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Passes our checks

One Story Inc

EIN 11-3639386 · Brooklyn, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair51 out of 100GovernanceGood77 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ONE STORY AIMS TO BRING LITERARY FICTION TO A WIDE AUDIENCE BY MAKING SHORT STORIES PORTABLE AND FUN. WE MAIL ONE PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED SHORT STORY TO A WIDE AUDIENCE 15 TIMES A YEAR. OUR FORMAT FORGES AN INTIMATE CONNECTION BETWEEN READER AND WRITER AND ALLOWS EACH AUTHOR TO TAKE CENTER STAGE. PART OF ONE STORY'S MISSION IS TO SUPPORT WRITERS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PUBLISHING BOTH NEW AND ESTABLISHED AUTHORS. TO THAT END, WE WILL ONLY PUBLISH EACH AUTHOR ONCE. WE MENTOR OUR AUTHORS LONG AFTER THEY PUBLISH WITH US, CONNECTING THEM TO AGENTS AND EDITORS, GUIDING THEM DURING TURNING POINTS IN THEIR CAREERS, PROMOTING THEIR BOOKS AND OTHER VENTURES, AND HERALDING THEIR SUCCESSES. AT THE SAME TIME, ONE STORY PAIRS THEIR WRITING WITH AN ENTHUSIASTIC AUDIENCE, ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS WITH READERS THAT LAST A LIFETIME.

Income
$514,304
Spending
$503,934
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
0.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 53%
Employees
5
Volunteers
51
Highest pay
$51,637, director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 51 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 84% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 36% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 77 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 7 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    12 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $348,820 spent. IN 2023, ONE STORY INC. EDITED AND PUBLISHED 12 ISSUES OF ONE STORY AND3 ISSUES OF ONE TEEN STORY, AND DISTRIBUTED THE MAGAZINES TO READERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WORLD. ONE STORY PUBLISHED AND MENTORED A MIX OF ESTABLISHED, EMERGING, AND DEBUT WRITERS; ONE TEEN STORY SHOWCASED TEEN WRITING.ONE STORY INC. CONTINUED ITS EDUCATION PROGRAMMING IN 2024, REACHING NEARLY 1,400 WRITERS WITH 15 AFFORDABLE ONLINE CLASSES, 6 ONLINE LECTURES, 5 ONLINE WORKSHOPS. AND A SUMMER CONFERENCE HELD AT POETS HOUSE IN NEW YORK CITY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 2007.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.