Telling Room FY2022 filing

Tax-deductible

Portland, ME501(c)(3)Youth DevelopmentEIN 74-3136956Revenue $915K in FY2022

On file with the IRStellingroom.org225 Commercial St, 04101-4613 · Portland, METax-exempt since Sep 2006Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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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.
69¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$20K 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

FY2022 · 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
69%
of spending
Fine: 69% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$20K
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
14 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 13.7 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
$51K
5% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 5% 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
$915K
-2% vs prior year
Spent
$877K
To programs
69%
Net assets
$958K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$915K
FY2022▼ -2%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$725K
FY2021$932K
FY2022$915K
FY2023$960K
FY2024$779K
FY2025$960K
Expenses
$877K
FY2022▲ +24%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$728K
FY2021$709K
FY2022$877K
FY2023$998K
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$1.0M
Net assets
$958K
FY2022▲ +4%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$705K
FY2021$920K
FY2022$958K
FY2023$920K
FY2024$627K
FY2025$537K

From the FY2022 Form 990 (year ending June 2022) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2022 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

69 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 69% · $607K Management & general 16% · $137K Fundraising 15% · $134K

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; $20K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2021); the FY2022 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$20,449Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President of Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President of Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board of Directors
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board of Directors
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board of Directors
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board of Directors
$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.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $607K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

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

$607Kprogram 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 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 FY2022 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$915K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$622K
Other incomeLn 4–11$165K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$128K
Money outPt IX
$877K
Ln 25
Programscol B$607K
Managementcol C$137K
Fundraisingcol D$134K
Owns and owesPt X
$958K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.0M
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$51K
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$622K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$28K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$128K
Investment incomeLn 3$340
Other incomeLn 4–11$165K
Total revenueLn 12$915K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$354K
SavingsLn 2$647K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.0M
Other assetsLn 15$863
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$51K
Net assetsLn 32$958K
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 FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.0M$1.0M
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$105K$51K
Net assetsLn 32$920K$958K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$59K$42K$5K$12K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$525K$376K$50K$99K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$36K$17K$13K$5K
Payroll taxesLn 10$44K$31K$4K$8K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$56K$20K$34K$3K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3K$300$2K$502
Office expensesLn 13$28K$11K$13K$4K
Information technologyLn 14$431$431
OccupancyLn 16$30K$30K
TravelLn 17$6K$6K
InsuranceLn 23$9K$569$8K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$83K$74K$7K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$877K$607K$137K$134K

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 Viewing $915K$877K$38K$958K 990 PDF
FY2021 $932K$709K$223K$920K 990 PDF
FY2020 $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 FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $915,425 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $690,819$622,412
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $79,764$128,027
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $526$340
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $160,631$164,646
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $931,740$915,425
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 $517,227$663,485
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $191,431$213,792
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $708,658$877,277
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $223,082$38,148
Part VI · Governance 14 of 14 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members14
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $915,425 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$622,412
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$28,080
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$622,412
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $128,027$128,027
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $340$340
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $49,084$49,084
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $115,562$115,562
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $243,589 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $49,424$915,425
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $877,277 across 12 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $41,794 · Management $5,298 · Fundraising $11,773$58,865
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $376,242 · Management $50,145 · Fundraising $98,874$525,261
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $16,772 · Management $13,372 · Fundraising $5,405$35,549
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $31,353 · Management $4,158 · Fundraising $8,299$43,810
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $19,511 · Management $33,594 · Fundraising $2,854$55,959
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $300 · Management $1,834 · Fundraising $502$2,636
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $10,983 · Management $12,589 · Fundraising $4,183$27,755
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $431$431
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $29,588$29,588
IX-17 TravelPrograms $5,921$5,921
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $569 · Management $8,217$8,786
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $73,928 · Management $7,033 · Fundraising $1,755$82,716
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $606,961 · Management $136,671 · Fundraising $133,645$877,277
Part X · Balance sheet $1,008,660 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $342,730$353,889
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $676,762$647,222
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,900$3,549
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $2,514$3,137
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $863$863
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,024,769$1,008,660
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $14,781$50,524
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $104,781$50,524
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $819,988$886,136
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $100,000$72,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $919,988$958,136
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,024,769$1,008,660
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $958,136 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$915,425
XI-2 Total expenses$877,277
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$38,148
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$919,988
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$958,136

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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