Executive compensation
Form 990-PF · Part VIII · 3 reported individuals · Filing year 2023
Percentile bands compare each position's total pay with the same role at Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations nationwide.
| Position | Total |
|---|---|
President Board President Above 90th percentilevs Arts, Culture & Humanities peers in Illinois | $410k $455k |
VP of Finance & Admin Board Vice President Above 90th percentile | $295k $327k |
Chief Operating Officer 25th percentile to median | $70k $78k |
Teal figures restate each filed amount in 2026 dollars.
Estimated with Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Plus 21 unpaid individuals.
Top pay as a share of expenses
In 2023, the highest total compensation at THE POETRY FOUNDATION equaled 2% of the organization's total expenses. The median for arts, culture & humanities organizations is 11%.
Based on 17,098 arts, culture & humanities organizations, each measured at its most recent filing year with reported expenses and compensation.
Grants paid
Itemized grants reported on this foundation's 2023 Form 990-PF, Part XV.
Total granted
$3.5M
Itemized grants
163
Median grant
$20k
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOUNDATION | LINCOLN, NE | SPECIAL PROJECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFRICAN POETRY BOOK FUND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA | $110k |
| WOODLAND PATTERN INC | MILWAUKEE, WI | POETRY PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND INNOVATION AND EQUITY IN VERSE FOR IN-NA-PO, INDIGENOUS NATIONS POETS | $95k |
| CAVE CANEM FOUNDATION INC | BROOKLYN, NY | EQUITY IN VERSE | $65k |
| UNITED STATES ARTISTS INC | CHICAGO, IL | SPECIAL PROJECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES | $65k |
| ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS INC | NEW YORK, NY | POETRY PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, INNOVATION AND SPONSORSHIP | $60k |
| BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY (OBSIDIAN LITERATURE & ARTS | NORMAL, IL | EQUITY IN VERSE | $50k |
| INSIDEOUT LITERARY ARTS PROJECT (INSIDEOUT LITERARY ARTS) | DETROIT, MI | EQUITY IN VERSE | $50k |
| RADICAL REVERSAL | BLOOMFIELD, NJ | EQUITY IN VERSE | $50k |
| SEVENTH GENERATION FUND FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES INC | SANTA FE, NM | POETRY PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND INNOVATION FOR DINTAH DRAMA FESTIVAL | $50k |
| THE BEAUTIFUL PROJECT INC | DURHAM, NC | POETRY PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND INNOVATION | $50k |
| FREEDOM READS | HAMDEN, CT | POETRY PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND INNOVATION | $45k |
| KUUMBA LYNX | CHICAGO, IL | EQUITY IN VERSE AND SPECIAL PROJECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES | $45k |
| LAMBDA LITERARY FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | EQUITY IN VERSE | $45k |
| THE POETRY PROJECT LTD | NEW YORK, NY | POETRY PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND INNOVATION | $45k |
| URBAN WORD NYC INC | NEW YORK, NY | EQUITY IN VERSE | $45k |
| WORD A STORYTELLING SANCTUARY INC | DENVER, CO | EQUITY IN VERSE | $45k |
| YOUNG CHICAGO AUTHORS | CHICAGO, IL | EQUITY IN VERSE | $45k |
| CITYLIT PROJECT INC | BALTIMORE, MD | EQUITY IN VERSE | $40k |
| CONTEXTOS NFP | CHICAGO, IL | EQUITY IN VERSE | $40k |
| DIASPORIC VIETNAMESE ARTISTS NETWORK | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | EQUITY IN VERSE | $40k |
| FLOATING MUSEUM NFP | CHICAGO, IL | POETRY PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND INNOVATION | $40k |
| MILKWEED EDITIONS INC | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | POETRY PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND INNOVATION | $40k |
| MINNESOTA PRISON WRITING WORKSHOP | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | POETRY PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND INNOVATION | $40k |
| NEBRASKA WRITERS COLLECTIVE | OMAHA, NE | POETRY PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND INNOVATION | $40k |
| PEN AMERICA CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | POETRY PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND INNOVATION | $40k |
Funded by
Private foundations whose Form 990-PF Part XV grants matched this organization.
This is a private foundation. Peers are foundations of similar asset size ($150M - $1B), because foundation pay scales with assets under management, not revenue.
What Arts, Culture & Humanities executives earn in Illinois
Comparable arts, culture & humanities organizations in Illinois pay their highest-earning executive a median of $50,000.
These are arts, culture & humanities sector-wide figures, not this organization's reported pay. Based on 665 organizations across 665 filings (2021 – 2024).
See full Arts, Culture & Humanities pay data for Illinois →Common questions about THE POETRY FOUNDATION
What does the Board President of THE POETRY FOUNDATION earn?
In 2023, the Board President of THE POETRY FOUNDATION received $410,480 in total compensation. This pay is in the top 10% for Board President roles among Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations in Illinois: at least 9 in 10 comparable filings report less. Based on IRS Form 990 data.
How does Board President pay at THE POETRY FOUNDATION compare with similar nonprofits?
Compared with the same role at Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations in Illinois, the 2023 pay of the Board President at THE POETRY FOUNDATION falls in the top 10%. In 2023, the highest total compensation at THE POETRY FOUNDATION equaled 2% of the organization's total expenses. The median for arts, culture & humanities organizations is 11%.
What are THE POETRY FOUNDATION's revenue and expenses?
In 2023, THE POETRY FOUNDATION reported $7.6M in total revenue and $18.6M in total expenses on its IRS Form 990.
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This is a private foundation. Peers are foundations of similar asset size ($150M - $1B), because foundation pay scales with assets under management, not revenue.
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