THE POETRY FOUNDATION
The Poetry Foundation is a Chicago-based nonprofit literary organization that publishes Poetry magazine (since 1912) and operates a digital content platform, daily poem email, podcast, mobile app, and grants program serving poetry enthusiasts, educators, and poets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What THE POETRY FOUNDATION does
The Poetry Foundation is a nonprofit literary organization established in 2003 from the Poetry magazine endowment, with Poetry magazine itself dating to 1912. Headquartered at 61 West Superior Street in Chicago, Illinois, the Foundation operates with a lean staff of 5 employees and serves poetry enthusiasts, educators, students, and poets across the United States and globally through digital channels.
Its core product portfolio centers on Poetry magazine, a monthly literary publication available in print and digital formats, complemented by the Poetry Foundation website (poetryfoundation.org) as the primary digital hub for poems, poet profiles, essays, and educational resources. Supporting products include the "Poem of the Day" daily curated email service, the "Poetry Off the Shelf" podcast featuring poets reading their work, a mobile application on iOS and Android, and grants and programs funding poets and poetry organizations. The underlying technology stack is a web-based content platform with CDN infrastructure (cdn.poetryfoundation.org), digital archive systems, and integrations with a third-party e-commerce subscription provider (buysub.com).
The Foundation's business model combines subscription revenue from Poetry magazine (starting at $15 for 5 issues, annual billing) with grant-making activity funded through its endowment. Its go-to-market motion is community-led, reaching audiences through email newsletters (daily Poem of the Day, weekly newsletter, educators newsletter), organic social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, LinkedIn), podcast distribution, and live events. The organization does not disclose revenue figures, has no parent company or subsidiaries, and is governed by a board of trustees as a nonprofit entity.
THE POETRY FOUNDATION firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- THE POETRY FOUNDATION
- Legal name
- Poetry Foundation
- Website
- https://poetryfoundation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Poetry Foundation is a Chicago-based nonprofit literary organization that publishes Poetry magazine (since 1912) and operates a digital content platform, daily poem email, podcast, mobile app, and grants program serving poetry enthusiasts, educators, and poets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
THE POETRY FOUNDATION industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Literary Publishing
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Literary Arts & Writing Organizations (BPAGAHAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)
Keywords
Where THE POETRY FOUNDATION is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
THE POETRY FOUNDATION business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Poetry Magazine Subscriptions: Print and digital subscriptions to Poetry magazine, including current issues and archive access. Subscription tiers available including annual and multi-year options.
- Grants & Programs: The Foundation provides grants to poets and poetry organizations, suggesting a funding-based revenue distribution model as part of its nonprofit mission.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Poetry Magazine Subscription - $15 for 5 issues |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
THE POETRY FOUNDATION product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Poetry Foundation is a nonprofit literary organization that publishes Poetry magazine in print and digital formats, maintains a comprehensive poetry website featuring poems, poet profiles, essays, audio content, and educational resources, delivers a daily curated Poem of the Day email, produces the Poetry Off the Shelf podcast, and administers grants to poets and poetry organizations to advance appreciation of the literary art form.
Product overview
The Poetry Foundation operates a unified digital platform centered on its flagship Poetry Magazine, complemented by the Poetry Foundation Website which serves as the primary content hub. The organization offers a portfolio of products including the Poem of the Day email service, the Poetry Off the Shelf audio podcast, and Grants & Programs for poet funding. These products work together to fulfill the Foundation's mission of fostering appreciation and accessibility of poetry through publishing, digital content delivery, and financial support to the poetry community.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Poetry magazine: A monthly literary magazine published by the Poetry Foundation featuring poems, essays, and poetry-related content.
Products and services
- Poetry Magazine A monthly literary magazine featuring contemporary poetry, published by the Poetry Foundation. Available in print and digital formats, with subscriptions (starting at $15 for 5 issues) and single-issue purchase options giving access to current issues and the century-long archive.
- Poem of the Day A daily email subscription service delivering a curated poem selected by Poetry Foundation editors to correspond with historic events and poet anniversaries, designed for poetry enthusiasts seeking daily literary engagement.
- Poetry Off the Shelf Podcast An audio podcast series featuring poets reading their own work and engaging in literary discussions (e.g., Fanny Howe reading from her collection), accessible globally via the Poetry Foundation website and podcast platforms.
