Bound To Stay Bound Books Foundation

ALTON, IL EIN: 37-6227827

The Bound To Stay Bound Books Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Alton, Illinois. Established in 1985, the foundation is affiliated with Bound to Stay Bound Books, a third-generation family-owned business founded in 1920 that specializes in providing high-quality prebound juvenile books to school and public libraries.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$4.2M

+43.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$202K

-10.0% YoY

Grant Count

-7.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$5K

-3.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bound To Stay Bound Books Foundation reported a distributable amount of $200K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports the library field and library media programs through funding and scholarships. Primary focus areas include:

Library Education & Professional Development: Offering scholarships for individuals pursuing work in the library field
Conference Support: Underwriting attendance for media specialists at professional conferences
Literature & Media Programs: Providing funding for the development and distribution of literature and support for media programs
Library Awards & Recognition: Establishing and supporting prestigious awards in the library community

Grantmaking

The foundation's grantmaking activities include:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

Illinois $773K (71%)

Texas $70K (6%)

District of Columbia $51K (5%)

Missouri $29K (3%)

North Carolina $24K (2%)

Pennsylvania $22K (2%)

Maryland $18K (2%)

Georgia $16K (1%)

+11 more states

States

Alabama California District of Columbia Florida Georgia Illinois Kentucky Maryland Michigan Missouri Mississippi North Carolina Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania Tennessee Texas Virginia Wisconsin

Cities

AllendaleAustinBaltimoreBoca RatonChampaignChicagoColumbiaDallasDaytonDentonDurhamGreensboroGreenvilleHagerstownHattiesburgJacksonvileJacksonvilleLewistownLexingtonLisle

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2023:

Total Assets: $2.89 million
Annual Revenue: $172,000
Annual Expenses: $246,000
Total Liabilities: $0

The foundation has been tax-exempt since July 1985.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$4,151,664	$2,886,813	$2,960,282
Revenue	$1,500,877	$172,314	$142,988
Expenses	$236,091	$245,784	$251,122
Qualifying Distributions	$201,850	$220,750	$229,800
Net Investment Income	$1,471,719	$149,233	$121,416
Distributable Amount	$199,785	$207,370	$215,227

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

198 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Prairieland United Way ($25,000), Morgan County Historical Society ($15,000), Texas Library Association ($15,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
The Dollywood Foundation Seiverville, TN	Donation	$9,000
Jacksonville Main Street Jacksonville, IL	Donation	$1,000
Association for Library Service to Children Chicago, IL	Awards Breakfast/Administrative Services	$2,500
Catholic University of America Washington, DC	Scholarship for Ashleigh Meskill	$8,400
Illinois State University Normal, IL	Scholarship for Liam Augustus Lane	$8,400
Loyola University Maryland Baltimore, MD	Scholarship for Samantha Meskill	$8,400
Alzheimer's Association Chicago, IL	Donation	$1,000
Prairieland United Way Jacksonville, IL	Donation	$25,000
San Jose State University San Jose, CA	Scholarship for Shannon O-Brien	$8,000
University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS	Scholarship for Kesye Baudoin	$8,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

No officer/director data available.

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The foundation continues active grantmaking, with recent announcements including:

2024

Awards for Bound to Stay Bound and Melcher Scholarships distributed to students in 2024 and 2025

ALSC awards Bound to Stay Bound and Melcher Scholarships to six students

2025

Grants awarded to AASL members to attend the 2025 AASL National Conference

Thirty AASL members receive Bound To Stay Bound grants to attend first national

Ongoing support of school library advocacy initiatives

Bound To Stay Bound Books continues support of school library advocacy

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Bound To Stay Bound Books Foundation fund?

The foundation supports the library field and library media programs through funding and scholarships. Primary focus areas include: • **Library Education & Professional Development**: Offering scholarships for individuals pursuing work in the library field • **Conference Support**: Underwriting attendance for media specialists at professional conferences • **Literature & Media Programs**: Providing funding for the development and distribution of literature and support for media programs • **Lib…

How do I apply for a grant from Bound To Stay Bound Books Foundation?

The foundation's grantmaking activities include: • **ALA Scholarships**: Offers 4 annual scholarships through the American Library Association for work in the library field • **AASL Conference Grants**: Underwrites attendance for 30 media specialists to attend American Association of School Librarians (AASL) conferences • **Sibert Informational Book Award**: Established the ALSC Sibert Informational Book Award • **AASL National Conference Grants**: Provides grants to AASL members to attend nati…

What size grants does Bound To Stay Bound Books Foundation award?

In 2024, Bound To Stay Bound Books Foundation awarded 40 grants totaling $202K — an average of about $5K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Bound To Stay Bound Books Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Bound To Stay Bound Books Foundation reported a distributable amount of $200K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Bound To Stay Bound Books Foundation's EIN?

Bound To Stay Bound Books Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-6227827. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.