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Ethiopia Reads

EIN 94-3283038 · Minneapolis, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood82 out of 100GovernanceGood76 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ETHIOPIA READS MISSION IS TO BUILD A READING CULTURE IN ETHIOPIA BY CONNECTING CHILDREN WITH BOOKS, LIBRARIES, AND TRAINED LIBRARIANS.

Income
$167,980
Spending
$165,991
Spent on programs
92%
Reserves
20.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
1
Volunteers
25
Highest pay
$27,430, operations manager

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

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 20.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 49% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    92% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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: 76 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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. $152,582 spent. SEE SCHEDULE O.ALONGSIDE ITS ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY-BASED READING HUBS, INCLUDING THE GEBETA CHILDREN'S COMMUNITY LIBRARY IN ADDIS ABABA, THE HAWASSA READING CENTER, AND ITS DONKEY- AND HORSE-POWERED MOBILE LITERACY PROGRAMS, ETHIOPIA READS CONTINUED TO EXPAND ACCESS TO BOOKS, READING SUPPORT, AND CHILD-FRIENDLY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN IN URBAN, RURAL, AND HARD-TO-REACH COMMUNITIES. IN 2025, THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDED REGULAR LIBRARY AND LITERACY SERVICES, SUMMER CAMPS, FAMILY LITERACY ACTIVITIES, TUTORING, AND READING-CENTERED EVENTS THAT SUPPORTED CHILDREN'S LEARNING, CREATIVITY, AND WELL-BEING.BOOKS AND READING MATERIALS: ETHIOPIA READS DISTRIBUTED LARGE NUMBERS OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS THROUGH SEVERAL CHANNELS IN 2025. IT DELIVERED 9,360 BILINGUAL STORYBOOKS TO 78 SCHOOLS IN 14 WOREDAS IN TIGRAY AS PART OF CONFLICT-RECOVERY PROGRAMMING, AND OVERALL DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 23,800 IMPORTED, REPRINTED, LOCALLY PURCHASED, AND BRAILLE BOOKS TO SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS NATIONWIDE. ETHIOPIA READS ALSO LAUNCHED ETHIOPIA'S FIRST LARGE-SCALE LOCAL PUBLISHING OF BOARD BOOKS FOR VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, WITH 8 TITLES CREATED, 20,000 COPIES PLANNED AND MORE THAN 6,500 COMPLETED BY YEAR END.PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: ETHIOPIA READS CONTINUED TO STRENGTHEN THE SKILLS OF LIBRARIANS, TEACHERS, SCHOOL LEADERS, AND EDUCATION OFFICIALS THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PEER-LEARNING ACTIVITIES. IN 2025, 174 EDUCATORS PARTICIPATED IN TRAINING AND RELATED CAPACITY-BUILDING PROGRAMS, INCLUDING LIBRARIAN DISCUSSION PLATFORMS, LITERACY-FOCUSED WORKSHOPS, AND TRAINING LINKED TO SCHOOL AND CONFLICT-RECOVERY INITIATIVES. THESE EFFORTS HELPED IMPROVE LIBRARY SERVICES, READING INSTRUCTION, AND THE USE OF BOOKS AND READ-ALOUD PRACTICES IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES.ADVOCACY AND FIELD BUILDING: IN APRIL 2025, ETHIOPIA READS CONVENED ITS 5TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CHILDREN'S READING SUMMIT, BRINGING TOGETHER MORE THAN 100 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS FROM GOVERNMENT, EDUCATION, CIVIL SOCIETY, AND DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS TO ADVANCE DIALOGUE ON EARLY LITERACY, PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT, AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE STORYTELLING. ETHIOPIA READS ALSO ORGANIZED MAJOR CHILDREN'S READING FESTIVALS IN HAWASSA AND DIRE DAWA, TOGETHER ENGAGING MORE THAN 2,500 PARTICIPANTS AND HELPING BUILD PUBLIC AWARENESS AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR READING.

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 June 1999.

    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.