Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by TELLING ROOM.

Totals

Total revenue: $959,912
Total expenses: $1,049,531
Contributions and grants received: $765,662
Grants paid: $29,049
Program service revenue: $177,813
Investment income: $16,047
Other revenue: $390
Total assets, end of year: $567,007
Total liabilities, end of year: $29,907
Net assets or fund balances, end of year: $537,100
Program services expenses (Part IX): $658,071
Management and general expenses: $184,007
Fundraising expenses: $207,453
Program service expenses (Part III): $658,071

Program services were 62.7% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

1c · Fundraising events

$27,000
1e · Government grants (contributions)

$20,000
1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

$718,662
2a · Program service revenue: SUMMER CAMP FEES

total $78,891 · related or exempt $78,891
2b · Program service revenue: WORKSHOPS

total $55,962 · related or exempt $55,962
2c · Program service revenue: IN-SCHOOL PROJECTS

total $41,000 · related or exempt $41,000
2d · Program service revenue: MISCELLANEOUS PROGRAMS

total $1,960 · related or exempt $1,960
3 · Investment income

total $16,047 · excluded $16,047
8a · Fundraising events: gross income

$37,379
8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

$27,000
8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

$41,670
8c · Net income from fundraising events

total -$4,291 · excluded -$4,291
10a · Gross sales of inventory

$17,413
10b · Cost of goods sold

$13,402
10c · Net income from sales of inventory

total $4,011 · related or exempt $4,011
11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS

total $670 · related or exempt $670
11e · Other revenue, total

$670

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

2 · Grants to domestic individuals

total $29,049 · program services $29,049
5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

total $84,918 · program services $54,949 · management and general $10,651 · fundraising $19,318
7 · Other salaries and wages

total $601,020 · program services $390,318 · management and general $74,653 · fundraising $136,049
8 · Pension plan contributions

total $8,453 · program services $5,209 · management and general $1,196 · fundraising $2,048
9 · Other employee benefits

total $50,826 · program services $31,320 · management and general $7,194 · fundraising $12,312
10 · Payroll taxes

total $56,835 · program services $36,910 · management and general $7,060 · fundraising $12,865
11g · Fees: other

total $27,202 · program services $8,103 · management and general $18,985 · fundraising $114
12 · Advertising and promotion

total $3,084 · program services $963 · management and general $447 · fundraising $1,674
13 · Office expenses

total $22,999 · program services $5,483 · management and general $8,983 · fundraising $8,533
14 · Information technology

total $3,382 · management and general $3,382
16 · Occupancy

total $45,291 · management and general $45,291
17 · Travel

total $9,588 · program services $9,293 · fundraising $295
19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

total $171 · management and general $171
23 · Insurance

total $5,484 · management and general $5,484
24a · Other expenses: PROGRAM EXPENSE

total $85,893 · program services $84,935 · management and general $475 · fundraising $483
24b · Other expenses: DEVELOPMENT EXPENSE

total $15,336 · program services $1,539 · management and general $35 · fundraising $13,762

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

beginning of year $593,479 · end of year $387,855
3 · Pledges and grants receivable

beginning of year $45,500 · end of year $165,000
4 · Accounts receivable

beginning of year $4,825 · end of year $7,005
8 · Inventories for sale or use

beginning of year $7,200 · end of year $3,762
9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

beginning of year $3,385
15 · Other assets

beginning of year $3,385 · end of year $3,385
17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

beginning of year $31,055 · end of year $29,907
27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

beginning of year $481,719 · end of year $252,100
28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

beginning of year $145,000 · end of year $285,000

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

THE TELLING ROOM IS A LITERARY ARTS EDUCATION NONPROFIT WHOSE MISSION IS TO EMPOWER YOUTH THROUGH WRITING AND SHARE THEIR VOICES WITH THE WORLD. FOCUSED ON MAINE YOUTH IN GRADES 2-12, EACH YEAR WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH 1,800 STUDENTS ACROSS OUR 12 AFTERSCHOOL AND SCHOOL-BASED CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAMS, PUBLISHING 300 AUTHORS IN ACCLAIMED TELLING ROOM BOOKS AND REACHING ANOTHER 700 YOUTH THROUGH OUR AUTHOR EVENTS. WE PROVIDE THE TIME, SPACE, KNOWLEDGE, AND GUIDANCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO PRACTICE CREATIVE EXPRESSION AND DEVELOP CRUCIAL LITERACY SKILLS SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE ALSO BUILDING COMMUNITY AMONG THEIR PEERS AND CONNECTING TO THE WIDER WORLD. ALL OUR CORE PROGRAMS ARE 100% FREE TO STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES INCLUDING OUR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, IN-SCHOOL RESIDENCIES AND WORKSHOPS, AND FIELD TRIPS HELPING ENSURE EQUITABLE ARTS EDUCATION ACCESS. OUR EVALUATIONS REGULARLY SHOW THAT AT LEAST 90% OF STUDENTS INCREASE THEIR WRITING ENTHUSIASM, BUILD SKILLS, AND GAIN SELF-CONFIDENCE.

Activities or mission (Part I)

THE TELLING ROOM IS A LITERARY ARTS EDUCATION NONPROFIT WHOSE MISSION IS TO EMPOWER YOUTH THROUGH WRITING AND SHARE THEIR VOICES WITH THE WORLD.

