Programs and results
What we aim to solve
While Allen County is fortunate to have excellent academic options from pre-school through college and beyond, there are 30,000 adults without a high school degree or basic English proficiency skills; only 4% are enrolled in a literacy program. These adults are more likely to be unemployed, under-employed, impoverished or incarcerated, which can result in community challenges such as increased crime rates and decreased health, employment, self-sufficiency and dignity.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Adult Learning Centers
Our learning centers provide a structured, yet personal, place for adults who are preparing to take the high school equivalency exam or looking to achieve other educational goals. Adults (age 18 and older) develop individualized study plans after taking an initial assessment. Classes include independent study, small group lessons, and teacher-directed activities for the class. Computers are available in all classrooms. Learning Centers meet in community centers, churches, or other convenient locations for students. All classes are free and some locations offer transportation assistance.
Small Groups
Adults work with computers and receive individualized attention, using online resources to gain computer skills and improve basic skills. Adults who test below the fifth grade level begin with small groups. Some adults then progress into Learning Centers and work toward their high school equivalency diploma.
Family Literacy
Family literacy benefits families as a whole, providing academic programming for parents and children as well as parenting support and regular parent/child interaction time.
One-on-one Tutoring
The Literacy Alliance matches volunteer tutors with adult students who are struggling with the fundamentals of reading, writing, and speaking English.
English Language Learners (ELL)
Classes for adults that teach reading, writing, speaking and listening English.
Project READS
Pairs adult volunteer tutors with students in grades K-3 who need help reaching grade-level benchmarks. Tutoring occurs weekly throughout the school year.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance - Organization 2015
ProLiteracy America 2015
External reviews

Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of adults who received literacy services
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Economically disadvantaged people, Immigrants and migrants
Related Program
Adult Learning Centers
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
2021-22 program year still in progress; 154 adults and 56 children as of Feb 22, 2022
Number of students who demonstrate improved overall literacy
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Economically disadvantaged people, Immigrants and migrants
Related Program
Adult Learning Centers
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The outcomes TLA expects to achieve are academic gains. Success targets: 67% will make gains. Results shown in percentages.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Literacy Alliance's goal is to reduce adult illiteracy. We work to decrease the number adults without high school diplomas and increase functional literacy skills and prepare them to successfully pass the GED/HSE credential exam to earn their high school equivalency.
The Literacy Alliance also teaches English language learners (ELL) to improve their ability to function in their jobs and communities.
In September 2021, The Literacy Alliance acquired Project READS from the Allen County Education Partnership. Project READS works with students in grades K-3 to bring them to grade-level reading benchmarks.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We offer learning centers in Fort Wayne, New Haven, Decatur and Bluffton.
Instructors and adult students design individual learning plans to meet the student's specific needs, based on pre-assessments and ongoing assessments. Classes meet three times/week and students generally have homework between classes. Computer based education is included in some classes. Teachers and volunteer tutors assist students during independent study class time.
Job skills certifications also are offered to our students, helping better prepare them for a new career at the same time they are earning their high school credential.
We provide weekly tutoring throughout the school year to students in grades K-3 by volunteers who work one on one with students who have been identified as reading below grade level.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
With 34 years of experience in helping adults prepare for high school equivalency tests and also in teaching adults to read and perform basic math, the Literacy Alliance has the expertise to help adults learn. Our credentialed staff understand the adult learner and the learning styles. In addition, we partner with several local organizations, many of which refer adults for our classes and/or offer space in their facility for our classes.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The outcomes TLA expects to achieve are academic gains. Success targets are as follows: 16 (40%) ESOL students will make an academic gain; 122 (90%) pre-HSE students will make an academic gain, and 4 (3%) will graduate into an HSE class; 128 (64%) HSE students will make an National Reporting System (NRS) gain, and 46 (23%) will obtain the HSE diploma.
Regular reviews of outcomes and impact reveal important information about student success. TLA tracks student progress through weekly review of outcome data. The Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) measures academic gains. When gains are meeting or exceeding targets, agency staff discuss what instruction and tactics are working. Such findings help improve service delivery when targets are not being met.
By tracking student outputs as well as outcomes, staff have learned that students come to TLA to obtain a high school credential. The students seek success through attainment of what will get them better employment and self-sufficiency. In 2018 we began offering HSE students an opportunity to earn a job certification in either business or manufacturing sectors along with their HSE credential to increase their employability and upward mobility. Last year, 37 students earned a nationally recognized certification. The agency has a career advisor on staff to instruct students on employability skills and career exploration as a part of regular HSE classes.
Staff have learned that many adult learners need structure to accomplish their goals. In response, staff developed a three-step intake process designed to foster individual responsibility and prepare students for class before they are placed in a class. Improved persistence and completion have resulted as a result of this change to the orientation process. Also, student outcomes have exceeded the prior year’s.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Case management notes,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations,
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we have been unable to hold graduation ceremonies with larger groups of people. We learned that the ceremony is meaningful to students, so we stocked each classroom with caps and gowns so that as soon as a student passes the HSE exam, we invite them back to have a simple recognition ceremony with their classmates.
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners,
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback,
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild 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.
The Literacy Alliance Inc.
Board of directorsas of 3/5/2022
Mr Corey Porter
Lincoln National Foundation
Term: 2020 - 2022
Marna Renteria
Raytheon
Tim Van Houten
Fort Wayne Metals
Drew Dunlavy
Horizon Bank
Dustin Tirpak
Rothberg, Logan and Warsco
Corey Porter
Lincoln Financial Group
Michaela Baldwin
Blueprint Prep
Ashley Miller
Northeast IN Regional Partnership
Tammy Allen
Northeast IN Innovation Center
Tracy Davis
Ivy Tech Community College
Kara Densmore
Old National Bank
Ron Duchovic
Retired Educator
Melinda Haines
CEO, The Literacy Alliance
Isabel Nunez
Purdue Fort Wayne
Zachary Barron
Barnes & Thornburg
Susan Baier
Allen County Public Library
Jessica Morehead
Lincoln National Foundation
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 10/30/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.