Council of Literary Magazines and Presses
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE COUNCIL OF LITERARY MAGAZINES AND PRESSES SERVES ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE SEGMENTS OF AMERICAN ARTS AND CULTURE: THE INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS OF EXCEPTIONAL FICTION, POETRY AND PROSE. THE COUNCIL OF LITERARY MAGAZINES AND PRESSES ACCOMPLISH THE BACKSTAGE WORK OF AMERICAN LITERATURE: DISCOVERING NEW WRITERS, SUPPORTING MID-CAREER WRITERS, PUBLISHING THE CREATIVE VOICES OF COMMUNITIES UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE MAIN STREAM COMMERCIAL CULTURE, AND PRESERVING LITERATURE FOR FUTURE READERS BY KEEPING BOOKS IN PRINT.
- Income
- $1.5 million
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- 11.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 66%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 11
- Highest pay
- $154,387, executive di
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: 77 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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 2511 of 11 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 (3)
- $1.2 million spent. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO INDEPENDENT LITERARY PUBLISHERS: PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO INDEPENDENT LITERARY PUBLISHERS IS OUR CORE PROGRAM. IT INCLUDES SEVERAL REGRANT PROGRAMS, ONE ON ONE MEETINGS WITH PUBLISHERS TO HELP WITH THINGS INCLUDING MARKETING, FUNDRAISING, AND OTHER PUBLISHING AND NONPROFIT ISSUES, A REGULAR SERIES OF VIRTUAL AND LIVE ROUNDTABLES, A SERIES OF TECHINCAL ASSISTANCE PUBLICATIONS AND PRODUCTS, AND A MARKETING PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF LITERARY JOURNALS IN COURSE CURRICULA. CLMP'S TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SERVES MORE THAN 500 SMALL PUBLISHERS ANNUALLY.
- $152,900 spent. MEMBERSHIP SERVICE: CLMP PROVIDES SERVICES TO MORE THAN 500 INDEPENDENT LITERARY PUBLISHERS. WE CONDUCT AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE, MODERATE AND ARCHIVE THREE LISTSERVES, COMPILE AN ANNUAL DIRECTORY OF INDEPENDENT LITERARY PUBLISHERS AND WORK TO COORDINATE PUBLISHERS TO SHARE RESOURCES, NETWORK, AND COME TOGETHER AS A SINGLE COMMUNITY SERVING LITERATURE.
- $154,551 spent. PUBLIC PROGRAMS: CLMP'S PUBLIC PROGRAMS INCLUDE AN ANNUAL LITERARY WRITERS CONFERENCE, NATIONAL SMALL PRESS AND LITERARY MAGAZINE FAIRS (INCLUDING READINGS AND PANEL DISCUSSIONS), AND READING / DISCUSSION EVENTS SUCH AS THE "PERIODICALLY SPEAKING" SERIES AT THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY. MANY OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE THEN MADE AVAILALE TO A LARGER PUBLIC THROUGH THE WEB, IN WRITTEN DOCUMENTS AND IN AUDIO/VIDEO ARCHIVES.
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 September 1967.
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.