WE'RE COMMITTED TO CREATING SPACES WHERE ALL STUDENTS CAN IMPROVE THEIR WRITING SKILLS AND INCREASE THEIR CONFIDENCE IN A SUPPORTIVE, STRUCTURED WAY. WE PROVIDE 12 DIFFERENT SCHOOL-BASED AND AFTERSCHOOL WRITING PROGRAMS YEAR-ROUND AND STATEWIDE, OFFER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EDUCATORS, PUBLISH BESTSELLING ANTHOLOGIES OF STUDENT WORK, AND CARRY OUT COMMUNITY-WIDE WRITING PROJECTS AND EVENTS. WE DELIVER THE MAJORITY OF OUR PROGRAMMING WITHIN A 60 MILE RADIUS OF OUR HOME BASE IN PORTLAND, MAINE, INCLUDING THROUGH OUR SUITE OF EIGHT AFTERSCHOOL IN-STUDIO PROGRAMS, AND SERVE YOUTH WHO RESIDE IN MORE RURAL REGIONS OF THE STATE THROUGH FIVE PRIMARY CHANNELS: SCHOOL-BASED RESIDENCIES; SCHOOL-BASED WORKSHOPS; FIELD TRIPS; OUR STATEWIDE WRITING CONTEST; AND OUR VIRTUAL AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM. WE EXPAND THE AUDIENCE FOR OUR AUTHORS' WORK TO BE READ AND HEARD BY PEERS AND ADULTS ALIKE WHILE CONNECTING THEM TO EXPERIENCES THAT NOT ONLY BENEFIT THEM AS EMERGING VOICES, BUT ALSO ENRICH AND ENLARGE THE ENTIRE ARTS COMMUNITY. TELLING ROOM'S YOUTH VOICES ALSO REACH THEIR PEERS ACROSS MAINE THROUGH EDUCATORS USING OUR BOOKS AS MENTOR TEXTS IN THEIR WRITING AND LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM. OUR ANTHOLOGIES HAVE BEEN FINALISTS AND WINNERS OF THE MAINE LITERARY AWARD FOR BEST ANTHOLOGY SEVERAL TIMES OVER AND TELLING ROOM STUDENTS GARNER DISTINGUISHED AWARDS EVERY YEAR, INCLUDING TOP HONORS IN THE MAINE LITERARY AWARDS AND THE SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING AWARDS. WE HEAR OFTEN FROM STUDENTS HOW VITAL AND AFFIRMING IT IS TO HAVE THE TELLING ROOM IN THEIR LIVES AS A PLACE THEY CAN FIND AND BUILD COMMUNITY, CONNECT WITH THEIR INNER SELVES AND WITH OTHERS, PROCESS THE WORLD AROUND THEM, PLAY, HAVE FUN, AND CREATE NEW WORLDS OF THEIR OWN THROUGH WRITING AND SHARING. IN 2024-25, WE DELIVERED 110 PROGRAMS TO 2,493 MAINE YOUTH IN GRADES 2-12, WORKING DIRECTLY WITH 1,774 STUDENTS AND REACHING ANOTHER 719 THROUGH EVENTS TO ACHIEVE OUR PROPOSED GOALS AND OUTCOMES. WE WORKED WITH OVER 60 NONPROFIT AND EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS, PUBLISHED 384 AUTHORS IN 14 NEW BOOKS, AND PRODUCED AND/OR PARTICIPATED IN 38 EVENTS STATEWIDE TO REACH A TOTAL OF 2,122 AUDIENCE MEMBERS TO CENTER AND ELEVATE THE POWER AND PROMISE OF YOUTH VOICES. STUDENTS MADE STRONG GAINS ACROSS MULTIPLE IMPACT AREAS AFTER PARTICIPATING IN TELLING ROOM PROGRAMS. SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 2004, WE'VE WORKED WITH OVER 35,000 YOUTH AND PUBLISHED OVER 225 BOOKS, COLLABORATING WITH APPROXIMATELY 100 SCHOOLS AND 40 ORGANIZATIONS EVERY YEAR TO PROVIDE OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ACROSS THE STATE AND BUILD ENDURING PARTNERSHIPS. OUR AIM IS TO ENGAGE AND ENCOURAGE YOUTH IN WAYS THAT ARE PROVEN TO EMPOWER AND EQUIP THEM TO REALIZE THEIR INDIVIDUAL POTENTIAL AND POSITION THEMSELVES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES FOR SUCCESS. IMPACT REPORT: WWW.TELLINGROOM.ORG/IMPACT-REPORT

Expenses $658,071 · Grants $29,049 · Revenue $182,494

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Tanuja Desai Hidier

Board President

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Libby Lauze

Vice President of the Board

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Bob Zager

Treasurer

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Catherine Richards olney

Secretary

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Joe Conway

Board of Directors

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Sara Crisp

Board of Directors

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Sean Findlen

Board of Directors

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Brita Loppnow

Board of Directors

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Meredith McCarroll

Board of Directors

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Matty Oates

Board of Directors

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Jordene Trueh

Board of Directors

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Kristina Powell

Executive Director

Total calculated

$84,918

From this org

$78,916

From related orgs

$0

Other

$6,002

Hours/week

40

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type: form_990
Tax year: 2024
Filed: 23 December 2025
IRS schema version: 2024v5.2
Source object: 202543579349300304

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