Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Academy of American Poets Incorporated

EIN 13-1879953 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak31 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ENCOURAGE, STIMULATE, AND FOSTER THE PRODUCTION OF AMERICAN POETRY BY PROVIDING FELLOWSHIPS FOR POETS OF PROVEN MERIT, BY GRANTING SCHOLARSHIPS, AWARDS AND PRIZES FOR POETIC ACHIEVEMENT, AND BY OTHER SUCH MEANS AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAY DEVISE AND DETERMINE.

Income
$3.1 million
Spending
$5.3 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
-0.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 71%
Employees
21
Volunteers
20
Highest pay
$195,370, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 31 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 71% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 63% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    20 of 20 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 June 30, 2025, 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 (4)
  1. $2.4 million spent. AWARDS AND PRIZES:THE ACADEMY ADMINISTERED AND AWARDED POETRY PRIZES TO POETS AT ALL STAGES OF THEIR CAREERS THROUGH VARIOUS PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE POETS LAUREATE FELLOWSHIPS, THE POETRY FUND THROUGH AMAZON LITERARY PARTNERSHIPS, THE WALLACE STEVENS AWARD, THE ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS FELLOWSHIP, THE LENORE MARSHALL PRIZE, THE JAMES LAUGHLIN AWARD, THE FIRST BOOK AWARD, THE HAROLD MORTON LANDON TRANSLATION AWARD, THE AMERICAN POETS EMERGENCY FUND, AND THE TREEHOUSE CLIMATE ACTION POETRY PRIZE. ADDITIONALLY, THE ACADEMY PROVIDED STUDENT PRIZES AT HUNDREDS OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES NATIONWIDE.POETRY COALITION:THE ACADEMY SERVED AS THE COORDINATOR AND FISCAL ADMINISTRATOR OF THE POETRY COALITION, AN INTENTIONALLY INCLUSIVE ALLIANCE OF THIRTY ORGANIZATIONS, MOST OF WHICH ARE LED BY WORKING, PUBLISHED POETS WHO ALSO SERVE AS ARTS ADMINISTRATORS. EACH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS EMPLOYS PAID STAFF WHO ARE PUBLISHED POETS, WITH A PRIMARY MISSION TO PROMOTE POETS AND POETRY. MANY ARE MULTI-GENRE LITERARY ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE POETS AND READERS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS.
  2. $487,055 spent. WEBSITE:LAUNCHED IN 1996, POETS.ORG IS THE AWARD-WINNING WEBSITE OF THE ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS. VISITORS TO POETS.ORG WILL FIND THOUSANDS OF POEMS, ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF POETS' BIOGRAPHIES, ESSAYS, INTERVIEWS, AND POETRY RECORDINGS, WITH NEW MATERIALS CONSTANTLY ADDED. ADDITIONALLY, THE SITE OFFERS RESOURCES SUCH AS A NATIONAL EVENTS CALENDAR AND POETRY LESSON PLANS FOR TEACHERS. WITH MORE THAN 17 MILLION VISITS EACH YEAR, POETS.ORG IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR POETRY WEBSITES ON THE INTERNET.
  3. $184,002 spent. THE AMERICAN POETS MAGAZINE:LAUNCHED IN 1996, AMERICAN POETS MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED TWICE ANNUALLY, IN APRIL AND OCTOBER, EXCLUSIVELY FOR MEMBERS OF THE ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS. THIS MAGAZINE REACHES DEVOTED READERS AND WRITERS OF POETRY AND LITERATURE, STUDENTS OF POETRY, SOME OF THE MOST RENOWNED AND RESPECTED POETS OF OUR TIME, AND SOME OF THE NATION'S MOST GENEROUS PATRONS OF POETRY.
  4. $1.2 million spent. ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS:OTHER KEY INITIATIVES INCLUDE THE POETRY COALITION, EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ADULT LEARNERS, NATIONAL POETRY MONTH, A READING SERIES, AND A MEMBERSHIPS PROGRAM.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 June 2025.

    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 February 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.