Book’em's mission is to create a more literate Nashville and ignite children’s passion for reading through book ownership and enthusiastic volunteers. We envision a future in Nashville where all children own books and know first-hand the joy and value of reading.
Book Em centers its grantmaking on reading access for Nashville children, using book distribution and volunteer-led programs to put books directly into local hands. The foundation’s active programs include Books for Nashville’s Kids, Great Summer of Reading, the Book Bus, and Reading Is Fundamental partnerships, all tied to Davidson County and serving children and teens ages 0–18, including low-income families and Title I elementary schools. That program design shows up in the recent grants list as well: Kiwanis Club of Greater Music City received $52,737 to promote reading, and Dollar General in Goodlettsville received $38,230 for the same purpose. Those awards sit alongside a wide set of smaller local grants to schools, public agencies, and community organizations, each connected to reading promotion. Book Em’s work is direct-service oriented rather than individual giving, and its grantmaking supports book ownership, summer reading, and school-based reading experiences. The result is a funder whose identity is closely tied to literacy development in Nashville and to practical ways of getting books to children who may not otherwise have them.
Book Em’s cause areas are tightly grouped around literacy and book access. In school-based reading support, the foundation gave $23,186 to Metro Nashville PS HERO Ofc in 2025 to promote reading, and $19,150 to Metro Nashville Public Schools Hero (Homeless Education Resource & Outreach) in 2024 for the same purpose. Its summer-reading emphasis appears in the Great Summer of Reading program, which offered free books for children in Davidson County through participating organizations serving low-income youth. The foundation also supports book ownership through direct distribution channels such as Books for Nashville’s Kids, which provides free new books to children and teens ages 0–18. Volunteer engagement is part of the model too, reflected in Reading Is Fundamental partnerships that place reading role-model volunteers in Title I elementary schools.
Book Em’s typical grant sizes are in the low-thousands: the 25th percentile is $6,005, the median is $7,658, and the 75th percentile is $9,957. Recent awards show both larger anchor grants and many grants clustered around that range. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a DAF, and the grant list shows repeated support across 2024 and 2025 for the same Nashville-area recipients, indicating ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts. Its funding is program-oriented and locally directed, with grants made to organizations, schools, and public agencies instead of individuals.
$252K
$595K
$729K
$844K
Most grants fall between $6K and $10K, with a median of $8K.
25th Percentile
$6K
Median
$8K
75th Percentile
$10K
Melissa Spradlin
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Book Em gives locally and all reported recipient grants go to Tennessee, with 100% of grants in the HQ state and Tennessee also ranking first by grant count. Nashville is the clear center of activity, with recipients including Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville PBS, and multiple elementary schools. The list also reaches nearby Davidson County communities such as Antioch, Hermitage, Whites Creek, Goodlettsville, and Smyrna, showing a county-focused pattern rather than a statewide one.
Book Em funds reading promotion, literacy development, and book distribution. The active programs include Books for Nashville’s Kids, Great Summer of Reading, the Book Bus, and Reading Is Fundamental partnerships, all built around getting free books to children and teens in Davidson County.
The active programs are aimed at children and teens ages 0–18, especially organizations serving low-income families in Davidson County. One program also works with Title I elementary schools, and the summer-reading effort served low-income youth through participating organizations.
No. Every grant in the provided recipient distribution is in the United States, and 100% of grants go to recipients in Tennessee. The grant list is concentrated in Nashville and nearby Davidson County communities.
Recent grants cluster in the low-thousands. The 25th percentile is $6,005, the median is $7,658, and the 75th percentile is $9,957. The pattern suggests many awards are sized to support direct reading and book-distribution work.
Yes. Several recipients appear in both 2024 and 2025, including Metro Nashville Public Schools Hero, Glenview Elementary, Cole Elementary, Haywood Elementary, Dodson Elementary School, and Paragon Mills Elementary. That points to repeated support over multiple years.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dollar General | Goodlettsville, TN | $38,230 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Metro Nashville PS HERO Ofc | Nashville, TN | $23,186 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Publisher SpotlightMyrick | Smyrna, TN | $14,645 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Ensworth School - Grade 5 | Nashville, TN | $14,330 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| May Werthan Shayne Elementary | Nashville, TN | $13,729 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Glenview Elementary | Nashville, TN | $11,871 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Metro Nashville Public Health | Nashville, TN | $11,023 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Books to Kids | Nashville, TN | $10,475 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Nashville PBS | Nashville, TN | $10,455 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Paragon Mills Elementary | Nashville, TN | $10,316 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Cole Elementary | Antioch, TN | $8,781 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| McKays Used Books and More | Nashville, TN | $8,591 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Haywood Elementary | Nashville, TN | $8,436 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Metro Nashville Public School | Nashville, TN | $8,139 