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LET GROW INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 822643800 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE P20 · Human Services · Medium ($1M-$10M) · letgrow.org
revenue
$2.1M
expenses
$900K
net assets
$2.2M
employees
6
volunteers
15
program ratio
66%
mission · from form 990

TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHY, CONFIDENT AND INDEPENDENT CHILDREN AND PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THEIR PARENTS THROUGH EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.

profile · synthesized from sources

Let Grow Inc promotes childhood independence through school-based programs that encourage unstructured play and self-reliance. The organization provides free resources to educators and families to foster confidence, problem-solving, and resilience in children. It operates nationwide and advocates for cultural and legal shifts to support kids' independence.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Independence Therapy
Therapeutic approach based on assigning children to do something independently at home, developed to build confidence and reduce anxiety.
Let Grow Play Club
Before- or after-school program where students organize unstructured play with minimal adult intervention, fostering creativity, cooperation, and conflict resolution.
The Let Grow Experience
Free full-year curriculum for schools promoting student agency, self-confidence, and executive function through independence-building activities.
Think For Yourself Essay Contest
High school essay contest awarding $8,000 in scholarships for stories about standing up for freedom of thought, speech, or action.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • After-School Academic and Enrichment Programs 2 activities
    • Implements The Let Grow Project in K-8 schools
      Delivers a structured program in public and private K-8 schools that encourages children to independently try new tasks, supported by a free, full-year curriculum for students and parents accessible via shared Google Drive.
    • Operates Let Grow Play Clubs for unstructured student play
      Runs school-based Play Clubs where children engage in unsupervised, screen-free play before or after school with minimal adult intervention beyond safety oversight; includes programs such as the twice-weekly club at Discovery Ridge Elementary with 72 participating students.
  • Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
    • Administers the Think For Yourself Essay Contest and scholarship program
      Awards $8,000 annually in college scholarships to U.S. high school seniors through an essay contest highlighting independent thought, speech, or action, receiving over 4,000 submissions in 2026.
  • Child Care and Early Childhood Policy Advocacy 1 activity
    • Advocates for legislative changes supporting childhood independence
      Supports policy change by advocating for "Reasonable Childhood Independence" laws, contributing to the passage of such bills in eleven states and inspiring federal "Let Grow" legislation.
  • Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs 1 activity
    • Distributes free curricula and educational resources for building childhood independence
      Provides free, ready-to-use curricula—including The Let Grow Experience and implementation support—for K-12 students and parents to build agency and confidence through independence, available via shared Google Drive and direct distribution.
  • Uncategorized 5 activities
    • Conducts and disseminates research on childhood independence as clinical intervention
      Developed and distributed a Clinical Therapy Manual (also called Independence Therapy Manual) based on a pilot study showing increased independence as an effective intervention for childhood anxiety.
    • Offers community and outreach support tools
      Provides a searchable Community Toolkit with resources, outreach tools, and external links to support local efforts in promoting child independence.
    • Organizes annual Independence Challenge
      Hosts a recurring challenge inviting children to submit photos, videos, and stories documenting their independent activities to promote confidence and self-reliance.
    • Promotes public understanding of childhood independence through data and education
      Shares crime statistics and other evidence-based information with parents to counter fear-based parenting and support safe, independent childhood experiences.
    • Provides family resources and toolkits to promote childhood independence
      Distributes free materials including the Independence Kit, "Four Weeks to a Let Grow Kid" guide, Independent Action Cards, a 10-week family action plan, and the Kid License in English and Spanish to support parents in fostering independence.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.06M
Contributions & grants$1.97M96%
Program service revenue$42K2%
Investment income$47K2%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$900K
Program expenses66%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising15%
Salaries & benefits$570K
Grants paid out$9K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.23M
Cash$52K
Investments$1.30M
Liabilities$16K
Net assets$2.21M
Liquid reserves18.0 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +87.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
ANDREA KEITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $193K
LENORE SKENAZY PRESIDENT/SECRETARY 40 $190K
board members · 4
  • DANIEL SHUCHMAN — CHAIR/TREASURER
  • JONATHAN HAIDT — DIRECTOR
  • PETER GRAY — DIRECTOR (THRU JULY)
  • SAMANTHA BOARDMAN — DIRECTOR
relationships · 16

Who they work with

  • Discovery Ridge Elementary Partner — Implemented the Let Grow Play Club with 72 students participating in unstructured play sessions.
  • Discovery Ridge Elementary Partner — Partner school where Let Grow implemented a Play Club program.
  • Dr. Camilo Ortiz Partner — Collaborated on research studying independence as a treatment for childhood anxiety.
  • Dr. Ortiz Partner — Provides the Independence Therapy Manual for free distribution to therapists.
  • FIRE Network — Co-founder Daniel Shuchman is former Chairman of FIRE (The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression), indicating organizational affiliation.
  • Facebook Network — Hosts a public Facebook group for parents to share experiences and advice on raising independent kids.
  • Facebook Partner — Hosts a Facebook group for families to connect and share resources.
  • Franklin High School Partner — Partner school where Junior ROTC students participate in Let Grow activities.
  • Let Grow Partner — Organization administering the Pledge of Independence program for parents and children.
  • Mavis Wellington Partner — Canada School Account Manager supporting schools with program implementation.
  • Parents Partner — Collaborates with parents to advocate for reasonable childhood independence legislation.
  • Pediatricians Partner — Works with pediatricians to support the passage of reasonable childhood independence legislation.
  • Psychologists Partner — Includes psychologists among key supporters of reasonable childhood independence initiatives.
  • Teachers Partner — Engages teachers as supporters in promoting reasonable childhood independence laws.
  • The Balance Project Partner — Collaborates with The Balance Project to promote balanced technology use and real-life experiences for children, families, and communities.
  • Thomas Jefferson Day School Partner — Partner school implementing the Let Grow curriculum, with leadership endorsement from Head Laura McDonald.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Cultivating Authenticity and Critical Reflection Through Narrative
    methodology: authenticity_over_perfection
    By prioritizing reflective storytelling and authentic self-expression over polished or AI-generated work, we foster critical thinking and personal growth, because engaging with lived experience builds deeper cognitive and emotional development than performance-oriented writing.
  • Flexible, Community-Driven Implementation of Independence-Building Practices
    methodology: community-driven customization
    By offering customizable resources and programming, we enable communities to adapt independence-promoting strategies to local contexts, because local ownership and cultural relevance increase adoption and sustainability of behavioral change.
  • Normalizing Age-Appropriate Independence to Shift Cultural and Legal Norms
    methodology: parental-rights-and-child-independence
    By redefining child neglect to exclude brief, unsupervised periods and by promoting public independent activities, we reduce legal and social risks for families, because shifting cultural assumptions about childhood fragility enables broader acceptance of developmentally appropriate independence.
  • Parental Trust and Stepping Back as Catalysts for Child Development
    methodology: step-back_parenting
    By encouraging parents to step back and trust their children’s capacity for independence, we increase children’s self-confidence and resilience while reducing parental anxiety, because mutual trust creates a feedback loop that reinforces autonomy and emotional well-being in both children and caregivers.
  • Self-Directed Play and Risk-Taking to Build Resilience
    methodology: anti-fragility
    By facilitating unstructured, self-directed play and allowing children to take small, manageable risks independently, we build their resilience, problem-solving skills, and confidence because overcoming challenges without adult intervention fosters intrinsic competence that transfers to academic and social settings.