Book Em is located in Nashville, TN. The organization was established in 1992. According to its NTEE Classification (B92) the organization is classified as: Remedial Reading & Encouragement, under the broad grouping of Education and related organizations. As of 12/2021, Book Em employed 7 individuals. This organization is an independent organization and not affiliated with a larger national or regional group of organizations. Book Em is a 501(c)(3) and as such, is described as a "Charitable or Religous organization or a private foundation" by the IRS.
For the year ending 12/2021, Book Em generated $1.1m in total revenue. This organization has experienced exceptional growth, as over the past 7 years, it has increased revenue by an average of 16.4% each year . All expenses for the organization totaled $863.9k during the year ending 12/2021. While expenses have increased by 12.5% per year over the past 7 years. They've been increasing with an increasing level of total revenue. You can explore the organizations financials more deeply in the financial statements section below.
Since 2014, Book Em has awarded 171 individual grants totaling $2,335,755. If you would like to learn more about the grant giving history of this organization, scroll down to the grant profile section of this page.
Form
990
Mission & Program ActivityExcerpts From the 990 Filing
TAX YEAR
2021
Describe the Organization's Mission:
Part 3 - Line 1
BOOK 'EM CREATES A MORE LITERATE NASHVILLE AND IGNITES CHILDREN'S PASSION FOR READING THROUGH BOOK OWNERSHIP AND ENTHUSIASTIC VOLUNTEERS.
Describe the Organization's Program Activity:
Part 3 - Line 4a
BOOKS FOR NASHVILLE'S KIDS PROVIDE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS IN DAVIDSON COUNTY, WHO MAY NOT HAVE BOOKS OF THEIR OWN, BY GIVING BOOKS TO MORE THAN 100 SCHOOLS, NONPROFITS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. THESE ORGANIZATIONS GIVE THE BOOKS TO THE CHILDREN AND/OR TEENS THAT THEY SERVE TO TAKE HOME. MOST OF THE BOOKS IN OUR BOOKS FOR NASHVILLE'S KIDS PROGRAM ARE DONATED TO BOOK'EM THROUGH YEAR-ROUND BOOK DRIVES AND BOOK DONATIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS, COMMUNITY GROUPS, PUBLISHERS AND BUSINESSES. SOME BOOKS ARE PURCHASED AT VERY DISCOUNTED PRICES. IN 2020, BOOK' EM PROVIDED MORE THAN 134,000 BOOKS AND 220 READING ROLEMODELS TO BENEFIT CHILDREN AGES 0-18 LIVING IN LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN NASHVILLE, DAVIDSON COUNTY, TN. THROUGH OUR WORK, WE WANT TO MOTIVATE AND ENCOURAGE YOUTH TO DEVELOP STRONGER LITERACY SKILLS AND A LOVE OF READING.
READING IS FUNDAMENTAL VOLUNTEERS VISIT THEIR ASSIGNED ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM FIVE TIMES OR MORE THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. DURING THESE VISITS, THE VOLUNTEERS READ ALOUD TO AND INTERACT WITH THE CHILDREN, THEN ALLOW EACH CHILD TO SELECT A NEW BOOK TO BECOME THEIR VERY OWN. THESE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED ELEMENTARY CHILDREN BENEFIT GREATLY FROM HAVING A POSITIVE COMMUNITY ROLE MODEL VISIT THEM IN THEIR CLASSROOMS AND HAVING BOOKS TO CHERISH AND BUILD THEIR HOME LIBRARIES. DURING 2018-2019, 210 RIF VOLUNTEERS VISITED WITH 4,288 STUDENTS IN 213 CLASSROOMS AT SEVENTEEN SCHOOLS AND DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 21,000 BOOKS. DURING THE PANDEMIC, VOLUNTEERS CREATED READ ALOUD VIDEOS AND READ TO THEIR CLASSROOMS VIRTUALLY. ALL STUDENTS AT OUR RIF SCHOOLS RECEIVED BOOKS.
READY FOR READING PLACES READING VOLUNTEERS IN LOCAL PRESCHOOLS AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THESE READING VOLUNTEERS ACT AS READING ROLE MODELS AND READ ON A WEEKLY OR BI-WEEKLY BASIS TO SMALL GROUPS OF CHILDREN OR ON A ONE-ON-ONE BASIS. THE FREQUENT SCHEDULE ALLOWS THE STUDENTS TO GET TO KNOW THE VOLUNTEERS WELL AND ANTICIPATE THEIR VISITS WITH MUCH EXCITEMENT. IN 2018-19, THIS PROGRAM CONTINUED AT CAMBRIDGE EARLY LEARNING CENTER AND ROSS EARLY LEARNING CENTER. DURING THE PANDEMIC, THIS PROGRAM WAS PUT ON HOLD AS STUDENTS WERE NOT IN SCHOOL OR VOLUNTEERS WERE NOT ALLOWED IN SCHOOLS.
READ ME DAY IS AN ANNUAL EVENT HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE AND FUN OF READING.
