Room to Read
Room to Read reported $74.0 million in revenue and $64.6 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $86.25 went to program services, $4.25 to management and general costs and $9.50 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 100.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $440,457 (CEO / DIRECTOR). 38 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 24% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $65MFor context, the median across 5,499 covered education charities: $85.56 programs, $13.59 management, $0.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $74M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$97.82 $73M
- Government grants$1.26 $947K
- Investment income$0.92 $693K
Other revenue was negative: −$1.0M. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 86.3% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 4.2% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 9.5% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.08 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 100.5% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $440,457 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.68% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 38 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 15.0 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 16 of 17 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseRoom to read's literacy program portfolio supports children in developing literacy skills and a love of reading by training and coaching educators, creating quality curriculum and children's book content in local languages, and enriching learning spaces that enable children to become independent readers. To date, room to read has benefited 54.99 mm children benefited through its literacy portfolio
Room to read's gender equality program portfolio supports all adolescents, particularly girls, to develop life skills that promote gender equality with curriculum that focuses on collaboration, resilience, leadership, decision-making and critical thinking.to date, room to read has benefited 4.31 mm children benefited through its gender equality portfolio. (continued on schedule o)
Highest reported compensation
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO / DIRECTOR Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $404,538 | $0 | $35,919 | $440,457 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $294,555 | $0 | $49,333 | $343,888 |
| CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $281,627 | $0 | $32,696 | $314,323 |
| CHIEF DEVCOM OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $286,072 | $0 | $10,835 | $296,907 |
| CHIEF PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $259,489 | $0 | $16,705 | $276,194 |
| VICE PRESIDENT FINANCE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $221,930 | $0 | $35,885 | $257,815 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, GIRLS' EDUCATION PROGRAM Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $215,113 | $0 | $29,800 | $244,913 |
| CHIEF PEOPLE AND TECHNOLOGY OFFICER Key employee, 34.00 hrs/week | $229,001 | $0 | $15,166 | $244,167 |
38 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Room to Read (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.1M (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b17 · 16 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 578
- Volunteers Part I, line 615,733
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses onlyIndividuals listed as contractors are left out. 3 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
73 private foundations reported grants to Room to Read totaling $4.9M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Room to Read's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Room to Read, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Room to Read spent in 2025, $86.25 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Walla Walla UniversityCollege Place, WA · revenue $74M · programs 90.0% · FY2025
- KIPP Cooper NorcrossNewark, NJ · revenue $74M · programs 74.3% · FY2025
- Genesee Education Consultant ServicesFlint, MI · revenue $74M · programs 100.0% · FY2025
- Westminster CollegeNew Wilmington, PA · revenue $74M · programs 92.3% · FY2025
- Ripon CollegeRipon, WI · revenue $74M · programs 84.2% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Room to Read's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Room to Read reported that 86.3% of its $64.6 million in expenses went to program services, 4.2% to management and general and 9.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Room to Read pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Room to Read reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $440,457, for the role of CEO / DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Room to Read get its money?
Of $74.0 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 100.5% came from contributions and grants (including 1.3% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Room to Read a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 91-2003533 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202602309349302945 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202541919349300439 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202412559349300801 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202302339349300525 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202212089349300336 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202112399349301666 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202001919349303020 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 91-2003533: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.