Litarts Ri
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
LitArts RI, formerly What Cheer Writers Club, supports Rhode Island's creators of the written, spoken and illustrated word through community events, free and low-cost business services, and discounted coworking space. As an umbrella organization, we serve as a centralized community connecting content creators, fans and literary organizations state-wide.Our mission is to elevate the content arts in our state by providing accessible workshops and community gatherings where writers can feel supported and known by fellow creatives and patrons of the arts. In addition, we seek to burnish Rhode Island's reputation as a literary destinationa place where content creators thrive.
- Income
- $327,897
- Spending
- $327,808
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- 0.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 87%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $73,999, program director
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
Fair: 51 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 63% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1568% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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: 71 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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)
- $224,543 spent. LitArts RI supports Rhode Island writers and contributes to the state's arts ecosystem. The organization operates an award-winning Center in Providence offering creative workspace designed for writers, meeting rooms, an audio arts studio, and a local author library. LitArts RI programming includes over a dozen local writing groups, craft workshops led by local teaching artists, professional development practicums for writers. In addition, the organization holds community events such as write-ins and spoken word events at external venues including local bookshops and arts organizations. In 2024, program highlights included a Writing + Wellness Resource Fair in which LitArts RI brough the community together to support writers and help them find the resources they need to thrive. LitArts RI also debuted Writers Like Us, a day of free programming designed by and for BIPOC creatives. The organization offered professional development through Build Your Creative Capital, an application support day for writers, and finished out the year with a panel on Queries, Proposals and Publishing for Writers of Genre. In addition, LitArts RI hosted 22 writing workshops, 15 writing groups and showcased the work of over 200 local artists.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2019.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.