Initial Teaching Alphabet

Foundation · Grantmaker New York, NY EIN: 11-2074243

The Initial Teaching Alphabet Foundation is a private operating foundation incorporated in New York in March 1965 and designated as tax-exempt in December 1966. Based in New York City, the foundation is organized exclusively for educational and charitable purposes. The foundation focuses on promoting literacy through the development, standardization, propagation, dissemination, teaching, and use of the Initial Teaching Alphabet (ITA)—a phonetic alphabet designed to improve reading and writing skills.

Key facts about Initial Teaching Alphabet

EIN
11-2074243
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$563,243
Grants made (2024)
9
Average grant
$62,583
Median grant
$39,476
Total assets
$1,289,371
Primary geography
Minnesota (45% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026.

Who Initial Teaching Alphabet funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Initial Teaching Alphabet's 9 itemized 2024 grants were Minnesota (45%), Illinois (31%) and PR (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (2 grants). None of its 9 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support.

How Initial Teaching Alphabet gives

  • Giving grew 81% from 2021 to 2024. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Next steps with Initial Teaching Alphabet

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.3M

-35.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$563K

+28.8% YoY

Grant Count

9

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$63K

+28.8% YoY

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

Mission & Focus Areas

Mission Statement: The mission of the ITA Foundation is to promote literacy by providing independent funding for the development and dissemination of best teaching practices in the use and support of the initial teaching alphabet (ITA).

Primary Focus Areas:

  • Promotion of the Initial Teaching Alphabet through development of ITA lesson development systems
  • Development of related software and teaching publications
  • In-service training to grant recipients
  • Providing informational services about ITA and the ITA lesson development system to non-recipients
  • Support for K-12 schools, charter schools, and Head Start programs
  • Remediation of dyslexia and reading disabilities
  • Programs serving struggling middle and high school students
  • Support for Latino middle school students learning English
  • Title I and ADSIS student programs

Grantmaking

The foundation made seven grants in 2024. Recent grant recipients include:

Grant Range

** Typical awards range from $8,917 to $139,624.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on Minnesota, Illinois, and Georgia.

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Share of all 9 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

FloridaGeorgiaIllinoisMinnesotaPrWisconsin

Cities

ChicagoHutchinsonRochesterSan JuanWabashaHaywardWinonaEvamsSt AugustneClarkston

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

  • Total Assets: $1,289,371
  • Total Revenue: $179,178
  • Total Expenses: $917,024
  • Net Income: -$737,846
  • Total Liabilities: $16,500
  • Number of Employees: 1

EIN: 11-2074243

Contact Information:

  • Address: 630 3rd Ave, Floor 18, New York City, NY 10017-6940
  • Mailing Address: PO Box 231295, New York, NY 10023
  • Telephone: 507-458-5402
  • Website: www.itafoundation.org
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$577K$1M$2M$2M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$1,289,371$1,986,915$467,058
Revenue$179,178$2,099,844$504,329
Expenses$917,024$596,117$546,086
Qualifying Distributions$917,081$596,117$506,181
Net Investment Income$4,376$4,349$4,329
Distributable Amount———

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$141K$282K$422K$563K7 grants20209 grants20219 grants20229 grants20239 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 9 recipients in 2024

Hutchinson Middle School: $140KHutchinson Middle School$140KLittle Village Academy: $135KLittle Village Academy$135KRochester Catholic Schools: $95KRochester Catholic Schools$95KCentro Metropolitano De Servicios Comunitarios: $64KCentro Metropolitano DeServicios Comunitarios$64KSan Miguel School of Chicago: $39KSan Miguel School of Chicago$39KSoar Academy: $30KSoar Academy$30KWabasha-Kellogg Elementary School: $21KWabasha-Kellogg ElementarySchool$21KInvesting in Kidsink: $20KInvesting in Kidsink$20KAmani Women Center: $20KAmani Women Center$20K

Grant Size Distribution

43 grants across all recorded years

27<$50K13$50–100K3$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Hutchinson Middle School ($139,624), Little Village Academy ($135,000), Rochester Catholic Schools ($94,599).

