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Nonprofit · EIN 81-3123725

CHARLESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL INC

Tax-exempt · CHARLESTON, SC 29401

Financials

$1.1M$1M2023$1.7M$1.3M2024$2.1M$1.6M2025
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of CHARLESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL INC by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
December 31, 2025990$2,070,069$1,604,923$465,146$1,449,370$96,315$1,353,055
December 31, 2024990$1,692,898$1,266,119$426,779$925,714$47,968$877,746
December 31, 2023990$1,070,680$1,010,162$60,518$539,560$89,516$450,044
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$1,716,903
of which government grants
$37,221
Program service revenue
$307,774
Investment income
$37,981
Net income from sales of inventory
$2,597
Other revenue
$7,411

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$21,800
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$125,000
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$125,000
Professional fundraising fees
$0
Accounting fees
$8,250
Occupancy
$72,440
Travel
$179,627
Program services (functional)
$1,299,963
Management and general (functional)
$122,396
Fundraising (functional)
$182,564

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$925,714
Total assets, end of year
$1,449,370
Total liabilities, end of year
$96,315
Net assets, end of year
$1,353,055
Net assets without donor restrictions
$1,353,055
Gross receipts
$2,070,069
Employees
0
Volunteers
85
Year formed
2016
State of legal domicile
SC

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.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
Sarah MoriartyExecutive Director
Officer
40$125,000
Walter FiederowiczChair
Trustee or director, Officer
15$0
Wenda Harris MillardVice Chair
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
Anne BlessingSecretary
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0
James MarinoTreasurer
Trustee or director, Officer
4$0
Deborah Gage - Term EndedFounder and Director
Trustee or director
4$0
Summer AndersonDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Leilani BrownDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Jasmine BurnsDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Sam EasleyDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Paul GalvaniDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Laura GatesDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Belinda GergelDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Roch HillenbrandDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Lisa HuffinesDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
8 more people on this return
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
Deborah Kennedy KennardDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Peter McCauslandDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Martha Rhodes McLendonDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Leigh McNairyDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Nancy NovogrodDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Senator Tom Taft SrDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Victor YoungDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Monica LangleyDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 21 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
Sarah MoriartyExecutive Director
Officer
40$120,000
Walter FiederowiczChair
Trustee or director, Officer
15$0
Wenda Harris MillardVice Chair
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
Anne BlessingSecretary
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0
James MarinoTreasurer
Trustee or director, Officer
4$0
Summer AndersonDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Jasmine BurnsDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Sam EasleyDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Paul GalvaniDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Laura GatesDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Belinda GergelDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Deborah Kennedy KennardDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Dr Kim Long Term EndedDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Leigh McNairyDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Victor YoungDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Deborah GageFounder and Director
Trustee or director
4$0
Leilani BrownDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Rock HillenbrandDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Monica LangleyDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Peter McCauslandDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Martha Rhodes McLendondirector
Trustee or director
2$0
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 16 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
SARAH MORIARTYEXECUTIVE DI
Officer
40$75,163
DEBORAH GAGEFOUNDER AND
Trustee or director, Officer
4$0
WALTER FIEDEROWICZCHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
15$0
WENDA HARRIS MILLARDVICE CHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
ANNE BLESSINGSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0
JAMES MARINOTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
4$0
SUMMER ANDERSONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
JASMINE BURNSDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
SAM EASLEYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
PAUL GALVANIDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
LAURA GATESDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
BELINDA GERGELDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
DEBORAH KENNEDY KENNARDDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
DR KIM LONGDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
LEIGH MCNAIRYDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0
VICTOR YOUNGDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
2$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
19 TRADD ST, CHARLESTON, SC 29401-2537
In care of
% WALTER M FIEDEROWICZ
Mailing address (990-N for 2016)
PO BOX 1825, CHARLESTON SC 29402
Principal officer (990 for 2025)
Sarah Moriarty, PO Box 1825, Charleston, SC 29402
Principal officer (990-N for 2016)
WALTER M FIEDEROWICZ, PO BOX 1825, CHARLESTON SC 29402
Signed the 990
Sarah Moriarty, Executive Director
Phone
(843) 697-3833
Return prepared by
Glaser and Company LLC

Mission

Charleston Literary Festival, Inc. produces a curated, annual program of events with a distinctly international flavor in the historic setting of Charleston, South Carolina. It brings together world class authors and speakers on a variety of topics to build conversations around some of today's most important and inspiring books and ideas.

990 for the year ended December 31, 2025

Program accomplishments

  • Charleston Literary Festival's line-up of 50 events featuring over 100 authors demonstrates the Festival's commitment to world-class programming with an international edge and constant innovation in the literary arts. We are honored to host a 10-day celebration with award-winning authors, big ideas, lively conversations, and for the first time, children's theater. From welcoming our second annual CLF Cato Fellows to celebrate emerging writers in North and South Carolina to expanding our third annual Young Writers Awards to Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester County Schools, the Festival continues to nurture the next generation of readers, writers and thinkers.
    Expenses $1,299,963 · grants $21,800 · revenue $310,371

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, 2026990 on file
2024December 31, 2024May 15, 2025990 on file
2023December 31, 2023May 15, 2024990 on file

IRS record

EIN
81-3123725
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
2017
Accounting year ends
December
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Assets (IRS master file)
$1,449,370
Income (IRS master file)
$2,070,069

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990December 2025$2,070,069$1,604,923$1,449,370IRS
990December 2024$1,692,898$1,266,119$925,714IRS
990December 2023$1,070,680$1,010,162$539,560XML
990December 2022$379,046$380,347$476,808IRS
990August 2022$636,314$478,354$468,165IRS
990August 2021–––IRS
990August 2020–––IRS
990August 2019–––IRS
990August 2018–––IRS
990-N for 2016
Officer: WALTER M FIEDEROWICZ
August 31, 2017≤ $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 81-3123725).

Questions about CHARLESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL INC

What is the EIN of CHARLESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL INC?
The employer identification number (EIN) of CHARLESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL INC is 81-3123725.
Is CHARLESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL INC tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2017.
Are donations to CHARLESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL INC tax-deductible?
Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
Which annual return does CHARLESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL 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 CHARLESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL 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 CHARLESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL 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 CHARLESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL INC?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names Sarah Moriarty.
Who are the officers and directors of CHARLESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL INC?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 23 people; 1 received compensation from the organization, the highest $125,000 (Sarah Moriarty, Executive Director).
How much revenue does CHARLESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL INC have?
On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $2,070,069, expenses of $1,604,923 and total assets of $1,449,370 at year end.

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