Clarion West
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Clarion West's mission is to support emerging and underrepresented voices by providing writers with world-class instruction to empower their creation of wild and amazing worlds. Through conversation and public engagement, we bring those voices to an ever-expanding community.
- Income
- $522,641
- Spending
- $472,165
- Spent on programs
- 56%
- Reserves
- 8.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 62%
- Employees
- 10
- Volunteers
- 25
- Highest pay
- $83,600, executive dir.
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
Good: 86 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 82% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1556% 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: 91 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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
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, 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 (1)
- $265,189 spent. In 2025, Clarion West held 22 free public events, including alumni writing sessions, author events, open mics, and alumni readings. Seven of these events were held in-person around the Greater Seattle Area, including at Third Place Commons in Lake Forest Park, Common Objects Seattle, Seattle Public Library Central Location, Hugo House Seattle, and Magnuson Park Amphitheater. We also held several low-cost classes and workshops for writers in-person. Across all of our programs so far this year, the organization had 1,873 program participants. The free summer reading series had 309 attendees and two of these were held as hybrid events, with readers in Indiana and New York. We launched a Novel Writing Workshop this year, focusing on bringing 12 emerging writers from an initial idea to a full first draft of their novel. The application process was highly competitive and participants feel that the program has been successful, with 9 out of 12 participants completing their novel drafts within the first 10 months. Clarion West has held its signature six-week intensive writing workshop for the 43rd year. This year, we used a new format that aimed to improve the virtual experience and better assist writers through the intensive boot-camp style program. The overall consensus was that this format led to better outcomes. One participant wrote, Attending Clarion West was a wonderful experience! I felt very nurtured and my classmates, instructors and facilitators, challenged me to do better. CW made me a more confident and thoughtful writer.
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
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 December 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 October 1991.
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.