Academy of American Poets
The Academy of American Poets is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1934 that operates Poets.org, the largest U.S. membership-based poetry organization, serving poetry readers, K-12 educators, and poets through digital content, educational resources, annual awards, and National Poetry Month programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1934
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Academy of American Poets does
The Academy of American Poets is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1934 by Marie Bullock and headquartered at 195 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York City. It is the largest membership-based poetry organization in the United States and operates Poets.org, a digital poetry platform featuring over 10,000 curated poems organized by occasion, theme, and form, plus biographies of more than 3,000 contemporary and classic poets. The Academy's core programs include Poem-a-Day (a daily curated email poetry service), National Poetry Month (an annual April celebration inaugurated in 1996 and reaching 40,000+ teachers and librarians annually), the biannual American Poets magazine (~6,500 copies per issue), and the Dear Poet multimedia education project for grades 5-12.
The Academy serves four primary constituencies: poetry readers and enthusiasts, K-12 educators, contemporary and classic poets receiving awards and fellowships, and literary publishers/organizations advertising through the magazine. Educational offerings include Materials for Teachers with the Teach This Poem series, Literary Seminars, and the Poetry Near You event locator. The Academy administers multiple annual prizes (James Laughlin Award, First Book Award, Ambroggio Prize, Harold Morton Landon Translation Award, Wallace Stevens Award, Treehouse Climate Action Poem Prize) and the Laureate Fellowships program distributing $1 million in grants to 10-20 poet laureates, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Revenue is generated through a non-profit funding mix: paid memberships, individual donations, foundation grants (notably Andrew W. Mellon Foundation), corporate and foundation sponsorships (especially for National Poetry Month), advertising in American Poets magazine, and book promotion services. The organization is governed by a Board of Chancellors composed of distinguished poets and is led by Executive Director Jennifer Benka. The underlying technology is a content management platform with no public APIs, SDKs, or documented AI capabilities.
Academy of American Poets firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Academy of American Poets
- Legal name
- Academy of American Poets
- Website
- https://poets.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1934
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Academy of American Poets is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1934 that operates Poets.org, the largest U.S. membership-based poetry organization, serving poetry readers, K-12 educators, and poets through digital content, educational resources, annual awards, and National Poetry Month programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Academy of American Poets industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Literary Arts and Poetry Education
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Literary Arts & Writing Organizations (BPAGAHAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Poetry Workshops (EDAMAMAB), Publishing & Submission Prep Workshops (Query Letters, Agents, Journals) (EDAMAMAI)
Keywords
Where Academy of American Poets is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Academy of American Poets business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership and Subscriptions: Annual membership providing access to American Poets magazine, digital content, and member benefits
- Donations and Contributions: Charitable donations from individuals supporting poetry advocacy and education
- Magazine and Program Advertising: Print advertising in American Poets magazine and digital advertising across Poets.org and email newsletters; total distribution approximately 6,500 copies
- Foundation Grants: Grant funding from foundations including the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for specific programs such as the Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowships
- Sponsorships: Corporate and foundation sponsorships for National Poetry Month and other programs
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Print advertising rates in American Poets magazine |
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Seasonal Book Roundups in American Poets magazine |
| Freemium | Annual | National Poetry Month Poster Distribution |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Academy of American Poets product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Academy of American Poets operates Poets.org, a free digital platform providing access to over 10,000 poems and 3,000+ poet biographies, alongside the Poem-a-Day email service, the annual National Poetry Month celebration, and the American Poets magazine. It funds and administers major poetry awards and fellowships (including the Laureate Fellowships funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation) and develops K-12 educational resources such as Teach This Poem and the Dear Poet multimedia project.
Product overview
The Academy of American Poets operates a platform-plus-programs model centered on Poets.org, a comprehensive digital poetry resource with over 10,000 poems and 3,000+ poet biographies. The core offerings include Poem-a-Day (a free daily email service with guest editors), National Poetry Month (the 30th anniversary in 2026), and American Poets Magazine (biannual print/digital publication). Educational initiatives encompass Materials for Teachers with the 'Teach This Poem' curriculum, the Dear Poet student program, and Literary Seminars. The Academy administers major poetry awards including the James Laughlin Award, First Book Award, Ambroggio Prize, and Harold Morton Landon Translation Award. Grant programs include the Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowships ($1M funded by Mellon Foundation) and the Literary Arts Fund ($50M initiative). Revenue comes from memberships, advertising in American Poets Magazine, and donations, enabling free distribution of resources to 40,000+ teachers and librarians.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Poem-a-Day A free daily email service delivering a curated poem directly to subscribers' inboxes, featuring guest editors and original poetry.
- Poets.org The Academy's flagship website offering access to over 10,000 poems, 3,000+ poet biographies, and educational resources organized by theme, occasion, and form.
- National Poetry Month An annual celebration established in April 1996, now the largest literary celebration in the world, with programs including poster distribution, Dear Poet education project, and Poetry & the Creative Mind event.
- American Poets Magazine The Academy's biannual print and digital magazine published in April and October, distributed to approximately 6,500 members with essays, reviews, and poetry collections.
- Materials for Teachers Curated lesson plans and classroom resources including the 'Teach This Poem' series for K-12 educators, with activities adapted for online and hybrid learning.
- Literary Seminars Professional development seminars for poets and poetry enthusiasts covering craft, publishing, and literary topics.
- Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowships $1 million worth of grants awarded to ten to twenty poets serving as laureates of states, cities, counties, U.S. territories, or Tribal nations, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
- James Laughlin Award Prestigious second poetry book award given annually to an American poet, administered by the Academy of American Poets.
- Ambroggio Prize $5,000 prize for the best book of poetry translated from Spanish to English, offered by the Academy of American Poets.
- Harold Morton Landon Translation Award $1,000 prize for translating poetry from any language into English, administered annually by the Academy.
- Poetry & the Creative Mind Annual virtual event celebrating poetry's role in culture, featuring readings, performances, and discussions with poets and cultural figures.
- Academy of American Poets Membership Paid membership program providing access to American Poets magazine, exclusive content, and supporting the Academy's free programs including Poets.org and National Poetry Month.
Quantifiable outcome
- 40,000+ teachers and librarians receive free National Poetry Month posters annually
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Academy of American Poets
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Academy of American Poets technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Academy of American Poets partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Penguin Random HousecorePresenting Partner for National Poetry Month 2026, supporting the largest literary celebration in the world and helping bring poetry to classrooms, libraries, and communities nationwide
- Poetry FoundationcorePresenting Partner for National Poetry Month 2026, co-sponsoring the annual celebration of poetry's vital place in American culture
- W. W. Norton & CompanycorePresenting Partner for National Poetry Month 2026, supporting the annual celebration and promotion of poetry
- Alfred A. KnopfmajorPartner for National Poetry Month 2026, supporting poetry celebration and literacy initiatives
- Copper Canyon PressmajorPartner for National Poetry Month 2026, supporting poetry advocacy and education
- National Poetry FoundationmajorCo-sponsor of the Dear Poet project, supporting multimedia education initiative for students grades 5-12
- 826 NationalminorProvided Spark lesson plans for the Dear Poet project on exploring voice and connections
- National Coalition Against CensorshipminorPartner for Poetry & Democracy programming, helping share poems and educational resources on freedom of speech themes
- Committee to Protect JournalistsminorPartner for Poetry & Democracy programming on freedom of the press theme
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Academy of American Poets competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- PEN America: Literary and free-expression nonprofit running awards, fellowships, and educational programming around writers and literature; comparable as a nonprofit literary advocacy and awards organization serving writers and the broader cultural ecosystem.
- Whiting Foundation: Literary philanthropy awarding Whiting Literary Magazine Prizes and creative writing grants; comparable as a foundation funding individual writers' careers through awards and grants in the same ecosystem.
- Poetry Foundation: Primary direct peer — also a major U.S. nonprofit poetry organization publishing Poetry magazine and Poetry Foundation, administering prizes, and serving overlapping audiences of poets, educators, and poetry readers.
- Lannan Foundation: Private literary and arts philanthropy supporting writers through literary fellowships and cultural programming; comparable as a foundation-funded organization providing grants and residencies to poets and writers in similar cultural spaces.
- Cave Canem Foundation: Nonprofit literary organization dedicated to Black poetry, running fellowships, residencies, and publications; comparable as a poetry-specific nonprofit offering prizes, fellowships, and community programming for poets.
- National Book Foundation: Nonprofit that administers the National Book Awards and runs literary programming and education; comparable as a flagship American literary nonprofit with awards, education, and public engagement programs targeting overlapping audiences.
Emerging players
- Copper Canyon Press: Leading nonprofit poetry publisher and an existing National Poetry Month partner; comparable as a poetry-focused organization at the intersection of publishing, awards, and educational outreach serving the same poet and reader community.
- 826 National: Nonprofit writing and tutoring network for youth and an existing Dear Poet lesson partner; comparable as a nonprofit combining creative writing education for grades 5-12 with literary advocacy.
- Milkweed Editions: Independent nonprofit literary publisher producing poetry, fiction, and nonfiction; comparable as a participant in the same independent poetry publishing ecosystem that funds and amplifies Academy-adjacent poets.
Broad incumbents
- Library of America: Nonprofit literary publisher preserving and disseminating American literary works including poetry collections; comparable as a nonprofit publisher and cultural advocate for American literature with educational distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Academy of American Poets social profiles
Digital presenceAcademy of American Poets financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Academy of American Poets leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Academy of American Poets funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Academy of American Poets M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Academy of American Poets
What does Academy of American Poets do?
The Academy of American Poets operates Poets.org, a free digital platform providing access to over 10,000 poems and 3,000+ poet biographies, alongside the Poem-a-Day email service, the annual National Poetry Month celebration, and the American Poets magazine. It funds and administers major poetry awards and fellowships (including the Laureate Fellowships funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation) and develops K-12 educational resources such as Teach This Poem and the Dear Poet multimedia project.
Is Academy of American Poets a public or private company?
Academy of American Poets is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Academy of American Poets founded?
Academy of American Poets was founded in 1934. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Academy of American Poets based?
Academy of American Poets is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Academy of American Poets make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership and Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are donations and Contributions, magazine and Program Advertising, foundation Grants and sponsorships.
Who are Academy of American Poets's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are PEN America, Whiting Foundation, Poetry Foundation, Lannan Foundation, Cave Canem Foundation and National Book Foundation. Emerging players are Copper Canyon Press, 826 National and Milkweed Editions. Library of America is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Academy of American Poets have an API?
No public API is recorded for Academy of American Poets.
What industry is Academy of American Poets in?
Academy of American Poets's product category is Literary Arts and Poetry Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAK, Literary Arts & Writing Organizations, with a secondary code of EDAMAMAB, Poetry Workshops. Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 2721.