Writers Guild Foundation FY2023 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.
81¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$275K 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

FY2023 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
Is it a real charity?
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Are gifts tax-deductible?
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Is it filing on time?
FY2025
latest Form 990
IRS e-file · Filing history
Is it financially stable?
3 of 6
years in the black
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
How much reaches the programs?
81%
of spending
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
What are leaders paid?
$275K
to officers and key staff · 22% of spending
Pt VII · Sec A
Do they have reserves?
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Who is supporting them already?
14
named funders · $390K
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Do they carry debt?
$24K
liabilities
Pt X · Ln 26
Who oversees it?
16
independent of 16 voting board members
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$1.2M
-1% vs prior year
Spent
$1.2M
To programs
81%
Net assets
$2.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.2M
FY2023▼ -1%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.1M
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$986K
FY2025$1.0M
Expenses
$1.2M
FY2023▲ +2%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$843K
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$1.2M
FY2025$1.3M
Net assets
$2.6M
FY2023▲ +4%
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 FY2023 Form 990 · see the original

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Status and standing

Is it real, and can you give to it?

Tax-deductible?
Yes
Per the IRS master file.
Can I give now?
No revocation on IRS record
Not on the IRS revocation list.
Filing up to date?
Yes — filed FY2025
Legal name (IRS)Hdr · item CWriters Guild Foundation
EINHdr · item D23-7024900
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
Ruling yearIRS BMFAug 1968
Year of formationHdr · item L1968
Latest filingForm 990FY2025 · Form 990
Principal addressHdr · item CLos Angeles, CA
NTEE classificationIRS BMFArts & Culture (A76J)
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.wgfoundation.org

Where the money goes

What each dollar paid for.

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.81 Management & general $0.14 Fundraising $0.04
Program services81%$1.0M
Management & general14%$176K
Fundraising4%$52K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.2M

Financial health

Is it on solid ground?

Program efficiency
81%
of spending reaches programs
Operating runway
15.9mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate
Surplus margin
-2%
revenue over expenses, this year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2023 · Form 990
Total assets
$2.6M
FY2023▼ -2%
Total assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.6M
FY2021$3.1M
FY2022$2.7M
FY2023$2.6M
FY2024$2.5M
FY2025$2.4M
Total liabilities
$24K
FY2023▼ -88%
Total liabilities by fiscal year
FY2020$32K
FY2021$367K
FY2022$200K
FY2023$24K
FY2024$23K
FY2025$28K
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19−$20K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$2.6M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B81%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 316
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 416

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$226K
Total assetsLn 16$2.6M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$24K
Total net assetsLn 32$2.6M
Months of cash on handcomputed2.2

Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$1.2M · 96%
Program service revenue$18K · 2%
Investment income$27K · 2%
Contributions & grants96%$1.2M
Program service revenue2%$18K
Investment income2%$27K
Total revenueLn 12$1.2M

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2023 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $1.6M · Operating expenses/yr $1.2M
15.9 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $1.0M · Total expenses $1.2M
81%
Management & General
Management & general $176K · Total expenses $1.2M
14%
Fundraising
Fundraising $52K · Total expenses $1.2M
4%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $52K · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $1.1M
$0.05 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $1.2M · Total revenue $1.2M
96%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $1.2M
—
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $18K · Total revenue $1.2M
2%
Investment reliance
Investment income $27K · Total revenue $1.2M
+2%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $18K · Total expenses $1.2M
1%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $1.2M · Prior year $1.2M
-1%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $2.6M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $1.2M · Expenses $1.2M
-2%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $2.6M
—
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $2.6M · Total assets $2.6M
99%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $1.4M · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) $0 · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $2.6M
53%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Katie Buckland · Reported title Executive Dir. · Highest reported compensation $165K · Total expenses $1.2M
13%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $875K · Total expenses $1.2M
71%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 81%——
Overhead ratio 14%——
Fundraising cost ratio 4%——
Revenue growth -1%——
Investment management fee ratio 0%——
Legal fee ratio 0%——
Accounting fee ratio 2%——
Fundraising fee ratio 0%——

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Leadership and pay

Who runs it, and what are they paid?

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Dir.
$165,000Pt VII · Sec A
Dir of Comm & Even
$110,000Pt VII · Sec A
Vp-Development
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$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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Governance & Policies

Part VI
  • 16Voting board membersPt VI · Ln 1a
  • 16Independent board membersPt VI · Ln 1b
  • Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
  • Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
  • Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
  • Top official’s pay independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
  • Family or business ties among leadersPt VI · Ln 2No

Mission and programs

What it does.

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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Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $1.0M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2023.
01

The writers guild foundation shavelson-webb library & archivethe shavelson-webb library provides a quiet space for anyone-not just writers guild of america (wga) members-to read scripts, consult with our librarians, and write.

$620Kprogram expense
02

Writers access support staff training programsthe writers access support staff training program provides writers from historically underrepresented backgrounds (bipoc, LGBTQ+, disabled, over of the age of 50, etc.) with tools and education to become a writers' assitant and script coordinator, ultimately resulting in meaningful employment…

$219Kprogram expense
03

Veterans writing projectthe veterans writing project develops the writing skills of military veterans for professional advancement and personal fulfillment. Serving 60-80 veterans each year, participants are educated on the fundamentals of screenwriting and mentored by wga-enrolled writers.

$163Kprogram 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 →

Filing history

Every return on file.

YearRevenueExpensesChangeFiling
FY2025 Latest $1.0M$1.3M+4% 990 PDF
FY2024 $986K$1.2M-18% 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $1.2M$1.2M-1% 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.2M$1.2M-10% 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.4M$1.1M+25% 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.1M$843K 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

Not shown yet: ratings, outcomes, and peer benchmarks. A Form 990 doesn’t report them.

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2023IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
Names, privacy, and removal requests More

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