Benetech provides concise summaries in 3 sentences or less that provide the high level and essential information from the document. Benetech measures its success by the number of lives changed, not profits. It has expanded access to education through Bookshare, which provides accessible digital books to those with print disabilities. Benetech also uses data analysis to document human rights abuses and help seek justice and reconciliation in places impacted by conflict. Additionally, Benetech created conservation planning software called Miradi to help environmental groups better manage projects and track their progress.

1. How
Many
People
Can
A
Single
Idea
Help?
2009

2. At Benetech
success is
measured
not in
dollars,
but in the
number
of lives
changed.

3. Benetech Report 2009
How Many People Can a Single Idea Help?
We ask this question every day at Benetech. As a technology
company where social benefit—not profit—is the bottom line,
we believe the knowledge is readily available to solve many of
humanity’s most vexing problems. Our innovative solutions take
the best of existing technology and adapt it at low cost to confront
these challenges. In this time of social conflict, environmental
destruction and economic uncertainty, the need for such a strategy
has never been greater.
In 2009, Benetech celebrates two decades of success in The power of a good idea, we believe, lies in the way it
extending the benefits of technology to all of society, can magnify the efforts of a small group of people to create
including people who are marginalized or especially in a significant impact on the future of our planet. With
need. In the following pages, we’ll share with you how sustainable business practices, we can ensure that the
Benetech’s partnerships in literacy, human rights and effects of our work are felt for generations to come.
environmental conservation are matching the creativity of
the high-tech sector with the efforts of grassroots activists Our supporters play a critical role in our
around the world. success. We are proud that, even in these
difficult financial times, we have expanded
In the past few years, with the support of our funders
our programs thanks to support from
and partners, we expanded Bookshare, our pioneering
individuals and foundations that see the
online digital library for people with print disabilities,
potential for technological advances to truly
to serve over 60,000 users who cannot read traditional
benefit all of humanity.
books. Our human rights program used the power of
statistical analysis to reveal the truth and offer a chance
for reconciliation in conflict zones across Asia, Africa Yet more challenges lie ahead. In the coming years,
and Latin America. And we launched an exciting new Benetech will continue to inspire others in our field
software application, Miradi, that transforms the way to follow the social enterprise path, while building a
environmental groups plan and manage conservation movement to break down barriers that have excluded
projects. Whether it’s helping war-torn Liberia come to disadvantaged groups from participating in the
grips with its past or helping a blind child discover the technological revolution. We imagine a world in which
joy of reading, our projects provide new hope for tens of every person on the planet can access the information
thousands of people. needed for education, employment, health and social
inclusion. We hope you will join us in these efforts.
As Benetech grows, we remain committed to our social Technology that is socially useful, affordable and
enterprise business model, a concept we like to call Return accessible to all: that is the Benetech vision.
on Humanity. Return on Humanity means we measure our
success not in dollars, but in the number of lives changed. 1

