Our Mission

Founded in 1966, Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is the leading voice for children’s literacy and is committed to a literate America where all children have the opportunities that literacy provides. Our mission is to inspire a passion for reading among all children, provide quality content to make an impact, and engage communities in the solutions to give every child the fundamentals for success.

Why We Do it – The Literacy Crisis

With 25 million children in the United States unable to read proficiently, the literacy crisis affects every community across the country. Literacy is an essential life skill that provides the foundation for a lifetime of opportunity. We must work together to change these staggering statistics and ensure every child can read.

• 34% of children entering kindergarten lack the basic skills needed to learn to read

• 67% of 4th graders read below grade level, contributing to 8,000 students dropping out every day

• 37% of students graduate high school at or above reading proficiency

What We Do

RIF’s model for impact is grounded on book access, choice, and engagement to create a culture of literacy for the children we serve. Through the generous donations of individual donors, foundations, and corporate partners, RIF is able to work with local partners around the country (including schools, community centers, after-school programs, and more) through the programs below.

• Books for Ownership is RIF’s flagship reading program that enables children to select new, age-appropriate books to take home and own and is supported with resources for caregivers, educators, and volunteers to create a continuous focus on reading.

• Read for Success is an evidence-based, supplemental reading program to improve proficiency and encourage a passion for reading. It is based on research that shows that both reading to children and independent reading are key components of literacy development.

• Skybrary is RIF’s online library of digital books and videos, created to engage young readers ages 2-9 and foster a love of reading. With child-friendly navigation, Skybrary’s eBooks include read-to-me narration and interactive animation for both school and home.

• Book Fund provides RIF community partners the opportunity to purchase new, high-quality and affordable books for the children they serve.

You Can Help! 

We invite you to partner with RIF to ensure the children in your community have the books and reading resources to increase reading motivation, frequency and engagement. We want to make the investment with the children you serve because we know every child deserves an opportunity to own books, learn how to read, and obtain the building blocks needed to achieve their highest potential.