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Beneficent Technology Inc

EIN 77-0555413 · Palo Alto, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair59 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

BENETECH IS IMPROVING EDUCATION ACCESS THROUGH ITS TECHNOLOGY, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, CATERING TO THE 1 IN 5 STUDENTS WHO HAVE DISABILITIES OR LEARN DIFFERENTLY. BENETECH BELIEVES THAT ACCESS TO EDUCATION IS A HUMAN RIGHT, REGARDLESS OF DIFFERENCES OR DISABILITY. STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES AND DISABILITIES AROUND THE WORLD FACE BARRIERS TO EDUCATION AND MAY NOT RECEIVE ADEQUATE INSTRUCTION, FORCED TO END THEIR EDUCATION EARLY, OR BE LIMITED TO CERTAIN SUBJECTS SINCE ACCESSIBLE MATERIALS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR SUBJECTS SUCH AS MATH OR CHEMISTRY. BENETECH IS WORKING WITH SCHOOLS, GOVERNMENTS, COMMUNITY, AND PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE DIGITAL LITERACY AND ACCESS TO LEARNING MATERIALS FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES SUCH AS DYSLEXIA AND DISABILITIES RANGING FROM VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS TO PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS.

Income
$12.7 million
Spending
$11.4 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
0.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 69%
Employees
70
Volunteers
19
Highest pay
$345,303, chief executive officer

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

Financial health

Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 31% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

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

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 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, 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. $8.8 million spent. ACCESSIBLE EDUCATION CONTENT AND TECHNOLOGY:BENETECH HAS BEEN DELIVERING INCLUSIVE LEARNING SOLUTIONS FOR OVER 20 YEARS AS THE DEVELOPER OF BOOKSHARE, THE WORLD'S LARGEST SERVICE FOR ACCESSIBLE EDUCATION MATERIALS. BENETECH IS TRANSFORMING HOW EDUCATIONAL CONTENT IS MADE ACCESSIBLE THROUGH INITIATIVES LIKE BOOKSHARE AND ITS GLOBAL CERTIFIED ACCESSIBLE (GCA) PROGRAM. THROUGH THE BOOKSHARE PLATFORM, BENETECH PROVIDES THE WORLD'S LARGEST ONLINE SERVICE FOR ACCESSIBLE E-BOOKS DELIVERING MORE THAN 20 MILLION E-BOOKS AND MATERIALS THAT HAVE SERVED OVER 1.5 MILLION LEARNERS. BENETECH BOOKSHARE MEMBERS READ BOOKS IN FORMATS THAT WORK BEST FOR THEM, WHETHER IT BE AUDIO, TYPOGRAPHY MANIPULATION, WORD HIGHLIGHTS SYNCED WITH AUDIO AND SO ON THROUGH THE BROWSER, MOBILE APPLICATIONS OR OTHER ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY (AT) OF CHOICE. BENETECH'S GOAL FOR ALL LEARNERS IS TO IMPROVE LITERACY AND FOSTER A LOVE FOR LIFE-LONG LEARNING. BENETECH CONTINUES TO SCALE AND INNOVATE, INCLUDING TAKING ON THE NEXT FRONTIER OF LEARNING CONTENT BY MAKING STEM ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL LEARNERS. THE BORN ACCESSIBLE, GCA INITIATIVE CONTINUES TO DRIVE SYSTEM CHANGE IN THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY, PARTNERING WITH PUBLISHERS TO MAKE BOOKS ACCESSIBLE WHEN THEY ARE CREATED.INCLUSIVE EDUCATION CAPACITY BUILDING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: BENETECH IS DEEPENING ITS IMPACT BY WORKING CLOSELY WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, DISTRICTS AND MORE, TO IDENTIFY AND PROVIDE STUDENTS AND THOSE SERVING THEM, SUCH AS AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. DOMESTICALLY, BENETECH IS EXPANDING ITS LOCAL OUTREACH PROGRAMS ACROSS URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES IN NEED, SUCH AS ATLANTA, ALBUQUERQUE, DETROIT, LAS VEGAS AND MEMPHIS, AND ARE BUILDING A MODEL FOR PLACE-BASED CHANGE TO CLOSE LEARNING GAPS. BENETECH SERVES LEARNERS IN OVER 90 COUNTRIES DIRECTLY OR THROUGH PARTNERS AND PROVIDE CAPACITY BUILDING SERVICES FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, PARTICULARLY IN LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES. BENETECH SUPPORTS SCHOOLS FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION TO EMBRACE INCLUSIVE EDUCATION THROUGH DIGITAL LITERACY AND DIGITAL PEDAGOGY. BENETECH PROVIDES TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO EDUCATORS TO EFFECTIVELY USE ACCESSIBLE CONTENT AND TECHNOLOGY.
  2. $65,858 spent. BENETECH LABS: BENETECH LABS IS OUR INNOVATION AND NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT CENTER, WHERE WE EXPLORE AREAS OF NEED AND DEVELOP SOLUTIONS BY ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITIES, OTHER TECHNOLOGISTS, AND NONPROFITS. WE FOCUS ON FINDING AND DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE PLATFORMS THAT BENETECH AND THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE CAN TAKE TO SCALE AND ACHIEVE LASTING SOCIAL IMPACT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 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 2024.

    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 April 2001.

    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.