4. LITERACY
Bringing the Benefits of
Reading to Everyone
Bookshare Opens New Doors for People
with Visual and Reading Disabilities
Reading is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. By making it “Reading in a book gets me all cross-eyed,” says Shane,
possible for people with print disabilities to read easily, who has a learning disability.
Benetech breaks down barriers that have kept millions
All that has changed for Shane, thanks to Bookshare.
of people isolated and unable to participate fully in the
Shane can now download his schoolbooks in minutes
workplace and social life. Just ask Debbie Calvert.
and follow along as the computer reads to him. He
Calvert had been a teacher for 10 years when she chooses the pace, and highlighted words help him
suddenly began to lose her sight, putting her career in navigate from sentence to sentence.
jeopardy. “I found myself struggling to read the print of
books I was assigning my students,” she says. “I really like reading with Bookshare because
there’s something happening, it’s not just a
After considering quitting, Calvert discovered Benetech’s
plain piece of paper with words, so it helps
Bookshare program, where she could listen and follow
me focus more,” says Shane.
along with electronic versions of books and use the
information to create her lesson plans.
Shane now enjoys reading in his free time and is
Bookshare was created to serve the millions of Americans looking forward to tackling a biography of his hero,
who have disabilities that keep them from easily reading skateboarding superstar Tony Hawk.
a printed book, such as blindness, low vision, a learning
disability or mobility impairment. With Bookshare, In 2007, the U.S. Department of Education awarded
these readers can download over 50,000 accessible Benetech funding to offer Bookshare free of charge to
books and periodicals from any computer with an over 100,000 students like Shane by 2012—an explosive
Internet connection. growth from the 3,000 students served just a few
years ago. Benetech also recently launched Bookshare
Capitalizing on the democratizing power of the Internet, International to serve people with print disabilities in the
Bookshare grows as its members scan, proofread developing world.
and upload books of their own to share with other
readers—a practice that is legal thanks to exceptions With the growth of Bookshare, Benetech is working
in copyright laws for people unable to read traditional harder than ever to open up the world of reading to
books. Major publishers and universities also donate people who were previously excluded from it. We are
their own digital books to the collection. helping to ensure that those with print disabilities have
the educational and employment opportunities they
Bookshare is also breaking down barriers to reading for need to lead fulfilling, productive lives.
students like Shane McKnight, a 14-year-old who loves
skateboarding. He’s curious and articulate. But until
2 recently, he struggled to read the books assigned in class.

5. Benetech Report 2009
Why I Volunteer with Bookshare | by Monica Willyard
More than a library, Bookshare is a thriving When I got my first Bookshare membership,
community of volunteers who scan and I went nuts in the cookbook and computer
proofread books to help the library grow, book section. I kept running out of the
reach out to new users, and share their room to tell my mom, ‘They have the
experiences on the Bookshare mailing list. Betty Crocker book! They have the Weight
Here, Bookshare volunteer Monica Willyard Watchers book!’ One of the first things
tells us her story. I did was sign up as a volunteer. I’m a
single mother, and the first book I scanned
“I was born blind, and when I was a little girl was Dare to Discipline, a parenting book
I loved to touch the pages of print books. for toddlers.
I would pray and ask God to let me read
because I was such a curious kid. When I We have enough talent in the volunteer
was eight years old, my father bought me community to run a small country; the
a computer, insisted I learn how to use it scope is amazing. I had a dream for a long
and taught me to write programs. I did time that someday blind people would
everything by touch and memory. have the same level of access as those who
don’t have disabilities. Today, Bookshare is
On my 18th birthday, I got my first scanner. making that dream possible, and that’s the
By scanning books into an accessible format, biggest reason why I volunteer.”
I could finally read, even if it wasn’t exactly
how I had envisioned. I attended college,
worked in technical support and marketing,
and took courses in web development.
But there were so few books that were
accessible, it was always a struggle. MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.benetech.org/report/literacy
3

