irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $189KREADINGS ARE HOSTED VIRTUALLY AND IN VENUES ACROSS NEW YORK CITY. FOUR READING SERIES FEATURE RECENT PUBLICATIONS (NEW WORKS), DEBUT COLLECTIONS (FIRST BOOKS), TALKS WITH PREEMINENT POETS (IN CONVERSATION), AN ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM (LEGACY SERIES), AND MORE.
- #2 $122KREGIONAL WORKSHOPS ACROSS THE U.S. PROVIDE EMERGING ADULT POETS A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE RIGOROUS INSTRUCTION WITH ACCOMPLISHED POETS.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Cave Canem Annual Retreat
Week-long residency for 54 African American poets held annually at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, offering workshops, readings, and community building with renowned faculty
Cave Canem Poetry Prize
Annual prize that publishes a first book of poetry by an African American poet, amplifying new voices in American literature
Legacy Series
Annual symposium and reading series featuring conversations with prominent poets, celebrating the contributions of established Black poets
Regional Workshops
Workshops across the U.S. providing emerging adult poets with rigorous instruction from accomplished poets
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Literary Events & Workshops 4 activities
- Conducts regional poetry workshops for Black poetsOffers free, ten-session regional workshops across the U.S. led by accomplished poets, providing instruction, critique, and field introduction for emerging adult Black poets, with nearly 1,000 participants since 1999.
- Hosts annual public events to launch prize-winning collections and honor literary legaciesOrganizes an annual public reading to launch the debut collection of the Cave Canem Prize winner and hosts Legacy Conversations to honor eminent Black poets and scholars, with recordings archived at Yale University’s Beinecke Library.
- Hosts annual week-long retreat for Black poetsOperates an annual week-long writing residency at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg for approximately 50 Black poets, featuring intensive poetry workshops and readings with renowned faculty.
- Organizes public readings and literary eventsHosts public readings, literary conversations, and an annual symposium in New York City and virtually, featuring new works, debut collections, and prominent Black poets and scholars.
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Artist Support Grants 3 activities
- Awards annual prizes for debut and chapbook poetry collections by Black poetsFunds the annual Cave Canem Prize, which includes a $10,000 award and publication through a partner press for a debut poetry collection, and the Derricotte/Eady Chapbook Prize, which includes a $1,000 award, publication, a residency, and a featured reading.
- Awards grants to Cave Canem Fellows and Faculty for artistic developmentProvides $500 individual grants to Cave Canem Fellows and Faculty to support poetic pursuits and artistic development initiatives.
- Collaborates on biennial prize for second poetry collections by Black poetsPartners with Northwestern University Press to award a biennial prize for a second poetry collection by a Black poet, supporting the continued literary development of established voices.
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Archival Digitization and Preservation 1 activity
- Establishes digital archive of Black poetry community materialsCreated the Cave Canem Digital Collections in 2024, a growing repository of digitized and born-digital materials including oral histories, audiovisual recordings, photographs, manuscripts, and ephemera reflecting the organization's history and community.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Conducts research on Black literary arts organizationsConducted a field study titled Magnitude and Bond to assess organizational needs, strategies, and sustainability models among Black literary arts organizations, with findings presented at public events in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
- Provides subscription to literary journal for new FellowsOffers a one-year subscription to Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora to all new Cave Canem Fellows as part of their fellowship benefits.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$5.06M
Contributions & grants$5.03M99%
Program service revenue$10K0%
Investment income$14K0%
Other revenue$6K
expenses
Total expenses$2.16M
Program expenses56%
Admin / overhead26%
Fundraising18%
Salaries & benefits$1.05M
Grants paid out$37K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.11M
Cash$814K
Investments$213K
Liabilities$69K
Net assets$4.04M
Liquid reserves5.7 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +190.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELISHA WILLIS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $167K |
| DANTE MICHEAUX | PROGRAM DIRECTOR | 40 | $120K |
board members · 13
- ALLEN A DREXEL ESQ — SECRETARY
- CORNELIUS EADY — VICE PRESIDENT
- DAWN LUNDY MARTIN — BOARD MEMBER
- HAO WANG — TREASURER
- JANET SARBAUGH — BOARD MEMBER
- KELLY DAVIS — BOARD MEMBER
- KWAME DAWES — BOARD MEMBER
- LYNNE THOMPSON — BOARD MEMBER
- NOVELLA FORD — BOARD MEMBER
- ROBERT POLITO — BOARD MEMBER
- TERI CROSS DAVIS — BOARD MEMBER
- TOI DERRICOTTE — BOARD MEMBER
- TYEHIMBA JESS — PRESIDENT
relationships · 21
Who they work with
- Black Lawrence Press Partner — Collaborates on the Derricotte/Eady Chapbook Prize with multi-year partnership.
