Western Literature Association
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 876163435
- IRS 990-EZ coverage
- 2011–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990-EZ 2024, Form 990-N 2010
- Location
- North Logan, UT, USA
- Phone
- 4357576559
- Rating
- 57
- Verdict
- MIXED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $129,228
- Expenses
- $124,327
- Assets
- $364,141
- Liabilities
- $1,879
Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
7 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- JOSE F ARANDA JR (Vice President)
- KIRBY BROWN (PRESIDENT ELECT)
- BILLY STRATTON (PAST PRESIDENT)
- KALENDA EATON (President)
People named in this filing
- JOSE F ARANDA JR (Vice President)
- AUDREY GOODMAN (EXECUTIVE SEC)
- KIRBY BROWN (PRESIDENT ELECT)
Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.
Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
Founded in 1965, the western literature association (wla) is a non-profit, scholarly association that promotes the study of the diverse literature and cultures of the north american west, past and present. Since its founding, the wla has served to publish scholarship and promote work in the field; it has gathered together scholars, artists, environmentalists, and community leaders who value the west's literary and cultural contributions to american and world cultures; it has recognized those who have made a major contribution to western literature and western sutdies; and it has fostered student learning and career advancement in education.
What it reported doing in 2024
Since 1965, Western American Literature has been the leading peer-reviewed journal in the literary and cultural study of the North American West, defined broadly to include western Canada and northern Mexico.Its editor and the editorial board are constantly looking for new theoretical approaches to canonical figures as well as studies of emerging authors, filmmakers, and others who are expanding the canon of western literary and cultural production.While remaining grounded in the geography of the North American West, the journal continues to explore new approaches to literary and cultural studies more broadly, such as our groundbreaking work in ecocriticism and scholarly support for the Hispanic Literary Heritage Recovery Project. It is our desire to further this tradition of integrating western studies into global scholarly conversations.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Cannot be determined from the filing. The filing does not provide enough consistent revenue detail to tell how this nonprofit funds its work.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The filing allocates 99% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
The verdict
MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and program spending has grown recently. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 37
- Transparency & Controls: 82
- Sustainability: 60
- Growth: 60
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 36.8%; rating input score 37
- Program expense ratio: 38.3%; rating input score 38
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
- Major donor itemization: Limited
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 3.8%; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.93; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 1.2% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: -2.1% per year; rating input score 0; 14th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 3.7% per year; rating input score 100; 40th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 36.8% of revenue deployed · 38.3% of spending went to programs
- Governance: Filed governance answers
- Accomplishments: 2 filed program accomplishments · $48K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 7 people listed
- Consistency: 8 of 8 current checks pass
- Schedules: 2 filed schedules
- Filing history: 13 filing years from 2011 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
- Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
- People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
Key Signals
Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.
- Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 37/100.
- Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 38/100.
- High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 45/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 46/100.