The Poetry Center DBA the Chicago Poetrey Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To connect people and poetry, equitably engage poets with communities, and foster creative literacy in our city and beyond.
- Income
- $840,980
- Spending
- $581,843
- Spent on programs
- 65%
- Reserves
- 8.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 66%
- Employees
- 10
- Volunteers
- 12
- Highest pay
- $89,408, executive dir.
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
Good: 86 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 31% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1565% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 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.
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 22 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 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 (1)
- $377,457 spent. Poetry Residencies - A creative literacy residency program in Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Metro Area. The Organization hires Chicago poet/teaching artists (Poets In Residence) to teach multi-week residencies. The poets meet with their classrooms weekly, and publish student work after each session on the Organizations school publishing platform online. Each week poets and students read, write, discuss, and perform poetry. The program improves reading and writing skills, builds confidence, and affirms the voices of young Chicagoans.Pop Up Poetry - A touring, after school, and custom built performance poetry program. Hosting assemblies and one-time workshops in schools and organizations, Pop Ups typically feature three performance poets in an engaging round-robin style poetry slam, with an educational component and interactive poetry games are played with the audience.Queen Zees Poetry Adventures - A free, streaming series of poetry lessons for students in grades 2-5. Videos come with student workbooks and teacher lesson plans with optional extension materials.Blue Hour Reading & Workshop Series - A monthly, free and public reading series, and accompanying generative writing workshop hosted at Haymarket House. The series features emerging and established as well as local, national, and international writers.Literary Life Programs - In addition to Blue Hour, the Organization partners with organizations across Chicago to provide both one-time and recurring public poetry events in and around Chicago and online.Online Archive + Education Resource - A free online poetry resource and archive features a page for every poet who has read for the Poetry Center reading series since the Centers founding in 1974. Pages feature streaming audio, reading information, and offer additional resources and information on each writer.Critical Conversations @ Work - An inclusion-centered anti-racism program targeted to workplaces and organizations for employees, volunteers, and board member training. Utilizing contemporary poetry to facilitate important and challenging conversations in workplaces.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 1975.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.