- Black Lawrence Press Partner — Publisher for manuscripts awarded the Derricotte/Eady Chapbook Prize.
- Community of Writers Partner — Provides three annual scholarships for Cave Canem Fellows to attend the Community of Writers Poetry Program.
- Fine Arts Work Center Partner — Offers four scholarships for Cave Canem Fellows to attend week-long summer workshops, covering tuition, housing, and providing a $500 travel/food stipend.
- Getting Word: Black Literature for Black Liberation Partner — Working group members from this organization collaborated with Cave Canem and Ithaka S+R on the Magnitude and Bond study.
- Graywolf Press Partner — Partner publisher for the Cave Canem Prize, responsible for publishing winning manuscripts.
- Ithaka S+R Partner — Collaborated with Cave Canem on the research design and execution of the field study Magnitude and Bond.
- Northwestern University Press Partner — Collaborates with Cave Canem to publish winning manuscripts of the Angela Jackson Prize.
- O, Miami Festival Partner — Hosts a featured reading for the recipient of the Derricotte/Eady Chapbook Prize.
- Sewanee Writers’ Conference Partner — Offers an annual poetry fellowship to one Cave Canem Fellow, waiving the $2,000 attendance cost and providing opportunities for teaching and manuscript consultations.
- The Wallace Foundation Funder — Provided financial support for the Magnitude and Bond research study and its dissemination.
- The Writer’s Room at The Betsy Hotel-South Beach Partner — Provides a residency to the recipient of the Derricotte/Eady Chapbook Prize.
- University of Georgia Press Partner — Partner publisher for the Cave Canem Prize, responsible for publishing winning manuscripts.
- University of Georgia Press Partner — Publication partner for the Cave Canem Prize, publishing winning manuscripts.
- University of Pittsburgh Press Partner — Partner publisher for the Cave Canem Prize, responsible for publishing winning manuscripts.
- University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg Partner — Hosts Cave Canem's flagship annual retreat program since 2003.
- University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg Partner — Hosts the organization's annual week-long writing residency for African American poets.
- University of Pittsburgh | Greensburg Partner — Hosts the annual Cave Canem retreat.
- University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg Partner — Hosts the annual Cave Canem retreat.
- Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Partner — Archives recordings of Cave Canem’s Legacy Conversations.
- Yale’s Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library Partner — Houses the Cave Canem Foundation Records, including organizational archives, oral histories, manuscripts, and photographs.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Centered Artistic Development Through Immersive Mentorshipmethodology: community_based_mentorshipBy providing immersive retreats that combine faculty mentorship with peer community building, we foster artistic growth and professional resilience among Black poets because sustained, culturally-grounded support produces deeper creative engagement and retention than isolated workshops or grants alone.
- Cultural Preservation Through Archival Access and Public Engagementmethodology: cultural_preservationBy preserving African American poetry and making it accessible to scholars and the public, we strengthen cultural continuity and expand recognition of Black literary contributions because archival stewardship ensures intergenerational transmission and counters historical marginalization in mainstream literary canons.
- Culturally-Affirming Creative Community as Restorative Practicemethodology: culturally_affirming_restorative_practiceBy creating intentionally inclusive spaces where Black poets are not required to explain their cultural context, we enable authentic expression and healing because poetic practice grounded in cultural lineage and mutual understanding serves as a restorative act that counters systemic erasure and tokenization.
- Equitable Access and Economic Empowerment of Black Poetsmethodology: economic_empowerment_through_professional_developmentBy advancing professional networks and establishing sustainable compensation standards, we increase economic equity in the literary field because fair pay and career infrastructure enable long-term artistic sustainability for Black poets who have historically been underpaid or unpaid.