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916 Ink

EIN 46-0705510 · Sacramento, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair58 out of 100GovernanceGood70 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

916 INK EMPOWERS YOUTH IN SACRAMENTO THROUGH CREATIVE WRITING AND LITERACY WORKSHOP, AS WELL AS TUTORING, AIMED AT TRANSFORMING THEM INTO PROFICIENT READERS, CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS AND PUBLISHED AUTHORS.

Income
$1.8 million
Spending
$1.8 million
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
1.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 64%
Employees
18
Volunteers
65
Highest pay
$118,242, 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

Fair: 58 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 32% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no 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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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 (4)
  1. $579,034 spent. 916 INK RECRUITED 23 AMERICORPS MEMBERS TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES. MEMBERS SUPPORTED STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE SACRAMENTO REGION IN THEIR EDUCTIONAL JOURNEY. AMERICORPS MEMBERS RECEIVED MORE THAN 3,000 HOURS OF TRAINING AND COACHING IN SUPPORT OF THEIR OWN PROFESSIONAL GOALS. AMERICORPS MEMBERS LEARN VALUABLE LIFE SKILLS THROUGH REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE. AMERICORPS MEMBERS WHO COMPLETE THEIR TERM OF SERVICE RECEIVE A SUBSTANTIAL EDUCATION AWARD WHICH CAN BE USED IN FUTUREEDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT.
  2. $477,407 spent. 916 INK SERVED 965 YOUTH THROUGH 54 CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP SERIESHELD ATCOMMUNITY PARTNER, SCHOOL SITES AND AT THE OUR CREATIVE WRITING CENTER, THEIMAGINARIUM. 916 INK PROGRAMS ARE PROVEN TO POSITIVELYIMPACT SELF-ESTEEM, WRITINGCONFIDENCE, PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT, AND OVERALL ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT. OUR PRE/POSTEVALUATION RESULTS SHOW THAT AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A WORKSHOP: 84 PERCENT OF STUDENTS IMPROVED ATTITUDES TOWARD ACADEMICS. ADDITIONALLY, 86 PERCENT IMPROVEIN TERMS OF SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. 916 INK PUBLISHED 32 ANTHOLOGIES OF STUDENT POETRY, PROSE AND STORIES. PUBLISHED YOUTH EXPERIENCE EMOTIONAL HEALTH GAINSAS THEY FIND THEIR VOICE, EXPRESS AND PROCESS DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, AND ARECELEBRATED FOR SHARING THEIR.STORIES THROUGH THE PUBLICATION OF THEIR BOOK.PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:RESILIENT-THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE, HOW THEY GOT HERE, AND CAN WRITE THEIR TICKET INTO A MORE POSITIVE FUTURE
  3. $311,146 spent. 916 INK ENGAGES YOUTH WITH LITERARY ARTS AND EMPOWERS THEM TO LOVE LANGUAGE AND STORIES. FREE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS SUCH AS WORK SQUAD, A DROP-IN PROGRAM FOR GRADES 3-6 AND AUTHOR'S LAB FOR GRADES 6-12, HELP YOUNG AUTHORS EXPLORE GENRES AND STRENGHTEN WRITING SKILLS ARE OFFERED AS WELL AS ONE-DAY WORKSHOPS WITH A GUEST ARTIST. AMPLIFY! IS A WEEK LONG WRITING SUMMER CAMP WITH WORKSHOPS, WRITING PROMPTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT EMPOWER YOUNG WRITERS TO TELL THEIR OWN STORIES.
  4. $166,195 spent. 916 INK SERVED 111 STUDENTS WITH ONE-ON-ONE LITERACY INSTRUCTION AT 4 SCHOOLS INSOUTH SACRAMENTO. READ ON! IS AN EFFECTIVE LITERACY TUTORING PROGRAM WHICH SEEKS TOREDUCE THE LITERACY GAP FOR STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS BEING BEHIND IN GRADE LEVEL READING. 100% OF STUDENTS SHOWED SOME GROWTH IN FOUNDATIONAL READING SKILLS. 21COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED MORE THAN 3,700 HOURS OF INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION.READ ON! IS A COLLABORATIVE LITERACY SOLUTION THAT WILL SUPPORT POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME

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

  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 June 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 March 2014.

    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.