6. HUMAN RIGHTS
Harnessing the Power of Statistics to Seek Justice,
Healing and Reconciliation Around the World
Benetech’s Human Rights Program Analyzes Evidence of
Suffering in Pursuit of Truth
It was one of the most startling discoveries in Guatemala’s the newspaper La Prensa. “God sometimes takes a long
troubled history: a routine inspection of a warehouse once time, but He does not forget.”
used by the country’s national police force uncovered a
In Guatemala and in its other projects around the world,
massive cache of hidden documents. Soaked by rainwater
Benetech’s Human Rights Program helps human rights
and nibbled by rats, the stacks of paper—hundreds of
groups increase their impact by harnessing their most
millions of pages—told the story of crimes committed
valuable asset: information. Benetech’s scientific approach
by the now-disbanded national police force during the
creates reliable, evidence-based accounts of human rights
country’s 36 years of armed conflict. The archive offered
abuses that can overcome political biases, help bring
new hope to families of the estimated 40,000 people
perpetrators to justice—and literally change history.
who disappeared in the conflict and the possibility of
accountability for those responsible. Seeking Truth in Nations Scarred by Conflict
But how to make sense of such a vast collection of Benetech recently worked with the Liberian Truth
information? Enter Benetech and our Martus database and Reconciliation Commission to gather and analyze
software. Partnering with local human rights groups and witness testimony from Liberia’s decades of civil unrest.
staff from the office of the Guatemalan government’s Working in a country with no functioning power grid,
Human Rights Ombudsman, Benetech’s Human Rights where many still struggle to meet their basic needs, the
Data Analysis Group collected a random scientific sample commission faced many challenges. Yet they were able to
of the documents and applied statistical expertise to gather over 17,000 testimonies, nearly half of which came
answer questions such as how many people were abused from women, many of whom overcame societal taboos
by police, what kinds of human rights violations occurred about discussing sexual violence to speak about their
and who was responsible. experiences for the first time.
Data from the project have already been used to bring “Benetech’s work helped to give a voice
legal cases against police officials allegedly involved to thousands of victims and at the same
in human rights abuses and are helping Guatemalans time give a human face to the truth and
to better understand their history so the country reconciliation process,” says Chancellor
can move forward. For Guatemalan congresswoman Jerome J. Verdier, Chairman of Liberia’s
Nineth Montenegro, documents from the archive led to Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
information that she had sought systematically for more
than two decades and resulted in the arrest of two former
Benetech’s 2009 report documented widespread forced
police officers for their complicity in the disappearance of
displacement during the conflict and found that a rebel
her husband, professor and labor activist Fernando Garcia.
group associated with Charles Taylor, the country’s
“This is such a gift, that 25 years later we can pick up the former president, was responsible for the greatest number
4 thread and know where they took him,” Montenegro told of violations.

7. Benetech Report 2009
The Power of Statistics Martus: An Electronic Witness
to History
“We use statistics to convey the whole
story rather than just little parts of it. A human rights worker is abducted in
When we bring scientific rigor to the Colombia and her laptop stolen. An activist
debate about human rights, we can gain deep within Burma sends radio dispatches
a better understanding of what actually about violence there to colleagues outside
happened, which can help prevent the country; if he is discovered, he risks
atrocities in the future. being killed. Human rights groups face
daily challenges to the safety of their
We’re always thinking about new ways members, the information they collect and
of collecting and analyzing data. In East the lives of vulnerable witnesses. Benetech
Timor, besides collecting and analyzing created the Martus software to help meet
surveys and narrative testimonies about those challenges. Martus organizes and
killings during that country’s occupation encrypts data and backs it up on remote
by Indonesia, we surveyed every public servers outside the country, safeguarding
graveyard in the country. We collected sources’ identities.
data on over 300,000 graves. And we were
able to establish that the vast majority
“Benetech’s innovative methods overcome
of deaths during the conflict resulted
the inherent biases in human rights data,
from famine rather than murder. That
fundamentally transforming the way scholars
has dramatic implications for the world’s
and practitioners do their work.”
understanding of Timorese history.”
— Dr. Todd Landman, Human Rights Centre,
— Patrick Ball, Vice President, Benetech University of Essex
Human Rights Program
MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.benetech.org/report/humanrights
5

