irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $487KWEBSITE:LAUNCHED IN 1996, POETS.ORG IS THE AWARD-WINNING WEBSITE OF THE ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS. VISITORS TO POETS.ORG WILL FIND THOUSANDS OF POEMS, ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF POETS' BIOGRAPHIES, ESSAYS, INTERVIEWS, AND POETRY RECORDINGS, WITH NEW MATERIALS CONSTANTLY ADDED. ADDITIONALLY, THE SITE OFFERS RESOURCES SUCH AS A NATIONAL EVENTS CALENDAR AND POETRY LESSON PLANS FOR TEACHERS. WITH MORE THAN 17 MILLION VISITS EACH YEAR, POETS.ORG IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR POETRY WEBSITES ON THE INTERNET.
- #2 $184KTHE AMERICAN POETS MAGAZINE:LAUNCHED IN 1996, AMERICAN POETS MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED TWICE ANNUALLY, IN APRIL AND OCTOBER, EXCLUSIVELY FOR MEMBERS OF THE ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS. THIS MAGAZINE REACHES DEVOTED READERS AND WRITERS OF POETRY AND LITERATURE, STUDENTS OF POETRY, SOME OF THE MOST RENOWNED AND RESPECTED POETS OF OUR TIME, AND SOME OF THE NATION'S MOST GENEROUS PATRONS OF POETRY.
named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
American Poets Magazine
Biannual literary journal published exclusively for members, featuring poetry, interviews, and literary content
American Poets Prizes & Fellowships
Program awarding over $1 million annually to approximately 200 poets through various prizes and fellowships, including the Walt Whitman Award
Education Program
Provides free resources for K–12 teachers and students, including lesson plans, Teach This Poem, and the Dear Poet project
National Poetry Month
Annual celebration in April founded by the Academy in 1996 to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry across the United States
Poem-a-Day
Curated series publishing new poems by 260 poets annually, edited by guest editors and staff; serves as first publication venue for many new works
Poetry Coalition
National alliance of more than twenty-five poetry organizations coordinated by the Academy to advance the art of poetry
Poets.org
Online resource launched in 1996 offering thousands of poems, poet biographies, essays, interviews, poetry recordings, lesson plans, and a national events calendar; receives over 17 million visits annually
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Literary Events & Workshops 4 activities
- Advocating for poetry through large-scale public engagementThe Academy promotes poetry appreciation nationally by inaugurating and leading National Poetry Month since 1996, establishing it as the largest literary celebration in the world and fostering widespread cultural participation in poetry reading and writing.
- Hosting public literary programs and benefit readingsThe Academy hosts annual public programs including the Blaney Lecture on contemporary poetics, curated monthly poetry series by invited poets, and the free virtual benefit reading “Poetry & the Creative Mind,” which features actors, artists, and public figures supporting educational initiatives.
- Organizing National Poetry Month each AprilThe Academy organizes National Poetry Month every April since 1996, the largest literary celebration in the world, engaging thousands of organizations and tens of millions of people across the United States through free poetry resources, events, and community participation.
- Providing educational resources and programs for K–12 teachers and studentsThe Academy offers free educational resources including lesson plans aligned with Common Core standards, the Teach This Poem series, and the Dear Poet Project—a multimedia initiative inviting students in grades five through twelve to write letters in response to poems by award-winning poets. Resources are organized by theme, occasion, and social issues such as LGBTQ experiences and environmental justice.
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Literary and Cultural Publishing 2 activities
- Producing and distributing Poem-a-Day digital poetry seriesThe Academy produces Poem-a-Day, a daily digital series that publishes over 200 previously unpublished contemporary poems annually, along with poet commentary and classic poem features on weekends. The program distributes new poems each weekday and includes bilingual presentations of poems in translation.
- Publishing American Poets magazine for membersThe Academy publishes American Poets, a semiannual literary magazine released in April and October, featuring original essays, artwork, and commentary on contemporary poetry. Past features include re-examinations of Ai's Killing Floor and discussions of Janice Mirikitani’s archival presence.
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Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Funding poetry organizations and individual poets through grant programsThe Academy of American Poets funds poetry organizations, presses, and individual poets through multiple grant initiatives, including the Poetry Fund grant program, American Poets Prizes & Fellowships, and endowed awards. It awards over $1,000,000 annually to approximately 200 poets and supports first-book publication through the Walt Whitman Award.
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Accessibility Services for Cultural Programs 1 activity
- Supporting accessibility in virtual poetry programmingThe Academy provides guidance and best practices for making virtual poetry events accessible to people with disabilities, promoting inclusive participation in digital literary culture.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Operating Poets.org as a comprehensive online poetry resourcePoets.org is the Academy’s primary digital platform, offering access to over ten thousand poems, biographies of more than 3,000 poets, essays, interviews, poetry recordings, a national events calendar, and educational materials. The site receives over 17 million visits annually and serves readers, writers, educators, students, and poetry patrons nationwide.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.09M
Contributions & grants$2.44M79%
Program service revenue$189K6%
Investment income$449K15%
Other revenue$10K
expenses
Total expenses$5.28M
Program expenses82%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising8%
Salaries & benefits$1.29M
Grants paid out$2.32M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$17.33M
Cash$357K
Investments$14.07M
Liabilities$3.01M
Net assets$14.32M
Liquid reserves32.8 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -63.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICARDO MALDONADO | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 35 | $195K |
| LEONARD EJIOGU | VP OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRA | 35 | $180K |
| JEFFERY GLEAVES | DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT & CONTENT DIRECTOR | 35 | $127K |
| SHERYL WOODRUFF | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 35 | $112K |
board members · 20
- ALBERT LEE — DIRECTOR
- ALEXANDRA C JACKSON — SECRETARY
- ANDREW SCHIFF — TREASURER
- BRUNO NAVASKY — DIRECTOR
- CAMILLE LANNAN — DIRECTOR
- ELDA ROTOR — DIRECTOR
- ELIZABETH SOBOL — DIRECTOR
- ELLEN ADLER — DIRECTOR
- ERIC RAYMAN — DIRECTOR
- FREDERICK LUIS ALDAMA — DIRECTOR
- GABRIELLA PAGE-FORT — DIRECTOR
- GERALD RICHARDS — DIRECTOR
- JAMES JOHNSON — DIRECTOR
- LARRY BERGER — DIRECTOR
- MAURICE TEMPELSMAN — DIRECTOR
- ROSE STYRON — DIRECTOR
- SIDNEY CLIFTON — DIRECTOR
- TESS O'DWYER — CHAIR
- TRACIE D HALL — DIRECTOR
- WILLIAM D ZABEL — DIRECTOR
relationships · 37
Who they work with
- Bookshop.org Partner — Provides members with a 10% discount through a partnership with Bookshop.org.
