GOLD2024

First Literacy, Inc.

Read Between the Lives

aka First Literacy, Inc.   |   Boston, MA   |  firstliteracy.org

Mission

First Literacy's mission is to ensure that adults with low-literacy or limited English proficiency have high-quality educational opportunities that enable them to thrive as individuals and as family members, in their workplaces, and in their communities. We accomplish our mission by offering best practice workshops for teachers and other adult education professionals; encouraging, supporting, and disseminating innovative practices and resources through the First Literacy Lab initiative, and awarding scholarships and providing mentors for adult learners who are starting college.

Ruling year info

1988

Executive Director

Ms. Terry Witherell

Main address

160 Boylston Street 2nd Floor

Boston, MA 02116 USA

Show more contact info

Formerly known as

Boston Adult Literacy Fund

EIN

04-2997446

NTEE code info

Adult, Continuing Education (B60)

Urban, Community (S31)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2023, 2022 and 2021.
Register now

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

The needs of adults with low-literacy or limited English proficiency are well-documented. Poor adult literacy skills translate to poorer health and fewer economic opportunities as adult learner are often unqualified for jobs that pay a family-sustaining wage. The scarcity of resources to provide adequate classes to adult learners is also well-known. State appropriations for the Adult Basic Education (ABE) system declined 30% in MA between FY2001 - 2019 after adjusting for inflation. Unlike their K-12 counterparts, ABE teachers often enter the field with little training to meet the needs of learners who represent a range of ages and cultures. As with the adult learners they teach, adult educators are not alike: they have different life experiences, work in a variety of program types, and have a range of approaches and motivations for teaching. First Literacy hopes to help adult learners and the teachers who educate them.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

First Literacy Scholarships

Adult learners who have successfully completed basic studies in an ABE program and are pursuing advanced education are eligible for a First Literacy Scholarship. Recipients are awarded scholarships in recognition of their educational achievements and potential, their commitment to community service, and their resiliency and perseverance in the face of hardship. To ensure that scholarship recipients succeed, First Literacy provides peer mentors, a key component missing from conventional aid. Scholarship recipients are paired with one another to navigate the challenging landscape of college. Our findings suggest that while the scholarship makes going back to school possible, the mentorship is what makes school a success.

Population(s) Served
Adults

First Literacy's professional development workshops are designed to give the programs and program staff the knowledge, skills and resources needed to improve, revise, and expand the classes and services they offer to adult learners. The goals for the workshops are:To contribute to the ongoing professional development of ABE program staff in Greater Boston;To support ongoing development of ABE programs in Greater Boston;To promote the use of best, evidence-based practices among ABE program staff and programs; To draw upon the expertise of experienced ABE staff and help develop new leaders in the field; andTo promote networking of ABE professionals in Greater Boston.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Academics

The goal of the First Literacy Lab initiative is to provide grants to stimulate and support the development, trial, and implementation of ABE educational resources and practices that have an impact on specific students, programs, and the ABE field in general. The First Literacy Lab initiative strengthens individual programs and the Adult Basic Education (ABE) field by cultivating innovative ideas and creative problem-solving. Grants are made in the amount of up to $5,000.00 and are open to all ABE non-profit programs in Massachusetts. First Literacy Lab Grants are unique in the field. They provide flexible funding which is not available from traditional funding sources. They give educators the resources they need to directly impact adult learners. They strengthen the entire ABE field by sharing the findings of First Literacy Lab projects. They provide grant recipients with on-site technical assistance and support in implementing projects.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Where we work

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

First Literacy's goal is to improve the lives of adult learners and their families through education and help adult educators gain the skills they need to effectively teach their students.

Founded 30 years ago, First Literacy’s mission is to ensure that adults with low-literacy or limited English proficiency have high-quality educational opportunities that enable them to thrive as individuals and as family members, in their workplaces, and in their communities. We know that by supporting the front line in adult education—teachers, tutors and program administrators—students benefit. Our goals are to:

offer free best practice workshops for teachers and other adult education professionals;
encourage, support, and share innovative practices, curriculum and resources through our First Literacy Lab program grant initiative; and
award scholarships and provide support for adult learners who are starting college.

First Literacy has both a strong and diverse donor community and a strong and talented staff with decades of experience in the adult literacy arena.

The most notable measure of First Literacy's success is that, through our efforts, 50,000 adults have reached their educational goals. Included in this number are 500 literacy program graduates who have received college scholarships. First Literacy has also raised awareness and allocated more than $6 million for adult literacy efforts since 1990. With additional funding, we could reach many more adult learners and their educators.

Financials

First Literacy, Inc.
lock

Unlock financial insights by subscribing to our monthly plan.

Subscribe

Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more about GuideStar Pro.

Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

First Literacy, Inc.

Board of directors
as of 06/03/2024
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Mr. James Nolan

Citi

Term: 2022 -

Jeffrey Beale

Eaton Vance Management, retired

James Nolan

Citi

Ann Noble-Kiley

Community member

Christopher Walsh

Cushman & Wakefield

Holly Reeves

PricewaterhouseCooper

Lawrence Fahey

Eaton Vance Management

Olga Kasparova

Deloitte

Ryan Tosi

K&L Gates

Ciro Valiente

Univision

Corey Groves

State Street

Nilan Jayasinghe

John Hancock

Holly Reeves

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Julie Paris

Akamai Technologies

Michelle Wu

Mayor of Boston

Steven Stanton

Stanton & Associates

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 9/8/2022
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or Straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Transgender Identity

Sexual orientation

Disability

We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.