To transform the lives of youth and adults through the power of creative writing, spoken word, visual and media arts, film-making and leadership education that promotes positive systemic change.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
83¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 15 volunteers and 5 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $5K a year · 2% 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
83%
of spending
Looks good: 83% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$61K
to officers and key staff · 19% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 19% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.2 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
7
named funders · $155K
Looks good: 7 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$26K
73% of total assets
Worth a look: liabilities are 73% of assets; over 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$226K
-43% vs prior year
Spent
$319K
To programs
83%
Net assets
$10K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$226K
FY2025▼ -43%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$255K
FY2022$228K
FY2023$316K
FY2024$399K
FY2025$226K
Expenses
$319K
FY2025▼ -5%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$231K
FY2022$233K
FY2023$281K
FY2024$337K
FY2025$319K
Net assets
$10K
FY2025▼ -91%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$9K
FY2022$4K
FY2023$40K
FY2024$103K
FY2025$10K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 2005.

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

Where the money goes

83 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 83% · $266K Management & general 17% · $53K Fundraising 0% · $402

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

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

13 people listed on the 990; $61K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$61,083Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair Thru Dec 2025
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Lynn Rhoades’s $61K as Executive Director is at the 51st percentile of top reported officer pay among 1992 $100K–1M youth development 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Lynn Rhoades$61,083$49,800$42,300$48,872$51,787

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 Authoring Action executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Empowers youth and adults with creative arts and leadership skills for positive change.

Questions for Authoring Action

Tap to ask. Authoring Action sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Authoring Action answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

2 programs · $266K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Two 16-week intensives, 1 each Fall/Spring and 4-week summer intensive that includes 10 court ordered youth per session to learn creative writing process, music and film collaboration to develop short films or raps/lyrics/spoken word. Funded by the NC Department of Public Safety Grant to Forsyth County Juvenile Justice Council.

$164Kprogram expense
02

Voices from the Dwelling was a series of creative writing workshops, which culminated in community wide engagements. Authoring Action and The Dwelling partnership produced Creative Writing Workshops and Community Wide Engagements that amplifies the voices of Winston Salems unhoused and housing insecure.

$101Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 7 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$226K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$204K
Other incomeLn 4–11$12K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$10K
Money outPt IX
$319K
Ln 25
Programscol B$266K
Managementcol C$53K
Fundraisingcol D$402
Owns and owesPt X
$10K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$32K
Total assetsLn 16$36K
LiabilitiesLn 26$26K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$204K
Government grantsLn 1e$41K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$26K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$10K
Other incomeLn 4–11$12K
Total revenueLn 12$226K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$32K
SavingsLn 2$500
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$32K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K
Total assetsLn 16$36K
LiabilitiesLn 26$26K
Net assetsLn 32$10K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 55
VolunteersI 615
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$99K$32K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K
Total assetsLn 16$118K$36K
LiabilitiesLn 26$15K$26K
Net assetsLn 32$103K$10K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$56K$46K$11K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$114K$92K$22K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$14K$12K$3K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$15K$13K$3K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$13K$13K$680
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$22K$14K$8K$298
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$12K$10K$2K
TravelLn 17$4K$3K$549
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$53$53
InsuranceLn 23$3K$2K$555
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$56K$54K$2K$80
All other expensesLn 24e$9K$7K$2K$24
Total functional expensesLn 25$319K$266K$53K$402

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $226K$319K−$93K$10K 990 PDF
FY2024 $399K$337K$63K$103K 990 PDF
FY2023 $316K$281K$36K$40K 990 PDF
FY2022 $228K$233K−$5K$4K 990 PDF
FY2021 $255K$231K$25K$9K 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $225,983 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $383,846$204,118
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $7,700$10,000
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $7,920$11,865
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $399,466$225,983
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $170,740$184,810
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $165,912$134,243
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $336,652$319,053
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $62,814−$93,070
Part VI · Governance 11 of 11 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members11
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $225,983 across 8 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $100 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$26,145
VIII-1e Government grants$41,449
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$136,524
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$204,118
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $10,000$10,000
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $11,746$11,746
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $19$19
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $10,000 · Excluded from tax $11,865$225,983
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $319,053 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $45,617 · Management $10,666$56,283
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $92,432 · Management $21,612$114,044
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefits$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $11,738 · Management $2,745$14,483
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $12,536 · Management $2,932$15,468
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $12,580 · Management $680$13,260
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $14,358 · Management $7,517 · Fundraising $298$22,173
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $9,832 · Management $2,299$12,131
IX-17 TravelPrograms $3,486 · Management $549$4,035
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $53$53
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $2,374 · Management $555$2,929
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $53,877 · Management $1,577 · Fundraising $80$55,534
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $6,684 · Management $1,952 · Fundraising $24$8,660
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $265,514 · Management $53,137 · Fundraising $402$319,053
Part X · Balance sheet $35,881 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $97,325$31,534
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $2,068$500
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$795
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $18,717$1,207
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$1,845
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $118,110$35,881
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $5,098$13,222
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $10,334$13,051
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $15,432$26,273
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $72,298−$9,708
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $30,380$19,316
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $102,678$9,608
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $118,110$35,881
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $9,608 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$225,983
XI-2 Total expenses$319,053
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$93,070
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$102,678
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$9,608

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.