Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc
Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc is a private foundation based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Established through a bequest from Witter Bynner in 1972, it supports poets, poetry translators, and programs that cultivate awareness of poetry and its importance in American culture.
Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc at a glance
In short: Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc gave $126K across 22 grants in 2026 (avg $6K), mostly in New Mexico. 41% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $125,940
- +31.2% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 22
- +22.2% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $5,725
- +7.3% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,578,435
- +0.6% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (9 of 22, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New Mexico (71% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc
- How to Apply
-
The website requires a letter of intent of no more than two pages describing the sponsoring organization, proposed program, total budget, requested foundation support, and other committed funding sources. If invited, applicants submit a completed application; the website says applications must be received by February 15. Staff review applications before the Board of Directors evaluates and approves selected proposals. The foundation supports nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations that assume legal, fiscal, and administrative responsibility for grants. Its website says it does not fund indirect grant-administration costs, endowment funds, capital improvements, or general operating expenses.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists letters of intent as accepted July 15–December 15 and completed applications as due February 15 each year. The February 15, 2026 application deadline has passed.
- Deadline
- The website lists letters of intent as accepted July 15–December 15 and completed applications as due February 15 each…
- Contact
Application contact: The Witter Bynner Foundation For Po
Mailing address: PO Box 10169, Santa Fe, NM 87504
Phone: (505) 699-5178
Website: https://bynnerfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc
Who Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Exodus Ensemble ($15K). Together the top 10 received $83K.
Grant Size Distribution
91 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 91 grants of 91 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website encourages proposals for programs located in New Mexico but says programs outside New Mexico are also considered. In filing year 2026, 71% of grant dollars went to recipients in New Mexico; other leading recipient-state shares were Washington (6%), Mississippi (6%), Tennessee (5%), and Arizona (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 9 of 22 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 36% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving grew 87% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 109% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2026). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $66K (2019) to $126K (2026). In 2026 it made 22 grants totaling $126K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Exodus Ensemble Santa Fe, NM | Actors in production of Cyrano. | $14,500 |
| NM School for the Arts Santa Fe, NM | Creative writing program and poetry slam. | $13,000 |
| Santa Fe International Literary Fes Santa Fe, NM | Poets at the festival. | $9,500 |
| Partners in Education Foundation Santa Fe, NM | Poetry programs in Santa Fe public schools. | $9,410 |
| Copper Canyon Press Port Townsend, WA | Poetry Translation. | $8,000 |
| Vox Press University, MS | Poetry program on death row at Parchman prison. | $7,120 |
| Terrain Publishing Tucson, AZ | Poetry translation. | $6,000 |
| Warehouse 505 Albuquerque, NM | Afterschool poetry programs. | $5,500 |
| Various Individuals Santa Fe, NM | Support individual poets creating new poems and support outreach program. | $5,110 |
| Teatro Paraguas Santa Fe, NM | Poetry programs at the theater. | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $3,578,435 | $235,953 | $222,414 | $125,940 | 22 | $195,290 | $200,597 | $179,969 |
| 2025 | $3,556,862 | $184,177 | $203,398 | $96,000 | 18 | $174,984 | $136,273 | $165,564 |
| 2024 | $3,576,304 | $135,768 | $208,062 | $86,212 | 18 | $183,478 | $84,075 | $153,506 |
| 2023 | $3,639,734 | $57,912 | $223,700 | $67,482 | 16 | $166,838 | $22,604 | $147,280 |
| 2022 | $3,797,358 | $1,518,564 | $209,939 | $88,500 | 17 | $174,392 | $1,482,703 | $164,268 |
| 2021 | $2,375,674 | $270,293 | $217,182 | $75,350 | 14 | — | $201,594 | $163,937 |
| 2019 | $2,442,762 | $88,052 | $208,479 | $65,540 | 17 | — | $22,126 | $145,443 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc reported a distributable amount of $180K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to support established and emerging poets, translators of poetry, and programs that cultivate awareness of poetry and its importance in American culture.
Its website identifies individual poets, poetry translation and the process of translation, developing the poetry audience, and uses of poetry as funding categories. Individual poets must be supported through a nonprofit or other tax-exempt organization. The foundation describes uses of poetry for the public good, including past programs focused on youth-at-risk, hospitals and therapeutic programs, prisons, and curriculum development.
Examples of 2026 grantees illustrate the range of supported organizations and projects. Exodus Ensemble, which received $14,500, describes its mission as developing and presenting immersive theatrical events and engaging the community in performance, experiences, and education. Copper Canyon Press, which received $8,000, says it educates the public in literary arts through publishing, translating, and presenting poetry. Warehouse 505, which received $5,500, says it invests in Albuquerque youth through creative arts and individual sports under mentorship.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $125,940. Individual grants ranged from $2,000 to $14,500, with a median of $5,000. Its largest reported grants included Exodus Ensemble ($14,500) for actors in a production of *Cyrano*; New Mexico School for the Arts ($13,000) for a creative writing program and poetry slam; Santa Fe International Literary Festival ($9,500) for poets at the festival; and Partners in Education Foundation ($9,410) for poetry programs in Santa Fe public schools.
The foundation’s website says organizations may apply for $1,000–$10,000 annually. It describes multi-year grants as one-year grants that may be renewed at the foundation’s discretion. The 2026 filing reports a grant above that published application range.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Mark McDaniel as President, Elena Ortiz as Vice President, Liam Daly as Treasurer, Kelsey Brown as Executive Director, and Mark Bixby and Carmella Padilla as Directors.
Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc is led by Kelsey Brown, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2026 is compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Kelsey Brown
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$88K (2019) → $66K (2026)
Mark McDaniel
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Carmella Padilla
Director
New on the 2026 filing
No compensation reported
Mark Bixby
Director
New on the 2026 filing
No compensation reported
Elena Ortiz
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2026
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Liam Daly
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2026
On filings since 2025
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Steven Schwartz (2019–2025) — Vice President
- Former: Griffin Daly (2019–2024) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $66K, to Kelsey Brown (Executive Direc).
Frequently asked questions about Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc
How much does Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc give each year?
Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc gave $126K across 22 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $96K across 18 grants.
What is Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc's typical grant size?
Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc's median grant in 2026 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,725, across 22 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc that year got $5K on average.
Where does Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc give grants?
Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc gives mostly in New Mexico: 71% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Washington (6%) and Mississippi (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Fe, NM (10 grants) and Albuquerque, NM (3 grants).
Does Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc's 2026 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Poetry Translation." (3 grants) and "Afterschool poetry programs." (3 grants).
Who are Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc's largest grantees?
Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc's largest 2026 grantees include Exodus Ensemble ($14,500), NM School for the Arts ($13,000) and Santa Fe International Literary Fes ($9,500), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc?
Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc reported $3.6M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $195K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $180K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to support established and emerging poets, translators of poetry, and programs that cultivate awareness of poetry and its importance in American culture. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc?
The website requires a letter of intent of no more than two pages describing the sponsoring organization, proposed program, total budget, requested foundation support, and other committed funding sources. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc's EIN?
Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7169999. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 31, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS August 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/witter-bynner-foundation-for-poetry-inc-morg_e54ead3c7dc740bcaae6a78ced5d3da0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237169999_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/witter-bynner-foundation-for-poetry-inc-morg_e54ead3c7dc740bcaae6a78ced5d3da0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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