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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: July 2025 Expires: July 2027

Academy of American Poets

Standards Not Met
Standards Not Met
14 16
(212) 274-0343
75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901
New York, NY, 10038
https://www.poets.org
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Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

Academy of American Poets does not meet the following 2 Standards for Charity Accountability:

Standard 14 (Budget)
Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration.

AAP does not meet this Standard because, wehn the organization provided 2025 budget informaiton, it indicated that the budget:

  • Did not identify total projected administrative expenses.

Standard 16 (Annual Report)
Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.

AAP does not meet this Standard because the 2023 annual report did not include:

  • Total program service expenses.
  • Total fundraising expenses.
  • Total adminsitrative expenses.

Academy of American Poets meets the remaining 18 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
"to support American poets at all stages of their careers and to foster the appreciation of contemporary poetry."

Year, State Incorporated:
1934, NY

Academy of American Poets (AAP) reports that it connects millions of readers to poets' work, through programs and publications inlcluding Poets.org. In addition to Poets.org, these include Poem-a-Day, National Poetry Month (April), American Poets biannual literary journal, the American Poets Prizes, Poetry & the Creative Mind, and a fall conversation series. AAP also provides free resources, such as lesson plans, Teach This Poem, and the Dear Poet project for K-12 teachers and students. In addition, the organization coordinates the Poetry Coalition, an alliance of more than 20 poetry organizations across the United States.

For the year ended June 30, 2023, Academy of American Poets's program expenses were:

Program services $4,998,040
Total Program Expenses $4,998,040

Chief Executive
Ricardo Maldonado, President and Executive Director

Compensation*
$172,750

Chair of the Board
Tess O'Dwyer

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Independent consultant

Board Size
18

Paid Staff Size
16

*2023 compensation, as reproted by the organization, includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Note: According to the organization's IRS Form 990 for the year ended June 30, 2023, Jennifer Benka was the highest paid employee receiving compensation of $208,603.

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Direct mail appeals, Membership appeals, Planned giving arrangements, Print advertisements (newspapers, magazines, etc.)

Fundraising costs were 19% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $2,360,462, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on Academy of American Poets's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2023.

Source of Funds
Net investment income $964,376
Grants $891,855
Contributions $750,105
Membership dues and non-dues contributions $581,776
Donated services $484,147
Other income $186,644
Benefit event income $136,726
Awards entry fees $46,856
Total Income $4,042,485

Programs: 86% Fundraising: 8% Administrative: 6%

Total Income $4,042,485
Total expenses: $5,796,807
  Program expenses $4,998,040
  Fundraising expenses $449,144
  Administrative expenses $349,623
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $-1,754,322
Beginning Net Assets $13,018,215
Other Changes In Net Assets $-28,407
Ending Net Assets $11,235,486
Total Liabilities $2,308,800
Total Assets $13,544,286

Note 1: In the above financial section, "other changes in net assets" represents depreciation and amortization expense.

Note 2: According to the organization's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, AAP received in-kind contributiosn of $484,147 including advertising ($469,147) and consulting ($15,000).

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
BBB Wise Giving Alliance