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Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop

EIN 47-1890824 · St Paul, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceGood86 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

MINNESOTA PRISON WRITING WORKSHOP (MPWW) PROVIDES CREATIVE WRITING EDUCATION AND OTHER ARTS SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS INCARCERATED IN MINNESOTA STATE PRISONS.

Income
$643,495
Spending
$668,411
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
20.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 59%
Employees
5
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$5,000, president

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

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 20.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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

Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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

    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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 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 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 (10)
  1. $208,547 spent. CREATIVE WRITING CLASSESTAUGHT CREATIVE WRITING COURSES IN 8 MINNESOTA STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. 29 FULL 10-15 WEEK LONG COURSES TAUGHT IN 2024, PLUS GUEST TEACHERS AND SHORTER COURSES. ESTIMATED 600 STUDENTS TAUGHT IN 2024.
  2. $83,854 spent. RE-ENTRYSUPPORTED WRITERS' TRANSITION FROM PRISON TO COMMUNITY THROUGH BOTH MATERIAL AND IMMATERIAL MEANS (NETWORKING, CONSULTATIONS, ETC.
  3. $19,476 spent. PUBLIC ARTPRODUCED AND PUBLISHED THE ART OF INCARCERATED MINNESOTANS, MOST NOTABLY BY SUPPORTING AMERICAN PRECARIAT, AN ANTHOLOGY EDITED ENTIRELY BY INCARCERATED PEOPLE, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED BY COFFEE HOUSE PRESS IN 2023.
  4. $32,900 spent. PUBLIC READINGS AND EVENTSHOSTED A NUMBER OF PUBLIC EVENTS AT WHICH THE WRITING OF INCARCERATED MINNESOTANS WAS FEATURED AND DISSEMINATED BROADLY. EVENTS WERE BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL.
  5. $23,524 spent. MENTOR PROGRAMFACILITATED A ONE TO ONE MAIL MENTOR PROGRAM, IN WHICH INCARCERATED WRITERS RECEIVED PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK ON THEIR WORK FROM EXPERT WRITERS AND MENTORS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY.
  6. $13,867 spent. WRITERS COLLECTIVESSPONSORED "WRITERS COLLECTIVES," SELF ORGANIZED GROUPS OF INCARCERATED WRITERS WHO MEET REGULARLY TO SHARE WORK, DISCUSS, READINGS, AND PLAN LITERARY EVENTS.
  7. $15,206 spent. LETTERPRESS BROADSIDESPUBLISHED LETTERPRESS BROADSIDES FEATURING ARTISTIC ADAPTATIONS OF MPWW STUDENT WORK.
  8. $38,053 spent. ANNUAL STUDENT JOURNALPRODUCED AN ANTHOLOGY OF STUDENT WRITING FOR INTERNAL CONSUMPTION, EDITED AND CURATED BY INCARCERATED EDITORS.
  9. FISCAL SPONSORSHIPFISCALLY SPONSORED NON-INCORPORATED ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING AND SERVING INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.
  10. $38,379 spent. MUSIC STUDIO OPERATED A MUSIC STUDIO INSIDE FARIBAULT PRISON, IN WHICH INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS ARE TRAINED IN STUDIO PRODUCTION AND WRITERS ARE ABLE TO PRODUCE AUDIO RECORDINGS OF THEIR OWN WORK.

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 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 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 February 2015.

    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.

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