Madison Reading Project

Ownership

Founded and led by Rowan Childs, a Madison-area resident who has lived in the region for nearly 20 years. The organization is independently run as a nonprofit with a board of local directors.

Local Sourcing

The organization sources books through a mix of donations, purchases from national distributors (Epic, American Girl), and partnerships with local entities like Madison Public Library. No evidence of prioritizing Wisconsin suppliers.

Community Involvement

Deep community integration with partnerships across 68+ community organizations, schools, and libraries in Dane County. Runs annual events (Read Like Mad, Read(y) to Wear), partnerships with UW Athletics, and collaborates extensively with Madison Public Library.

Local Workforce

Organization has grown to 15 staff members with positive community reputation. No negative labor practice reports found, though detailed employee review information was not available in search results.

Revenue Retention

As a nonprofit, all revenue stays in the community through grants, donations, and community partnerships. Funds support local literacy programs and employ local staff, with no external shareholders extracting profits.

Local Presence

Strong local signals include specific Madison/Fitchburg address, named local programs (Big Red Reading Bus, Read(y) to Wear at The Sylvee), references to 'local educators,' and personality-driven mission-focused copy. Minimal corporate signals present—no location selector, franchise language, or parent company references.