Empowering people to practice poetry & deepen connections to place, self & the present moment. Splab supports: poetry as a noetic practice allied with outsider traditions. A poetry of witness, deeply rooted to place. Organic form in all of its manifestations, open, discerning and aware of responsible to the interconnectivity of life. A visionary Poetics that embodies our place on the edge of a continent.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
56¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2021 · 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
1 of 3
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2K a year · 3% of revenue · last 3 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 1 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 filings
Spent on programs
56%
of spending
Worth a look: 56% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.7 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $45K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$60K
+49% vs prior year
Spent
$60K
To programs
56%
Net assets
$13K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$60K
FY2021▲ +49%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$40K
FY2021$60K
FY2022$66K
FY2023$0
FY2024$152K
FY2025$165K
Expenses
$60K
FY2021▲ +113%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$28K
FY2021$60K
FY2022Not on file
FY2023Not on file
FY2024Not on file
FY2025$170K
Net assets
$13K
FY2021-0.4%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$14K
FY2021$13K
FY2022$12K
FY2023$0
FY2024−$9K
FY2025−$10K

From the FY2021 Form 990 · see the original

990 PDF Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 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 Jun 1998.

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% · $34K Management & general 41% · $25K Fundraising 2% · $1K

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

1 person listed on the 990.

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

Paul Nelson’s $41K as Chairman is at the 36th 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024
Paul Nelson$40,757$41,500

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 Cascadia Poetics Lab 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Promotes poetry as a way to connect with place, self, and the present moment.

Questions for Cascadia Poetics Lab

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $34K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

INTERVIEWS.Fourteen interviews were conducted in 2021, but two of them were produced and posted in 2022 as PODCASTS! Yes, we launched the Cascadian Prophets Podcast in 2021 and our interviews can now be heard on Spotify.

$14Kprogram expense
02

Poetry postcard fest. The poetry postcard fest celebrated its 15TH season, with 519 participants in 13 different coutnries and 46 different states and canadian provinces. A new website was created in 2021 and eases the registration process.

$10Kprogram expense
03

WORKSHOPS.We conducted many weeks-long workshops in 2021 via Zoom to amazing reviews:Thanks so much for an engaging workshop what fun! The best thing about it, to my mind, is your affirmative and humor-graced approach to all.

$10Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$45K

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$60K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$31K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$27K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Money outPt IX
$60K
Ln 25
Programscol B$34K
Managementcol C$25K
Fundraisingcol D$1K
Owns and owesPt X
$13K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$13K
Total assetsLn 16$13K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
1
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$31K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$27K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Total revenueLn 12$60K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$13K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$13K
Total assetsLn 16$13K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$13K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$14K$13K
Total assetsLn 16$14K$13K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$14K$13K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$7K$6K$993
Legal feesLn 11b$375$375
Accounting feesLn 11c$500$500
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1K$1K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$13K$8K$4K
Information technologyLn 14$15K$15K
OccupancyLn 16$783$783
TravelLn 17$5K$1K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$12K$3K$9K
All other expensesLn 24e$2K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$60K$34K$25K$1K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $165K$170K−$5K−$10K 990 PDF
FY2024 $152K−$9K 990 PDF
FY2023 $0$0 990 PDF
FY2022 $66K$12K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $60K$60K−$50$13K 990 PDF
FY2020 $40K$28K$12K$14K 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 FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $60,172 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $27,658$30,884
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $12,637$26,605
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$2,683
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $40,295$60,172
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $800$6,972
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $27,533$53,250
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $28,333$60,222
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $11,962−$50
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $60,172 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$30,884
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$30,884
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $26,605$26,605
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,683$2,683
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $29,288 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$60,172
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $60,222 across 11 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $5,979 · Management $993$6,972
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $375$375
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $500$500
IX-11g Other fees for servicesFundraising $1,350$1,350
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $2,223$2,223
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $8,457 · Management $4,268$12,725
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $15,308$15,308
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $783$783
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,093 · Management $4,311$5,404
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $3,093 · Management $9,143$12,236
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $2,346$2,346
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $33,930 · Management $24,942 · Fundraising $1,350$60,222
Part X · Balance sheet $13,480 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $13,530$13,480
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $13,530$13,480
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $13,530$13,480
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $13,530$13,480
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $13,530$13,480
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $13,480 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$60,172
XI-2 Total expenses$60,222
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$50
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$13,530
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$13,480

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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