8. ENVIRONMENT
Helping Conservationists Protect Natural Resources
Think Technology Can Save the Planet? We Do.
Guam’s marine reserves form one of the most biodiverse who helped found the partnership. “In order to take
regions on the planet. Coral reefs teem with over 800 the movement to the next level, we needed a common
species of fish, turtles nest in beds of sea grass and language and common metrics to assess our progress.
dolphins take a breather from their migratory treks. Miradi gives us that advantage.”
Guam’s tremendous natural beauty inspired Elaina Todd At The Nature Conservancy’s North Carolina office, activ-
to become an environmentalist. Todd knew that ists working to preserve a pine forest on military-owned
her homeland’s natural habitats were threatened by land are using Miradi to communicate among various
illegal fires, uncontrolled development and harmful stakeholders, from the Department of Defense to the state
fishing practices, and she was determined to do parks department and local environmental researchers.
something about it. With a click of the mouse, they can create diagrams that
visually represent different tactics—from controlled burns
In 2009, Todd and eight other ecological activists from
to lobbying Congress—and the results they might achieve.
around the world participated in a training program
run by one of Benetech’s partners, the conservation
“Miradi is helping us transform our conserva-
group Rare. She learned how to use Miradi, Benetech’s
tion plan from a document on a shelf to
groundbreaking software application that allows
something that’s actually integrated into
environmentalists to design conservation plans that bring
our work on the ground,” says Ryan Elting, The
together best practices in environmental management with
Nature Conservancy Sandhills Program Director.
the local knowledge of people in their region.
With Miradi, Todd has access to decades of experience As Benetech takes Miradi to scale in the coming years,
from top conservationists who helped design the software. environmentalists like Elting and Todd will be able to
She can assess the dangers to Guam’s coral reefs, from upload project data to a searchable online database and
overfishing to global factors like climate change, develop share it with other conservationists around the world
a plan to address them, and track her progress towards who face similar challenges. Potential donors, meanwhile,
these goals. will be able to view and assess information about areas
Rare is just one of dozens of environmental organizations that meet their interests, from protecting tigers in Laos to
in 100 countries who currently use Miradi. Benetech preserving California’s native grasslands.
developed the software in collaboration with the By fostering this kind of cooperation, Miradi is
Conservation Measures Partnership, a consortium of dramatically expanding the knowledge base of
leading environmental groups. conservation groups so they can meet their goals more
“There are millions of dollars going into conservation, yet effectively. Miradi is just one example of how Benetech
we had no way to track which strategies were successful,” uses the power of ideas to combine the efforts of
says Dan Salzer, an ecologist at The Nature Conservancy individual advocates into a global movement for change.
6

9. Benetech Report 2009
“One hundred percent of our campaigns
use Miradi, and it has hugely helped us to
move project planning forward. We found
it so helpful that we’ve invested in having
it translated into Mandarin, Indonesian
and Spanish.”
— Paul Butler, Senior Vice President of
Global Programs, Rare
MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.benetech.org/report/environment
7

10. IMPACT
Benetech Projects
Around the World
A Different Kind of Technology Company
Benetech’s pioneering social enterprise business model
brings together the flexibility and entrepreneurial culture “Hundreds, if not thousands, of great
of Silicon Valley with a commitment to serve humanity. technology applications are sitting on
shelves because they are insufficiently
Partnership profitable to shareholders. We need to
Benetech collaborates with nonprofit leaders, high-tech recapture these opportunities and ensure
companies, educational institutions and others to design that technology fully serves all of humanity.”
and market software solutions that meet social needs. — Jim Fruchterman, Benetech CEO
With extensive feedback from users, we ensure our
projects truly make a difference, helping organizations
amplify the impact of their work.
Donor Engagement
As a nonprofit organization, Benetech relies on the
support of visionary donors who understand the untapped
potential of technology to help those most in need. These
critical funds ensure that programs are chosen based on
their potential to improve society, not solely on how much
revenue they will generate. Our donors help us take risks
and pursue the next big idea.
Rigorous Standards
At Benetech, every project goes through a meticulous
development process that includes a detailed business
plan, early prototypes and exit strategies. We are
committed to open source development to make the
best use of technology and allow others to follow in
our footsteps.
Inspiration
We dedicate a significant amount of our time building
the field of social entrepreneurship and helping new
innovators on the road to success. We especially enjoy
inspiring students to look for creative ways of solving
social problems. MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.benetech.org/report/impact
8

