Telling Room FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Portland, ME501(c)(3)Youth DevelopmentEIN 74-3136956

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ORGANIZATION'S MISSION: At The Telling Room, we empower youth through writing and share their voices with the world. Focused on young writers age 6 to 18, we seek to build confidence, strengthen literacy skills, and provide audiences for students. As a literary arts education and youth publishing organization, we believe that the power of creative expression can change communities for the better and help youth succeed now and in the future.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
59¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$72K 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

FY2020 · 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
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $27K a year · 3% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
59%
of spending
Worth a look: 59% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$72K
to officers and key staff · 10% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 10% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
13 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 13.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $7K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$107K
13% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 13% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
14
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 14 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
$725K
Spent
$728K
To programs
59%
Net assets
$705K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$725K
FY2020
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$725K
FY2021$932K
FY2022$915K
FY2023$960K
FY2024$779K
FY2025$960K
Expenses
$728K
FY2020
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$728K
FY2021$709K
FY2022$877K
FY2023$998K
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$1.0M
Net assets
$705K
FY2020
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$705K
FY2021$920K
FY2022$958K
FY2023$920K
FY2024$627K
FY2025$537K

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending June 2020) · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Sep 2006.

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

Where the money goes

59 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 59% · $431K Management & general 26% · $189K Fundraising 15% · $108K

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; $72K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Di
$71,928Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Preside
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Kristina Powell’s $79K as Executive Director is at the 71st 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Kristina Powell$78,916$79,988$77,311$20,449——
Celine Kuhn————$62,973$71,928

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

Empowers youth through writing, sharing their voices and building confidence.

Provided by the organization

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1 program service account for $431K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2019.
01

To provide a writing program for young writers and storytellers between the ages of 6 and 18.

$431Kprogram expense

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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 3 funders$7K
See all 3 funders →
Grants paid · 3 grants · $81K · 2022–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$29,049
Unitemized GrantFY2023$24,748
Unitemized GrantFY2022$27,395

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$725K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$584K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$74K
Other incomeLn 4–11$61K
Money outPt IX
$728K
Ln 25
Programscol B$431K
Managementcol C$189K
Fundraisingcol D$108K
Owns and owesPt X
$705K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$806K
Total assetsLn 16$813K
LiabilitiesLn 26$107K
PeoplePt VI, VII
15
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b14
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$584K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$74K
Investment incomeLn 3$5K
Other incomeLn 4–11$61K
Total revenueLn 12$725K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$230K
SavingsLn 2$576K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$806K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K
Other assetsLn 15$863
Total assetsLn 16$813K
LiabilitiesLn 26$107K
Net assetsLn 32$705K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 530
VolunteersI 675
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$703K$806K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3K$2K
Total assetsLn 16$712K$813K
LiabilitiesLn 26$4K$107K
Net assetsLn 32$708K$705K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$73K$24K$24K$24K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$379K$231K$96K$52K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$9K$5K$2K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$31K$18K$8K$5K
Payroll taxesLn 10$37K$21K$10K$6K
Legal feesLn 11b$782$782
Accounting feesLn 11c$9K$9K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$11K$3K$7K$1K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$126$126
Office expensesLn 13$21K$7K$14K$255
OccupancyLn 16$29K$21K$4K$4K
TravelLn 17$2K$2K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$3K$2K$493$27
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$6K$6K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$90K$76K$647$14K
All other expensesLn 24e$27K$21K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$728K$431K$189K$108K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $960K$1.0M−$90K$537K 990 PDF
FY2024 $779K$1.1M−$294K$627K 990 PDF
FY2023 $960K$998K−$38K$920K 990 PDF
FY2022 $915K$877K$38K$958K 990 PDF
FY2021 $932K$709K$223K$920K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $725K$728K−$3K$705K 990 PDF

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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 FY2020 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $724,729 across 7 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $3 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$584,431
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$584,431
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $74,497$74,497
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $5,120$5,120
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $46,232$46,232
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $14,446$14,446
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $88,946 · Excluded from tax $51,352$724,729
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $727,881 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $24,211 · Management $24,211 · Fundraising $24,211$72,633
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $230,942 · Management $95,697 · Fundraising $52,112$378,751
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $4,959 · Management $2,343 · Fundraising $1,475$8,777
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $17,624 · Management $8,269 · Fundraising $5,280$31,173
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $20,659 · Management $9,708 · Fundraising $6,179$36,546
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $782$782
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $8,893$8,893
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $2,900 · Management $7,086 · Fundraising $1,050$11,036
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $126$126
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $7,100 · Management $13,733 · Fundraising $255$21,088
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $21,485 · Management $3,581 · Fundraising $3,581$28,647
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,036$2,036
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $2,281 · Management $493 · Fundraising $27$2,801
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $1,659$1,659
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $5,817$5,817
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $75,708 · Management $647 · Fundraising $13,615$89,970
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $21,294 · Management $5,852$27,146
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $431,199 · Management $188,897 · Fundraising $107,785$727,881
Part X · Balance sheet $812,513 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $364,775$230,100
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $338,314$576,236
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $600$2,200
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $2,023$1,413
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $3,359$1,701
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $863$863
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $712,321$812,513
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payable$107,400
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $657$27
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $4,083$107,427
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $663,238$660,086
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $45,000$45,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $708,238$705,086
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $712,321$812,513
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $705,086 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$724,729
XI-2 Total expenses$727,881
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$3,152
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$708,238
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$705,086

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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