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Los Angeles Review of Books

EIN 90-0977045 · Los Angeles, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceGood84 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PROMOTE WRITING, READING, CRITICISM AND INTELLECTUAL DISCUSSION, TEACHING AND LEARNING.

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$995,264
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
14.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 58%
Employees
18
Volunteers
13

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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 91% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 14.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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: 84 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    22 of 22 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.

  • 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 (5)
  1. $295,402 spent. WEBSITE PROGRAM - A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL INTERACTIVE WEBSITE CONTAINING BOOK REVIEWS, ESSAYS, ART, PODCASTS, AND SHORT FILMS OF LITERARY AND CULTURAL INTEREST.
  2. $206,412 spent. PRINT PUBLICATION PROGRAM - THE PRINT PUBLICATION PROGRAM INCLUDES THE LARB QUARTERLY JOURNAL, A JOURNAL OF LITERATURE, ART, AND CRITICISM, FEATURING IMPORTANT ESTABLISHED AND EMERGING ARTISTS AND WRITERS, AND LARB: THE MAGAZINE, A TABLOID FEATURING MATERIAL FROM THE WEBSITE AND SOME ORIGINAL POETRY, FICTION, AND FEATURES, EACH IS PUBLISHED 4 TIMES A YEAR.
  3. $237,077 spent. LARB PUBLISHING WORKSHOP - THE LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS PUBLISHING WORKSHOP IS AN IMMERSIVE, COLLABORATIVE PUBLISHING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EQUIP STUDENTS AND INNOVATORS WITH SKILLS IN BOTH DIGITAL AND PRINT PUBLISHING, LEADING TO CAREERS IN AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FIELDS OF EDITING AND PUBLISHING IN TODAY'S WORLD.
  4. $87,424 spent. AUDIO-VISUAL PROGRAM - THE AUDIO-VISUAL PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED BY THE DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT AND TO ATTRACT AUDIENCES FOR WHOM SUCH MEDIA ARE IMPORTANT SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND OPINION. IT INCLUDES THE BUILDING OF A FILM LIBRARY OF AUTHOR INTERVIEWS AND OTHER LITERARY AND CULTURAL SUBJECTS, A LIBRARY OF PODCASTS AVAILABLE ON LARB WEBSITE, A YOUTUBE CHANNEL, ITUNES SUBSCRIPTION AND DOWNLOAD, AND OTHER ONLINE VENUES, AND A WEEKLY RADIO SHOW CALLED THE LARB RADIO HOUR.
  5. $1,517 spent. LARB BOOKS PROGRAM - LARB BOOKS IS THE PUBLISHING WING OF THE LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS. THIS PUBLISHING PROJECT EXTENDS LARB'S MISSION OF BRINGING THE BEST THAT IS THOUGHT AND WRITTEN TO READERS AROUND THE WORLD.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 2013.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.

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