Supports writers and poets, connects literary communities, and promotes public appreciation of literature.
For fiscal year 2025 it reported $4.8M in revenue, $4.5M in expenses, and $8.4M in net assets.Pt I
Where the money goes · FY2025
Total revenue
$4.8M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$4.5M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$8.4M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): $298K
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
75%
17%
Program services $0.75 Management & general $0.17 Fundraising $0.08
Program efficiency
75%
of spending reaches programs▼ -4% vs prior filing year
Operating runway
22.9mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate▲ +2% vs prior filing year
Surplus margin
+6%
revenue over expenses, this year▲ +134% vs prior filing year
Summary of the Filing
Part I · fiscal year 2025 · Form 990
Revenue
$4.8M
FY2025▲ +24%
$5.4M$2.7M$0
FY2020FY2025
Expenses
$4.5M
FY2025▼ -2%
$4.7M$2.4M$0
FY2020FY2025
Total assets
$10.7M
FY2025▲ +1%
$10.9M$5.5M$0
FY2020FY2025
Total liabilities
$2.3M
FY2025▼ -16%
$3.1M$1.6M$0
FY2020FY2025
Total revenue
$4.8M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$4.5M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$8.4M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$298K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$10.7M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B75%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 320
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 420
Mission & Programs · Part III
Where the work happens
3 program services account for $3.1M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01
Poets & writers is a national arts service organization, providing writers of poetry and literary prose access to content, learning, and community to build and sustain the writing life, and fostering communication throughout the literary community.
$1.9Mprogram expense
02
The readings & workshops program makes mini-grants to writers who participate in public literary events and provides technical assistance to event organizers. We offer a series of online courses in both the business and craft of writing.
$669Kprogram expense
03
Poets & writers' website, PW.ORG, offers online-only editorial features and a suite of carefully vetted databases of writing contests, literary magazines, small presses, literary agents, mfa programs, review outlets, and more.
Melissa Gradel’s $221K as Executive Director
is at the 89th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3916 $1–10M arts & culture nonprofits.
Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.
Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII
Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.
Individual Melissa Gradel · Reported title EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · Highest reported compensation $221K · Total expenses $4.5M
5%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $2.1M · Total expenses $4.5M
47%
Peer comparison
Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.
Metric
This org
Peer median
Percentile
Program ratio
75%
—
—
Overhead ratio
17%
—
—
Fundraising cost ratio
16%
—
—
Revenue growth
24%
—
—
Investment management fee ratio
1%
—
—
Accounting fee ratio
1%
—
—
Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.
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Sources
Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2025IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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