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Ozark Literacy Council Inc

EIN 58-1958477 · Fayetteville, AR

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OZARK LITERACY COUNCIL OFFERS FREE LITERACY PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS IN ORDER TO BUILD A WELCOMING, INCLUSIVE AND EMPOWERED COMMUNITY.

Income
$356,287
Spending
$323,773
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
-2.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 70%
Employees
14
Volunteers
60

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: 55 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 20% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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 95% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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.

  • 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 (3)
  1. $154,240 spent. ADULT EDUCATION. OZARK LITERACY COUNCIL PROVIDES ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING TO IMMIGRANTS, REFUGEES, AND NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS FROM 50 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN, 95% OF WHOM SPEAK LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH. WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING FREE ENGLISH CLASSES AND INDIVIDUAL TUTORING FOR ADULTS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY ARKANSAS SINCE 1964. OUR GOALS ARE TO PROMOTE LITERACY, PROVIDE EDUCATION, SUPPORT NEWCOMERS, BUILD INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES AND ADVANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW ARKANSANS. THROUGH IMPROVED LANGUAGE SKILLS, OUR STUDENTS CAN GAIN EMPLOYMENT, ECONOMIC MOBILITY, AND PARTICIPATE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE WORK TO BUILD INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES AND FOSTER UNDERSTANDING, BELONGING, AND MUTUAL ENGAGEMENT AMONG NEW ARKANSANS AND THEIR NEIGHBORS.
  2. $40,108 spent. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. OZARK LITERACY COUNCIL HAS A 60-YEAR HISTORY AS A PROVIDER OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION CLASSES IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. OUR EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER REGIONAL ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND WORKFORCE SERVICES STRENGTHEN COORDINATION BETWEEN PROGRAMS AND NAVIGATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS. WE ARE STRENGTHENING ELA SUPPORTED SKILLS TRAINING IN OUR REGION BY COORDINATING PATHWAYS TO TRAINING WITH OTHER AREA PROVIDERS TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULTS WHO SPEAK OTHER LANGUAGES. BY STRATEGIZING WITH AREA BUSINESS LEADERS, WE ARE TARGETING WORKFORCE GAPS. THROUGH IMPROVED LANGUAGE SKILLS, INTEGRATED WITH WORKFORCE TRAINING, NEW ARKANSANS WILL GAIN EMPLOYMENT TO STRENGTHEN OUR REGIONAL ECONOMY AND BUILD A MORE INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY.
  3. $28,121 spent. WELCOME CENTER. OUR WELCOME CENTER IS CENTRAL TO OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM BUILT ON THREE IDEAS -OPPORTUNITY, WELCOMING AND FRIENDSHIP. WE PAIR IMMIGRANTS WITH VOLUNTEERS TO PRACTICE LANGUAGE SKILLS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR REGION. THANKS TO VOLUNTEERS, MANY IMMIGRANTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY OTHERWISE WOULDN'T HAVE TO TAKE ENGLISH CLASSES. OUR VOLUNTEERS ALLOW US TO PROVIDE LOW-COST INDIVIDUALIZED CLASSES AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND DAYS. THANKS TO VOLUNTEERS, IMMIGRANTS FEEL MORE WELCOME HERE. IN MANY CASES, OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE THE IMMIGRANTS' FIRST REAL BRIDGE TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY. THANKS TO VOLUNTEERS, OUR COMMUNITY IS MORE INTEGRATED. LANGUAGE SEGREGATES US, BUT OUR VOLUNTEERS USE THAT BARRIER AS AN EXCUSE TO CONNECT WITH AND FORM MEANINGFUL FRIENDSHIPS WITH ENGLISH LEARNERS.

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 December 1991.

    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.