Clarion West's mission is to support emerging and underrepresented voices by providing writers with world-class instruction to empower their creation of wild and amazing worlds. Through conversation and public engagement, we bring those voices to an ever-expanding community.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
56¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 25 volunteers and 10 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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 $69K a year · 18% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
56%
of spending
Worth a look: 56% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$86K
to officers and key staff · 18% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 18% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $398K in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 1.1 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $48K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$8K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% 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
$523K
+82% vs prior year
Spent
$472K
To programs
56%
Net assets
$432K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$523K
FY2025▲ +82%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$275K
FY2021$351K
FY2022$363K
FY2023$437K
FY2024$288K
FY2025$523K
Expenses
$472K
FY2025▼ -7%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$275K
FY2021$452K
FY2022$533K
FY2023$408K
FY2024$509K
FY2025$472K
Net assets
$432K
FY2025▲ +25%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$658K
FY2021$713K
FY2022$434K
FY2023$533K
FY2024$345K
FY2025$432K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 1991.

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

Where the money goes

56 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 56% · $265K Management & general 14% · $67K Fundraising 30% · $140K

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; $86K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Dir.
$83,600Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$2,500Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Marnee Chua$83,600$86,667$80,000$80,000$78,889$67,500
Nisi Shawl$2,500——$430$750$3,875

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 Clarion West executive salaries →

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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

Empowering new writers with instruction and community to share their unique stories.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $265K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

In 2025, Clarion West held 22 free public events, including alumni writing sessions, author events, open mics, and alumni readings. Seven of these events were held in-person around the Greater Seattle Area, including at Third Place Commons in Lake Forest Park, Common Objects Seattle, Seattle Public Library Central Location, Hugo House…

$265Kprogram 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 · FY2024
ArtsfundFY2024$18K
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$48K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $5K · 2021–2021
Unitemized GrantFY2021$5,350

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$523K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$419K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$95K
Investment incomeLn 3$10K
Money outPt IX
$472K
Ln 25
Programscol B$265K
Managementcol C$67K
Fundraisingcol D$140K
Owns and owesPt X
$432K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$42K
Total assetsLn 16$440K
LiabilitiesLn 26$8K
PeoplePt VI, VII
15
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b14
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$419K
Government grantsLn 1e$95K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$26K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$26K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$95K
Investment incomeLn 3$10K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$523K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$30K
SavingsLn 2$12K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$42K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$398K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$440K
LiabilitiesLn 26$8K
Net assetsLn 32$432K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 510
VolunteersI 625
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$40K$42K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$340K$398K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$391K$440K
LiabilitiesLn 26$47K$8K
Net assetsLn 32$345K$432K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$86K$28K$8K$50K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$190K$117K$150$73K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$11K$11K
Payroll taxesLn 10$22K$12K$698$10K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$4K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$11K$11K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$79K$74K$5K$315
Advertising and promotionLn 12$5K$3K$2K$30
Office expensesLn 13$4K$4K
Information technologyLn 14$15K$7K$7K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$7K$3K$3K$2K
TravelLn 17$2K$1K$191$819
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$2K
InterestLn 20$2K$2K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$4K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$19K$14K$707$4K
All other expensesLn 24e$3K$2K$1K$139
Total functional expensesLn 25$472K$265K$67K$140K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $523K$472K$50K$432K 990 PDF
FY2024 $288K$509K−$222K$345K 990 PDF
FY2023 $437K$408K$29K$533K 990 PDF
FY2022 $363K$533K−$170K$434K 990 PDF
FY2021 $351K$452K−$100K$713K 990 PDF
FY2020 $275K$275K−$528$658K 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 M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $522,641 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $219,346$418,833
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $61,434$94,871
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $7,956$9,663
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$923−$726
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $287,813$522,641
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $285,938$309,972
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $223,529$162,193
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $509,467$472,165
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$221,654$50,476
Part VI · Governance 14 of 14 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members14
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
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $522,641 across 13 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$25,877
VIII-1e Government grants$95,120
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$297,836
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$25,949
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$418,833
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $94,871$94,871
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $9,663$9,663
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $8,191$8,191
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events−$14,964
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $6,047$6,047
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $100,918 · Excluded from tax $17,854$522,641
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $472,165 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $27,580 · Management $8,360 · Fundraising $50,160$86,100
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $117,325 · Management $150 · Fundraising $72,722$190,197
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsManagement $11,311$11,311
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $11,648 · Management $698 · Fundraising $10,018$22,364
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $4,168$4,168
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $11,212$11,212
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $4,443$4,443
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $74,151 · Management $4,783 · Fundraising $315$79,249
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,786 · Management $2,176 · Fundraising $30$4,992
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $4,101$4,101
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $7,493 · Management $7,479$14,972
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $2,615 · Management $3,000 · Fundraising $1,700$7,315
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,335 · Management $191 · Fundraising $819$2,345
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $1,561$1,561
IX-20 InterestManagement $2,359$2,359
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $3,738$3,738
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $14,490 · Management $707 · Fundraising $3,793$18,990
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $1,598 · Management $1,011 · Fundraising $139$2,748
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $265,189 · Management $67,280 · Fundraising $139,696$472,165
Part X · Balance sheet $440,021 assets, 20 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $29,694$30,267
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $9,990$11,865
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$0
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $340,454$397,889
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $11,266$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $391,404$440,021
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $25,822$3,107
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $21,018$4,769
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $46,840$7,876
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $344,564$351,434
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$80,711
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $344,564$432,145
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $391,404$440,021
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $432,145 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$522,641
XI-2 Total expenses$472,165
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$50,476
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$344,564
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$46,104
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$8,997
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$2
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$432,145

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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