Name (title) | Role | Hours | Compensation |
---|---|---|---|
Melissa Spradlin Executive Di | Officer | 50 | $62,496 |
Jennifer Chalos Vice Preside | OfficerTrustee | 2 | $0 |
Scott Craddock Past Preside | OfficerTrustee | 2 | $0 |
Robert Martin Secretary | OfficerTrustee | 2 | $0 |
Lynsey Roberts Treasurer | OfficerTrustee | 2 | $0 |
Michael Sheridan President | OfficerTrustee | 2 | $0 |
Statement of Revenue | |
---|---|
Federated campaigns | $0 |
Membership dues | $0 |
Fundraising events | $0 |
Related organizations | $0 |
Government grants | $0 |
All other contributions, gifts, grants, and similar amounts not included above | $1,101,394 |
Noncash contributions included in lines 1a–1f | $674,160 |
Total Revenue from Contributions, Gifts, Grants & Similar | $1,101,394 |
Total Program Service Revenue | $0 |
Investment income | $7,023 |
Tax Exempt Bond Proceeds | $0 |
Royalties | $0 |
Net Rental Income | $0 |
Net Gain/Loss on Asset Sales | $0 |
Net Income from Fundraising Events | -$4,540 |
Net Income from Gaming Activities | $0 |
Net Income from Sales of Inventory | $0 |
Miscellaneous Revenue | $0 |
Total Revenue | $1,103,877 |
Statement of Expenses | |
---|---|
Grants and other assistance to domestic organizations and domestic governments. | $581,342 |
Grants and other assistance to domestic individuals. | $0 |
Grants and other assistance to Foreign Orgs/Individuals | $0 |
Benefits paid to or for members | $0 |
Compensation of current officers, directors, key employees. | $62,496 |
Compensation of current officers, directors, key employees. | $3,750 |
Compensation to disqualified persons | $0 |
Other salaries and wages | $115,785 |
Pension plan accruals and contributions | $0 |
Other employee benefits | $0 |
Payroll taxes | $16,276 |
Fees for services: Management | $0 |
Fees for services: Legal | $15,513 |
Fees for services: Accounting | $3,314 |
Fees for services: Lobbying | $0 |
Fees for services: Fundraising | $0 |
Fees for services: Investment Management | $0 |
Fees for services: Other | $0 |
Advertising and promotion | $239 |
Office expenses | $0 |
Information technology | $3,040 |
Royalties | $0 |
Occupancy | $31,375 |
Travel | $1,693 |
Payments of travel or entertainment expenses for any federal, state, or local public officials | $0 |
Conferences, conventions, and meetings | $0 |
Interest | $0 |
Payments to affiliates | $0 |
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization | $286 |
Insurance | $3,566 |
All other expenses | $6,346 |
Total functional expenses | $863,894 |
Balance Sheet | |
---|---|
Cash—non-interest-bearing | $200,776 |
Savings and temporary cash investments | $0 |
Pledges and grants receivable | $0 |
Accounts receivable, net | $10,975 |
Loans from Officers, Directors, or Controlling Persons | $0 |
Loans from Disqualified Persons | $0 |
Notes and loans receivable | $0 |
Inventories for sale or use | $327,277 |
Prepaid expenses and deferred charges | $263 |
Net Land, buildings, and equipment | $1,404 |
Investments—publicly traded securities | $0 |
Investments—other securities | $0 |
Investments—program-related | $0 |
Intangible assets | $0 |
Other assets | $92,584 |
Total assets | $633,279 |
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | $0 |
Grants payable | $0 |
Deferred revenue | $0 |
Tax-exempt bond liabilities | $0 |
Escrow or custodial account liability | $0 |
Loans and other payables to any current Officer, Director, or Controlling Person | $0 |
Secured mortgages and notes payable | $0 |
Unsecured mortgages and notes payable | $0 |
Other liabilities | $0 |
Total liabilities | $0 |
Net assets without donor restrictions | $558,695 |
Net assets with donor restrictions | $74,584 |
Capital stock or trust principal, or current funds | $0 |
Paid-in or capital surplus, or land, building, or equipment fund | $0 |
Retained earnings, endowment, accumulated income, or other funds | $0 |
Total liabilities and net assets/fund balances | $633,279 |
Over the last fiscal year, Book Em has awarded $213,177 in support to 20 organizations.
Grant Recipient | Amount |
---|---|
KIWANIS CLUB OF GREATER MUSIC CITY PURPOSE: TO PROMOTE READING | $32,025 |
RECYCLE KNOWLEDGE PURPOSE: TO PROMOTE READING | $21,125 |
PARAGON MILLS ELEMENTARY | | | $16,829 |
HAYWOOD ELEMENTARY PURPOSE: TO PROMOTE READING | $15,127 |
Nashville, TN PURPOSE: TO PROMOTE READING | $12,530 |
COLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PURPOSE: TO PROMOTE READING | $12,396 |
Over the last fiscal year, we have identified 1 grants that Book Em has recieved totaling $1,000.
Awarding Organization | Amount |
---|---|
Sol Stern And Rose Stern Charitable Tr Nashville, TN PURPOSE: CHARITABLE | $1,000 |
Beg. Balance | $67,575 |
Earnings | $7,355 |
Admin Expense | -$346 |
Ending Balance | $74,584 |
Organization Name | Assets | Revenue |
---|---|---|
Dollar General Literacy Foundation Goodlettsville, TN | $59,000,845 | $19,656,631 |
Governors Early Literacy Foundation Nashville, TN | $11,541,764 | $13,046,158 |
National Center For Families Learning Inc Louisville, KY | $16,159,024 | $7,570,588 |
Turnk The Page Kc Inc Kansas City, MO | $555,932 | $3,146,244 |
Book Harvest Durham, NC | $2,671,436 | $2,224,285 |
Preston Taylor Ministries Nashville, TN | $1,787,100 | $1,982,481 |
The Washington Commanders Charitable Foundation Inc Ashburn, VA | $1,361,978 | $1,048,751 |
Literacy Action Inc Atlanta, GA | $1,276,569 | $1,539,429 |
Ready Readers St Louis, MO | $1,581,585 | $1,585,720 |
The Global Village Project Inc Decatur, GA | $2,051,230 | $1,459,701 |
Carnegie Literacy Center Inc Lexington, KY | $1,003,564 | $1,222,449 |
Durham Literacy Center Inc Durham, NC | $1,363,688 | $948,350 |