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Filing year 2024

The Telling Room

Portland, Maine·EIN 74-3136956·NTEE O50 · Youth Development·501(c)(3)
Total revenue
$960k
Total assets
$567k
Total expenses
$1M
Reported officers
12
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.

Executive compensation

Form 990 · Part VII & Schedule J · 1 reported individual · Filing year 2024

Percentile bands compare each position's total pay with the same role at Youth Development organizations nationwide.

Executive Director
Median to 75th percentile
$85k
$92k

Teal figures restate each filed amount in 2026 dollars.

Estimated with BLS CPI-U for the Northeast region, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.

Plus 11 unpaid individuals.

Browse compensation in Youth Development

Pay in context

Top pay as a share of expenses

In 2024, the highest total compensation at The Telling Room equaled 8% of the organization's total expenses. The median for youth development organizations is 11%.

This organization (2024)
8%
Sector median
11%
Middle half of sector
5% to 21%

Based on 5,229 youth development organizations, each measured at its most recent filing year with reported expenses and compensation.

Funded by

Private foundations whose Form 990-PF Part XV grants matched this organization.

Climbed 8%
over 2 years

From $79k in 2022 to $85k in 2024.

$79k
2022
$86k
2023
$85k
2024
In today's dollarsEst.
Up 1% in real terms$91k to $92k

Estimated with BLS CPI-U for the Northeast region, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.

Pay for the position

Chief Executive Officer pay rose 8% from 2022 to 2024, while revenue held roughly steady.

$79k in 2022 to $85k in 2024.

Pay for the position itself, not any one person. The officeholder may have changed between 2022 and 2024.

Highest reported compensation in each year. Volunteer board members and partial-year payouts are filtered out.

Among peers

Revenue and top compensation, plotted against similar organizations. This organization is highlighted in cyan.

FAQ

Common questions about The Telling Room

What does the Chief Executive Officer of The Telling Room earn?

In 2024, the Chief Executive Officer of The Telling Room received $84,918 in total compensation. This pay is above the median (the midpoint) for Chief Executive Officer roles among Youth Development organizations nationwide, within the top half of comparable filings. Based on IRS Form 990 data.

How does Chief Executive Officer pay at The Telling Room compare with similar nonprofits?

Compared with the same role at Youth Development organizations nationwide, the 2024 pay of the Chief Executive Officer at The Telling Room falls between the median and the 75th percentile. In 2024, the highest total compensation at The Telling Room equaled 8% of the organization's total expenses. The median for youth development organizations is 11%.

What are The Telling Room's revenue and expenses?

In 2024, The Telling Room reported $960k in total revenue and $1M in total expenses on its IRS Form 990.

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