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Horror Writers Association

EIN 34-1564274 · Westerville, OH

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair68 out of 100GovernanceWeak46 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION (HWA) IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OF WRITERS AND PUBLISHING PROFESSIONALS AROUND THE WORLD, DEDICATED TO PROMOTING DARK LITERATURE AND THE INTERSTS OF THOSE WHO WRITE IT. HWA WAS FORMED IN THE LATE 1980S WITH THE HELP OF MANY OF THE FIELD'S GREATS, INCLUDING DEAN KOONTZ, ROBERT MCCAMMON, AND JOE LANSDALE. TODAY-- WITH OVER 1400 MEMBERS IN COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD--IT IS THE OLDEST AND MOST RESPECTED PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE MUCH LOVED WRITERS WHO HAVE BROUGHT YOU THE MOST ENJOYABLE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS OF YOUR LIFE. OUR MISSION -- IS TO ENCOURAGE PUBLIC INTEREST IN AND FOSTER AN APPRECIATION OF GOOD HORROR AND DARK FANTASY LITERATURE. TO THAT END, WE OFFER THE PUBLIC AREAS OF THIS WEB SITE, WE SPONSOR OR TAKE PART IN OCCASIONAL PUBLIC READINGS AND LECTURES, WE PUBLISH A BLOG AND PRODUCE OTHER MATERIALS FOR BOOKSELLERS AND LIBRARIANS, WE FACILITATE READINGS AND SIGNINGS BY HORROR WRITERS, AND WE MAINTAIN AN OFFICIAL PRESENSE AT THE MAJOR FAN-BASED

