Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop

Tax-deductible

St Paul, MN501(c)(3)Arts & CultureEIN 47-1890824Revenue $643K in FY2024

On file with the IRSmnprisonwriting.org1536 Hewitt Ave Ms-A1730, 55104-1205 · St Paul, MNTax-exempt since Feb 2015Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

Tell your story. Claim this org

Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop MPWW provides creative writing education and other arts services to individuals incarcerated in Minnesota's state prisons.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
71¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 50 volunteers and 2 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $166K a year · 28% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
71%
of spending
Fine: 71% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$5K
to officers and key staff · 0.7% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 96% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $18K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$495
0.04% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$643K
+7% vs prior year
Spent
$668K
To programs
71%
Net assets
$1.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$643K
FY2024▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$439K
FY2021$602K
FY2022$725K
FY2023$603K
FY2024$643K
Expenses
$668K
FY2024▲ +22%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$276K
FY2021$305K
FY2022$384K
FY2023$548K
FY2024$668K
Net assets
$1.1M
FY2024▼ -2%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$460K
FY2021$758K
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$1.1M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Feb 2015.

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

Where the money goes

71 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 71% · $474K Management & general 20% · $131K Fundraising 9% · $63K

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

Something off? Claim to fix it

Who runs it and what they're paid

7 people listed on the 990; $5K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$5,000Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Michael Kleber-Diggs’s $5K as President is at the 4th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $100K–1M 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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2021FY2020
Paul Van Dyke—$22,500—$3,000
Michael Kleber Diggs———$6,000
Michael Kleber-Diggs$5,000$2,700——
Michael Kleberdiggs——$3,000—

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 Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to fix it

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 creative writing and arts to incarcerated individuals in Minnesota.

Questions for Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop

Tap to ask. Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

3 programs · $312K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Creative writing classestaught creative writing courses in 8 minnesota state correctional facilities. 29 full 10-15 week long courses taught in 2024, plus guest teachers and shorter courses. Estimated 600 students taught in 2024.

$209Kprogram expense
02

Re-entrysupported writers' transition from prison to community through both material and immaterial means (networking, consultations, etc.

$84Kprogram expense
03

Public artproduced and published the art of incarcerated minnesotans, most notably by supporting american precariat, an anthology edited entirely by incarcerated people, which was published by coffee house press in 2023.

$19Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$18K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $111K · 2024–2024
Individual RecipientFY2024$111,250

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$643K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$551K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$57K
Investment incomeLn 3$34K
Money outPt IX
$668K
Ln 25
Programscol B$474K
Managementcol C$131K
Fundraisingcol D$63K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$419K
Total assetsLn 16$1.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$495
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$551K
Government grantsLn 1e$171K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$57K
Investment incomeLn 3$34K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Total revenueLn 12$643K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$248K
SavingsLn 2$172K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$419K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$710K
Total assetsLn 16$1.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$495
Net assetsLn 32$1.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52
VolunteersI 650
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$547K$419K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$606K$710K
Total assetsLn 16$1.2M$1.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$495
Net assetsLn 32$1.2M$1.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$111K$111K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$5K$5K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$215K$89K$84K$42K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$45K$19K$19K$7K
Payroll taxesLn 10$16K$7K$7K$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$153K$151K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$5K$2K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$11K$668$8K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$24K$11K$10K$4K
TravelLn 17$6K$6K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$250$200$50
InsuranceLn 23$1K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$65K$62K$410$3K
All other expensesLn 24e$10K$10K
Total functional expensesLn 25$668K$474K$131K$63K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $643K$668K−$25K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $603K$548K$55K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $725K$384K$341K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 $602K$305K$297K$758K 990 PDF
FY2020 $439K$276K$163K$460K 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $643,495 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $537,663$551,094
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $51,000$56,600
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $14,458$33,716
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$2,085
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $603,121$643,495
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$111,250
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $273,774$281,736
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $274,055$275,425
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $547,829$668,411
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $55,292−$24,916
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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 $643,495 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$170,537
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$380,557
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$551,094
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $56,600$56,600
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $33,716$33,716
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $1,485$1,485
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $600$600
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $57,200 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $35,201$643,495
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $668,411 across 14 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $111,250$111,250
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $5,000$5,000
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $89,041 · Management $84,111 · Fundraising $42,055$215,207
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $19,426 · Management $18,753 · Fundraising $7,037$45,216
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $6,584 · Management $6,560 · Fundraising $3,169$16,313
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $150,650 · Management $2,174$152,824
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,835 · Fundraising $3,267$5,102
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $668 · Management $8,464 · Fundraising $1,443$10,575
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $10,961 · Management $9,598 · Fundraising $3,591$24,150
IX-17 TravelPrograms $5,805$5,805
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $200 · Fundraising $50$250
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $1,348$1,348
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $62,028 · Management $410 · Fundraising $2,575$65,013
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $10,358$10,358
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $473,806 · Management $131,418 · Fundraising $63,187$668,411
Part X · Balance sheet $1,128,876 assets, 9 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $283,074$247,810
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $264,096$171,540
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $606,127$709,526
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,153,297$1,128,876
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$495
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$495
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,153,297$1,128,381
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,153,297$1,128,381
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,153,297$1,128,876
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,128,381 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$643,495
XI-2 Total expenses$668,411
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$24,916
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,153,297
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,128,381

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 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.