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.
66¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$71K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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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 $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
66%
of spending
Fine: 66% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$71K
to officers and key staff · 26% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 26% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
9 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
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
$1K
0.2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$275K
Spent
$275K
To programs
66%
Net assets
$658K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$275K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$275K
FY2021$351K
FY2022$363K
FY2023$437K
FY2024$288K
FY2025$523K
Expenses
$275K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$275K
FY2021$452K
FY2022$533K
FY2023$408K
FY2024$509K
FY2025$472K
Net assets
$658K
FY2020
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 FY2020 Form 990 · 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 Oct 1991.

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

Where the money goes

66 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 66% · $182K Management & general 20% · $55K Fundraising 14% · $39K

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

14 people listed on the 990; $71K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$67,500Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$3,875Pt 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
$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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3 programs · $166K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Clarion West worked quickly to provide one month of free online classes in April for hundreds of writers around the world stuck in quarantine and then moved to a mixture of free and fee-based classes and workshops online for the rest of the year.

$102Kprogram expense
02

Outreach and Promotion of writing and reading

$46Kprogram expense
03

In 2020, Clarion West postponed the summer workshop, however, we worked with the Six-Week Instructors and other authors from around the world to provide six-weeks of summer programming, including our summer reading series of science fiction and fantasy streamed free on YouTube.

$18Kprogram 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 FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$275K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$154K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$91K
Other incomeLn 4–11$24K
Money outPt IX
$275K
Ln 25
Programscol B$182K
Managementcol C$55K
Fundraisingcol D$39K
Owns and owesPt X
$658K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$205K
Total assetsLn 16$659K
LiabilitiesLn 26$1K
PeoplePt VI, VII
14
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$154K
Government grantsLn 1e$29K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$91K
Investment incomeLn 3$7K
Other incomeLn 4–11$24K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$275K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$85K
SavingsLn 2$120K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$205K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$454K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$659K
LiabilitiesLn 26$1K
Net assetsLn 32$658K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 510
VolunteersI 625
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$201K$205K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$457K$454K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$658K$659K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$1K
Net assetsLn 32$658K$658K
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$71K$31K$20K$20K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$77K$65K$590$11K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$12K$8K$2K$2K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$8K$8K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$1K$967$237$116
Office expensesLn 13$652$652
Information technologyLn 14$10K$5K$5K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16−$5K−$5K$45
TravelLn 17$2K$2K$602
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$634$300$334
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$4K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$88K$73K$10K$5K
All other expensesLn 24e$5K$1K$3K$507
Total functional expensesLn 25$275K$182K$55K$39K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $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 Viewing $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 O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $274,748 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $524,922$153,569
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $102,134$91,085
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $5,895$6,576
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $22,407$23,518
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $655,358$274,748
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,000$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $87,292$160,242
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $123,839$115,034
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $212,131$275,276
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $443,227−$528
Part VI · Governance 13 of 13 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body13
VI-1b Independent voting members13
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $274,748 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$28,998
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$124,571
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$153,569
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $91,085$91,085
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $6,576$6,576
VIII-5 Royalties$0
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$23,518
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $97,661$274,748
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $275,276 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 $31,179 · Management $20,098 · Fundraising $20,098$71,375
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $65,482 · Management $590 · Fundraising $10,592$76,664
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefits$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $8,072 · Management $1,642 · Fundraising $2,489$12,203
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $8,250$8,250
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $967 · Management $237 · Fundraising $116$1,320
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $652$652
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $4,996 · Management $5,148$10,144
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms −$4,790 · Management $45−$4,745
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,763 · Management $602$2,365
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $300 · Management $334$634
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $3,615$3,615
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $72,952 · Management $10,180 · Fundraising $4,748$87,880
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $1,174 · Management $3,238 · Fundraising $507$4,919
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $182,095 · Management $54,631 · Fundraising $38,550$275,276
Part X · Balance sheet $658,631 assets, 18 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $121,315$84,678
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $79,384$120,011
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 $457,420$453,942
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assets$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $658,119$658,631
X-25 Other liabilities$1,040
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$1,040
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $658,119$657,591
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $658,119$657,591
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $658,119$658,631
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $657,591 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$274,748
XI-2 Total expenses$275,276
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$528
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$658,119
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$657,591

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

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