11. Benetech Report 2009
United States and India: Sierra Leone: The Human Jilin Province, China:
Bookshare brings the benefits Rights Data Analysis Group Using Miradi, the Hunchun
of reading to over 60,000 built a secure data coding Pride Campaign will reduce
subscribers with visual and and analysis process to help or eliminate poaching of
learning disabilities, with plans the Truth and Reconciliation Siberian tigers by creating
to expand to more countries in Commission create an impartial an alternative economy and
the coming years. historical record and help end increasing enforcement in the
impunity. region.
Bookshare
Human Rights
Miradi
MAP KEY
Bookshare is used extensively throughout the United States and has a growing presence in other
countries. The Human Rights Program and Miradi software are involved in projects worldwide.
Puget Sound, United States: Colombia: Martus software Burma: The Human Rights
The Puget Sound Partnership helps forensic teams collect Data Analysis Group partnered
is using Miradi to coordinate and analyze data on killings with a group of ten Thailand-
federal and state species and and disappearances. based NGOs to help a
habitat conservation actions network of human rights
across the entire Puget Sound activists securely document
Watershed. the ongoing struggle against
repression in Burma.
9

12. NEXT FRONTIER
The Next Frontier: Global Challenges
and Innovative Solutions
As humanity moves into the 21st century facing a host of new social,
economic and environmental challenges, the need for creative
solutions has never been greater.
Innovative software, Internet services and advances We will also extend the reach of Miradi, our project
in affordable, user-friendly mobile technology offer management tool, to organizations throughout the
unprecedented opportunities to expand access to environmental movement, giving more environmentalists
information for disadvantaged people around the globe. a method for communicating about and learning from
Benetech is meeting these challenges by broadening each other’s successes.
and deepening the impact of our own programs and
At Benetech, we know the work of one organization
leading a movement of like-minded technologists
simply isn’t enough. Since our founding, we have built
with a commitment to using their skills to solve social
strategic alliances and worked for policy changes to
problems.
bridge the technological divide. We advocate for students
In the next five years, we will increase the number with disabilities to make sure they get equal access to
of people served by Benetech programs from tens of electronic textbooks, help activists more effectively
thousands to millions. We aim to leverage the platform work for human rights and enhance the impact of
and reading technologies of Bookshare, already the conservationists striving to protect the environment.
largest digital library of accessible texts, to serve users We partner with other social enterprises to create jobs
around the world, English-language learners and those and help aspiring technology nonprofits develop their
with other barriers to accessing information. A new own ideas. Every day we meet students, nonprofit
software solution in development, Route 66 Literacy, leaders, grassroots activists, engineers and donors
trains anyone with a computer to become a literacy tutor, who, like us, are awed at the tremendous promise that
creating the potential for a league of volunteer teachers technology offers and want to use their talents to create a
in isolated and underserved areas to help their families, better world. We want to catalyze these human resources
friends and others learn to read. into a powerful movement that can bring technological
innovations to the people who need them most but can
We will continue to raise scientific standards in the
least afford them.
human rights field through research and training to
ensure that our impact extends beyond the projects In the tradition of Silicon Valley, we dream big and take
Benetech directly manages. We will double the risks. No matter how technology develops in the coming
information stored in Martus, our secure database years, Benetech will continue to work toward achieving
software, helping users draw attention to human rights our vision: a world where every person on the planet
issues worldwide. can access the information they need for education,
employment, health and social inclusion. We hope you’ll
join us.
10

13. Benetech Report 2009
Together, we can bring the
benefits of technology to all
of humanity.
MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.benetech.org/report/nextfrontier
11

