Poets House Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
A LIBRARY AND MEETING PLACE THAT INVITES POETS AND THE PUBLIC INTO THE LIVING TRADITION OF POETRY, OFFERING POETRY BOOKS AND RESOURCES, LITERARY EVENTS AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO DOCUMENT THE DIVERSITY OF MODERN POETRY AND STIMULATE DIALOGUE ON ISSUES OF POETRY IN CULTURE.
- Income
- $1.9 million
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- -0.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 84%
- Employees
- 12
- Volunteers
- 17
- Highest pay
- $207,532, 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
Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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 (3)
- $661,246 spent. POETS HOUSE LIBRARY AND SHOWCASE:IN EARLY 2024, AFTER AN EXTENDED CLOSURE DUE TO CONSTRUCTION, POETS HOUSE REOPENED ITS LIBRARY, WHICH OFFERS ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTIONS OF POETRY IN THE COUNTRY. A LIBRARY DIRECTOR AND DIGITAL ARCHIVIST WERE HIRED AND BEGAN WORK TO SELECT AN INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEM AND DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH WILL EXPAND ACCESS TO THE COLLECTION. OVER 5,000 ITEMS WERE ADDED, INCLUDING BOOKS FOR THE 29TH POETS HOUSE SHOWCASE, PRESENTED IN EARLY 2025. WE WELCOMED 8,500 VISITORS.
- $530,618 spent. LITERARY PROGRAMS: DURING THE FIRST OPERATIONAL YEAR AFTER OUR REOPENING, THE ORGANIZATION RELAUNCHED SIGNATURE PROGRAM SERIES INCLUDING THE ANNUAL SHOWCSE EXHIBITION, PASSWORDS, EPIC VOICES, AND TRIBUTES, AND INTRODUCED NEW SERIES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING NEW WORKS, WHICH CELEBRATES NEW BOOKS OF POETRY, AND CROSSWORDS, WHICH CENTERS WORKS IN TRANSLATION. WE LAUNCHED A NEW BLOG SERIES AND EXPANDED SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT. WE OFFERED 33 WORKSHOPS ON THE CRAFT OF POETRY AND HOSTED 64 PUBLIC EVENTS.
- $132,654 spent. THE YOUTH CENTER AT POETS HOUSE: DURING 2024, A REINVIGORATED YOUTH PROGRAM WAS RELAUNCHED WITH THE GOAL OF PROVIDING CHILDREN AND TEENS A WAY TO EXPLORE LANGUAGE AS A VEHICLE FOR THE IMAGINATION, MEANS OF SELF-EXPRESSION, AND PATHWAY TO UNDERSTANDING. THE LONG-STANDING FREE CLASS TRIP PROGRAM WAS RELAUNCHED AS YOUTH ENCOUNTERS WITH POETRY, WELCOMING 46 CLASS VISITS FROM ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. WE ALSO RELAUNCHED THE WEEK-LONG SUMMER INTENSIVE WORKSHOP FOR TEENS.
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
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.
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 October 13, 2026.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 1985.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 October 21, 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.