- Poetry Foundation Grants and Programs Funding opportunities and programs supporting individual poets and poetry organizations, including direct grants disbursed as part of the Foundation's nonprofit mission to advance the literary art form of poetry.
Companies that use THE POETRY FOUNDATION
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
THE POETRY FOUNDATION technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
THE POETRY FOUNDATION partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
THE POETRY FOUNDATION competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Penguin Random House: Largest trade book publisher in the U.S., publishing poetry collections alongside novels and nonfiction. Broad incumbent: comparable literary publishing activity, but at vastly larger scale and as part of a diversified commercial publishing portfolio rather than a poetry-focused nonprofit.
- The Atlantic: Subscription-driven literary and ideas magazine with a substantial poetry footprint, podcasts, and newsletters. Broad incumbent: comparable subscription, newsletter, and podcast monetization playbook, but operating across a much broader editorial scope than poetry.
- Harper's Magazine: Long-running monthly literary magazine featuring poetry, essays, and fiction, distributed via subscription and newsstands. Broad incumbent: similar monthly literary periodical model and subscription pricing comparable to Poetry magazine's $15 starter tier.
- The New Yorker: Prestigious general-interest literary magazine publishing poetry alongside fiction, journalism, and criticism, with a strong subscription and digital platform business. Broad incumbent: overlapping poetry publication and subscription model, but serving a much wider editorial portfolio than Poetry magazine.
Direct peers
- Poetry Society of America: Historic literary nonprofit that hosts awards, readings, and chapbook programs and serves a comparable community of poets and poetry readers. Direct peer in the U.S. poetry nonprofit space with overlapping programming in prizes, events, and educational outreach.
- The Paris Review: Quarterly literary magazine publishing poetry, fiction, and interviews, with subscriptions and an associated website. Direct peer in literary periodical publishing: similar subscription model, prestige-driven editorial brand, and audience of literary enthusiasts.
- Library of America: Nonprofit literary publisher that produces annotated editions of American writing, including poetry collections. Direct peer as a nonprofit literary publisher with subscription/membership revenue, archival mission, and educational programming.
- Kenyon Review: Long-running literary magazine and nonprofit associated with Kenyon College, publishing poetry, fiction, and essays with a subscription and education program. Direct peer as a literary magazine and literary-arts nonprofit serving poets, educators, and general readers.
- Cave Canem Foundation: Nonprofit literary organization supporting Black poets through residencies, retreats, prizes, and publications. Direct peer: poetry-focused nonprofit with grantmaking, community programs, and editorial/advisory activities that mirror the Foundation's funding and community model.
- Academy of American Poets: The leading U.S. nonprofit dedicated to poetry appreciation, operating poets.org, Poem-a-Day, and a national grants program for poets. Direct peer: same literary-arts nonprofit mission, same magazine/website/grant model, and overlapping audience of poets, educators, and enthusiasts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
THE POETRY FOUNDATION social profiles
Digital presenceTHE POETRY FOUNDATION financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
THE POETRY FOUNDATION leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
THE POETRY FOUNDATION funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
THE POETRY FOUNDATION 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 THE POETRY FOUNDATION
What does THE POETRY FOUNDATION do?
The Poetry Foundation is a nonprofit literary organization that publishes Poetry magazine in print and digital formats, maintains a comprehensive poetry website featuring poems, poet profiles, essays, audio content, and educational resources, delivers a daily curated Poem of the Day email, produces the Poetry Off the Shelf podcast, and administers grants to poets and poetry organizations to advance appreciation of the literary art form.
Is THE POETRY FOUNDATION a public or private company?
THE POETRY FOUNDATION is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was THE POETRY FOUNDATION founded?
THE POETRY FOUNDATION was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is THE POETRY FOUNDATION based?
THE POETRY FOUNDATION is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does THE POETRY FOUNDATION make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Poetry Magazine Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are grants & Programs.
Who are THE POETRY FOUNDATION's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Penguin Random House, The Atlantic, Harper's Magazine and The New Yorker. Direct peers are Poetry Society of America, The Paris Review, Library of America, Kenyon Review, Cave Canem Foundation and Academy of American Poets.
Does THE POETRY FOUNDATION have an API?
No public API is recorded for THE POETRY FOUNDATION.
What industry is THE POETRY FOUNDATION in?
THE POETRY FOUNDATION's product category is Literary Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAK, Literary Arts & Writing Organizations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAJ, Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 2721.