POETS AND WRITERS INC

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Financial Vulnerability Assessment (Tuckman-Chang)

4 risk indicators measuring financial stability and operational resilience

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Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year

1970

Legal Domicile

Principal Officer

MELISSA FORD GRADEL

Phone

2122263586

Tax Period

2024-07-01 to 2025-06-30

POETS AND WRITERS INC, founded in 1970, is a community nonprofit in the Arts, Culture & Humanities sector that reported $4.8M in total revenue in fiscal year 2024. Revenue surged 24% from the prior year, signaling strong growth momentum. Expenses of $4.5M left a modest 6% surplus.

Mission

TO FOSTER THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF POETS AND WRITERS, TO PROMOTE COMMUNICATION THROUGHOUT THE LITERARY COMMUNITY, AND TO HELP CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH LITERATURE CAN BE APPRECIATED BY THE WIDEST POSSIBLE PUBLIC.

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1

Expenses: $1,938,624 Revenue: $1,836,631

POETS & WRITERS IS A NATIONAL ARTS SERVICE ORGANIZATION, PROVIDING WRITERS OF POETRY AND LITERARY PROSE ACCESS TO CONTENT, LEARNING, AND COMMUNITY TO BUILD AND SUSTAIN THE WRITING LIFE, AND FOSTERING COMMUNICATION THROUGHOUT THE LITERARY COMMUNITY. POETS & WRITERS MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED SIX TIMES A YEAR AND DELIVERS TO ITS READERS PROFILES OF NOTED AUTHORS AND PUBLISHING PROFESSIONALS, PRACTICAL HOW-TO ARTICLES, AND THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF GRANTS AND AWARDS AVAILABLE IN PRINT. POETS & WRITERS MAGAZINE IS DISTRIBUTED TO 42,000 PAID MEMBER/SUBSCRIBERS AND IS SOLD ON NEWSSTANDS NATIONWIDE.

Program 2

Expenses: $517,575 Revenue: $12,021

POETS & WRITERS' WEBSITE, PW.ORG, OFFERS ONLINE-ONLY EDITORIAL FEATURES AND A SUITE OF CAREFULLY VETTED DATABASES OF WRITING CONTESTS, LITERARY MAGAZINES, SMALL PRESSES, LITERARY AGENTS, MFA...

POETS & WRITERS' WEBSITE, PW.ORG, OFFERS ONLINE-ONLY EDITORIAL FEATURES AND A SUITE OF CAREFULLY VETTED DATABASES OF WRITING CONTESTS, LITERARY MAGAZINES, SMALL PRESSES, LITERARY AGENTS, MFA PROGRAMS, REVIEW OUTLETS, AND MORE. ALSO ONLINE ARE THE POETS & WRITERS DIRECTORY, WHICH LISTS MORE THAN 11,000 PUBLISHED WRITERS, THE NATIONAL LITERARY EVENTS CALENDAR, AND POETS & WRITERS GROUPS, A PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKING TOOL THAT ENABLES WRITERS TO FORM, JOIN, AND MANAGE WRITING GROUPS.

Program 3

Expenses: $668,505

THE READINGS & WORKSHOPS PROGRAM MAKES MINI-GRANTS TO WRITERS WHO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC LITERARY EVENTS AND PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO EVENT ORGANIZERS. WE OFFER A SERIES OF ONLINE COURSES IN BOTH THE BUSINESS AND CRAFT OF WRITING. JURIED PROGRAMS AND FELLOWSHIPS SUCH AS THE MAUREEN EGEN WRITERS EXCHANGE AWARD AND GET THE WORD OUT PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO EARLY CAREER WRITERS AND THE JACKSON POETRY PRIZE RECOGNIZES EXCELLENCE IN AMERICAN POETRY.

