Writing by Writers: FY2024 Nonprofit Profile & Form 990 (EIN 46-0737638)

Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021	$357K
FY2022	$368K
FY2023	$430K
FY2024	$378K
FY2025	$378K
FY2026	$298K

Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021	$249K
FY2022	$321K
FY2023	$580K
FY2024	$579K
FY2025	$315K
FY2026	$272K

Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021	$385K
FY2022	$436K
FY2023	$292K
FY2024	$78K
FY2025	$144K
FY2026	$166K

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.

98%

Program services 98% · $569K Management & general 2% · $9K Fundraising 0% · $975

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; $136K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII

Karen Nelson

Treasurer/CFO

$92,221Pt VII · Sec A

Pam Houston

President

$44,099Pt VII · Sec A

Cynthia Newberry Martin

Secretary

$0Pt VII · Sec A

Tami Anderson

Board Member

$0Pt VII · Sec A

Byron Aspass

Board Member

$0Pt VII · Sec A

Melanie Simonich

Board Member

$0Pt VII · Sec A

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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Teaches the art of reading and writing through a rigorous and compassionate environment.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $348K · in their own filed words · FY2023

01

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.

$192Kprogram expense

02

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.

$98Kprogram expense

03

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.

$59Kprogram 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 · FY2023

Amazonsmile FoundationFY2023$37

Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$37

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

Download 990

from philanthropy.org

1The main four

Money inPt VIII

$378K

Ln 12

Fees for servicesLn 2g$363K

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12K

Other incomeLn 4–11$2K

Money outPt IX

$579K

Ln 25

Programscol B$569K

Managementcol C$9K

Fundraisingcol D$975

Owns and owesPt X

$78K

net assets · Ln 32

Cash and savingsLn 1–2$87K

Total assetsLn 16$89K

LiabilitiesLn 26$12K

PeoplePt VI, VII

6

listed · VII A

PaidVII A2

Voting boardVI 1a6

IndependentVI 1b4

2In more detail

Revenue in detailPt VIII

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12K

Government grantsLn 1e$0

Noncash giftsLn 1g$0

Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0

Fees for servicesLn 2g$363K

Investment incomeLn 3$842

Other incomeLn 4–11$2K

Total revenueLn 12$378K

Assets in detailPt X, end of year

CashLn 1$47K

SavingsLn 2$40K

Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$87K

Total assetsLn 16$89K

LiabilitiesLn 26$12K

Net assetsLn 32$78K

OperationsPt I, VI

EmployeesI 50

VolunteersI 66

Fiscal year endsHeaderJune

Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes

Whistleblower policyVI 13No

Records policyVI 14No

3Year over year

Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B

Line	Start FY24	End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2	$280K	$87K
Total assetsLn 16	$306K	$89K
LiabilitiesLn 26	$13K	$12K
Net assetsLn 32	$292K	$78K

4Every line

Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line

Line	Total	Programs	Management	Fundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5	$117K	$112K	$5K
Legal feesLn 11b	$61		$61
Other fees for servicesLn 11g	$90K	$90K
Advertising and promotionLn 12	$1K	$1K
Office expensesLn 13	$320		$320
Information technologyLn 14	$5K	$2K	$2K	$975
TravelLn 17	$346K	$346K
InsuranceLn 23	$2K	$2K	$313	$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24	$17K	$15K	$1K	$0
Total functional expensesLn 25	$579K	$569K	$9K	$975

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 Viewing	$378K	$579K	−$201K	$78K	990 PDF
FY2023	$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

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 $377,928 revenue, 12 lines filed

I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $15,660$12,377

I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $411,061$363,197

I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,603$842

I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,816$1,512

I-12 Total revenuePrior year $430,140$377,928

I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0

I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0

I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $110,657$117,115

I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0

I-17 Other expensesPrior year $469,811$461,734

I-18 Total expensesPrior year $580,468$578,849

I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$150,328−$200,921

Part VI · Governance 4 of 6 board members independent, 2 to look at

VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6

VI-1b Independent voting members4

VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo

VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo

VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo

VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes

VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes

Part VIII · Statement of revenue $377,928 across 12 lines filed

VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0

VIII-1b Membership dues$0

VIII-1c Fundraising events$0

VIII-1d Related organizations$0

VIII-1e Government grants$0

VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$12,377

VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0

VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$12,377

VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $363,197 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$363,197

VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $842 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$842

VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $1,512 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$1,512

VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $365,551 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$377,928

Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $578,849 across 9 lines filed

IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $112,430 · Management $4,685$117,115

IX-11b Legal feesManagement $61$61

IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $89,850$89,850

IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,479$1,479

IX-13 Office expensesManagement $320$320

IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,771 · Management $2,137 · Fundraising $975$4,883

IX-17 TravelPrograms $346,487$346,487

IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,516 · Management $313 · Fundraising $0$1,829

IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $15,473 · Management $1,352 · Fundraising $0$16,825

IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $569,006 · Management $8,868 · Fundraising $975$578,849

Part X · Balance sheet $89,258 assets, 8 lines filed

X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $53,467$47,233

X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $226,627$40,062

X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $25,803$1,963

X-16 Total assetsStart of year $305,897$89,258

X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $13,401$11,678

X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $13,401$11,678

X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $292,496$77,580

X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $305,897$89,258

Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $77,580 net assets at year end

XI-1 Total revenue$377,928

XI-2 Total expenses$578,849

XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$200,921

XI-4 Net assets at start of year$292,496

XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0

XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0

XI-7 Investment expenses$0

XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$13,995

XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0

XI-10 Net assets at end of year$77,580

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

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Writing by Writers FY2024 filing

Before you give

Is it real?

Where the money goes

Who runs it and what they're paid

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII

Questions the 990 asks

Programs and updates

Questions for Writing by Writers

The Tomales Bay Workshop

Manuscript Boot Camp

Draft

Funders

Grants

By the numbers

Filing history

Schedules filed Part IV