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Graywolf Press

EIN 91-1257237 · Minneapolis, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

GRAYWOLF PRESS PUBLISHES RISK-TAKING, VISIONARY WRITERS WHO TRANSFORM CULTURE THROUGH LITERATURE. WHEN WRITERS ARE FREE TO DO THEIR MOST AMBITIOUS WORK, THEIR BOOKS SERVE AS PORTALS TO NEW POSSIBILITIES AND ENABLE DEEPER UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN PEOPLE. READERS ARE CHANGED BY GRAYWOLF'S BOOKS, WHICH ARE FEARLESSLY ACQUIRED, ATTENTIVELY EDITED, AND ENERGETICALLY PROMOTED.

Income
$3.3 million
Spending
$4.1 million
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
8.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
other income, 57%
Employees
20
Volunteers
21
Highest pay
$206,205, director/publisher

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 20% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 24% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 15% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    75% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 33 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    21 of 21 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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, 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. $806,224 spent. EDITORIAL SERVICES. GRAYWOLF EDITORS CONTINUE TO SEEK SINGULAR WORK THAT IS ENGAGED WITH CONTEMPORARY ISSUES OF OUR TIME, AS WELL AS VOICES, STORIES, AND GENRES THAT ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN COMMERCIAL PUBLISHING. EDITORS ACQUIRED 25 NEW MANUSCRIPTS IN 2025. WE ARE GRATIFIED BY AWARDS THAT DEMONSTRATE THE EXCELLENCE OF OUR PUBLISHING PROGRAM. IN 2025, DANEZ SMITH'S BLUFF WAS RECOGNIZED AS A FINALIST FOR THE PULITZER PRIZE IN POETRY, THE ANISFIELD-WOLF BOOK AWARD, AND THE HEARTLAND BOOKSELLERS AWARD, AND WAS ON THE LONGLIST FOR THE BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK PRIZE. BLUFF WON THE MINNESOTA BOOK AWARD FOR POETRY, AND GRAYWOLF'S FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY ANTHOLOGY, RAISED BY WOLVES, WAS A FINALIST IN THE ANTHOLOGY CATEGORY. DOBBY GIBSON WON THE FOUR QUARTETS PRIZE FROM THE POETRY SOCIETY OF AMERICA FOR A POEM SEQUENCE FROM HOLD EVERYTHING. ADDITIONALLY, SHUBHA SUNDER'S OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING WON THE NEW AMERICAN VOICES AWARD AT FALL FOR THE BOOK AND WAS A FINALIST FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE
  2. $1.3 million spent. PRODUCTION. IN 2025, GRAYWOLF PUBLISHED 29 TITLES FEATURING THE WORK OF 35 AUTHORS AND TRANSLATORS. WE REACHED ABOUT 890,000 READERS WITH JUST OVER 700 TITLES IN PRINT. GRAYWOLF WORKS TO KEEP OUR BOOKS IN PRINT AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, OUR BOOKS ARE RELEASED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN PRINT AND EBOOK EDITIONS, AND OUR BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE IN BOOKSTORES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WELL AS ONLINE.
  3. $967,515 spent. PROMOTION AND MARKETING SERVICES. GRAYWOLF PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ADVANCING OUR WRITERS' PROFESSIONAL CAREERS BY PROVIDING DYNAMIC PUBLICITY AND MARKETING. WE ARE COMMITTED TO FINDING A BROAD AUDIENCE FOR EACH PUBLICATION. OUR AUTHORS PARTICIPATED IN APPROXIMATELY 260 VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON EVENTS IN 2025. IN 2025, OUR BOOKS RECEIVED HUNDREDS OF MEDIA HITS, INCLUDING SEVEN REVIEWS IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, FOUR REVIEWS IN THE NEW YORKER, SIX REVIEWS IN THE WASHINGTON POST, TWO INTERVIEWS ON NPR AND NPR.ORG, AND SEVEN REVIEWS IN VULTURE, ALONG WITH 40 "BEST OF THE YEAR" MENTIONS ACROSS MULTIPLE VENUES FOR OUR 2025 TITLES. GRAYWOLF'S IMPACT EXTENDS BEYOND JUST THE NUMBER OF BOOKS SOLD, AS OUR BOOKS LEAD AND DEFINE NEW TRENDS, DEMONSTRATED BY AN EXTRAORDINARY RECORD OF AWARD ACHIEVEMENTS AND INCLUSION IN INDUSTRY LISTS CELEBRATING BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR, THE DECADE, AND EVEN THE CURRENT CENTURY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 July 1984.

    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.