We Need Diverse Books
A world in which all children can see themselves in the pages of a book.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Walter Awards
Inaugurated in 2016, the annual Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children’s Literature recognize diverse authors (or co-authors) whose works feature diverse main characters and address diversity in a meaningful way.
WNDB in the Classroom
WNDB in the Classroom provides free, diverse books to low-income schools, libraries, and after-school programs nationwide. This program was created to address the literacy gap that affects marginalized youth. By helping children find stories and authors that they can relate to, we can help foster empathy — and a lifelong love of reading.
Internship Grant Program
The Internship Grant program awards supplemental grants to diverse students pursuing a career in children’s publishing.
Walter Grants
The Walter Dean Myers Grant provides financial support to diverse authors and illustrators who are currently unpublished.
Black Creatives Fund and Revisions Workshop
The mission of the Black Creatives Fund is to support emerging and established Black writers and illustrators. The Black Creatives Revisions Workshop is an extended opportunity for writers who have completed a full draft of a Middle Grade, Young Adult, or Adult novel.
Native Children's and YA Writing Intensive
The Native Children’s and YA Writing Intensive offers an opportunity for reflection, conversation, celebration, and manuscript and career development to Native/First Nations writers.
Mentorships
Our Mentorship program supports diverse creators early in their career by pairing them with an experienced children’s author or illustrator.
Emergency Fund for Diverse Creatives in Publishing
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, WNDB has provided emergency grants to diverse authors, illustrators, and publishing professionals who are experiencing dire financial need.
Where we work
External reviews

Videos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
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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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
We Need Diverse Books serves three primary groups: 1. K-12 students nationwide; 2. educators, including librarians, teachers, and after-school program directors; and 3. creators, like authors, illustrators, and publishing professionals.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), social media feedback, email,
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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, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
After surveying the needs of educators, we are developing resources to help meet their needs. In the past, we have given away diverse texts to educators nationwide, but we learned through our survey that teachers also need help incorporating those books into their classrooms. So we are creating resources to help with that, including: language to discuss using diverse books with school boards, parents, and administration; curriculum to help add the books into lesson plants; and more.
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
Our staff, Our board,
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive,
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting 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
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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.
We Need Diverse Books
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2022
Ellen Oh
Dhonielle Clayton
Judy Schricker
Zoraida Córdova
Minh Lê
Cornelius Minor
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
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
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Disability
No data