14. THANK YOU
Partner and Donor Acknowledgement
Benetech would like to recognize the following visionary individuals
and institutions that have partnered with us to create innovative
applications of technology to address unmet social needs. Without
their unwavering commitment, our work would not be possible.
BENETECH LITERACY PROGRAMS HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAMS
G. Gervaise Davis III, Esq. Adobe Systems Incorporated Archivo Histórico de la Policia Nacional
Steve Dow Mary A. Crocker Trust Comisión Colombiana de Juristas
Google Carole H. Lake DePaul University
The Lemelson Foundation Lavelle Fund for the Blind Equitas
Omidyar Network Microsoft Corporation Freedom House Syria, DC, Ethiopia
Packard Humanities Institute Mozilla Foundation Humanity United
J. Leighton Read, M.D. NEC Foundation The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Skoll Foundation Bernard A. Newcomb Fund at Foundation
Silicon Valley Community Foundation National Endowment for Democracy
Recording Services for the Visually Impaired Oak Foundation
Severns Family Foundation Open Society Institute
*Benetech’s funding from
foundations is typically in multi- Special Hope Foundation The Sigrid Rausing Trust
year grants. The lists above and Morris Stulsaft Foundation US Department of State
at right include funding from University of Wisconsin, Trace Center
2007–2009 and represent US Department of Education ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS
gifts of $5,000 or more of The Miradi software program is a joint venture
ZeroDivide
gifts and services. between the Conservation Measures Partnership
We would also like to acknowledge the
(CMP) and Benetech. Miradi funders include:
contributions of over 1000 committed volunteers
who have made a significant impact on our Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
programs, as well as the donation of books The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
by generous individuals, authors, universities Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
and publishers. The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Writing and Design by Mission Minded (www.mission-minded.com)
Mission statement: Benetech combines the power of the human mind with a deep passion
for social improvement, creating new technology solutions that serve all of humanity.
12

15. FINANCIALS
Benetech Report 2009
ASSETS SUPPORT & REVENUES
Current Assets 2008 2008
Cash & Cash Equivalents $772,089 Grants & Contributions $3,091,529
Grants & Other Receivables $1,845,712 Earned Revenue $6,464,095
Total Current Assets $2,617,801 Donated Products & Services $113,703
Fixed & Other Assets Total Support & Revenues $9,669,327
Web Design Capitalization $1,639,579
Grants Receivable “Non-Current” $460,207
Deposits & Other Assets $90,658
Total Fixed & Other Assets $2,190,444
EXPENSES
Total Assets $4,808,245
Bookshare $4,043,686
Human Rights $720,598
Miradi $298,677
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS New Projects $18,630
Liabilities Total Program Expenses $5,081,591
Accounts Payable $325,567 Management & General $761,424
Other Accrued Expenses $609,290 Fundraising & Bid and Proposal $183,978
Total Liabilities $934,857 Total Support Expenses $945,402
Total Expenses $6,026,993
Net Assets
Unrestricted $1,662,320 Changes in Net Assets $3,642,334
Restricted $2,211,068 Net Assets at Beginning of Year $231,054
Total Net Assets $3,873,388 Net Assets at End of Year $3,873,388
Total Liabilities & Net Assets $4,808,245
In its history, Benetech has enjoyed steady growth and programmatic success. This has been
rewarded with a wide base of support, most dramatically the 2007 award from the U.S.
Department of Education to bring Bookshare to all American students with print disabilities.
$10,000,000
TEN YEAR
$9,000,000
PROGRAM
$8,000,000
$7,000,000
AND
$6,000,000 SUPPORT
$5,000,000 EXPENSES
$4,000,000
$3,000,000
$2,000,000
$1,000,000 PROGRAM EXPENSES
SUPPORT EXPENSES
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 (projected)

16. Benetech® BENETECH BOARD OF DIRECTORS
480 S. California Ave. Brian Behlendorf
Suite 201 Christy Chin
Palo Alto, CA 94306-1609 Gerry Davis
Jim Fruchterman
tel: 650-644-3400 Jim Kleckner
fax: 650-475-1066 Leighton Read
email: info@benetech.org
SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM
Jim Fruchterman, Founder and CEO
www.benetech.org Patrick Ball, Chief Scientist and Vice President, Human Rights Program
Betsy Beaumon, Vice President/General Manager, Literacy Program
Betsy Burgess, Director, Marketing
John Crossman, Director, Engineering
Jane Simchuk, Vice President, Human Resources and Administration
Teresa Throckmorton, Vice President, Finance and CFO
Benetech is a nonprofit organization.
Benetech is a registered trademark