Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2026. IRS ruling in Nov 2013.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
98 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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
6 people listed on the 990; $126K paid to officers and key staff.
Karen Nelson’s $58K as Treasurer CFO is at the 50th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2026 | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karen Nelson | $57,600 | $55,518 | $92,221 | $75,300 | $62,100 | $61,847 |
| Pam Houston | $51,909 | $50,639 | $44,099 | $50,778 | $56,741 | $62,690 |
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.
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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 15aNo
Programs and updates
Teaches the art of reading and writing through a rigorous and compassionate environment.
Questions for Writing by Writers
Your first name shows with your question. Writing by Writers answers here, for everyone.
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Manuscript Boot Camp
a 5 day writing workshop for the writer who has a book-length manuscript and would like to engage with a small group for a serious and productive response. 4 workshops help with 20 total attendees.
The Tomales Bay Workshop
a 5 day writing workshop that allows participants to work closely with a nationally known writing to receive constructive feedback from their peers and to spend five days dedicated to creativity. 6 workshops held with 75 total attendees.
Draft
an intensive two-year program for 15 writers who are committed to completing a draft or a novel, memoir, short story collection or essay collection. 1 workshops held with 15 total attendees.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2023 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY23 | End FY23 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $455K | $280K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $454K | $306K |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $12K | $13K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $443K | $292K |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $111K | $106K | $4K | |
| Legal feesLn 11b | $167 | $167 | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $108K | $108K | ||
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $1K | $1K | ||
| Office expensesLn 13 | $1K | $1K | ||
| Information technologyLn 14 | $2K | $1K | $1K | |
| TravelLn 17 | $336K | $336K | ||
| InsuranceLn 23 | $2K | $2K | $263 | |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $18K | $12K | $6K | $0 |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $580K | $567K | $14K | $0 |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 Latest | $298K | $272K | $27K | $166K | 990 PDF |
| FY2025 | $378K | $315K | $63K | $144K | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $378K | $579K | −$201K | $78K | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 Viewing | $430K | $580K | −$150K | $292K | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $368K | $321K | $47K | $436K | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 | $357K | $249K | $107K | $385K | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $430,140 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 4 of 6 board members independent, 3 to look at
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $430,140 across 12 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $580,468 across 9 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $305,897 assets, 8 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $292,496 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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