OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION
Oregon Poetry Association is a Portland-based nonprofit literary organization founded in 1956 that serves Oregon and Pacific Northwest poets through annual contests, published anthologies, conferences, and community programs, operating on membership dues, contest fees, donations, and anthology sales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1956
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION does
Oregon Poetry Association is a nonprofit literary organization founded in 1956 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon. It serves poets, writers, educators, and poetry enthusiasts across Oregon and the broader Pacific Northwest region, functioning as a long-standing community hub for the craft and appreciation of poetry. The association is volunteer-led with a small staff footprint of 1-10 employees.
Its core offerings consist of an annual conference, recurring poetry contests segmented by audience (adult, youth, and Spanish-language poets), and published anthologies including the recurring Verseweavers and Cascadia collections. Operations are administered through third-party SaaS platforms — Wild Apricot for membership management and Submittable for contest submission handling — indicating a thin in-house technology stack focused on community administration rather than proprietary product development.
The business model is that of a member-supported literary nonprofit. Revenue is generated through membership dues, contest entry fees, donations, and anthology sales. There are no enterprise contracts, venture funding, or commercial product lines referenced. The organization self-describes as one of the largest state poetry associations in the country and is approaching its 70th anniversary in 2026, signaling a stable, multi-decade operational footprint rather than an entity in a growth or scaling phase.
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION
- Legal name
- Oregon Poetry Association
- Website
- https://oregonpoets.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1956
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Oregon Poetry Association is a Portland-based nonprofit literary organization founded in 1956 that serves Oregon and Pacific Northwest poets through annual contests, published anthologies, conferences, and community programs, operating on membership dues, contest fees, donations, and anthology sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Literary Arts Organization
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (8134)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Literary Arts & Writing Organizations (BPAGAHAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Spoken Word & Performance Poetry Workshops (EDAMAMAM), Writing Retreats & Intensive Bootcamps (EDAMAMAK)
Keywords
Where OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees provide core operational funding. Paid members receive Verseweavers anthology, can submit to adult contests without fees, and receive discounts on events.
- Contest Entry Fees: Summer/Fall contests charge entry fees for non-members. Members enjoy reduced or no fees for certain contests. The 2025 Summer/Fall contest deadline was July 28 with multiple categories.
- Donations: The organization actively solicits donations to support youth contest awards and general operations. Donations are earmarked for specific purposes such as student contest winner awards ($50 per winner).
- Anthology Sales: Sale of publications including Verseweavers (membership benefit), Cascadia youth anthology, and member poetry collections featured on the website.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual membership with full access to contests, publications, and events |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Oregon Poetry Association is a nonprofit literary organization that supports Oregon poets through annual poetry contests (adult, youth, and Spanish-language categories), published anthologies (Verseweavers for adults and Cascadia for youth), an annual conference, ongoing poetry workshops and readings, and the Patricia Ruth Banta Award recognizing contributions to Oregon poetry.
Product overview
Oregon Poetry Association (OPA) is a non-profit literary organization that serves as one of the largest state poetry associations in the United States. OPA offers a unified portfolio of poetry-focused programs including annual poetry contests across multiple categories (adult, youth, Spanish language), published anthologies (Verseweavers and Cascadia), an annual conference, the Patricia Ruth Banta Award for poetry contributions, and ongoing poetry workshops and readings. These offerings are interconnected through OPA's membership program, which provides access to member-only contests and publications, creating a comprehensive ecosystem supporting Oregon's poetic community.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Verseweavers: OPA's flagship literary anthology featuring winning poems from adult contests
- Cascadia
- Patricia Ruth Banta Award
- Stafford Challenge Conference
Products and services
- Poetry Contests
- Verseweavers Anthology
- Cascadia Youth Poetry Anthology
- Annual Conference
- Patricia Ruth Banta Award
- Poetry Workshops and Readings
- Membership Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 70 years promoting poetry in Oregon
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- The Arts Center of CorvallisminorOPA partners with The Arts Center of Corvallis for special poetry events, including National Poetry Month celebrations featuring MFA poets from Oregon State University.
- Oregon State University MFA ProgramminorCollaboration with OSU's Creative Writing MFA program for poetry nights featuring graduate poets, connecting students with the broader Oregon poetry community.
