Honours & Awards

2021 Top 10 Canadian Impact Charity and Top 5 Canadian Youth Impact Charity

2021 World Literacy Award: Significant Contribution to Literacy in response to the pandemic

The Read On Canada! Coalition was recognized for Significant Contribution to Literacy in response to the pandemic for getting 150,000 books to kids across Canada through Food Banks.

2020 Top 10 Canadian Impact Charity and Top 10 Canadian Youth Impact Charity

First Book Canada was recognized as a Top 10 Canadian Impact Charity and Top 10 Canadian Youth Impact Charity by Charity Intelligence Canada based on the impact made by the organization.

Sustainable Development Goal Recognition Award

First Book Canada received the United Nations Association’s Sustainable Development Goal Recognition Award for its outstanding work to increase equal access to quality education for children in need.

Salvation Army Hope Partnership Award

First Book Canada received the Salvation Army Hope Partnership award for their dedicated service of outstanding support for the 2017 CTV Toy Mountain Campaign.

2017 Partners in Education Award

First Book Canada received the 2017 Partners in Education Award from the Fort McMurray Public School District for its commitment to student excellence.

Applause! Recognition

First Book Canada received recognition form the York District School Board for its significant contributions to public education in York region.

EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2017 Mid-Atlantic Award

First Book President and CEO Kyle Zimmer was among the nine recipients of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in the Mid-Atlantic region for First Book’s sustainable, market-driven model.

The 2016 Ideagen Power 100 List of Individuals Empowering Women and Girls

First Book president and CEO Kyle Zimmer made the 2016 Ideagen Power 100 List highlighting the 100 individuals and 100 organizations leading the way towards empowering women and girls globally.

2016 Jefferson Award

First Book president and CEO Kyle Zimmer received the Jefferson Award Foundation’s annual award for outstanding public service benefiting the disadvantaged.

Peggy Charren/Free to Be You and Me Award

First Book president and CEO Kyle Zimmer received the Ms. Foundation for Women’s Peggy Charren/Free to Be You and Me award honoring individuals in media whose work contributes to breaking through gender and racial lines.

The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading Pacesetter Honors

First Book was recognized as a Pacesetter Partner by The Campaign For Grade-Level Reading for its sustained efforts in improving early learning and childhood literacy.

Library of Congress David M. Rubenstein Prize

First Book was awarded the 2015 David M. Rubenstein Prize, one of three Literacy Awards presented by the Library of Congress annually, for outstanding and measurable contributions in increasing literacy levels and for its commitment to the advancement of literacy.

The National Book Foundation’s 2014 Literarian Award

The National Book Foundation honored First Book CEO Kyle Zimmer with its 2014 Literarian Award for her outstanding leadership and achievements in overcoming childhood illiteracy and promoting educational equality.

Lifetime Collective Impact Award

First Book president and CEO Kyle Zimmer received the Lifetime Collective Impact Award from Ideagen in 2014.

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators

First Book was recognized with SCBWI’s Golden Gratitude Award for outstanding contribution to the field of children’s books in August 2013.

Security Benefit Corporation Award for Outstanding Service to Public Education

This award from the National Education Association (NEA) Foundation was presented in 2013 to recognize First Book’s pioneering and innovative work and achievements to fight illiteracy.

2012 Mayor’s Excellence Awards

First Book Canada received a Calgary Educational Partnership Foundation Mayor’s Excellence Award for the advancement of aboriginal youth education.

Credit Suisse ‘Investing for Impact’

In their 2012 ‘Investing for Impact’ report, Credit Suisse highlighted First Book’s “innovative yet pragmatic approach” to solving the problem of child illiteracy.

Carle Honor

First Book president and CEO Kyle Zimmer was awarded the Carle Honor from The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in 2009 for her work on behalf of children’s literacy.

Philanthropy 400

First Book has been on the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual list of the nation’s largest philanthropic groups since 2008.

Nonprofit Marketer of the Year

First Book president and CEO Kyle Zimmer was honored by the American Marketing Association (AMA) and the American Marketing Association Foundation (AMAF) in 2008 for extraordinary leadership and achievement in the field of nonprofit marketing.

Social Entrepreneur of the Year

First Book president and CEO Kyle Zimmer was named ‘Social Entrepreneur of the Year’ in the United States’ by Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship in 2006.

Social Capitalist Award

First Book received the ‘Social Capitalist Award’ from Fast Company and the Monitor Group for using entrepreneurial genius to solve global issues from 2004 through 2008.

Community Service Award

First Book received the annual ‘Community Service Award’ from SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc. in 2006.

Nonprofit Innovation Award

First Book was a finalist for Amazon.com’s ‘Nonprofit Innovation Award’ in 2005.

Nonprofit Ventures Business Plan Competition

First Book was awarded the Grand Prize in the Yale School of Management-Goldman Sachs Foundation Partnership on Nonprofit Ventures Business Plan Competition in 2005.

Authors Guild Foundation Award

First Book was recognized for ‘Distinguished Service to the Literary Community’ by the Authors Guild Foundation in 2005.

Gold Halo Award

First Book received the Gold Halo Award for the ‘Best Social Service/Educational Program’ from the Cause Marketing Forum in 2004, and again in 2007.

Gold Star Charity

First Book was named a Gold Star Charity by Forbes Magazine in 2003.

Partner of the Year Award

First Book received the ‘Partner of the Year Award’ from Connect America in recognition of highly successful partnerships with the nonprofit sector in 2003.

Reggie Award Gold Medal

First Book was awarded the Gold Medal for innovative cause-based marketing from the Promotion Marketing Association’s ‘Reggie Awards’ in 2002.