Writers Guild Foundation FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

Los Angeles, CA501(c)(3)Since 1968Arts & CultureEIN 23-7024900

Founded in 1966, the writers guild foundation's mission is to preserve and promote the history and craft of writing for the screen. Through its library and archive, community programs, and educational events, the foundation engages, educates, and inspires emerging writers-especially those belonging to underserved populations-and preserves the rich history of writing in hollywood for future generations.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
83¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$135K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $7K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
83%
of spending
Looks good: 83% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$135K
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
14
named funders · $390K
Looks good: 14 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$367K
12% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 12% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
12
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 12 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.4M
+25% vs prior year
Spent
$1.1M
To programs
83%
Net assets
$2.8M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.4M
FY2021▲ +25%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.1M
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$986K
FY2025$1.0M
Expenses
$1.1M
FY2021▲ +35%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$843K
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$1.2M
FY2025$1.3M
Net assets
$2.8M
FY2021▲ +6%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.6M
FY2021$2.8M
FY2022$2.5M
FY2023$2.6M
FY2024$2.5M
FY2025$2.4M

From the FY2021 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 1968.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

83 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 83% · $946K Management & general 13% · $149K Fundraising 4% · $44K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Who runs it and what they're paid

13 people listed on the 990; $135K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Dir.
$135,417Pt VII · Sec A
Vp-Development
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/Treas
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vp-Programming
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Katie Buckland’s $124K as Past Exec. Dir is at the 50th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Katie Buckland$123,750$165,000$165,000$152,750$135,417$125,000
Enid Portuquez——$110,000———
Julie Lacouture$58,333—————

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Writers Guild Foundation executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Educates, inspires, and preserves excellence in screenwriting through programs, a library, and archives.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Writers Guild Foundation claims this page.

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3 program services account for $946K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2021.
01

The writers guild foundation shavelson-webb library & archivethe writers guild foundation shavelson-webb library (library) is the foundation's largest and most visible program, containing more than 30,000 catalogued items.

$606Kprogram expense
02

Literacy programs and acedemic outreachthe foundation's outreach programs include the visiting writers program, an oral history program, and a writing program for military veterans. Through these programs the foundation also seeks to fulfill another major goal: to establish writing for film and television as literature in its own right…

$203Kprogram expense
03

Seminars and educational eventsthe foundation's educational events include workshops, seminars, and a speaker series. Through these events, the foundation offers the community insight and education on the craft of writing for the SCREEN.THE foundation hosts educational events: workshops held at the writers guild theater; multi-night…

$137Kprogram expense

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Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 14 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$910K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$235K
Investment incomeLn 3$212K
Money outPt IX
$1.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$946K
Managementcol C$149K
Fundraisingcol D$44K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$514K
Total assetsLn 16$3.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$367K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b12
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$910K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$235K
Investment incomeLn 3$212K
Gains on assetsLn 7$198K
Total revenueLn 12$1.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$514K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$514K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$911K
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$3.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$367K
Net assetsLn 32$2.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 510
VolunteersI 6110
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$456K$514K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.1M$1.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$944K$911K
Total assetsLn 16$2.6M$3.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$32K$367K
Net assetsLn 32$2.6M$2.8M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$135K$61K$68K$7K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$343K$315K$11K$17K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$47K$37K$8K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$70K$55K$12K$4K
Payroll taxesLn 10$43K$33K$7K$2K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$19K$19K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$205K$205K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$34K$32K$803$906
Office expensesLn 13$5K$4K$460$322
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$112K$93K$11K$8K
TravelLn 17$123$102$12$9
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$43K$43K
InsuranceLn 23$12K$5K$7K$298
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$54K$48K$4K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$18K$16K$973$681
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.1M$946K$149K$44K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.0M$1.3M−$227K$2.4M 990 PDF
FY2024 $986K$1.2M−$200K$2.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.2M$1.2M−$20K$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.2M$1.2M$25K$2.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $1.4M$1.1M$218K$2.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.1M$843K$244K$2.6M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2021 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,356,830 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$910,165
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$910,165
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $234,964$234,964
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $13,614$13,614
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $198,087$198,087
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $234,964 · Excluded from tax $211,701$1,356,830
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,139,141 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $60,937 · Management $67,709 · Fundraising $6,771$135,417
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $315,302 · Management $10,679 · Fundraising $17,157$343,138
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $36,659 · Management $7,638 · Fundraising $2,331$46,628
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $55,280 · Management $11,518 · Fundraising $3,516$70,314
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $33,437 · Management $6,966 · Fundraising $2,127$42,530
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $19,000$19,000
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $204,612$204,612
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $31,920 · Management $803 · Fundraising $906$33,629
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $3,820 · Management $460 · Fundraising $322$4,602
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $92,736 · Management $11,173 · Fundraising $7,821$111,730
IX-17 TravelPrograms $102 · Management $12 · Fundraising $9$123
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $42,629$42,629
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,681 · Management $7,472 · Fundraising $298$12,451
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $47,766 · Management $4,294 · Fundraising $2,243$54,303
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $16,381 · Management $973 · Fundraising $681$18,035
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $946,262 · Management $148,697 · Fundraising $44,182$1,139,141
Part X · Balance sheet $3,116,917 assets, 19 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $455,628$513,814
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $75,906$34,744
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $13,030$7,212
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $944,157$911,001
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,143,965$1,650,146
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assets$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,632,686$3,116,917
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $32,151$16,621
X-25 Other liabilities$350,000
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $32,151$366,621
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $2,580,535$2,750,296
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,600,535$2,750,296
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,632,686$3,116,917
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,750,296 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,356,830
XI-2 Total expenses$1,139,141
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$217,689
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,600,535
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$67,928
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,750,296

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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