# Quill.org

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**Quill.org** is an American nonprofit [educational technology](/source/Educational_technology) organization.

## History

The organization was cofounded by Peter Gault in 2012.[1] Its approach was inspired by "The Writing Revolution", published in *[The Atlantic](/source/The_Atlantic)* by Peg Tyre, which outlined a writing methodology based on sentence-level writing.[2] It first received funding from the [Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation](/source/Bill_%26_Melinda_Gates_Foundation) in 2013.[3] Under the name Empirical Resolution Inc., Quill.org received [tax-exempt status](/source/Tax-exempt_status) in 2014.[4] It was part of the 2015 cohort of tech nonprofits in *Fast Forward*,[1] and also participated in accelerator programs with LearnLaunch and the Edwin Gould Foundation.[5]

In 2018, Quill.org developed writing and assessment tools using [artificial intelligence](/source/Artificial_intelligence) (AI) as part of the [Google](/source/Google) AI For Social Good Impact Challenge.[1] It initially used [predictive artificial intelligence](/source/Predictive_artificial_intelligence), but later switched to [generative artificial intelligence](/source/Generative_artificial_intelligence).[6] In 2023, Quill.org and CommonLit launched AIWritingCheck.org, a tool for detecting AI-generated text in student essays.[7][8]

## Products

Quill.org's aim is to support reading, writing, and critical thinking development in grades 3–12.[6] Quill.org has a library of free online activities. Teachers, schools, or [school districts](/source/School_district) must pay for advanced features like detailed student diagnostic reports.[9][10] Its activities are aligned with the [Common Core](/source/Common_Core) English standards[11] and intended to supplement regular classroom instruction.[6] Its learning tools incorporate AI-based coaching for students.[12][13]

## Operations

Quill.org is designated a [501(c)(3)](/source/501(c)(3)).[4] As of 2024, it had received grants of $2.2 million from the [Overdeck Family Foundation](/source/John_Overdeck), nearly $2 million from the [Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation](/source/Bill_%26_Melinda_Gates_Foundation), $1.3 million from [Google.org](/source/Google.org), and $750,000 from the [Patrick McGovern Foundation](/source/Patrick_Joseph_McGovern).[1] Quill.org reported revenues of $6.96 million and expenses of $5.2 million in 2024.[4]

The executive director is co-founder Peter Gault.[4] It is headquartered in [New York City](/source/New_York_City).[4] Quill.org's Generative AI Playbook outlines its use of AI. Components include a Teacher Advisory Council, which reviews writing prompts, and a group of curriculum developers who evaluate student responses.[6][14]

## Usage

Quill.org saw a significant surge in usage with the onset of the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic) and the subsequent [lockdowns in the United States](/source/U.S._state_and_local_government_responses_to_the_COVID-19_pandemic), with over a million signups in six weeks.[15] As of 2023, it was "one of the top four nonprofit literacy tools in the U.S", having served over 8 million students.[16] A 2025 report by Project Evident stated that Quill serves 10% of schools in the US, including around 3 million students per year, and "providing 40 million hours of free tutoring to date."[6]

## Research

In 2023, a randomized controlled trial conducted by the [College Board](/source/College_Board) concluded that secondary students using Quill Connect had improved scores on sentence combination compared to a [control group](/source/Control_group).[17] A 2025 study by Leanlab Education of more than 100,000 students found "meaningful improvements in sentence-level writing skills."[18]

## Awards

- World's Most Innovative Companies, *[Fast Company](/source/Fast_Company)*, 2018[19]

- Project Innovation winner, Comcast [NBCUniversal](/source/NBCUniversal) Foundation, 2019[20]

## References

1. Sara Herschander (2024). "The nonprofits leading the A.I. revolution". *Chronicle of Philanthropy*. Vol. 36, no. 7. pp. 6–13.

1. ["How Quill.org is working with educators to leverage AI to improve student writing in the classroom"](https://www.siegelendowment.org/insights/how-quill-org-is-working-with-educators-to-leverage-ai-to-improve-student-writing-in-the-classroom/). Siegel Family Endowment. May 9, 2024.

1. ["Quill raises $200K to fund web-based writing activities"](https://www.edsurge.com/news/2014-05-16-quill-raises-200k-to-fund-web-based-writing-activities). *[EdSurge](/source/EdSurge)*. May 16, 2014.

