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TELLING ROOM

EIN 74-3136956 PORTLAND, ME

Revenue 2024
$959,912
Expenses 2024
$1,049,531

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

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
O50
Classification
1000
Street
225 COMMERCIAL ST

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

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.

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • 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. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2024
    Revenue
    $959,912
    Expenses
    $1,049,531
    Contributions
    $765,662
    Grants paid
    $29,049
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $779,222
    Expenses
    $1,072,986
    Contributions
    $586,932
    Grants paid
    $24,748
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $960,480
    Expenses
    $998,133
    Contributions
    $731,145
    Grants paid
    $27,395

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $915,425
    Expenses
    $877,277
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,008,660

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $931,740
    Expenses
    $708,658
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,024,769

  • 2019 · 990

    Revenue
    $724,729
    Expenses
    $727,881
    Assets (EOY)
    $812,513

  • 2018 · 990

    Revenue
    $874,561
    Expenses
    $748,591
    Assets (EOY)
    $712,322

  • 2017 · 990

    Revenue
    $888,550
    Expenses
    $731,868
    Assets (EOY)
    $582,307

  • 2016 · 990

    Revenue
    $618,941
    Expenses
    $596,689
    Assets (EOY)
    $498,034

  • 2015 · 990

    Revenue
    $662,831
    Expenses
    $510,776
    Assets (EOY)
    $457,349

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all.

Grants made

No itemized grants to organizations. Schedule I is filed only by organizations that granted more than $5,000 to a recipient, so most filers have none.

Grants received

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 26 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.