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Ether Sea Projects Inc

EIN 20-1637770 · Brooklyn, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair57 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

Ether Sea Projects D/B/A Litmus Press publishes innovative poetry, prose, and formally experimental writing from around the world. We champion avant-garde legacies through our stewardship of foundational feminist predecessors of small press publishing and the creation of resources that deepen literacy and appreciation of complex works. In cultivating a transnational and diasporic literary landscape that resists aesthetic, generic, and geopolitical boundaries, we envision a future that everyone can inhabit.

Income
$224,885
Spending
$225,810
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
0.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 46%
Employees
3
Volunteers
7
Highest pay
$22,000, executive dir.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 57 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 8 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

    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

    5 of 5

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

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 (3)
  1. $141,105 spent. Book Publications: Print Books published (4)1. Controlled Demolition: A Work in Four Books by Ammiel Alcalay.2. The Unlikeness of Things by Virginie Poitrasson, translated by Michelle Noteboom.3. Erode by Biswamit Dwibedy.4. Yes, I Am A Destroyer by Mira Mattar.Open Poetics Digital Edition (1)Dead Youth, or The Leaks by Joyelle McSweeney.
  2. $40,316 spent. Public Events:1. Viscera Book Launch with Mark Tardi, Malgorzata Myk, and Natalia Malek, Housing Works Bookstore NYC.2. Free Writing Workshop with Mark Tardi, Malgorzata Myk, and Natalia Malek, Greenpoint Public Library NYC.3. Asia & Haiti Book Launch with Will Alexander, 192 Books NYC.4. Embroideries Book Launch with Burcu Sahin and Youmna Chlala, Unnameable Books NYC.5. Free Translation Workshop with Burcu Sahin and Kira Josefsson, Litmus Press Studio NYC.6. Controlled Demolition Launch with Ammiel Alcalay and Nasser Rabah, Brookline Booksmith, Boston, MA.7. Controlled Demolition Book Launch with Ammiel Alcalay, CUNY, NYC.8. Online Book Launch for 3 Books with Biswamit Dwibedy, Virginie Poitrasson, Michelle Noteboom, and Mira Mattar.
  3. $20,159 spent. ACCESSIBILITY -- EDUCATIONAL ACCESS TO OUT-OF-PRINT TITLES & NEW TEACHING RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR FREE VIA OUR WEBSITE. WE LAUNCHED A NEW DIGITAL-CRITICAL EDITION IN OUR OPEN POETICS SERIES, A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH CUNY'S DIGITAL HUMANITIES PROGRAM, MANIFOLD SCHOLARSHIP. WE PROVIDED BOOK DONATIONS TO ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS ART RESOURCES TRANSFER (DISTRIBUTION TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES), HOUSING WORKS, AND ST. MARKS POETRY PROJECT. WE COLLABORATED WITH THE POULIN PROJECT AS PUBLISHER-IN-RESIDENCE AND FACILITATED FREE, PUBLIC, WRITING WORKSHOPS AT BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

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

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since November 2004.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.