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Kweli Journal Inc

EIN 27-0318769 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceFair50 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

KWELI'S MISSION IS TO NURTURE EMERGING WRITERS OF COLOR AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEIR VOICES TO BE RECOGNIZED AND VALUED. BY CREATING A COMMUNITY OF BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND POC ARTISTS AND PROGRAMMING BASED ON ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AND RIGOR, KWELI EMPOWERS WRITERS TO SHARE STORIES THAT ENGAGE AND IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES. OUR VISION IS FOR A WORLD WHERE THE NARRATIVES BEING TOLD REFLECT THE TRUTH OF OUR HISTORIES AND THE POSSIBILITIES FOR OUR FUTURE.

Income
$197,974
Spending
$233,684
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
3.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 38%
Employees
3
Volunteers
9

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

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 18% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 9% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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

Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • 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 (1)
  1. $205,882 spent. NARRATIVE OF 2024 PROGRAM SERVICESANNUAL COLOR OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE CONFERENCECONFERENCE PROVIDING CRAFT TALKS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS ON BUSINESS OF PUBLISHING, 3 HOUR MASTER CLASSES FOR INTERMEDIATE WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS AND WORKSHOPS FOR BEGINNING STUDENTS. APPROXIMATELY 210 STUDENTS BENEFITED.ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVALHYBRID FESTIVAL PROVIDING READINGS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH DEBUT AND AWARD-WINNING WRITERS, MASTER CLASSES, CRAFT TALKS, PANELS ON PUBLISHING INDUSTRY AND MUCH MORE. AND FELLOW CREATIVES OF COLOR. APPROXIMATELY 135 STUDENTS BENEFITED.ART OF THE SHORT STORY WORKSHOPSTHE ART OF THE SHORT STORY WORKSHOP IS A MULTI SESSION WORKSHOP FOR SHORT STORY WRITERS AND NOVELISTS OF COLOR WITH KWELI FOUNDING EDITOR AND PUBLISHER, LAURA PEGRAM. THE WORKSHOP IS TAILOR-MADE FOR WRITERS OF ADULT FICTION. IT IS A SAFER SPACE FOR ALL PEOPLE OF COLOR, INCLUDING BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AAPI, LATINX, LGBTQIA+ WRITERS AT ALL LEVELS. IT INCLUDES SEMINARS FOCUSED ON CRAFT AND IN-CLASS WRITING EXERCISES.THERE WILL BE READING ASSIGNMENTS AND A STUDY OF WORKS BY WELL-KNOWN ADULT FICTION WRITERS AND POETS. WRITING WILL BEGIN ON THE FIRST DAY OF WORKSHOP. PEER REVIEW SESSIONS WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THE FINAL TWO WEEKS OF WORKSHOP.KWELI FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMFELLOWSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES THREE OR MORE EARLY-STAGE WRITERS WITH 11-MONTH WRITING FELLOWSHIPS. EACH FELLOWS RECEIVES TEN MONTHS OF EDITORIAL SUPPORT FROM KWELI JOURNAL EDITORS TO PREPARE A PIECE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE MAGAZINE; A $2,000 STIPEND; ADMISSION-FREE ENROLLMENT IN THREE PROFESSIONALLY LED WRITING WORKSHOPS ON LITERARY FICTION, CREATIVE NONFICTION AND POETRY; PARTICIPATION IN FOUR PUBLIC1 READINGS BY WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS; ADMISSION-FREE PARTICIPATION IN OUR INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL, INCLUSIVE OF PITCH SESSIONS WITH LITERARY AGENTS AND EDITORS; OPTIONALLY, ADMISSION-FREE PARTICIPATION IN OUR COLOR OF CHILDREN LITERATURE CONFERENCE; PUBLICATION IN KWELI JOURNAL; AN ALL EXPENSE PAID WRITING RETREAT HOSTED AT AKWAABA. 10 STUDENTS BENEFITEDKWELI MULTI MEDIA READING AND CONVERSATIONKWELI FORMED A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH BALLET HISPANICO IN 2023 AND, IN SO DOING, EXPANDED OUR HYBRID PUBLIC PROGRAMMING. WE ADDED DANCE NARRATIVES TO OUR STAGED READINGS AND CONVERSATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE OPENED THE YEAR WITH A READING AND DANCE INTERPRETATION FOR YOU'RE BREAKING MY HEART BY OLUGBEMISOLA RHUDAY-PERKOVICH AT BALLET HISPANICO.IN FEBRUARY 2024, WE HOSTED A READING WITH DANCE INTERPRETATION FOR BEHIND YOU IS THE SEA BY SUSAN MUADDI-DARRAJ. DURING OUR KWELI COLOR OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE CONFERENCE, DANCE NARRATIVES WERE CREATED FOR A NUMBER OF AWARD WINNING BOOKS, INCLUDING ULTRAVIOLET BY AIDA SALAZAR AND A CROWN OF STORIES: THE LIFE AND LANGUAGE OF BELOVED WRITER TONI MORRISION BY CAROLE BOSTON WEATHERFORD. DURING OUR KWELI INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL, WE FEATURED DANCE INTERPRETATIONS FOR THE UNSETTLED BY AYANA MATHIS. 260 STUDENTS BENEFITED.KWELI MASTER CLASSES, CRAFT TALKS AND MULTI SESSION WORKSHOPSKWELI OFFERED MULTI SESSION ART OF THE SHORT STORY WORKSHOPS; THE ART OF EXCAVATION: WRITING THE ARTIFACTS OF MEMORY AND SELF WITH KENZIE ALLEN; THE ART OF NOTICING WITH HANNAH BAE; CREATING MOMENTUM THROUGH DESTABILIZATION WITH CRYSTAL HANA KIM AND MORE. MORE THAN 150 STUDENTS BENEFITED.

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 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 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 September 2010.

    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.

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