1. ["Empirical Resolution Inc"](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/462736440). *Nonprofit Explorer*. ProPublica. Retrieved November 28, 2025.

1. Tim Newcomb (November 28, 2017). ["Quill: How One Online Program Is Using Machine Learning to Help Students Become Better Writers — and Learn From Their Mistakes"](https://www.the74million.org/article/quill-how-one-online-program-is-using-machine-learning-to-help-students-become-better-writers-and-learn-from-their-mistakes/). *The74*

1. Stephen Rockwell; Sarah Kelley; Sarah Di Troia (September 2025). ["Staying ahead of the technology curve: AI technology evolution at Quill.org"](https://projectevident.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/FINAL-QUILL.ORG-CASE-STUDY.pdf). Project Evident.

1. Brandon Paykamian (February 8, 2023). "Market grows for ed-tech tools that detect AI-generated text". *[Government Technology](/source/Government_Technology)*. – via ProQuest.

1. Kristal Kuykendall (January 31, 2023). ["New free tool for teachers can detect ChatGPT-generated student work, nonprofit creators say"](https://thejournal.com/articles/2023/01/31/education-nonprofits-launch-free-tool-to-detect-chatgpt-generated-student-work.aspx). *Technological Horizons in Education*

1. Ben Schiller (September 7, 2017). ["This machine learning-powered software teaches kids to be better writers"](https://www.fastcompany.com/40458272/this-machine-learning-powered-software-teaches-kids-to-be-better-writers). *Fast Company*

1. Luke Edwards (July 27, 2023). ["What is Quill and how can it be used for teaching? Tips and tricks"](https://www.techlearning.com/how-to/what-is-quill-and-how-can-it-be-used-for-teaching-tips-and-tricks). *Tech & Learning*

1. Melody Arabo; Jonathan S. Budd; Shannon Garrison; Tabitha Pacheco (March 2017). ["The right tool for the job: improving reading and writing in the classroom"](https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED598942.pdf). Victoria McDougald (ed.). [Thomas B. Fordham Institute](/source/Thomas_B._Fordham_Institute)

1. Kelly Fitzsimmons (March 12, 2024). ["Advancing equitable AI in the US social sector"](https://ssir.org/articles/entry/advancing-equitable-ai-us-social-sector). *Stanford Social Innovation Review*

1. ["How AI is helping students improve in reading and writing"](https://www.today.com/video/how-ai-is-changing-the-way-children-learn-212897349997). *Today*. June 13, 2024.

1. Brandi Vesco (December 6, 2024). ["Nonprofit shares pointers for training AI for classroom use"](https://www.govtech.com/education/k-12/nonprofit-shares-pointers-for-training-ai-for-classroom-use). *Government Technology*

1. Phil Wainewright (November 6, 2020). ["How observability helps Quill in its mission to help kids write better"](https://diginomica.com/observability-quill-help-kids-write-better). *Diginomica*

1. ["How AI is helping students improve reading and writing"](https://publicpolicy.google/article/quillorg-ai-personalized-education-teachers-students/). *Google Public Policy*. October 20, 2023.

1. Briana Chang & Rory Lazowski (2023). ["Effects of a Quill.org intervention on paragraph revision"](https://s3.amazonaws.com/quill-image-uploads/uploads/files/Quill.org_Research_Brief_-_Quill.org_Intervention_for_Paragraph_Revision_3092.pdf). College Board.

1. Rachel Phillips; Rory Lazowski; Akila Raoul (2025). ["Quill.org's impact on student writing skills"](https://s3.amazonaws.com/quill-image-uploads/uploads/files/LeanLab_Education_s_Quill.org_Efficacy_Study_-_ESSA_Tier_III_Efficacy_Report_On_The_Impact_of_Quill.org_on_Student_Language_Skill_Development_3454.pdf). Leanlab Education.

1. ["The world's most innovative companies 2018 honorees by sector"](https://www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/2018/sectors/education). *Fast Company*. Retrieved November 29, 2025.

1. ["Comcast NBCU Foundation Announces 2019 Project Innovation Winners"](https://www.nbcuniversal.com/article/comcast-nbcu-foundation-announces-2019-project-innovation-winners). NBCUniversal. May 10, 2019.

## External links

- [quill.org](http://quill.org/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Quill.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quill.org) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quill.org?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.