- Cecilia Vicuña Partner — Featured poet in the July 2026 Poem-a-Day curation
- Freeport Folio Partner — Co-promotes open mic poetry events featuring nationally recognized poets.
- Guggenheim Museum Partner — Hosted the Academy's groundbreaking reading series beginning in 1963.
- James Baldwin Partner — Referenced poet and essayist discussed in the context of exile and creative practice
- Louise Bogan Charitable Trust Partner — Provided a legacy gift to establish an endowed award for poet-critics.
- Major Jackson Partner — Participates in poetry readings listed in the Academy's event directory.
- Marie Howe Partner — Recipient of the Golden Rose Award in Poetry, recognized by the Academy.
- Mark Nepo Partner — Leads weekend events on poetry and personal transformation listed in the Academy's directory.
- Marwa Helal Partner — Published the poem by Marwa Helal in Poem-a-Day.
- Meg Day Partner — Featured poet in the July 2026 Poem-a-Day curation
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Funding source for the Academy of American Poets' programs and publications.
- National Endowment for the Humanities Government — Funding source for the Academy of American Poets' programs and publications.
- National Poetry Month Sponsors and Partners Partner — Collaborates with sponsors and partners who provide financial and logistical support for National Poetry Month initiatives.
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Funding source for the Academy of American Poets' programs and publications.
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Partner — Co-initiated Poem in Your Pocket Day as part of New York City's National Poetry Month celebration
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Partner — Co-initiated Poem in Your Pocket Day with the Academy as part of New York City's National Poetry Month celebration.
- New York City Department of Education Partner — Co-initiated Poem in Your Pocket Day as part of New York City's National Poetry Month celebration
- New York City Department of Education Partner — Co-initiated Poem in Your Pocket Day with the Academy as part of New York City's National Poetry Month celebration.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Funding source for the Academy of American Poets' programs and publications.
- Nâzim Hikmet Partner — Referenced poet whose work was recommended during the guest editor interview
- Office of the Mayor (New York City) Partner — Co-initiated Poem in Your Pocket Day as part of New York City's National Poetry Month celebration
- Office of the Mayor of New York City Partner — Co-initiated Poem in Your Pocket Day with the Academy as part of New York City's National Poetry Month celebration.
- Oliver Baez Bendorf Partner — Guest editor for the July 2026 Poem-a-Day series
- Ovid Partner — Historical poet referenced in discussion of poetic exile across time
- Poem-a-Day Partner — Program through which previously unpublished poems are distributed daily.
- Poetry Coalition Coalition — Alliance of more than twenty-five poetry organizations across the United States coordinated by the Academy of American Poets.
- Richard Blanco Partner — Featured poet at open mic events listed in the Academy's event directory.
- Robert Frost Partner — Historically advised the organization's founder to bring poetry into high schools; featured poet in educational materials.
- Roque Raquel Salas Rivera Partner — Featured poet whose work was included in the July 2026 Poem-a-Day curation
+ 7 more
strategies · 5
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.
- Digital-First Dissemination to Expand Public Engagementmethodology: daily_poetry_distributionBy distributing poetry daily through digital channels, we increase public engagement and broaden access to contemporary and classic poetry, because regular, low-barrier exposure fosters sustained connection and discovery.
- National Celebration and Coordinated Campaigns to Amplify Cultural Visibilitymethodology: national-celebrationBy organizing a nationwide annual celebration of poetry, we elevate its cultural significance and drive broad participation, because coordinated, institution-wide campaigns create shared cultural moments that increase visibility and engagement.
- Reclamation and Inclusive Curation to Expand the Poetic Canonmethodology: poetic_reclamationBy centering marginalized voices—including women poets and those experiencing exile or migration—we redefine literary relevance and promote equity in the canon, because inclusive curation challenges historical omissions and reflects diverse human experiences.
- Standards-Aligned Educational Resources to Integrate Poetry in Learningmethodology: standards-aligned_poetry_educationBy aligning poetry education with Common Core standards, we increase the adoption of poetry in classrooms and cultivate students’ imagination, because curriculum-aligned materials lower barriers for educators and enhance pedagogical relevance.
- Support for Poets Across Career Stages to Sustain a Diverse Literary Ecosystemmethodology: career-spanning poet supportBy providing resources, recognition, and publication opportunities to poets at all career stages, we strengthen the poetry ecosystem and promote contemporary poetry, because inclusive support fosters artistic resilience and equitable representation.