THE WRITERS GROTTO

EIN: 843889127 501(c)(3) Arts, Culture & Humanities

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Total Revenue
$196,410
Total Expenses
$245,348
Total Assets
$43,771
Net Assets
$5,993
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Financial Vulnerability Assessment (Tuckman-Chang)

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Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year
2019
Legal Domicile
CA
Principal Officer
CHRISTOPHER COOK
Phone
4157411119
Tax Period
2023-01-01 to 2023-12-31

THE WRITERS GROTTO, founded in 2019, is a small nonprofit in the Arts, Culture & Humanities sector that reported $196K in total revenue in fiscal year 2023. Revenue fell 21% from the prior year — a significant decline worth monitoring. Expenses of $245K exceeded revenue, resulting in a 25% operating deficit.

Mission

THE WRITERS GROTTO IS A COMMUNITY OF WRITERS AND NARRATIVE ARTISTS WHO CONNECT IN PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL SPACE, POOLING OUR TALENTS TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER, MENTOR AND TEACH OTHERS, AND ENGAGE THE WIDER WORLD.

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1
Expenses: $158,522

THE WRITERS GROTTO RUNS A ROBUST PROGRAM OF CLASSES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, TAUGHT BY WRITERS ACCOMPLISHED IN THE GENRES THEY TEACH, AND PROUD TO MENTOR OTHERS IN THE WRITING LIFE. STUDENTS COME TO...

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THE WRITERS GROTTO RUNS A ROBUST PROGRAM OF CLASSES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, TAUGHT BY WRITERS ACCOMPLISHED IN THE GENRES THEY TEACH, AND PROUD TO MENTOR OTHERS IN THE WRITING LIFE. STUDENTS COME TO GROTTO CLASSES WHEN THEY ARE READY TO TAKE THEIR CRAFT AND WRITING CAREER TO THE NEXT LEVEL. OUR GROWING COMMUNITY OF MORE THAN 30 TEACHERS PUT ON MORE THAN 120 CLASSES A YEAR, AND INCLUDE MEMOIRISTS, NOVELISTS, SCREENWRITERS, JOURNALISTS, POETS, AND NARRATIVE ARTISTS IN A RANGE OF OTHER GENRES, MANY OF THEM AWARD-WINNING AUTHORS WITH DEEP EXPERIENCE TO SHARE.

Program 2
Expenses: $21,193

ROOTED & WRITTEN IS THE WRITERS GROTTO'S TUITION-FREE WRITING CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO WRITERS OF COLOR. THE PROGRAM HELPS EMERGING WRITERS OF COLOR HONE THEIR CRAFT WITH GUIDANCE FROM ESTABLISHED...

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ROOTED & WRITTEN IS THE WRITERS GROTTO'S TUITION-FREE WRITING CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO WRITERS OF COLOR. THE PROGRAM HELPS EMERGING WRITERS OF COLOR HONE THEIR CRAFT WITH GUIDANCE FROM ESTABLISHED WRITERS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. IT ALSO FACILITATES CONNECTIONS IN THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY. ROOTED & WRITTEN EMPOWERS MARGINALIZED WRITERS TO CREATE AND SHARE WORK FOR BROADER AUDIENCES OR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THE PROGRAM COLLABORATES WITH ARTISTS FROM THE BAY AREA TO CREATE ART THAT REPRESENTS HISTORICALLY UNDER- REPRESENTED OR EXCLUDED COMMUNITIES. ROOTED & WRITTEN BENEFITS PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED WRITERS, CONCLUDING WITH A PUBLIC EVENT WHERE PARTICIPANTS SHARE THEIR WORK. ROOTED AND WRITTEN ATTRACTS DOZENS OF EMERGING WRITERS. THE 2023 CONFERENCE HOSTED 47 WRITERS AND REACHED AN EVEN WIDER AUDIENCE.

Program 3

THROUGH OUR MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM, THE WRITERS GROTTO PROVIDES PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL WORKSPACES AND OTHER AMENITIES TO THE COMMUNITY OF NARRATIVE ARTISTS WHO ARE OUR MEMBERS, ALLOWING THEM TO WORK IN A...

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THROUGH OUR MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM, THE WRITERS GROTTO PROVIDES PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL WORKSPACES AND OTHER AMENITIES TO THE COMMUNITY OF NARRATIVE ARTISTS WHO ARE OUR MEMBERS, ALLOWING THEM TO WORK IN A QUIET, SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT SURROUNDED BY THEIR PEERS. IN 2022, OUR MEMBERS PUBLISHED MORE THAN 20 BOOKS, INCLUDING VOLUMES OF POETRY, SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS, NOVELS, BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, AND A VARIETY OF NONFICTION. THEY ALSO PUBLISHED COUNTLESS SHORTER WORKS, INCLUDING ARTICLES, SHORT STORIES, PERSONAL ESSAYS, POEMS, AND MORE, IN VENUES RANGING FROM THE MOST NOTABLE INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS TO SMALL INDEPENDENT PRESSES.

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Trantor Score

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

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Financial Overview (2023)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $16,822
Program Service Revenue $179,588
Investment Income $0
Other Revenue $0
TOTAL REVENUE $196,410

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $0
Salaries & Benefits $0
Fundraising Expenses $14,483
Program Expenses $179,715
Other Expenses $245,348
TOTAL EXPENSES $245,348

Year-over-Year Comparison

2023 2022 Change
Revenue $196,410 $247,458 -0.2%
Expenses $245,348 $384,355 -0.4%
Net Income $-48,938 $-136,897 -0.6%
Key Indicators
Grants to Organizations Grants to Individuals Lobbying Political Activity Foreign Activities Donor Advised Fund Schedule B Required
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Liquidity & Cash Position

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Governance

Voting Members
3
Independent Members
3
Employees
N/A
Volunteers
N/A

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
2
$0
Total Directors
3
$0
Key Employees
0
$0
Highest Compensated
0
reported
Name Title Hours/Week Role Reportable Comp Other Comp Total
CHRISTOPHER COOK BOARD CHAIR 5.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
FRED VOGELSTEIN TREASURER 5.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
TERRY TIERNEY DIRECTOR 5.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
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
2024 No data No data No data No data
2023 $196,410 $245,348 $43,771 $-48,938
2022 $247,458 $384,355 $61,425 $-136,897
2021 $326,231 $233,592 $203,216 $92,639
2020 $318,503 $225,817 $121,277 $92,686
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