- Lewis & Clark CollegecoreHost of the William Stafford Archive and venue for the Stafford Challenge Conference. OPA's connection to William Stafford's legacy is central to its identity.
- National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS)coreOPA is the Oregon state affiliate of NFSPS, participating in national contests and accessing resources, publications (Strophes), and the broader national poetry network.
- Local Poetry Venues (Coburg Commons Bookstore, Hillsdale Library, etc.)minorPartnerships with local bookstores, libraries, and wineries for poetry readings and events. Venues provide space for Poetry in the Round, Head for the Hills series, and First Thursday events.
- Various Publishers (Finishing Line Press, Airlie Press, Fernwood Press, etc.)minorMember book reviews and announcements featured on OPA website; publishers provide books for review; creates mutual promotional benefit.
- Portland Arts CollectiveminorVenue for monthly workshop 'Petrichor's Child: Within and the Written' at 122 NW Couch Street, Portland.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- National Federation of State Poetry Societies: NFSPS is the national umbrella organization to which OPA is the Oregon state affiliate. It operates overlapping contests, publications (Strophes), and a member-society network, making it the most directly comparable organization in structure and mission, only at a national scale.
- Poets & Writers: A national nonprofit literary organization that supports writers through grants, publications, and a comprehensive events database. Comparable to OPA in serving the poetry community but with broader scope across genres and a national footprint.
- Poetry Foundation: Publisher of Poetry magazine and operator of poetry.org, the Poetry Foundation is a national literary nonprofit that funds poets, publishes work, and runs educational programming. It overlaps OPA on poetry publication, recognition, and audience development but at vastly greater scale and budget.
- Academy of American Poets: A major national literary nonprofit that runs poetry contests, fellowships, and programming analogous to OPA's contests, anthologies, and events. It operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach than OPA but is functionally similar in supporting poets through contests and publications.
Regional players
- Literary Arts: A Portland, Oregon-based nonprofit running literary programming including readings, workshops, and the Oregon Book Award. Operates in the same Oregon geography as OPA with overlapping audiences and a complementary programming focus on writers and readers.
Others
- Copper Canyon Press: A nonprofit poetry publisher based in Washington State that publishes poetry collections and supports poets through publication. Comparable in the nonprofit literary-arts ecosystem and adjacent to OPA's publishing mission through Verseweavers and Cascadia anthologies.
Direct peers
- Washington State Poetry Association: A Pacific-Northwest state poetry association offering contests, anthologies, and member events — the closest functional parallel to OPA in another state. Its program structure (membership dues, annual contests, anthologies, readings) directly mirrors OPA's offerings.
- Massachusetts Poetry Society: A state-level poetry organization that runs contests, festivals, and educational programming comparable to OPA's offerings. Structurally similar as a membership-based nonprofit focused on a single state's poetry community.
- California State Poetry Society: A long-running state poetry association offering contests, anthologies, and conventions — directly comparable to OPA's mix of contests, Verseweavers/Cascadia anthologies, and annual conference.
- Texas Poetry Society: A statewide poetry society operating contests, an annual journal, and member events — directly comparable in mission and program mix to OPA, scaled to a different state.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION social profiles
Digital presenceOREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION 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 OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION
What does OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION do?
Oregon Poetry Association is a nonprofit literary organization that supports Oregon poets through annual poetry contests (adult, youth, and Spanish-language categories), published anthologies (Verseweavers for adults and Cascadia for youth), an annual conference, ongoing poetry workshops and readings, and the Patricia Ruth Banta Award recognizing contributions to Oregon poetry.
Is OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION a public or private company?
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION founded?
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION was founded in 1956. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION based?
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are contest Entry Fees, donations and anthology Sales.
Who are OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are National Federation of State Poetry Societies, Poets & Writers, Poetry Foundation and Academy of American Poets. Literary Arts is listed as a regional player. Copper Canyon Press is listed as an others. Direct peers are Washington State Poetry Association, Massachusetts Poetry Society, California State Poetry Society and Texas Poetry Society.
Does OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION have an API?
No public API is recorded for OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION.
What industry is OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION in?
OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION's product category is Literary Arts Organization. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAK, Literary Arts & Writing Organizations, with a secondary code of EDAMAMAM, Spoken Word & Performance Poetry Workshops. Its NAICS code is 8134.