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Nonprofiteer
← BERNIES BOOK BANK

Form 990 for tax year 2025

Filed by BERNIES BOOK BANK.

Totals

Total revenue
$9,463,630
Total expenses
$6,013,621
Contributions and grants received
$9,051,513
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$79,132
Other revenue
$332,985
Total assets, end of year
$13,065,331
Total liabilities, end of year
$4,067,254
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$8,998,077
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$4,605,653
Management and general expenses
$670,240
Fundraising expenses
$737,728
Program service expenses (Part III)
$4,605,653

Program services were 76.6% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $266,140

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $8,785,373

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $3,818,347

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $79,132 · excluded $79,132

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $813,006

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $266,140

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $483,198

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total $329,808 · excluded $329,808

  • 10a · Gross sales of inventory

    $7,336

  • 10b · Cost of goods sold

    $4,161

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total $3,175 · excluded $3,175

  • 11d · All other revenue

    total $2 · excluded $2

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $2

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $765,386 · program services $436,271 · management and general $120,930 · fundraising $208,185

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $1,132,019 · program services $645,251 · management and general $178,859 · fundraising $307,909

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $20,681 · program services $11,788 · management and general $3,268 · fundraising $5,625

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $70,967 · program services $40,450 · management and general $11,213 · fundraising $19,304

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $135,603 · program services $77,294 · management and general $21,425 · fundraising $36,884

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $58,388 · management and general $58,388

  • 11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

    total $20,809 · fundraising $20,809

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $106,322 · program services $19,774 · management and general $82,747 · fundraising $3,801

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $69,283 · program services $8,921 · management and general $45,638 · fundraising $14,724

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $79,269 · program services $77,568 · management and general $606 · fundraising $1,095

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $94,124 · program services $47,062 · management and general $16,001 · fundraising $31,061

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $557,261 · program services $439,679 · management and general $69,100 · fundraising $48,482

  • 17 · Travel

    total $37,121 · program services $6,278 · management and general $7,737 · fundraising $23,106

  • 20 · Interest

    total $14,032 · program services $14,032

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $90,197 · program services $71,166 · management and general $11,184 · fundraising $7,847

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $72,969 · program services $59,544 · management and general $5,653 · fundraising $7,772

  • 24a · Other expenses: BOOK SOURCING EXPENSES

    total $2,607,132 · program services $2,607,132

  • 24b · Other expenses: FEES

    total $45,232 · program services $6,617 · management and general $37,491 · fundraising $1,124

  • 24c · Other expenses: VEHICLE FLEET

    total $36,826 · program services $36,826

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $381,445 · end of year $465,852

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $809,919 · end of year $1,733,395

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $836,143 · end of year $2,240,734

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $1,997,417 · end of year $2,609,236

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $43,310 · end of year $152,620

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $3,070,916

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $2,338,331

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $463,980 · end of year $732,585

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $1,488,246 · end of year $1,480,917

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $1,647,366 · end of year $3,649,992

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $237,418 · end of year $434,331

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $2,007,703 · end of year $3,632,923

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $2,548,136 · end of year $4,054,535

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $2,874,569 · end of year $4,943,542

Mission and programs · 2025

Mission

DRIVEN BY A PASSIONATE COLLECTIVE OF VOLUNTEERS AND PARTNERS, WE SUPPLY CHILDREN WHO NEED THEM WITH FREE, HIGH-QUALITY BOOKS TO BUILD IN-HOME LIBRARIES OF THEIR VERY OWN.

Activities or mission (Part I)

BERNIE'S BOOK BANK IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 2009 THAT PROVIDES FREE QUALITY BOOKS FOR CHILDREN, AGES BIRTH THROUGH SIXTH GRADE, TO BUILD PERSONAL LIBRARIES. BERNIE'S BOOK BANK SOURCES, PROCESSES, AND DISTRIBUTES EIGHT BOOKS ANNUALLY TO CHILDREN AT TITLE 1 SCHOOLS AND EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS. SINCE 2009 BERNIE'S BOOK BANK HAS DISTRIBUTED OVER 29 MILLION FREE CHILDREN'S BOOKS.