Income
$463,647
Spending
$364,847
Spent on programs
62%
Reserves
5.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 66%
Employees
1
Volunteers
20
Highest pay
$93,941, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending February 28, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 35% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 21% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 36% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    62% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending February 28, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Weak: 46 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending February 28, 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. $225,753 spent. DIVERSITY -- TO ENSURE THE HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION (HWA) INCLUDES THE WIDEST POSSIBLE REPRESENTATION OF THOSE WORKING IN THE HORROR/DARK FANTASY GENRE, THE HWA HAS FORMED THE DIVERSE WORKS INCLUSION COMMITTEE. THIS COMMITTEE IS TASKED WITH ACTIVELY SEEKING WRITERS AND EDITORS WITH DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS. THE COMMITTEE HAS ADOPTED THE BROADEST DEFINITION OF THE WORD DIVERSITY TO INCLUDE GENDER, GENDER IDENTITY, RACE, ETHNICITY, AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION.
  2. OUTREACH -- HWA ALSO WORKS TO EXPAND APPRECIATION OF THE GENRE AND LITERATURE IN GENERAL BY PROMOTING EDUCATION. WE'VE DONATED MEMBERSHIPS TO WRITING WORKSHOPS, AND WORKED WITH UNIVERSITIES TO PROVIDE GENRE EXPERTS AS GUEST LECTURERS. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO EXPAND OUR EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH. THE HWA MENTOR PROGRAM -- WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT ONE OF THE BEST WAYS WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH OF THE HORROR GENRE IS BY HELPING TO EDUCATE BEGINNING WRITERS IN THE INS-AND-OUTS OF BOTH THE CRAFT AND THE BUSINESS OF WRITING. YET WRITING COURSES ARE EXPENSIVE, NEVER LAST LONG ENOUGH, AND RARELY DEAL WITH THE PRACTICALITIES OF ESTABLISHING A CAREER IN WRITING. FOR THAT REASON, WE'VE CREATED THE HWA MENTOR PROGRAM. PARTICIPATING PROFESSIONAL HORROR WRITERS ARE PAIRED WITH AFFILIATE AND SUPPORTING MEMBERS WHO WISH TO LEARN A LITTLE OR A LOT ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM THE CRAFT OF WRITING TO THE PITFALLS OF CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. SCHOLARSHIPS -- HWA ALSO WORKS TO EXPAND APPRECIATION OF THE GENRE AND LITERATURE IN THE GENERAL BY PROMOTING EDUCATION. WE'VE DONATED MEMBERSHIPS TO WRITING WORKSHOPS, AND WORKED WITH UNIVERSITIES TO PROVIDE GENRE EXPERTS AS QUEST LECTURERS. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO EXPAND OUR EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH. DIVERSE WORKS INCLUSION COMMITTEE -- TO ENSURE THE HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION (HWA) INCLUDES THE WIDEST POSSIBLE REPRESENTATION OF THOSE WORKING IN THE HORROR/DARK FANTASY GENRE, THE HWA HAS FORMED THE DIVERSE WORKS INCLUSION COMMITTEE. THIS COMMITTEE IS TASKED WITH ACTIVELY SEEKING WRITERS AND EDITORS WITH DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS. HWA MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE -- THE HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION IS PLEASED TO LAUNCH ITS MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE, A COORDINATED ROLL-OUT OF EVENTS, RESOURCES, AND ACTIVITIES INTENDED TO PROMOTE POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH, FOSTER THE CONSEPT OF HOPE, AND CHALLENGE THE STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE HORROR GENRE. THE INITIATIVE, RUN BY THE ORGANIZATION'S WELLNESS COMMITTEE, DEBUTS IN JUNE 2022 AND WILL FORM PART OF AN ONGOING PROGRAM.
  3. OUTREACH -- HWA ALSO WORKS TO EXPAND APPRECIATION OF THE GENRE AND LITERATURE IN GENERAL BY PROMOTING EDUCATION. WE'VE DONATED MEMBERSHIPS TO WRITING WORKSHOPS, AND WORKED WITH UNIVERSITIES TO PROVIDE GENRE EXPERTS AS GUEST LECTURERS. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO EXPAND OUR EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH. THE HWA MENTOR PROGRAM -- WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT ONE OF THE BEST WAYS WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH OF THE HORROR GENRE IS BY HELPING TO EDUCATE BEGINNING WRITERS IN THE INS-AND-OUTS OF BOTH THE CRAFT AND THE BUSINESS OF WRITING. YET WRITING COURSES ARE EXPENSIVE, NEVER LAST LONG ENOUGH, AND RARELY DEAL WITH THE PRACTICALITIES OF ESTABLISHING A CAREER IN WRITING. FOR THAT REASON, WE'VE CREATED THE HWA MENTOR PROGRAM. PARTICIPATING PROFESSIONAL HORROR WRITERS ARE PAIRED WITH AFFILIATE AND SUPPORTING MEMBERS WHO WISH TO LEARN A LITTLE OR A LOT ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM THE CRAFT OF WRITING TO THE PITFALLS OF CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. SCHOLARSHIPS -- HWA ALSO WORKS TO EXPAND APPRECIATION OF THE GENRE AND LITERATURE IN THE GENERAL BY PROMOTING EDUCATION. WE'VE DONATED MEMBERSHIPS TO WRITING WORKSHOPS, AND WORKED WITH UNIVERSITIES TO PROVIDE GENRE EXPERTS AS QUEST LECTURERS. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO EXPAND OUR EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH. DIVERSE WORKS INCLUSION COMMITTEE -- TO ENSURE THE HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION (HWA) INCLUDES THE WIDEST POSSIBLE REPRESENTATION OF THOSE WORKING IN THE HORROR/DARK FANTASY GENRE, THE HWA HAS FORMED THE DIVERSE WORKS INCLUSION COMMITTEE. THIS COMMITTEE IS TASKED WITH ACTIVELY SEEKING WRITERS AND EDITORS WITH DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS. HWA MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE -- THE HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION IS PLEASED TO LAUNCH ITS MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE, A COORDINATED ROLL-OUT OF EVENTS, RESOURCES, AND ACTIVITIES INTENDED TO PROMOTE POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH, FOSTER THE CONSEPT OF HOPE, AND CHALLENGE THE STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE HORROR GENRE. THE INITIATIVE, RUN BY THE ORGANIZATION'S WELLNESS COMMITTEE, DEBUTS IN JUNE 2022 AND WILL FORM PART OF AN ONGOING PROGRAM.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending February 28, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending February 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 2012.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.