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Grid Books Inc

EIN 27-4081852 · Marblehead, MA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood79 out of 100GovernanceNot ratedThe short tax form does not cover thisImpact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF GRID BOOKS IS TO PUBLISH THE CREATIVE WORK OF UNDERREPRESENTED WRITERS, TO ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT THE CREATION OF SUCH WORK, AND IN DOING SO, TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC THROUGH EXPOSURE TO DIVERSITY OF VOICES AND PERSPECTIVES.

Income
$20,940
Spending
$53,151
Reserves
15.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 71%
Highest pay
$20,835, executive director

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

Financial health

Good: 79 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 15.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 154% of income.

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

Governance

This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.

Source: Form 990EZ 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. $37,750 spent. EACH YEAR 3-5 BOOKS ARE SELECTED FROM OPEN READING PERIODS. GRID BOOKS PUBLISHES A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES EXPRESSED ACROSS GENRES, WITH A FOCUS ON PROJECTS GENERATED THROUGH INTERGENERATIONAL EXCHANGE SUCH AS THOSE ENCOMPASSING ORAL HISTORY AND COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN STUDENTS AND THEIR TEACHERS. APPROXIMATELY 5 AUTHORS PER YEAR ARE SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
  2. GRID BOOKS ALSO ADMINISTERS THE OFF THE GRID PRIZE, GRANTED ANNUALLY TO ONE POET OVER 60 WHOSE WRITING PRACTICE IS ONGOING AND WHOSE VISION IS FRESH WHILE DRAWING FROM SIX OR MORE DECADES OF LIVED EXPERIENCE. IN RECENT YEARS GRID BOOKS HAS FOUND WAYS TO EXPAND PARTICIPATION IN, AND REPRESENTATION WITHIN, THE CONTEST: WHEN PARTICIPANTS CANNOT AFFORD THE READING FEE, IT'S READILY WAIVED; MANUSCRIPTS ARE CONSIDERED BY A DIVERSE TEAM OF SCREENERS, AND ENGAGE JUDGES WHOSE WORK REPRESENTS THE CALIBER OF WRITING, AND DIVERSITY OF PERSPECTIVE, THAT WE AIM TO PUBLISH IN THIS SERIES. APPROXIMATELY 700 POETS ARE REACHED ANNUALLY THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
  3. GRID BOOKS PROMOTES ENGAGEMENT WITH LITERATURE BY CONNECTING AUTHORS TO A WIDER AND MORE CULTURALLY, GEOGRAPHICALLY, AND ECONOMICALLY DIVERSE AUDIENCE. IT'S DONE BY PRODUCING QUALITY BOOKS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE TO AS LARGE A READERSHIP AS POSSIBLE. FOR EXAMPLE, DURING THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS DISCOVERED GRID BOOKS WAS ABLE TO REACH INDIVIDUALS FOR WHOM IN-PERSON EVENTS ARE NOT MANAGEABLE DUE TO PHYSICAL OR GEOGRAPHICAL LIMITATIONS. AN AUDIOBOOK LIST WAS LAUNCHED THAT EXPANDED OUR REACH TO INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS WHOSE ENGAGEMENT WITH POETRY EXTENDS BEYOND THE PRINTED PAGE. AN AUDIENCE OF APPROXIMATELY 2,000 EACH YEAR ARE SERVED THROUGH OUR AUDIO PROGRAMMING.

Source: Form 990EZ 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 October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Worth knowing.

    Status was revoked on May 15, 2013 for not filing returns for three years. The IRS now lists it as tax-exempt again.

    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 2025.

    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 February 2018.

    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.