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Mercantile Library Association of the City of New York

EIN 13-1624084 · Brooklyn, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood86 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE CENTER FOR FICTION WAS FOUNDED IN 1820 AS THE MERCANTILE LIBRARY. ITS MISSION IS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO READ AND VALUE FICTION AND TO SUPPORT AND CELEBRATE ITS CREATION AND ENJOYMENT.

Income
$3.1 million
Spending
$3.1 million
Spent on programs
70%
Reserves
6.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 46%
Employees
54
Volunteers
40
Highest pay
$244,769, executive 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

Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 18% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 22% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    70% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 23 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    25 of 25 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • 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. $2.1 million spent. THE CENTER FOR FICTION OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF PUBLIC PROGRAMMING FOR LOCAL AND NATIONAL AUDIENCES; WORKSHOPS AND CREATIVE SPACES FOR EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED WRITERS; AND AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS THAT SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF FRESH TALENT AND INSPIRE READERS TO DISCOVER NEW VOICES. IN THE LAST YEAR, OVER 200,000 PEOPLE VISITED THE CENTER, AND MORE THAN 34,000 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN OUR IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL PROGRAMS. AT OUR HOME IN BROOKLYN ONE CAN VISIT OUR BOOKSTORE AND CAF & BAR; ATTEND AN EVENT; AND JOIN OUR MEMBERSHIP LIBRARY AND WRITERS STUDIOOR EXPLORE OUR WORK ONLINE AT CENTERFORFICTION.ORG. PART III PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENTS SUPPLEMENTAL WE KEEP THE EVENTS SMALL, WITH A MAXIMUM OF 80 STUDENTS PER EVENT, SO THAT ALL KIDS HAVE TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS, GET THEIR BOOK SIGNED, AND HAVE A PERSONAL INTERACTION WITH THE WRITER. KIDSWRITE STUDENTS RECEIVE A FREE SCHOLARSHIP TO OUR SUMMER TEEN WRITING PROGRAM. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE DISRUPTED SCHOOL YEAR WE MOVED OUR KIDSREAD & KIDSWRITE PROGRAM TO ZOOM. KIDSREAD STUDENTS WERE NO LONGER ABLE TO VISIT IN PERSON, BUT THEY RECEIVED A VIRTUAL VISIT WITH THE AUTHOR AND WERE PROVIDED COPIES OF THE BOOK. KIDSWRITE CLASSES TOOK PLACE OVER ZOOM. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE DECAMERON PROJECT TO SPONSOR WRITING CONTESTS. THE CENTER GIVES OUT NUMEROUS AWARDS EVERY YEAR BUT OUR CORNERSTONE PRIZES SUPPORT THE WORK OF EARLY CAREER WRITERS. OUR FIRST NOVEL PRIZE IS GIVEN TO THE FINEST DEBUT NOVEL OF THE YEAR, WITH THE AUTHOR RECEIVING $15,000 (FINALISTS $1,000). OUR NYC EMERGING WRITERS FELLOWSHIP SUPPORTS WRITERS IN THAT CRUCIAL TIME BEFORE THEY PUBLISH A BOOK. EACH OF OUR EMERGING WRITERS FELLOWS RECEIVE A GRANT OF $5,000, AN EXPERIENCED EDITOR TO REVISE AND CRITIQUE THEIR MANUSCRIPTS, A PLACE TO WRITE IN OUR WRITERS STUDIO, AND MEETINGS WITH EDITORS, AUTHORS, AND AGENTS WHO REPRESENT NEW WRITERS AT MONTHLY DINNERS, WHICH WERE HOSTED VIRTUALLY IN 2020. FELLOWS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN TWO PUBLIC READINGS (ONE HOSTED ON ZOOM, THE OTHER IN PERSON), RECEIVE A PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOT FOR PERSONAL PUBLICITY USE, PUBLICATION IN AN ANTHOLOGY DISTRIBUTED TO INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, AS WELL AS TICKETS TO OUR FIRST NOVEL FETE AND BENEFIT & AWARDS DINNER, COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION TO ALL CENTER EVENTS, AND A 25% DISCOUNT ON WRITING WORKSHOPS AT THE CENTER. WE PRESENT MORE THAN 150 AUTHORS AND ARTISTS ANNUALLY IN PUBLIC PERFORMANCES THAT SHOWCASE FICTION ACROSS MANY ART FORMS, INTEGRATING MUSIC, DANCE, THEATER, FILM, AND THE VISUAL ARTS. IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND EARLY MARCH OF 2020 THEY TOOK PLACE IN OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART, FULLY ACCESSIBLE, 140-SEAT AUDITORIUM WITH A LARGE STAGE AND LED FILM SCREEN. DUE TO THE MANDATORY SHUT-DOWN OF OUR SPACE FOR COVID-19, WE SUCCESSFULLY PIVOTED OUR EVENTS TO ONLINE AND HAD ROBUST PROGRAMMING FROM LATE SPRING THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.

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 January 1936.

    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.