irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $367KTHROUGH THE BRIDGE TO LITERACY (BTL) PROGRAM, NABU WORKS WITH LOCAL PARTNERS AROUND THE WORLD, PARTICULARLY NGO'S, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS TO REACH AS MANY CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AS POSSIBLE WITH NABU'S FREE STORIES. PARTNERS HELP ONBOARD FAMILIES AND MOTIVATE THEM TO READ WITH THEIR CHILDREN EVERY DAY TO BOOST THE CULTURE OF READING ACROSS OUR PROGRAM COUNTRIES.
- #2 $157KTHROUGH THE AUTHENTIC BOOK CREATION LAB, NABU'S GLOBAL CREATIVE TEAM WORKS WITH LOCAL CREATORS IN THE COMMUNITIES AND CULTURES WHERE WE WORK TO PUBLISH COLLECTIONS OF AUTHENTIC, CULTURALLY RELEVANT CHILDREN'S BOOKS IN MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGES. OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD HAS FREE ACCESS TO THE ESSENTIAL BOOKS THAT THEY REQUIRE TO LEARN TO READ. OUR CREATIVE PROCESS PROVIDES A PLATFORM FOR AUTHORS TO PUBLISH FUN, BILINGUAL CHILDREN'S BOOKS, WHILE HONORING AND PRESERVING CULTURAL HERITAGE AND EMPOWERING CHILDREN TO SEE THEMSELVES AND THEIR LIVES REFLECTED IN THE PAGES OF THE STORIES THEY READ. IN 2024, WE WORKED WITH CREATIVES AROUND THE WORLD TO AUTHOR, ILLUSTRATE, AND PUBLISH 176 CHILDREN'S STORIES IN 11 LANGUAGES.
named programs · 1 · from sources
What they call their work
Mobile Application Services
Provision of a mobile application and related software services to users, including account creation and profile management.
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Storytelling and Literacy Resource Development 3 activities
- Production of culturally responsive and mother-tongue children's contentCreates original and adapted children's books, audio narrations, and digital resources in underserved languages such as Medumba, Ewondo, Ibibio, and Hausa. Produces country-wide radio programs and adapts stories for delivery via smart TVs, tablets, and community radio in local languages.
- Support for local publishing and bilingual book creationOperates a publishing platform that enables authors to create and publish bilingual children's books reflecting local cultures. Publishes books translated into 25 languages and supports the production of leveled books in underserved languages.
- Training and capacity building for local artists and creatorsTrains local artists, storytellers, and creators—particularly from underrepresented communities—to write, illustrate, and publish culturally relevant children's books in mother tongue languages. Includes a Creative Fellowship program in Miami for Haitian and Caribbean heritage artists.
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Early Literacy Promotion 1 activity
- Community reading engagement and educator supportFacilitates community reading sessions in schools and public spaces using trained educators and provides classroom access to digital reading tools. Supports daily family reading engagement through trained Reading Ambassadors and localized content.
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Children's Book Distribution Programs 1 activity
- Distribution of multilingual children's books and digital reading resourcesProvides free access to over 1,200 multilingual children's story books through a web reader, mobile app, and digital platforms, reaching over 14 million children across 10+ countries in 41 languages. Offers audiobooks on Spotify and donor-funded classroom and family subscriptions to the NABU app.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.72M
Contributions & grants$1.71M100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$3K
expenses
Total expenses$3.14M
Program expenses68%
Admin / overhead18%
Fundraising13%
Salaries & benefits$2.06M
Grants paid out$15K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$362K
Cash$224K
Investments$0
Liabilities$315K
Net assets$48K
Liquid reserves0.8 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -54.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAMILLE PARK | COO | 40 | $222K |
| DAVID ACREE | CONTROLLER | 40 | $125K |
| TANYELLA EVANS | CEO (THROUGH 6/24) | 40 | $119K |
| ISABEL SHEINMAN | CEO (STARTING 7/24) | 40 | $106K |
board members · 9
- DAMIEN VANDERWILT — TREASURER
- DEANNA LANE — DIRECTOR
- DIANA COHN — DIRECTOR
- HELEN LAWTHER — DIRECTOR
- KATHRYN RITCHIE — DIRECTOR
- KELLY GALLAGHER — CHAIRPERSON
- KWEKU MANDELA — DIRECTOR
- SASHI DIAS VALTZ — DIRECTOR
- TAYLOR JEAN-JACQUES — DIRECTOR
relationships · 16
Who they work with
- ABC Lab Partner — Collaborates with NABU to create a diverse and well-balanced collection of children's books through curation, translation, and adaptation.
- Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang Partner — Olympic athlete and author collaborating with NABU to launch a mother tongue literacy campaign in Nigeria through his children's book.
- Acceleration Partners Partner — Supports scaling NABU's programs and impact
- Activation Partners Partner — Helps activate and promote NABU's programs and resources
- Basketball Africa League Partner — Collaborates on the "Big and Magical Basketball Games" story series, integrating African cultural elements and basketball themes.
- Collaboration Partners Partner — Engages in joint initiatives to advance children's literacy
- IHS Cameroon Partner — Partner in launching a new literacy program in Cameroon, providing funding and support.
- IHS Côte d'Ivoire Partner — Partner in expanding the 2026 literacy initiative to 15 schools in Côte d'Ivoire, providing funding and support.
- Ingram Content Group Partner — Kelly Gallagher, Vice President of Content Acquisition at Ingram Content Group, serves on NABU's Board of Directors.
- International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Government — Co-founding partner of the Basketball Africa League, which collaborates with NABU on the BAL story series.
- Leadership Partners Partner — Supports NABU's mission through strategic and financial backing
- Library For All Network — Formerly known as Library For All, NABU continues its mission under a rebranded identity.
- NBA Africa Partner — Partner in the Basketball Africa League collaboration that informs the cultural and sports content of the BAL story series.
- NGOs Partner — Collaborates with NABU to deliver the Bridge to Literacy program.
- Zënu Network Partner — Collaborates with NABU and IHS Cameroon to produce and distribute children's books and digital reading resources in Medumba and Ewondo.
- local governments Partner — Partners with NABU to implement the Bridge to Literacy program.
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.
- Behavioral Incentives to Drive Reading Habitsmethodology: behavioral_incentivesBy using in-app rewards and interactive features, NABU encourages consistent reading behavior among children because gamified feedback loops reinforce habit formation and sustain motivation over time.
- Culturally Responsive Content to Enhance Engagement and Equitymethodology: culturally-responsive-publishingBy curating, adapting, and publishing culturally relevant stories in local languages and contexts, NABU improves literacy outcomes because children are more engaged and motivated to read when they see themselves reflected in the stories they encounter.
- Local Creative Capacity as a Sustainability and Relevance Enginemethodology: local-artistic-capacity-buildingBy training local authors and illustrators to create children's books, NABU ensures long-term production of culturally relevant content because local creators are best positioned to reflect authentic cultural contexts and sustain community ownership of literacy resources.
- Mother-Tongue Literacy as Foundational Interventionmethodology: mother_tongue_firstBy providing children with books in their mother tongue, NABU increases reading confidence, accelerates literacy acquisition, and improves engagement because children learn to read more effectively when instruction begins in a familiar language and affirms their cultural identity.
- Multi-Channel, Low-Connectivity Design for Equitable Accessmethodology: multi-channel content deliveryBy designing literacy programming to function across connectivity levels—including offline and radio-based delivery—NABU ensures access for underserved populations because equitable literacy requires meeting communities where infrastructure limitations exist.