Overview
What is The Poetry Center?
The Poetry Center is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization located at 1448 E 52nd Street 256, Illinois 60615. Its primary mission is to connect people with poetry and promote creative literacy within the community and beyond. The organization achieves this goal through several programs, including Poetry Residencies, where Chicago poet/teaching artists engage with students in weekly sessions, improving their reading and writing skills. The Pop Up Poetry program, on the other hand, is a touring poetry performance that engages audiences in interactive games and workshops. For younger students, The Poetry Center offers Queen Zees Poetry Adventures, a free streaming series of lessons. Additionally, they host a monthly Blue Hour Reading & Workshop Series featuring local, national, and international writers. The organization also partners with various organizations across Chicago to provide public poetry events. An essential aspect of The Poetry Center is its online archive, which features information and resources on every poet who has performed for the center since its founding in 1974. Lastly, the Critical Conversations @ Work program is an inclusion-centered anti-racism initiative designed for workplaces and organizations. With a dedicated team of 12 employees, The Poetry Center continues to enrich the literary landscape of Chicago and beyond by fostering creative literacy and connecting people with poetry.
Official website here: www.poetrycenter.org
What are the reviews and ratings of this charity?
Charity Navigator Rating: 96%, Four-Star out of Four Star Rating
The Poetry Center has achieved a 96% score, reflecting a strong commitment to accountability and finance, which is the sole factor contributing to its Four-Star rating. This high score indicates robust financial practices and transparency, evidenced by the charity's independent board consisting entirely of 14 members, a marked strength in governance.
The organization demonstrates impressive fiscal management, with a low liabilities-to-assets ratio of 3.34% and a program expense ratio of 71.22%. This suggests that a substantial portion of their expenditures is allocated directly to their programs, emphasizing their focus on mission-driven initiatives. Additionally, the presence of comprehensive policies—including conflict of interest, whistleblower protections, and document retention—further supports their operational integrity.
No significant limitations are noted in the available data, showcasing a well-structured organization that adheres to best practices in financial reporting and governance. Overall, The Poetry Center stands out as a responsible and effective nonprofit.
This AI summary has been generated from information found on Charity Navigator.
Is The Poetry Center legitimate?
The Poetry Center is a legitimate nonprofit organization registered as a 501(c)(3) entity. The Poetry Center submitted a form 990, which is a tax form used by tax-exempt organizations in the U.S., indicating its operational transparency and adherence to regulatory requirements. Donations to this organization are tax deductible.
Heare are some key statistics you may want to consider:
Executive Compensation: $125,302
Professional Fundraising Fees: $0
Other Salaries and Wages: $127,313
For more financial information, click here
Official website here: www.poetrycenter.org
What is the mission statement of The Poetry Center?
The Poetry Center's mission is centered around connecting people with poetry and promoting creative literacy. It strives to equitably engage poets within communities, thereby fostering a deeper appreciation for poetry and literature. The organization's activities include poetry residencies in schools, pop-up poetry performances, and workshops, all aimed at improving literacy skills and boosting confidence in students. Additionally, it offers a streaming series of poetry lessons for young learners, hosts monthly reading series, and partners with various organizations to provide poetry events. Moreover, The Poetry Center has an online archive and education resource, providing information on numerous poets. Furthermore, it offers an inclusion-centered anti-racism program for workplaces, utilizing contemporary poetry to facilitate crucial conversations.
Official website here: www.poetrycenter.org
What is the revenue of The Poetry Center?
The Poetry Center's revenue in 2024 was $699,434.
Official website here: www.poetrycenter.org
Who are the executives of The Poetry Center and what are their salaries?
The average compensation at The Poetry Center during 2024 was $22,965. There are 11 employees and 14 volunteers at The Poetry Center.
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Official website here: www.poetrycenter.org
Where can I find the form 990 for The Poetry Center?
The Poetry Center's most recent form 990 was submitted in 2024 and can be accessed here.
Official website here: www.poetrycenter.org
Learn more at the official website: www.poetrycenter.org
Mission Statement of The Poetry Center
The Poetry Center, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to bridging the gap between people and poetry. Its mission is threefold: firstly, to equitably involve poets in communities, fostering a sense of connection and engagement. Secondly, the center strives to promote creative literacy, nurturing a love for poetry and literature in its city and beyond. Lastly, The Poetry Center seeks to empower individuals through its programs, inspiring confidence and self-expression.
To achieve its mission, The Poetry Center implements various initiatives. One such program is the creative literacy residency in Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Metro Area, where the organization hires local poet-teaching artists to conduct multi-week residencies. Through weekly sessions, students engage in reading, writing, discussing, and performing poetry, ultimately improving their reading and writing skills, building confidence, and affirming their voices.
Additionally, The Poetry Center offers Pop Up Poetry, a touring and custom-built performance poetry program. This initiative features three performance poets in an interactive round-robin style poetry slam, engaging audiences with educational components and interactive games. The center also hosts Queen Zee's Poetry Adventures, a free streaming series of poetry lessons for students in grades 2-5, complete with student workbooks and teacher lesson plans.
The Poetry Center's Blue Hour Reading & Workshop Series is a monthly, free event featuring emerging and established writers, offering both a public reading and a generative writing workshop. The organization also collaborates with various organizations across Chicago to provide public poetry events, both in-person and online.
Moreover, The Poetry Center maintains an online poetry archive and education resource, showcasing a page for every poet who has read for the Poetry Center's reading series since its inception in 1974. This resource offers streaming audio, reading information, and additional resources on each writer.
Lastly, The Poetry Center offers Critical Conversations @ Work, an inclusion-centered anti-racism program aimed at workplaces and organizations for employee, volunteer, and board member training. Utilizing contemporary poetry, this program facilitates crucial and challenging conversations in workplaces, promoting inclusivity and understanding.
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Impact
July, 2024
The Poetry Center's impact is far-reaching and profound. Through programs like Poetry Residencies, Pop Up Poetry, Queen Zees Poetry Adventures, Blue Hour Reading & Workshop Series, Literary Life Programs, Online Archive + Education Resource, and Critical Conversations @ Work, The Poetry Center is actively fostering creative literacy, engaging poets with communities, and affirming the voices of young Chicagoans. Their work not only improves reading and writing skills but also builds confidence and creates a space for important and challenging conversations. This organization's dedication to connecting people with poetry is not only evident in Chicago but reaches far beyond, leaving a lasting impact on all who engage with their programs.
This information is meant to be a general summary of The Poetry Center. Please take the time to review official sources before making any decisions based upon the content provided here.
Financials
This financial information is from Propublica.
Other financial information:
This information is from the most recently submitted tax form from this organization, which was in 2024.
- Investment Income: $597
- Program Service Revenue: $174,519
- Gross Receipts: $699,434
Assets and Liabilities:
- Total Assets: $515,023
- Total Liabilities: $17,247
- Net Assets: $497,776
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Programs
Programs are reported by nonprofits in their tax forms and are normally their tax-exempt activities.
Program Fees
Revenue
$174,519
Organization Details
Founding Year
2006
Principal Officer
Elizabeth Sampson
Website
www.poetrycenter.orgNTEE Category
Code: A70 - Arts
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