Education Writers Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE EDUCATION WRITERS ASSOCIATION IS TO STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY OF EDUCATION WRITERS AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION COVERAGE TO BETTER INFORM THE PUBLIC.
- Income
- $4.2 million
- Spending
- $3.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 10.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 91%
- Employees
- 14
- Volunteers
- 325
- Highest pay
- $217,235, executive di
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 123% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
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 September 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 (1)
- $2.6 million spent. FOR MORE THAN 75 YEARS, EWA HAS SUPPORTED JOURNALISTS COVERING EDUCATION THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY, RESOURCES, AND RECOGNITION. AS THE NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR REPORTERS, EDITORS, PRODUCERS, AND OTHER JOURNALISTS ON THE EDUCATION BEAT, EWA WORKS TO STRENGTHEN EDUCATION JOURNALISM AND ELEVATE ITS IMPACT. EWAS LONG-TERM VISION IS GROUNDED IN THE BELIEF THAT: STRONG EDUCATION JOURNALISM HELPS CREATE INFORMED CITIZENS AND LEADERS. INFORMED CITIZENS AND LEADERS MAKE BETTER DECISIONS ABOUT EDUCATION. BETTER DECISIONS LEAD TO STRONGER STUDENT OUTCOMES AND A MORE ENGAGED SOCIETY. HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION REPORTING PLAYS AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, POLICY, AND LEARNING. SUPPORTING JOURNALISTS AND STRENGTHENING THE BEAT ARE CENTRAL TO EWAS MISSION. ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES EWAS WORK IS GUIDED BY FOUR CORE VALUES: QUALITY - SUPPORTING MEMBERS IN PRODUCING ACCURATE, INSIGHTFUL, AND IMPACTFUL JOURNALISM. COMMUNITY - BUILDING CONNECTIONS AMONG PROFESSIONALS COVERING EDUCATION AND ENCOURAGING COLLABORATION AND LEARNING. PROFESSIONALISM - PROMOTING FAIRNESS, ACCURACY, TRANSPARENCY, AND EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE. DIVERSITY - ENCOURAGING A BROAD RANGE OF VOICES, PERSPECTIVES, AND EXPERIENCES IN JOURNALISM AND COVERAGE. MEMBERSHIP EWAS PRIMARY MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES REPORTERS, EDITORS, PRODUCERS, FREELANCERS, AND JOURNALISM EDUCATORS WHOSE WORK CENTERS ON INDEPENDENT NEWS MEDIA. EWA ALSO OFFERS STUDENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIPS, INCLUDING PROFESSIONALS WHO SUPPORT EDUCATION JOURNALISM OR WORK IN EDUCATION-RELATED COMMUNICATIONS ROLES. TRAINING AND EVENTS EWA OFFERS YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN JOURNALISTS REPORTING SKILLS AND DEEPEN KNOWLEDGE OF EDUCATION ISSUES FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE PATHWAYS. NATIONAL SEMINAR - EWAS FLAGSHIP ANNUAL CONFERENCE FEATURING ISSUE- FOCUSED SESSIONS, PRACTICAL TRAINING, NETWORKING, AND THE PRESENTATION OF NATIONAL JOURNALISM AWARDS. HIGHER EDUCATION SEMINAR - A FOCUSED ANNUAL EVENT EXPLORING POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION POLICY, PRACTICE, AND REPORTING. WEBINARS - FREE VIRTUAL PROGRAMS COVERING TIMELY EDUCATION TOPICS AND REPORTING SKILLS. PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES - COHORT-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT BRING MEMBERS TOGETHER OVER TIME TO EXAMINE MAJOR ISSUES IN DEPTH. CUSTOMIZED SUPPORT REPORTING FELLOWSHIPS - COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT PROVIDE FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR AMBITIOUS EDUCATION REPORTING PROJECTS. COACHING AND CAREER SUPPORT - CONFIDENTIAL GUIDANCE FOR JOURNALISTS SEEKING HELP WITH REPORTING PROJECTS, STORYTELLING, OR CAREER DEVELOPMENT. RECOGNITION NATIONAL AWARDS FOR EDUCATION REPORTING - EWAS ANNUAL AWARDS PROGRAM HONORING