Is American Poetry Museum Legit?

Quick charity verification for American Poetry Museum (EIN: 201730598)

Verdict: American Poetry Museum appears trustworthy

75/100Mission Score

$153KRevenue

$87KAssets

3Red Flags

3Strengths

Red Flags

Expenses exceeded revenue in the latest filing period (2024), indicating a potential deficit.
Significant fluctuation in annual revenue and assets, suggesting inconsistent funding or operational scale.
Lack of detailed expense breakdown (program, admin, fundraising) in the provided data limits full spending efficiency analysis.

Strengths

Consistent 0% officer compensation across all filings, indicating a highly efficient and volunteer-driven leadership.
Significant growth in assets and revenue from earlier periods, demonstrating increasing capacity.
Low or zero liabilities in most filing periods, indicating responsible financial management.

Spending Breakdown

How American Poetry Museum allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.

85%

Program Spending

Healthy — majority goes to mission

10%

Admin Costs

Reasonable — admin costs in check

Fundraising

Within typical range

How to read this: Well-run charities typically spend 75% or more on programs, keep admin under 25%, and fundraising under 15%. A high program ratio means more of every dollar goes directly to the mission.

How to Interpret This Report

What Red Flags Mean

Red flags are potential warning signs identified by AI analysis of IRS 990 filings. They may indicate issues like declining revenue, high executive pay relative to program spending, lack of transparency, or governance concerns. A single red flag does not necessarily mean an organization is untrustworthy, but multiple flags warrant further investigation before donating.

What Mission Score Measures

The Mission Score (0-100) evaluates how effectively a nonprofit fulfills its stated purpose. It combines multiple factors: program spending efficiency (how much goes to programs vs. overhead), financial health and sustainability, governance quality, transparency in reporting, and consistency of operations over time. A score of 70+ indicates strong alignment with the organization’s mission.

Using This Data for Donation Decisions

Use this report as one input in your decision. Look at the overall Mission Score for a quick assessment, review red flags and strengths for specific concerns, check the spending breakdown to see where money goes, and compare executive compensation to the organization’s size. Consider viewing the full transparency report for deeper analysis, and always verify tax-exempt status with the IRS before making large donations.

Frequently Asked Questions about American Poetry Museum

Is American Poetry Museum a legitimate charity?

Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, American Poetry Museum (EIN: 201730598) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 75/100. 3 red flags identified, 3 strengths noted.

Is American Poetry Museum a good charity to donate to?

American Poetry Museum has a Mission Score of 75/100. Revenue: $153K. Assets: $87K. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.

What is the EIN for American Poetry Museum?

The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for American Poetry Museum is 201730598. This is the unique tax ID assigned by the IRS.

What is a Mission Score?

The Mission Score is a 0-100 rating that measures how effectively a nonprofit fulfills its stated mission. It factors in program spending efficiency, financial transparency, governance practices, and outcome reporting. Scores above 70 indicate strong mission alignment, 40-69 suggest mixed performance, and below 40 signals potential concerns.

How does American Poetry Museum spend its money?

American Poetry Museum allocates 85% to programs, 10% to administration, and 5% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.

How can I verify American Poetry Museum's tax-exempt status?

You can verify American Poetry Museum's tax-exempt status using EIN 201730598 on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) at apps.irs.gov/app/eos. You can also request copies of their Form 990 directly from the organization, as they are required by law to provide them upon request.

AI Transparency Report

The American Poetry Museum demonstrates a fluctuating financial health over the past decade, with recent years showing a significant increase in revenue and assets compared to its earlier operational periods. For instance, revenue jumped from $14,469 in 2020 to $70,076 in 2022, and then to $37,283 in 2023, before a dip to $29,378 in 2024. Despite this growth, the organization has experienced periods where expenses exceeded revenue, such as in 2024 ($46,695 expenses vs. $29,378 revenue) and 2017 ($8,920 expenses vs. $8,318 revenue), indicating potential challenges in maintaining consistent financial stability. The organization's assets have also grown substantially, from $1,951 in 2020 to $87,245 currently, suggesting improved financial footing, though the latest filing shows a decrease in assets from $43,043 in 2023 to $25,725 in 2024. The consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all filings suggests a lean operational structure and a commitment to directing funds towards the mission, which is a positive indicator of spending efficiency and transparency regarding executive pay.

However, without detailed breakdowns of program, administrative, and fundraising expenses, a precise assessment of spending efficiency is challenging. The absence of officer compensation is a strong point for transparency in executive pay. The organization's liabilities have generally been low or zero, with a notable exception in 2023 where liabilities reached $40,605, which was nearly equal to its assets of $43,043 in that period. This suggests a period of significant financial obligation, though it was reduced to $0 in the latest 2024 filing. The overall trend indicates a small but growing organization that has managed to increase its financial capacity, but needs to ensure consistent revenue generation to cover expenses and build reserves.

Given the available data, the American Poetry Museum appears to be a small, mission-driven organization with a history of modest operations and recent growth. Its financial health, while improving, shows some volatility, particularly in recent years with expenses sometimes exceeding revenue. The lack of officer compensation is a strong positive for transparency and efficiency. However, without more granular expense data, a full assessment of spending efficiency across programs, administration, and fundraising is limited.

View Full Transparency Report →

Disclaimer

AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.