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Storyville Center for the Spoken Word Inc

EIN 13-3880953 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair54 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ORGANIZATION IS DEDICATED TO CONNECTING HUMANITY THROUGH THE POWER OF PERSONAL STORYTELLING. OUR MISSION IS TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO LISTEN AND SHARE OPENLY, THINK AND FEEL DEEPLY, AND EXPAND THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF ONE ANOTHER.

Income
$11.3 million
Spending
$12.3 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
4.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 62%
Employees
55
Volunteers
320
Highest pay
$255,667, chief executive officer

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: 54 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 36% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 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 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 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 (4)
  1. $1.9 million spent. MOTH STORYSLAMOPEN-MIC STORYTELLING EVENTS WHERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE CAN PUT THEIR NAME IN A HAT TO TELL A 5 MINUTE STORY ON A THEME. THE STORIES ARE JUDGED BY TEAMS OF AUDIENCE MEMBERS AND THE WINNER IS DETERMINED AT THE END OF THE EVENING. IN 2024 THE SLAM SERIES WAS PRODUCED IN 26 CITIES NATIONWIDE PLUS LONDON AND MELBOURNE, FOR A TOTAL OF 436 SHOWS AND 4,360 STORIES.
  2. $1.8 million spent. MOTH MAINSTAGECURATED STORYTELLING PROGRAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY FOCUSED ON A PARTICULAR THEME. STORYTELLERS DEVELOP A 10-12 MINUTE STORY WITH MOTH ARTISTIC STAFF. IN 2024, THERE WERE 41 MAINSTAGE SHOWS WITH 205 STORIES TOLD IN CITIES, REACHING AN AUDIENCE OF APPROXIMATELY 82,000.
  3. $810,128 spent. PODCASTTHE MOTH PODCAST RELEASES FREE STORIES EACH WEEK FROM OUR ARCHIVE. IT WAS DOWNLOADED MORE THAN 43 MILLION TIMES IN 2024.
  4. $5.2 million spent. COMMUNITY PROGRAM, EDUCATION PROGRAM, CORPORATE PROGRAM, MOTH RADIO HOUR, MOTH BOOK PUBLICATION, GLOBAL PROGRAM, MERCHANDISE, AND OTHER

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 October 13, 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 July 1997.

    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 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.