OUTSTANDING JOURNALISM ACROSS MULTIPLE CATEGORIES, INCLUDING THE FRED M. HECHINGER GRAND PRIZE FOR DISTINGUISHED EDUCATION REPORTING AND THE RONALD MOSKOWITZ PRIZE FOR OUTSTANDING BEAT REPORTING. ONLINE RESOURCES THROUGH EDUCATION WRITERS ASSOCIATION AT EWA.ORG, MEMBERS CAN ACCESS GOVERNANCE INFORMATION, MEMBERSHIP SERVICES, EVENT REGISTRATION, EXPERT RESOURCES, TRAINING MATERIALS, ARTICLES, AND PODCASTS FEATURING EXPERIENCED EDUCATION JOURNALISTS. FOR MORE THAN 75 YEARS, EWA HAS SUPPORTED JOURNALISTS COVERING EDUCATION THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY, RESOURCES, AND RECOGNITION. AS THE NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR REPORTERS, EDITORS, PRODUCERS, AND OTHER JOURNALISTS ON THE EDUCATION BEAT, EWA WORKS TO STRENGTHEN EDUCATION JOURNALISM AND ELEVATE ITS IMPACT. EWAS LONG-TERM VISION IS GROUNDED IN THE BELIEF THAT: STRONG EDUCATION JOURNALISM HELPS CREATE INFORMED CITIZENS AND LEADERS. INFORMED CITIZENS AND LEADERS MAKE BETTER DECISIONS ABOUT EDUCATION. BETTER DECISIONS LEAD TO STRONGER STUDENT OUTCOMES AND A MORE ENGAGED SOCIETY. HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION REPORTING PLAYS AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, POLICY, AND LEARNING. SUPPORTING JOURNALISTS AND STRENGTHENING THE BEAT ARE CENTRAL TO EWAS MISSION. ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES EWAS WORK IS GUIDED BY FOUR CORE VALUES: QUALITY - SUPPORTING MEMBERS IN PRODUCING ACCURATE, INSIGHTFUL, AND IMPACTFUL JOURNALISM. COMMUNITY - BUILDING CONNECTIONS AMONG PROFESSIONALS COVERING EDUCATION AND ENCOURAGING COLLABORATION AND LEARNING. PROFESSIONALISM - PROMOTING FAIRNESS, ACCURACY, TRANSPARENCY, AND EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE. DIVERSITY - ENCOURAGING A BROAD RANGE OF VOICES, PERSPECTIVES, AND EXPERIENCES IN JOURNALISM AND COVERAGE. MEMBERSHIP EWAS PRIMARY MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES REPORTERS, EDITORS, PRODUCERS, FREELANCERS, AND JOURNALISM EDUCATORS WHOSE WORK CENTERS ON INDEPENDENT NEWS MEDIA. EWA ALSO OFFERS STUDENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIPS, INCLUDING PROFESSIONALS WHO SUPPORT EDUCATION JOURNALISM OR WORK IN EDUCATION-RELATED COMMUNICATIONS ROLES. TRAINING AND EVENTS EWA OFFERS YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN JOURNALISTS REPORTING SKILLS AND DEEPEN KNOWLEDGE OF EDUCATION ISSUES FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE PATHWAYS. NATIONAL SEMINAR - EWAS FLAGSHIP ANNUAL CONFERENCE FEATURING ISSUE- FOCUSED SESSIONS, PRACTICAL TRAINING, NETWORKING, AND THE PRESENTATION OF NATIONAL JOURNALISM AWARDS. HIGHER EDUCATION SEMINAR - A FOCUSED ANNUAL EVENT EXPLORING POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION POLICY, PRACTICE, AND REPORTING. WEBINARS - FREE VIRTUAL PROGRAMS COVERING TIMELY EDUCATION TOPICS AND REPORTING SKILLS. PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES - COHORT-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT BRING MEMBERS TOGETHER OVER TIME TO EXAMINE MAJOR ISSUES IN DEPTH. CUSTOMIZED SUPPORT REPORTING FELLOWSHIPS - COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT PROVIDE FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR AMBITIOUS EDUCATION REPORTING PROJECTS. COACHING AND CAREER SUPPORT - CONFIDENTIAL GUIDANCE FOR JOURNALISTS SEEKING HELP WITH REPORTING PROJECTS, STORYTELLING, OR CAREER DEVELOPMENT. RECOGNITION NATIONAL AWARDS FOR EDUCATION REPORTING - EWAS ANNUAL AWARDS PROGRAM HONORING OUTSTANDING JOURNALISM ACROSS MULTIPLE CATEGORIES, INCLUDING THE FRED M. HECHINGER GRAND PRIZE FOR DISTINGUISHED EDUCATION REPORTIN
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 September 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 April 1975.
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.