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IRS-authorized e-file provider · not the IRS

Nonprofit · EIN 56-1187623

THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY

Tax-exempt · CHAPEL HILL, NC 27516

Financials

$2.8M$3.2M2023
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
December 31, 2023990$2,755,614$3,201,782-$446,168$1,439,755$56,690$1,383,065
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2023

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$781,107
of which government grants
$781,107
Program service revenue
$1,948,369
Investment income
$26,138
Other revenue
$0

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$0
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$289,125
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$1,611,501
Professional fundraising fees
$0
Legal fees
$5,985
Travel
$21,715
Depreciation
$76,838
Program services (functional)
$2,556,737
Management and general (functional)
$530,957
Fundraising (functional)
$100,022

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$2,884,454
Total assets, end of year
$1,439,755
Total liabilities, end of year
$56,690
Net assets, end of year
$1,383,065
Land, buildings and equipment
$599,445
Net assets without donor restrictions
$1,383,065
Gross receipts
$2,755,614
Employees
17
Volunteers
0
Year formed
1977
State of legal domicile
NC

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, 2023, highest compensation first.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
Robert BowersPublisher
Officer, Key employee, Highest-paid employee
60$197,700
Seymour SafranskyPresident
Trustee or director, Officer, Key employee
40$75,097
Lewis LipsitzVice President
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0
Cindy CalderwoodTreasurer
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0
Norma SafranskyDirector
Trustee or director
1$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
107 N ROBERSON ST, CHAPEL HILL, NC 27516-2332
In care of
% ROBERT BOWERS
Principal officer (990 for 2023)
ROBERT BOWERS, 109 N ROBERSON ST, CHAPEL HILL, NC 275162332
Signed the 990
Robert Bowers, Publisher
Phone
(919) 942-5282

Mission

THE MAGAZINE IS AN AD-FREE MONTHLY MAGAZINE WHICH PUBLISHES AN ECLECTIC MIX OF PERSONAL ESSAYS INTERVIEWS FICTION POETRY AND PHOTOGRAPHS.

990 for the year ended December 31, 2023

Program accomplishments

  • Founded in 1974 The Sun is one of North Carolinas oldest and most widely read literary magazines. More than 40,000 subscribers enjoy our interviews personal essays fiction poetry and photography each month and an additional 10,000 magazines are distributed to newsstands in the United States and Canada. The Sun is reader-supported and free of advertising and has been publishing for fifty years. Our goal is to publish writing and photography that fosters compassion through greater awareness of our shared experience. We want to offer both established and emerging artists an opportunity to risk a closer examination of the truth and to reach a wider audience. Writing from The Sun has won the Pushcart Prize been featured in Best American Essays and Best American Short Story anthologies and has been on National Public Radio. Upon awarding The Sun its independent press award for best writing Utne called the magazine an "intimate forum where some of the finest contemporary writers share their most polished and provocative prose." In addition to publishing a monthly magazine The Sun has also published eight books. Paper Lanterns is eclectic collection of quotes from the back of the magazine. In The Mysterious Life of the Heart contributors explore the enigma of intimacy and relationships. Our Best of The Sun anthologies feature the finest writing from the magazines first two decades. Four in the Morning and Many Alarm Clocks bring together founder and editor emeritus Sy Safrankys best essays and journal entries. And Sunbeams our first collection of quotations offers ten years worth of inspiring words from The Sun. We have an ongoing commitment to provide free subscriptions to libraries community colleges and prisons throughout the country. In addition we regularly provide free subscriptions to prisoners who write to request one. Our hope is to reach readers who are unable to afford the magazine or who live in areas where literary resources are scare. In 2023 we were able to provide over 1200 subscriptions to community colleges prisoners prison libraries and other non-profit organizations.
    Expenses $2,556,737

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 yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025December 31, 2025May 15, 2026Not on file
2024December 31, 2024May 15, 2025Not on file
2023December 31, 2023May 15, 2024990 on file

IRS record

EIN
56-1187623
Tax-exempt status
501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
Foundation status
Publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))
Donations deductible (Pub 78)
Public charity, 50% deduction limit
Exempt since
1984
Accounting year ends
December
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Assets (IRS master file)
$1,439,755
Income (IRS master file)
$2,755,614

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990December 2023$2,755,614$3,201,782$1,439,755XML
990December 2022$2,785,840$3,363,140$2,884,454IRS
990December 2021–––IRS
990December 2020–––IRS
990December 2019–––IRS
990December 2018–––IRS

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 56-1187623).

Questions about THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY

What is the EIN of THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY?
The employer identification number (EIN) of THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY is 56-1187623.
Is THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1984.
Are donations to THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY tax-deductible?
Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
Which annual return does THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY 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 THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY due?
The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending December 31, 2025) is due May 15, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
When did THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY last file with the IRS?
The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2023.
Who is the principal officer of THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2023 names ROBERT BOWERS.
Who are the officers and directors of THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2023 lists 5 people; 2 received compensation from the organization, the highest $197,700 (Robert Bowers, Publisher).
How much revenue does THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY have?
On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2023 it reported revenue of $2,755,614, expenses of $3,201,782 and total assets of $1,439,755 at year end.

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