOOKSHELVES: WE SUPPLY, MAINTAIN, AND REFRESH BOOK COLLECTIONS IN A VARIETY OF LOCATIONS, INCLUDING HEALTH CENTERS, PUBLIC PARKS, LIRR STATIONS, GROCERY STORES, PEDIATRIC DOCTORS' OFFICES, BEFORE- AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, SOUP KITCHENS, WOMEN'S SHELTERS, AND COMMUNITY CENTERS. WE ALSO DELIVER PAPERBACK BOOKS TO ORGANIZATIONS WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS IN THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM.SPECIAL BOOK DISTRIBUTIONS: THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE SUPPORT SPECIFIC REQUESTS FOR BOOK GIVEAWAYS, SUCH AS SUMMER READING INITIATIVES, COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND SCHOOL-WIDE DISTRIBUTIONS AT SITES THAT ARE NOT ALREADY PART OF OUR SCHOOL/COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.GLOBAL BOOK DISTRIBUTIONS: WE PACK BOOKS IN FAIR TO AVERAGE CONDITION FOR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO SHIP OVERSEAS TO SUPPORT LITERACY NEEDS IN UNDER-RESOURCED COUNTRIES. OUR CURRENT PARTNER REACHES UNDER-RESOURCED SCHOOLS IN SOMALILAND, SIERRA LEONE, AND GHANA FACING HIGH DEMAND FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS IN ENGLISH.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

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

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since December 2013.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.