  • BERNIE'S BOOK BANK IS A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO A SOLVABLE PROBLEM: MITIGATING THE CHILDREN'S LITERACY CRISIS. WE'RE A NONPROFIT THAT TRANSFORMS CHILDREN'S LIVES THROUGH BOOK OWNERSHIP BY SOURCING, PROCESSING AND DISTRIBUTING FREE, HIGH-QUALITY BOOKS TO CHILDREN WHO NEED THEM MOST. SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 2009, WE'VE DELIVERED MORE THAN 30 MILLION BOOKS INTO CHILDREN'S HANDS AND HOMES, INCLUDING MORE THAN 2.5 MILLION IN 2025. TODAY, WE SERVE MORE THAN 315,000 CHILDREN ANNUALLY ACROSS OUR CHICAGOLAND, GREATER MILWAUKEE AND FLORIDA SUNCOAST CHAPTERS. FUNDED BY GENEROUS DONORS AND COMMITTED COMPANIES AND FUELED BY A PASSIONATE TEAM OF PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS, WE BELIEVE BETTER FUTURES BEGIN WITH BOOKS.WHAT SETS US APART: WE'RE LASER-FOCUSED ON ONE THING, GETTING BOOKS INTO CHILDREN'S HANDS. THIS DRIVES WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY TO BE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT AND SCALABLE. WE KEEP IT SIMPLE, THREE THINGS, DONE EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.(1) WE SOURCE QUALITY NEW AND GENTLY USED CHILDREN'S BOOKS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES, BOOK PUBLISHERS AND DISTRIBUTORS. BERNIE'S BOOK BANK MANAGES THE COLLECTION PROCESS, TAKING THE BURDEN OFF SCHOOLS AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, MAXIMIZING DONATIONS OF QUALITY BOOKS AND MINIMIZING COSTS.(2) WE PROCESS BOOKS AT OUR PROCESSING CENTER, POWERED BY A PASSIONATE COLLECTIVE OF VOLUNTEERS OF ALL AGES AND ALL ABILITIES, INCLUDING INDIVIDUALS, COMMUNITY SERVICE GROUPS AND CORPORATE TEAMS, WHO TOGETHER CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN 46,653 HOURS IN 2025. TOGETHER THEY MOVE MOUNTAINS OF BOOKS, STICKERING, SORTING AND BAGGING THEM FOR EACH CHILD.(3) WE FOCUS ON COMMUNITIES WHERE CHILDREN ARE LEAST LIKELY TO HAVE BOOKS OF THEIR OWN, DISTRIBUTING EIGHT FREE BOOKS, EVERY YEAR, TO CHILDREN FROM BIRTH THROUGH SIXTH GRADE. PARTNERING WITH SCHOOLS THAT HAVE AT LEAST 40 PERCENT ENROLLMENT IN THE FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH PROGRAM (FRLP) OR RECEIVE WHOLE-SCHOOL TITLE I FUNDS, WE GET BOOKS INTO THE HANDS OF CHILDREN WHO NEED THEM MOST. WE ALSO REACH OUR YOUNGEST READERS THROUGH WIC (WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN) PROGRAMS.

    Expenses $4,605,653

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Bill Birck

    BOARD CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    6

  • Geoff Surkamer

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    6

  • Mike Herr

    FINANCE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    6

  • Erin Kirchner

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • Chris Beer

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Elissa Bowlin

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jeff Burtelow

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Craig Caffarelli

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Nick Jones

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Phil Menzel

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Eric Olson

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Kristie Vainikos Stegen

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Todd Wyman

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Brian Floriani

    FOUNDER

    Total calculated
    $207,488
    From this org
    $179,431
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $28,057
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $179,431
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $3,931
    Nontaxable benefits
    $24,126
    Filer's total
    $207,488

  • Kristen Daniels

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (THRU 10/25)

    Total calculated
    $118,621
    From this org
    $115,818
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $2,803
    Hours/week
    40

  • Kathleen Hooper

    DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

    Total calculated
    $51,923
    From this org
    $51,923
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

  • Margaret Leahy

    NAT. DIR. OF MARKETING & COMM./OED

    Total calculated
    $118,430
    From this org
    $116,592
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $1,838
    Hours/week
    40

  • Thomas Lacher

    DIRECTOR OF IT AND OPS./OED

    Total calculated
    $82,765
    From this org
    $75,049
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $7,716
    Hours/week
    40

  • Jenna Renno

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - MKE

    Total calculated
    $115,063
    From this org
    $114,231
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $832
    Hours/week
    40

  • Amy Bott

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - SC

    Total calculated
    $71,096
    From this org
    $66,812
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $4,284
    Hours/week
    40

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

PART I, LINE 3
COMPENSATION FOR THE CEO WAS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHEN HIRED USING A COMPENSATION STUDY TO DETERMINE A SALARY RANGE. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REVIEWS, DETERMINES AND APPROVES COMPENSATION CHANGES ANNUALLY.
PART I, LINE 7
SCHEDULE J, PART II, COLUMN (B)(II) REPORTS DISSCRETIONARY INCENTIVE AMOUNTS THAT WERE APPROVED BY THE BOARD BASED UPON PERFORMANCE.

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2025
Filed
2 August 2026
IRS schema version
2025v4.2
Source object
202602249349301440

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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