THE BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION FOR FAMILY LITERACY INC

Financial Trends

Organization Details

THE BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION FOR FAMILY LITERACY INC, founded in 2007, is a community nonprofit in the Arts, Culture & Humanities sector that reported $6.6M in total revenue in fiscal year 2025. Revenue surged 166% from the prior year, signaling strong growth momentum. Expenses of $27.3M exceeded revenue, resulting in a 315% operating deficit.

Mission

A NATIONAL PUBLIC CHARITY BASED IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THE BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION FOR FAMILY LITERACY IS DEDICATED TO HELPING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE BUILD BRIGHTER FUTURES THROUGH LITERACY. WE HAVE BEEN THE NATION'S LEADING ADVOCATE FOR FAMILY LITERACY FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES. ESTABLISHED BY FIRST LADY BARBARA BUSH IN 1989, WE HAVE SUPPORTED EVIDENCE-BASED FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAMS IN ALL 50 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. FORMER FIRST LADY BARBARA BUSH CHOSE LITERACY AS HER LIFE'S WORK BASED ON A SIMPLE, BUT POWERFUL BELIEF: "IF MORE PEOPLE COULD READ, WRITE, AND COMPREHEND, WE WOULD BE THAT MUCH CLOSER TO SOLVING SO MANY OF THE PROBLEMS PLAGUING OUR SOCIETY." RESEARCH CONTINUES TO PROVE THAT SHE WAS RIGHT, LINKING LITERACY TO SOME OF TODAY'S MOST PRESSING CONCERNS, INCLUDING ECONOMIC GROWTH, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. YET TODAY, MORE THAN HALF OF U.S. ADULTS LACK PROFICIENCY IN LITERACY, READING BELOW THE ADULT EQUIVALENT OF A SIXTH-GRADE LEVEL. ABOUT 59 MILLION AMERICANS, 28% OF U.S. ADULTS READ BELOW THE EQUIVALENT OF A THIRD-GRADE LEVEL. YOUNG READERS ARE STRUGGLING AS WELL: 69% OF OUR NATION'S FOURTH GRADERS READ BELOW GRADE LEVEL. THIS CRISIS IS COSTLY, A GALLUP STUDY COMMISSIONED BY THE BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION DETERMINED THAT THE U.S. COULD BE LOSING $2.2 TRILLION OR 10% OF GDP ANNUALLY DUE TO LOW ADULT LITERACY RATES. IT IS ALSO MULTIGENERATIONAL, AS RESEARCH SHOWS THAT A PARENT'S LITERACY LEVEL IS THE SINGLE GREATEST PREDICTOR OF THEIR CHILD'S FUTURE ACADEMIC SUCCESS, OUTWEIGHING OTHER FACTORS INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOOD AND FAMILY INCOME. WE WORK TO ADDRESS OUR NATION'S LITERACY CHALLENGE BY PROVIDING HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES THAT HELP FAMILIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY BUILD LITERACY SKILLS, AS WELL AS DRIVING MULTISECTOR ENGAGEMENT IN LITERACY ISSUES THROUGH RESEARCH AND EDUCATION INITIATIVES. THESE EFFORTS ARE DETAILED IN OUR PROGRAM SERVICES ACCOMPLISHMENTS. IN FALL 2025, THE BUSH FAMILY AND THE BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION FOR FAMILY LITERACY'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS MADE THE STRATEGIC DECISION TO RETURN TO MRS. BUSH'S ORIGINAL VISION FOR HER LITERACY EFFORTS: PROVIDING DIRECT SUPPORT THROUGH GRANTS TO COMMUNITY-BASED FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AS A RESULT, THE BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION FOR FAMILY LITERACY HAS NOW EVOLVED INTO THE BARBARA BUSH FUND FOR FAMILY LITERACY AT THE GEORGE & BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION A NATIONAL NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO PRESERVING AND PROMOTING THE LEGACIES OF PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. AND BARBARA BUSH. RATHER THAN OPERATING ITS OWN PROGRAMS, THE BARBARA BUSH FUND FOR FAMILY LITERACY WILL AMPLIFY IMPACT BY INVESTING IN WELL-RESPECTED NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS ALREADY DOING EXTRAORDINARY WORK. THE FUND WILL SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAMMING BY PROVIDING GRANTS TO FUEL THE DELIVERY OF EFFECTIVE PROGRAMMING AND ENGAGING IN THOUGHT LEADERSHIP TO ELEVATE FAMILY LITERACY AT THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS.

Program Service Accomplishments

Financial Overview (2025)

Year-over-Year Comparison

Governance

Special Practices & Reported Activities

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Historical Data