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Trantor Score

Financial Health Score (300–850) · Liquidity · Solvency · Sustainability · Efficiency

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Liquidity (40%) • Solvency (30%) • Sustainability (20%) • Efficiency (10%)

Financial Overview (2024)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $2,212,894

Program Service Revenue $1,848,652

Investment Income $544,158

Other Revenue $189,254

TOTAL REVENUE $4,794,958

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $357,525

Salaries & Benefits $2,114,618

Fundraising Expenses $361,855

Program Expenses $3,369,733

Other Expenses $2,025,061

TOTAL EXPENSES $4,497,204

Year-over-Year Comparison

	2024	2023	Change
Revenue	$4,794,958	$3,869,293	+0.2%
Expenses	$4,497,204	$4,569,613	0.0%
Net Income	$297,754	$-700,320	-1.4%

Key Indicators

✗ Grants to Organizations ✓ Grants to Individuals ✗ Lobbying ✗ Political Activity ✗ Foreign Activities ✗ Donor Advised Fund ✓ Schedule B Required

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Financial Health Indicators

Comprehensive financial analysis: Altman Z-Score, liquidity, solvency, sustainability, efficiency, and growth metrics

Financial Distress Indicator

Liquidity & Cash Position

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Altman Z-Score • Liquidity Ratios • Solvency Analysis • Growth Indicators • Efficiency Metrics

Governance

Voting Members

Independent Members

Employees

Volunteers

Governance Policies

✓ Conflict of Interest Policy

✓ Whistleblower Policy

✓ Document Retention Policy

Special Practices & Reported Activities

✗ Operated a School

✗ Operated a Hospital

✗ Provided First Class Travel

✗ Reported Conflict of Interest

✗ Reported Asset Diversion

✗ Excess Benefit Transaction

✗ Made Political Expenditures

✗ Engaged in Lobbying

✗ Operated Donor Advised Fund

✗ Maintained Art Collections

✗ Filed Form 720

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Total Officers

$391,198

Total Directors

Key Employees

Highest Compensated

reported

Name	Title	Hours/Week	Role	Reportable Comp	Other Comp	Total
MADELINE MCINTOSH	PRESIDENT	0.50	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
SASHA QUINTON	SECRETARY	0.50	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
PAUL VIDICH	TREASURER	0.50	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
KOFI APPENTENG	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
AMY BERKOWER	BOARD MEMBER (TO JUN 2025)	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
JOHANNA CASTILLO	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
ALLISON DAVIS	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
SANYU DILLON	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
ALEXANDER ENGER	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
KASSIE EVASHEVSKI	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
ELLIOT FIGMAN	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
TERRANCE G FINLEY	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
AM HOMES	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
KIMBERLY JACKSON	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
WILLYS KALS	BOARD MEMBER (TO JUN 2025)	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
SALLY KIM	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
CHRISTINE BAKER KLINE	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
KATIE MAHON	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
ROCHELLE RILEY	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
ERIC SIMONOFF	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
LIATE STEHLIK	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
ANKE STEINECKE	BOARD MEMBER	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
ELIZABETH TOLEDO	BOARD MEMBER (TO JUN 2025)	0.50	Director	$0	$0	$0
MELISSA GRADEL	EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR	35.00	Officer	$220,536	$13,140	$233,676
TIA WILLIAMS	DIRECTOR OF FINANCE	35.00	Officer	$144,382	$13,140	$157,522
KEVIN LARIMER	EDITOR IN CHIEF	35.00	Highest	$158,232	$13,140	$171,372
TIM O'SULLIVAN	ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER	35.00	Highest	$119,001	$13,140	$132,141
JASON CHAPMAN	DIRECTOR OF IT	35.00	Highest	$108,754	$13,140	$121,894
RACHEL SCHUDER	DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT	35.00	Highest	$108,292	$13,140	$121,432

Note: Compensation data is self-reported by the organization on their Form 990. "Reportable Comp" includes salary, bonuses, and other reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations. "Other Comp" includes benefits, deferred compensation, and non-taxable benefits.

Historical Data

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Net Income
2025	$4,794,958	$4,497,204	$10,692,939	$297,754
2024	$3,869,293	$4,569,613	$10,542,271	$-700,320
2023	$4,485,046	$4,537,942	$10,929,944	$-52,896
2022	$4,923,275	$4,714,219	$8,951,553	$209,056
2021	$4,775,485	$4,624,309	$9,823,876	$151,176
2020	$5,416,792	$4,610,194	$9,361,811	$806,598
2019	$4,065,973	$4,256,919	$7,928,567	$-190,946
2018	$4,159,010	$4,137,265	$7,644,633	$21,745