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Smart Reading

EIN 93-1051724 · Portland, OR

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair68 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO SPARK JOY AND OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE MAGIC OF A SHARED BOOK.

Income
$3.6 million
Spending
$4.6 million
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
9.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
48
Volunteers
3,449
Highest pay
$176,842, 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: 68 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 10% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 29% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 22 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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 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

    0 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. $3.3 million spent. SMART READING IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, STATEWIDE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION (INCORPORATED IN THE STATE OF OREGON) WITH A NETWORK OF VOLUNTEERS, EDUCATORS, DONORS, AND ADVOCATES ACROSS OREGON WHO ARE BANDING TOGETHER TO EMPOWER CHILDREN FOR MORE SUCCESSFUL FUTURES THROUGH BOOKS AND READING. HEADQUARTERED IN PORTLAND, SMART READING ENVISIONS AN OREGON IN WHICH EVERY CHILD CAN REALIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL THROUGH READING. SMART READING ENGAGES COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO READ ONE-ON-ONE OR IN GROUPS WITH PREKINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE CHILDREN. PARTICIPATING CHILDREN ALSO RECEIVE NEW BOOKS EACH MONTH TO KEEP AND READ WITH THEIR FAMILIES.SMART READING PARTNERS WITH OVER 250 HIGH NEED SCHOOLS AND HEAD START PROGRAMS ACROSS OREGON. SMART READING IS OVERWHELMINGLY FUNDED BY PRIVATE SOURCES, AND ACHIEVES THIS WORK BY LEVERAGING PRIVATE DOLLARS AND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO PROVIDE PROVEN READING SUPPORT AND BOOKS FOR THOUSANDS OF OREGON CHILDREN. THE INTENTION OF SMART READING IS TO PROVIDE A FUN, CHILD-GUIDED EXPERIENCE THAT BUILDS READING SKILLS, SELF-CONFIDENCE, AND A LIFELONG LOVE OF READING IN CHILDREN - AND ENSURES ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY, INCLUSIVE BOOKS.DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, SMART READING DELIVERED BOOKS, PROVIDED CLASSROOM READ-ALOUD OPPORTUNITIES, AND/OR ONE-ON-ONE READING SUPPORT TO APPROXIMATELY 15,000 CHILDREN AND GAVE AWAY APPROXIMATELY 125,000 BOOKS. THIS WAS POSSIBLE, IN PART, THANKS TO OVER 750 VOLUNTEERS, WHO TOGETHER CONTRIBUTED APPROXIMATELY 10,000 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME.SINCE 1992, SMART READING HAS SERVED OVER 275,000 CHILDREN WITH THE HELP OF OVER 150,000 VOLUNTEERS, AND GIVEN AWAY OVER 3.2 MILLION BOOKS. TOGETHER, WITH SUPPORT FROM COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE, SMART READING IS EMPOWERING OREGON CHILDREN FOR READING AND LEARNING SUCCESS.AND WE KNOW THE PROGRAM WORKS. AN INDEPENDENT STUDY BY THE EUGENE RESEARCH INSTITUTE REVEALS THAT FIFTH-GRADERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN SMART READING AS FIRST-GRADERS ARE 60 PERCENT MORE LIKELY TO REACH STATE READING BENCHMARKS THAN ARE SIMILAR STUDENTS WHO DID NOT PARTICIPATE.SMART READING STUDENTS DEVELOP READING ACCURACY, FLUENCY AND COMPREHENSION SIGNIFICANTLY FASTER AND MAINTAIN THESE GAINS EVEN AFTER COMPLETING THE PROGRAM.

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 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 November 6, 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 June 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 April 1996.

    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 November 4, 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.