To cultivate the artistic and professional growth of african american poets; promote public appreciation of the many voices of african american poetry.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
56¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$255K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $706K a year · 35% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
56%
of spending
Worth a look: 56% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$255K
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
9
named funders · $1.6M
Looks good: 9 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$69K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 14 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$5.1M
+190% vs prior year
Spent
$2.2M
To programs
56%
Net assets
$4.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$5.1M
FY2024▲ +190%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$764K
FY2021$722K
FY2022$1.8M
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$5.1M
Expenses
$2.2M
FY2024▲ +17%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$580K
FY2021$779K
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.9M
FY2024$2.2M
Net assets
$4.0M
FY2024▲ +258%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$672K
FY2021$615K
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$4.0M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Oct 1997.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

56 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 56% · $1.2M Management & general 26% · $562K Fundraising 18% · $389K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

15 people listed on the 990; $255K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$148,479Pt VII · Sec A
Program Director
$106,412Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Elisha Willis’s $148K as Executive Director is at the 63rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3394 $1–10M education 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 · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Elisha Willis$148,479$159,934$121,617$82,287$24,473
Dante Micheaux$106,412$100,338———
Ann Marie Lonsdale————$58,273
Sandra Bowie————$29,100
Toi Derricotte——$1,000——

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.

See Cave Canem Foundation INC executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Nurtures Black poets' growth and promotes appreciation for their voices.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $1.2M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

All other accomplishments annual retreat consists of a week-long flagship writing retreat providing black poets the opportunity to learn and write alongside peers and world-class faculty at the university of pittsburgh at greenburg, pa. Prizes extend an avenue to the publishing sector for black poets.

$897Kprogram expense
02

Readings are hosted virtually and in venues across new york city. Four reading series feature recent publications (new works), debut collections (first books), talks with preeminent poets (in conversation), an annual symposium (legacy series), and more.

$189Kprogram expense
03

Regional workshops across the U.S. Provide emerging adult poets a rare opportunity to receive rigorous instruction with accomplished poets.

$122Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 9 funders →
Grants paid · 7 grants · $127K · 2021–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$31,500
Unitemized GrantFY2024$5,855
Unitemized GrantFY2023$33,508
Unitemized GrantFY2023$32,500
Unitemized GrantFY2023$10,000
Unitemized GrantFY2022$6,500
Unitemized GrantFY2021$7,000

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$5.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$14K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$10K
Money outPt IX
$2.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.2M
Managementcol C$562K
Fundraisingcol D$389K
Owns and owesPt X
$4.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$814K
Total assetsLn 16$4.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$69K
PeoplePt VI, VII
15
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$156K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$10K
Investment incomeLn 3$14K
Other incomeLn 4–11$6K
Total revenueLn 12$5.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$406K
SavingsLn 2$409K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$814K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$213K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$101K
Other assetsLn 15$10K
Total assetsLn 16$4.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$69K
Net assetsLn 32$4.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 57
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$198K$814K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$333K$213K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$62K$101K
Total assetsLn 16$1.2M$4.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$107K$69K
Net assetsLn 32$1.1M$4.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$37K$37K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$250K$132K$47K$72K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$588K$292K$144K$153K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$5K$1K$1K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$141K$62K$52K$27K
Payroll taxesLn 10$62K$32K$14K$17K
Accounting feesLn 11c$90K$0$90K$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$1K$0$1K$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$526K$357K$113K$56K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$15K$5K$7K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$58K$21K$25K$11K
OccupancyLn 16$38K$21K$10K$7K
TravelLn 17$72K$55K$16K$2K
InterestLn 20$1K$0$1K$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$22K$11K$5K$6K
InsuranceLn 23$20K$10K$4K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$205K$160K$24K$21K
All other expensesLn 24e$28K$13K$8K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.2M$1.2M$562K$389K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $5.1M$2.2M$2.9M$4.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.7M$1.9M−$106K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.8M$1.2M$608K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $722K$779K−$57K$615K 990 PDF
FY2020 $764K$580K$184K$672K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $5,062,490 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,726,038$5,033,228
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $14,250$10,000
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $6,166$13,614
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$1,615$5,648
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,744,839$5,062,490
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $76,008$37,355
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $766,726$1,046,870
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,007,808$1,075,695
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,850,542$2,159,920
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$105,703$2,902,570
Part VI · Governance 13 of 14 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members13
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $5,062,490 across 7 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $610 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$155,860
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$4,877,368
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$5,033,228
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$10,000
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $13,614$13,614
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $5,038 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$5,038
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $15,648 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $13,614$5,062,490
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,159,920 across 18 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $37,355$37,355
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $131,745 · Management $46,616 · Fundraising $71,949$250,310
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $291,793 · Management $143,678 · Fundraising $152,567$588,038
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,208 · Management $1,208 · Fundraising $2,416$4,832
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $62,122 · Management $52,344 · Fundraising $26,838$141,304
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $31,591 · Management $14,005 · Fundraising $16,790$62,386
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $89,599 · Fundraising $0$89,599
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $0 · Management $1,242 · Fundraising $0$1,242
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $356,695 · Management $112,670 · Fundraising $56,395$525,760
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $4,647 · Management $7,215 · Fundraising $3,123$14,985
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $21,436 · Management $24,970 · Fundraising $11,492$57,898
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $20,834 · Management $10,106 · Fundraising $6,741$37,681
IX-17 TravelPrograms $54,570 · Management $15,742 · Fundraising $1,538$71,850
IX-20 InterestPrograms $0 · Management $1,280 · Fundraising $0$1,280
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $11,196 · Management $5,150 · Fundraising $6,046$22,392
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $10,038 · Management $4,132 · Fundraising $5,342$19,512
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $160,305 · Management $23,860 · Fundraising $21,328$205,493
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $13,327 · Management $8,187 · Fundraising $6,489$28,003
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,208,862 · Management $562,004 · Fundraising $389,054$2,159,920
Part X · Balance sheet $4,109,263 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $188,144$405,705
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $10,323$408,653
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $511,105$2,747,210
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $71,326$70,824
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $29,770$152,690
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $61,704$101,487
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $333,015$212,856
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $31,083$9,838
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,236,470$4,109,263
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $87,063$69,209
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $107,050$69,209
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $531,609$373,884
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $597,811$3,666,170
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,129,420$4,040,054
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,236,470$4,109,263
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $4,040,054 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$5,062,490
XI-2 Total expenses$2,159,920
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$2,902,570
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,129,420
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$8,064
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$4,040,054

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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