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Parnassus FoundationBooks | Nashville, TN | $7,205 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Dodson Elementary School | Hermitage, TN | $6,600 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Goodwill Ind of Middle TN | Nashville, TN | $6,416 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Oak Hill School | Nashville, TN | $6,320 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Girl Scout Troop 106 | Nashville, TN | $5,980 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Dupont Elementary | Old Hickory, TN | $5,807 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Lakeview Elementary | Nashville, TN | $5,751 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Charlotte Park Elementary | Nashville, TN | $5,714 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Park Avenue Elementary | Nashville, TN | $5,130 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| Hattie Cotton Elementary | Nashville, TN | $5,003 | 2025 | To promote reading |
| KIWANIS CLUB OF GREATER MUSIC CITY | NASHVILLE, TN | $52,737 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS HERO (HOMELESS EDUCATION RESOURCE & OUTREACH | NASHVILLE, TN | $19,150 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| LAST MINUTE TOY STORE | NASHVILLE, TN | $17,861 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| DODSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | HERMITAGE, TN | $10,255 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| PARAGON MILLS ELEMENTARY | NASHVILLE, TN | $9,858 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| GLENVIEW ELEMENTARY | NASHVILLE, TN | $9,434 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| METRO NASHVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT | NASHVILLE, TN | $8,330 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| COLE ELEMENTARY | ANTIOCH, TN | $8,222 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| HAYWOOD ELEMENTARY | NASHVILLE, TN | $7,941 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| EXPLORE COMMUNITY SCHOOL | NASHVILLE, TN | $7,375 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| ALEX GREEN ELEMENTARY | WHITES CREEK, TN | $7,258 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT | NASHVILLE, TN | $7,170 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| THE LAND TRUST FOR TENNESSEE | NASHVILLE, TN | $6,930 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| IDA B WELLS ELEMENTARY | NASHVILLE, TN | $6,293 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| TOM JOY ELEMENTARY | NASHVILLE, TN | $6,117 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| VANDERBILT NICU DEVELOPMENTAL CLINIC | NASHVILLE, TN | $6,052 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| MT VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | ANTIOCH, TN | $5,863 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| STANFORD MONTESSORI ELEMENTARY | NASHVILLE, TN | $5,405 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| CHARLOTTE PARK ELEMENTARY | NASHVILLE, TN | $5,353 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
| WARNER ELEMENTARY | NASHVILLE, TN | $5,044 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE READING |
Dollar General
$38,230To promote reading
Metro Nashville PS HERO Ofc
$23,186To promote reading
Publisher SpotlightMyrick
$14,645To promote reading
Ensworth School - Grade 5
$14,330To promote reading
May Werthan Shayne Elementary
$13,729To promote reading
Glenview Elementary
$11,871To promote reading
Metro Nashville Public Health
$11,023To promote reading
Books to Kids
$10,475To promote reading
Nashville PBS
$10,455To promote reading
Paragon Mills Elementary
$10,316To promote reading
Cole Elementary
$8,781To promote reading
McKays Used Books and More
$8,591To promote reading
Haywood Elementary
$8,436To promote reading
Metro Nashville Public School
$8,139To promote reading
Parnassus FoundationBooks
$7,205To promote reading
Dodson Elementary School
$6,600To promote reading
Goodwill Ind of Middle TN
$6,416To promote reading
Oak Hill School
$6,320To promote reading
Girl Scout Troop 106
$5,980To promote reading
Dupont Elementary
$5,807To promote reading
Lakeview Elementary
$5,751To promote reading
Charlotte Park Elementary
$5,714To promote reading
Park Avenue Elementary
$5,130To promote reading
Hattie Cotton Elementary
$5,003To promote reading
KIWANIS CLUB OF GREATER MUSIC CITY
$52,737TO PROMOTE READING
METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS HERO (HOMELESS EDUCATION RESOURCE & OUTREACH
$19,150TO PROMOTE READING
LAST MINUTE TOY STORE
$17,861TO PROMOTE READING
DODSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
$10,255TO PROMOTE READING
PARAGON MILLS ELEMENTARY
$9,858TO PROMOTE READING
GLENVIEW ELEMENTARY
$9,434TO PROMOTE READING
METRO NASHVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
$8,330TO PROMOTE READING
COLE ELEMENTARY
$8,222TO PROMOTE READING
HAYWOOD ELEMENTARY
$7,941TO PROMOTE READING
EXPLORE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
$7,375TO PROMOTE READING
ALEX GREEN ELEMENTARY
$7,258TO PROMOTE READING
METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT
$7,170TO PROMOTE READING
THE LAND TRUST FOR TENNESSEE
$6,930TO PROMOTE READING
IDA B WELLS ELEMENTARY
$6,293TO PROMOTE READING
TOM JOY ELEMENTARY
$6,117TO PROMOTE READING
VANDERBILT NICU DEVELOPMENTAL CLINIC
$6,052TO PROMOTE READING
MT VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
$5,863TO PROMOTE READING
STANFORD MONTESSORI ELEMENTARY
$5,405TO PROMOTE READING
CHARLOTTE PARK ELEMENTARY
$5,353TO PROMOTE READING
WARNER ELEMENTARY
$5,044TO PROMOTE READING
Current and upcoming funding from Book Em that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Schools and other organizations serving low-income families in Davidson County may request books. Books must go directly to economically disadvantaged children and teens for personal ownership.
Deadline: Requests may be submitted at any time; submit at least one month in advance when possible.
Who can apply: Organizations that serve low-income or economically disadvantaged children in Davidson County. When possible, organizations asked to submit one large request per organization; books must go home with children for personal use.
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