Nonprofit · EIN 27-0277377
WAYWORD INC
Tax-exempt · SAN DIEGO, CA 92163
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $277,596 | $281,412 | -$3,816 | $113,943 | $0 | $113,943 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $263,967 | $270,652 | -$6,685 | $117,759 | $0 | $117,759 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $266,600 | $245,474 | $21,126 | $124,444 | $0 | $124,444 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $217,776
- Program service revenue
- $59,820
- Investment income
- $0
- Other revenue
- $0
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $181,374
- Other salaries and wages
- $30,220
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $228,873
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Accounting fees
- $2,030
- Program services (functional)
- $257,125
- Management and general (functional)
- $23,379
- Fundraising (functional)
- $908
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $117,759
- Total assets, end of year
- $113,943
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $0
- Net assets, end of year
- $113,943
- Gross receipts
- $277,596
- Employees
- 4
- Year formed
- 2009
- State of legal domicile
- CA
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant Barrett | CEO/Officer Officer | 30 | $67,037 |
| Martha Barnette | VP/Officer Officer | 30 | $64,337 |
| Stefanie Levine | CFO/Officer Officer | 30 | $50,000 |
| Michael Breslauer | VP/SEC/Director Trustee or director, Officer | 0 | $0 |
| Rick Seidenwurm | Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Betty Willis | Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Bruce Rogow | Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Merrill Perlman | Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Josh Eckels | Dir/Pres of Brd Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Clare Grotting | Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 10 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martha Barnette | VP/Officer Officer | 30 | $68,269 |
| Grant Barrett | CEO/Officer Officer | 30 | $54,436 |
| Stefanie Levine | CFO/Officer Officer | 30 | $50,000 |
| Michael Breslauer | VP/SEC/Director Trustee or director, Officer | 0 | $0 |
| Rick Seidenwurm | Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Betty Willis | Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Bruce Rogow | Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Merrill Perlman | Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Josh Eckels | Dir/Pres of Brd Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Clare Grotting | Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 9 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martha Barnette | VP/Officer Officer | 30 | $60,647 |
| Stefanie Levine | CFO/Officer Officer | 30 | $50,000 |
| Grant Barrett | CEO/Officer Officer | 20 | $48,333 |
| Michael Breslauer | VP/Ofc/Director Trustee or director, Officer | 0 | $0 |
| Rick Seidenwurm | Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Betty Willis | Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Bruce Rogow | Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Josh Eckels | Dir/Pres of Brd Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Clare Grotting | Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- PO BOX 632721, SAN DIEGO, CA 92163-2721
- In care of
- % STEFANIE LEVINE
- Mailing address (990-N for 2009)
- 4275 WITHERBY STREET, SAN DIEGO CA 92103
- Principal officer (990-N for 2009)
- STEFANIE LEVINE, 4275 WITHERBY STREET, SAN DIEGO CA 92103
- Signed the 990
- Stefanie Levine, CFO
- Phone
- (619) 890-4275
- Website
- www.waywordradio.org
- Return prepared by
- Kornfeld and Associates CPAs
California records
California keeps its own records of charities and corporations. Search them by EIN 27-0277377 or by the name WAYWORD INC.
- Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers
- Registration status and filed reports (CT-TR-1, RRF-1)
- Secretary of State, bizfile Online
- Corporation status, entity number, agent for service
- Franchise Tax Board
- Entity status letter (state tax exemption, good standing)
Mission
Wayword, Inc. produces and distributes A Way with Words, a public radio show and podcast about language and how we use it. The educational program airs in more than 400 cities across the United States and reaches millions of listeners annually through radio, podcast distributors, and a lively online presence. Its digital community includes more than 922,208 social media followers, more than 65,000 active weekly podcast subcribers who download episodes millions of times per year, and more than 55,000 email newsletter subscribers.The nonprofit's mission is to educate, inspire, and connect people through language, bridging generations, backgrounds, and regions. Each week, co-hosts Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett take listener calls and explore topics such as word origins, slang, grammar, regional speech, cultural identity, and family expressions. The show brings linguistic knowledge to everyday conversations in an accessible and engaging way.The nonprofits board, staff, and volunteers b
Program accomplishments
- Wayword, Inc. promotes public understanding of language by producing and distributing audio content for educational and cultural organizations, including public broadcasters and schools. Weekly episodes of Wayword's nationally distributed radio program, "A Way with Words," are made available at no cost nationwide, as are supplementary materials to support learning, community engagement, and family listening.The nonprofits board, staff, and volunteers are committed to advancing language education and celebrating linguistic diversity. Their work supports lifelong learning and meaningful dialogue in an increasingly interconnected world.Expenses $257,125
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 27-0277377
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2009
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Arts, culture and humanities (A34)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $113,943
- Income (IRS master file)
- $277,596
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $277,596 | $281,412 | $113,943 | XML |
| 990 | December 2024 | $263,967 | $270,652 | $117,759 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $266,600 | $245,474 | $124,444 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $236,141 | $281,936 | $103,318 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990-N for 2009 Officer: STEFANIE LEVINE | December 31, 2009 | ≤ $50,000 receipts | – | – | e-Postcard |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 27-0277377).
Questions about WAYWORD INC
- What is the EIN of WAYWORD INC?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of WAYWORD INC is 27-0277377.
- Is WAYWORD INC tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2009.
- Are donations to WAYWORD INC tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does WAYWORD INC file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of WAYWORD INC due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did WAYWORD INC last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of WAYWORD INC?
- The 990-N for 2009 names STEFANIE LEVINE.
- Who are the officers and directors of WAYWORD INC?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 10 people; 3 received compensation from the organization, the highest $67,037 (Grant Barrett, CEO/Officer).
- How much revenue does WAYWORD INC have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $277,596, expenses of $281,412 and total assets of $113,943 at year end.
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