Association of Writers & Writing
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 77 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
AWP PROVIDES SUPPORT, ADVOCACY, RESOURCES, AND COMMUNITY TO WRITERS, COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAMS, AND WRITING ORGANIZATIONS.
- Income
- $3.2 million
- Spending
- $3.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 12.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 88%
- Employees
- 28
- Volunteers
- 636
- Highest pay
- $141,204, executive director (thru aug)
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 13% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 15% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 18% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 77 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $1.9 million spent. ANNUAL CONFERENCE & BOOKFAIR: THE AWP CONFERENCE IS THE ANNUAL DESTINATION FOR WRITERS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, EDITORS, PUBLISHERS OF CONTEMPORARY CREATIVE WRITING, AND ACADEMIC WRITING PROGRAMS. IT INCLUDES THOUSANDS OF ATTENDEES, HUNDREDS OF EVENTS AND BOOKFAIR EXHIBITORS, AND FOUR DAYS OF ESSENTIAL LITERARY CRAFT CONVERSATION AND CELEBRATION.
- $614,807 spent. MEMBERSHIP SERVICES: AWP OFFERS THREE TYPES OF MEMBERSHIPS TO SERVE OUR WIDE RANGE OF PROFESSIONAL WRITERS, STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND MORE. THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP SERVES ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO DESIRES ACCESS TO WRITING RESOURCES, PROGRAMMING, AND EVENTS THAT AWP PROVIDES. THE ACADEMIC MEMBERSHIP SERVES CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAMS AT DEGREE-GRANTING ACCREDITED UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES, AND HIGH SCHOOLS. AND THE WRITING ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIP SERVES WRITING ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL WRITING PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS OUTSIDE OF ACADEMIA.
- $331,791 spent. PUBLICATIONS: FOR OVER FIVE DECADES, THE WRITER'S CHRONICLE HAS SERVED AS A LEADING SOURCE OF ARTICLES, NEWS, AND INFORMATION FOR WRITERS, EDITORS, STUDENTS, AND TEACHERS OF WRITING. OUR DIGITAL MAGAZINE PROVIDES DIVERSE AND ACCESSIBLE INSIGHTS INTO THE ART OF WRITING. EACH ISSUE (SIX PER YEAR) FEATURES IN-DEPTH ESSAYS ON CRAFT, CONVERSATIONS WITH AUTHORS AND PUBLISHING PROFESSIONALS, AND EXPLORATIONS OF CURRENT TOPICS IN THE WRITING WORLD.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 1968.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.