RecipientPurposeAmount
HUTCHINSON MIDDLE SCHOOL Hutchinson, MNTO FURTHER PROMOTE AND TEACH THE FOUNDATION'S PRIMARY GOAL - THE USE OF THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET$139,624
LITTLE VILLAGE ACADEMY Chicago, ILTO FURTHER PROMOTE AND TEACH THE FOUNDATION'S PRIMARY GOAL - THE USE OF THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET$135,000
ROCHESTER CATHOLIC SCHOOLS Rochester, MNTO FURTHER PROMOTE AND TEACH THE FOUNDATION'S PRIMARY GOAL - THE USE OF THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET$94,599
CENTRO METROPOLITANO DE SERVICIOS COMUNITARIOS San Juan, PRTO FURTHER PROMOTE AND TEACH THE FOUNDATION'S PRIMARY GOAL - THE USE OF THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET$63,544
SAN MIGUEL SCHOOL OF CHICAGO Chicago, ILTO FURTHER PROMOTE AND TEACH THE FOUNDATION'S PRIMARY GOAL - THE USE OF THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET$39,476
SOAR ACADEMY Evams, GATO FURTHER PROMOTE AND TEACH THE FOUNDATION'S PRIMARY GOAL - THE USE OF THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET$30,000
WABASHA-KELLOGG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Wabasha, MNTO FURTHER PROMOTE AND TEACH THE FOUNDATION'S PRIMARY GOAL - THE USE OF THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET$21,000
INVESTING IN KIDSINK St Augustne, FLTO FURTHER PROMOTE AND TEACH THE FOUNDATION'S PRIMARY GOAL - THE USE OF THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET$20,000
AMANI WOMEN CENTER Clarkston, GATO FURTHER PROMOTE AND TEACH THE FOUNDATION'S PRIMARY GOAL - THE USE OF THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET$20,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Board Members and Officers (as of 2020):

  • Shelley Jerviss, President
  • Dr. Jane Anderson, Vice President/Treasurer
  • Erin Hemstead, Director
  • Margaret Westlund, Secretary
  • Edith Galvez, Director
  • Linda Vaplon, Director

The foundation notes that Dr. Jane Flynn Anderson and other ITA intervention pioneers have joined the Board to promote the use of ITA for struggling students. The foundation's research history includes work by Dr. Anderson on using ITA for remediation of dyslexia beginning in 1985.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Dr Jane Anderson — Director: $75KDr Jane AndersonDirector$75KMargaret Westlund — President: $14KMargaret WestlundPresident$14KEdith Galvez — Treasurer: $12KEdith GalvezTreasurer$12KShelley Jerviss — Director: $3KShelley JervissDirector$3KErin Hemstead — Secretary: $2KErin HemsteadSecretary$2KLinda Vaplon — Vice-President: $2KLinda VaplonVice-President$2K

From 2024 IRS filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
Shelley JervissDirector8$2,500
Dr Jane AndersonDirector30$74,833
Erin HemsteadSecretary2$1,500
Margaret WestlundPresident4$13,500
Edith GalvezTreasurer2$11,500
Linda VaplonVice-President2$1,500

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The foundation has maintained active grant-making focused on ITA literacy programs. Recent grant awards have supported schools and literacy clinics implementing ITA methodologies. The foundation continues to support research and implementation of ITA for reading instruction and remediation, with particular emphasis on serving struggling readers and students with dyslexia across various educational settings.

Saint Mary\u2019s i.t.a. Literacy Clinic receives $75,172 grant | News |\

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Initial Teaching Alphabet fund?

**Mission Statement:** The mission of the ITA Foundation is to promote literacy by providing independent funding for the development and dissemination of best teaching practices in the use and support of the initial teaching alphabet (ITA). **Primary Focus Areas:** • Promotion of the Initial Teaching Alphabet through development of ITA lesson development systems • Development of related software and teaching publications • In-service training to grant recipients • Providing informational servic…

How do I apply for a grant from Initial Teaching Alphabet?

**Grant Activity:** The foundation made seven grants in 2024. Recent grant recipients include: • Rochester Catholic Schools: $94,599 (2024) • San Miguel School of Chicago • Saint Mary's i.t.a. Literacy Clinic: $75,172 **Grant Range:** Typical awards range from $8,917 to $139,624. **Total Giving:** $563,243 (2024)

Where does Initial Teaching Alphabet make grants?

The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on Minnesota, Illinois, and Georgia.

What size grants does Initial Teaching Alphabet award?

In 2024, Initial Teaching Alphabet awarded 9 grants totaling $563K — an average of about $63K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is Initial Teaching Alphabet's EIN?

Initial Teaching Alphabet's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 11-2074243. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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