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Seattle Arts and Lectures Inc

EIN 91-1384964 · Seattle, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood81 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEATTLE ARTS AND LECTURES CULTIVATES TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES THROUGH STORY AND LANGUAGE WITH READERS AND WRITERS OF ALL GENERATIONS.

Income
$3.5 million
Spending
$3.5 million
Spent on programs
65%
Reserves
9.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 47%
Employees
18
Volunteers
64
Highest pay
$186,586, executive director

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: 81 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    65% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 25 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. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    19 of 19 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 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 (8)
  1. $996,648 spent. YOUTH PROGRAMS/WRITERS IN THE SCHOOLS (WITS) - DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION'S AWARD-WINNING LITERARY ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM, WRITERS IN THE SCHOOLS (WITS), DEDICATED TO INSPIRING STUDENTS AND IMPROVING READING AND WRITING IN PUBLIC K-12 CLASSROOMS AND HOSPITAL ROOMS THROUGH ON-SITE, RESIDENCIES WITH LOCAL PROFESSIONAL WRITERS. FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, WITS DIRECTLY SERVED APPROXIMATELY 6,008 STUDENTS AND 121 TEACHERS AT 37 PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN SEATTLE: HIGHLINE, LAKE WASHINGTON, SNOQUALMIE VALLEY, AND PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AS WELL AS TWO HOSPITAL-BASED PROGRAMS AT SEATTLE CHILDREN'S.
  2. $670,611 spent. SAL PRESENTS (INCLUDING ENCORE) - A DIVERSE PROGRAM FEATURING TIMELY, TOPICAL CONVERSATIONS WITH AUTHORS, ARTISTS, AND THINKERS PROMOTING NEW BOOKS, AS WELL AS FREE EVENTS FOCUSED ON RACIAL EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, SAL ISSUED 17,078 TICKETS AND AN ESTIMATED 20,031 ATTENDED IN-PERSON OR VIRTUALLY.
  3. $345,103 spent. LITERARY ARTS SERIES - THE ORGANIZATION'S HALLMARK PROGRAM, THE LITERARY ARTS SERIES IS ONE OF THE PREMIER LITERARY SERIES IN THE NATION PRESENTING ORIGINAL TALKS WITH THE LEADING FICTION AND NON-FICTION WRITERS OF OUR TIME. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, MOST PROGRAMS WERE PRODUCED BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUALLY. A TOTAL OF 9,366 TICKETS WERE ISSUED AND ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE WAS 11,329, AS MANY COUPLES OR FAMILIES PURCHASED ONE TICKET TO WATCH VIRTUALLY FROM HOME.
  4. $128,919 spent. COMMUNITY CURATED SERIES - SAL'S THREE-PART SERIES SHOWCASES LOCAL BIPOC WRITERS AND ENGAGES NEW AND EXISTING AUDIENCES BY BRINGING THAT YEAR'S CURATOR'S VISION FOR A SERIES TO LIFE. LAST YEAR'S SERIES CURATOR WAS AUTHORTED CHAING. FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, SAL ISSUED 2,355 TICKETS AND ESTIMATED 2,668 PEOPLE ATTENDED IN-PERSON OR VIRTUALLY.
  5. $72,668 spent. MEET CUTE SERIES - THIS SERIES SHARED AUTHORS THAT FOCUS ON THE ROMANCE GENRE IN THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2025, THE ORGANIZATION ISSUED 1,546 TICKETS AND ESTIMATED 1,780 PEOPLE ATTENDED IN-PERSON OR VIRTUALLY.
  6. $63,480 spent. POETRY SERIES - THIS SERIES ENSURES THAT THIS ESSENTIAL LITERARY FORM THRIVES ON ALL LEVELS IN THIS COMMUNITY BY PRESENTING THE BEST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL CONTEMPORARY POETS FOR READINGS AND CONVERSATIONS. IN THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, THE ORGANIZATION ISSUED 1,564 TICKETS AND ESTIMATED 1,879 PEOPLE ATTENDED IN-PERSON OR VIRTUALLY.
  7. $20,382 spent. YOUTH POET LAUREATE (YPL) - SAL'S YOUTH PROGRAMS ALSO HOSTED THE SEATTLE YOUTH POET LAUREATE PROGRAM IN COLLABORATION WITH URBAN WORLD FROM NYC, MENTORING A COHORT OF 10 WRITERS AND SUPPORTING SEATTLE YOUTH POET LAUREATE IN COMMUNITY WIDE LEADERSHIP, SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES AND THE PUBLICATION OF THEIR FIRST BOOK. THE YPL PROGRAM AIMS TO IDENTIFY YOUTH WRITERS AND LEADERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO POETY, PERFORMACNE, CIVIL AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, EDUCATION AND EQUITY ACROSS THE PUGET SOUND REGION.
  8. SUMMER BOOK BINGO - A FREE SUMMER READING PROGRAM FOR ADULTS AND KIDS, PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE KING COUNTY LIBRARY. THIS PROGRAM ENGAGED 1,584 READERS FROM OUR REGION IN READING OVER 22,000 BOOKS IN THE SUMMER OF 2025.

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 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 June 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 October 1992.

    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.

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