Writers Guild Foundation

What Writers Guild Foundation does

The Writers Guild Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1966 and headquartered at 7000 West 3rd Street in Los Angeles, California, on the campus of the Writers Guild of America West. Despite operating independently from the WGAW with its own governance and programs, the Foundation's mission is to preserve and promote the history and craft of writing for the screen. Its core assets are the Shavelson-Webb Library — the only public library in the United States devoted entirely to screenwriting, holding over 50,000 produced film and television scripts — and the WGF Archive, which preserves oral histories, correspondence, and ephemera dating to the 1933 founding of the Screen Writers' Guild.

The Foundation operates a portfolio of selective, free or low-cost programming aimed at screenwriters at every career stage. Flagship programs include the Veterans Writing Project (launched 2010; ~10% acceptance rate), the Writers' Access Support Staff Training Program (launched 2021; 1,927 applicants for 18 spots in 2025), and the Veterans Fellowship (launched 2024). Public events include WGFestival (annual two-day conference), Beyond Words, Sublime Primetime, Showrunner Sessions, and Write-A-Thons, hosted at the Writers Guild Theater and virtually via Zoom. Content is also distributed globally through a YouTube library of hundreds of educational videos.

The Foundation is funded through a diversified donor model: individual giving (including the WGFriends monthly program starting at $10/month), corporate and foundation grants, legacy and planned gifts, and ticketed event proceeds. It holds the Candid (GuideStar) Platinum Seal of Transparency and a 100/100 Charity Navigator rating. Outputs in 2025 included 4,588 library visits, 5,200+ scripts requested, 4,215 event attendees across 37 events, and 10,806 YouTube views of recorded programming. Notable corporate supporters include Netflix, Amazon MGM Studios, and Prime Video; major operational partners include the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, and a network of over 500 industry contacts that the Foundation mobilizes to place program alumni.

Name

Writers Guild Foundation

Legal name

Writers Guild Foundation

Website

https://wgfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Writers Guild Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1966 and based in Los Angeles that operates the Shavelson-Webb Library of 50,000+ screenplays, archives screenwriting history, and runs selective writing programs and public events for screenwriters, military veterans, and emerging writers from underrepresented backgrounds.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Screenwriting Education and Archive Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Literary Arts & Writing Organizations (BPAGAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Playwriting & Scriptwriting Workshops (Stage) (EDAMAMAD), Fiction Writing Workshops (Short Story, Novel) (EDAMAMAA)

Keywords

• Screenwriting education
• Script library services
• Veterans writing mentorship
• Film television archives
• Nonprofit arts programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The foundation accepts donations from individuals including one-time gifts and monthly recurring contributions through the WGFriends program. Donors receive benefits such as discounted event admission, impact reports, annual giving summaries, and website recognition.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Programs and services are funded through contributions from corporations, foundations, and government grant programs. The foundation has received support from major entertainment industry partners.
3. Event Ticket Sales: Proceeds from events benefit the Writers Guild Foundation's Library, Archive and Outreach Programs. Ticket costs are not tax deductible as they represent fair market value received.
4. Monthly Giving (WGFriends): Monthly recurring donations starting at $10/month providing benefits including event discounts, impact reports, and website recognition.
5. Legacy and Planned Giving: The foundation accepts residuals from deceased WGA members, bequests, donor advised fund designations, and archival gift donations as part of legacy giving programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Writers Guild Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that preserves and promotes the history and craft of screenwriting through educational programs, a research library, and community events. It operates the Shavelson-Webb Library (over 50,000 produced scripts), the WGF Archive, training programs for veterans and underrepresented writers (Veterans Writing Project, Writers' Access Support Staff Training Program, Veterans Fellowship), and public events such as WGFestival and panel series.

Product overview

The Writers Guild Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1966 that operates a unified portfolio of educational programs and resources to support the screenwriting community. The core offerings include the Writers' Access Support Staff Training Program, Veterans Writing Project, and Veterans Fellowship for career development; the Shavelson-Webb Library (50,000+ scripts) and Archive for research and preservation; the Content Library of educational videos; and WGF Events including WGFestival, Beyond Words, and Sublime Primetime. The Foundation also operates the Our Talent Portal to connect alumni with industry professionals, and partners with the Academy on Nicholl Fellowships. All programs are interconnected, supporting writers from emerging talent through career advancement, united by the mission of preserving and promoting the craft and history of screenwriting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Writers' Access Support Staff Training Program (WASSTP) A 12-week training program preparing emerging writers from underrepresented backgrounds for Writers' Assistant and Script Coordinator positions in television writers' rooms. Includes hands-on training, mentorship, and connections to over 500 industry contacts. Free to participants; 18 spots from 1,927 applications in 2025.
• Veterans Writing Project A ten-month program pairing U.S. military veterans with working-writer mentors to develop a complete TV pilot or feature script. Highly selective with a 10% acceptance rate; 45 veterans accepted from nearly 500 applicants for the 2024-25 cycle.
• Veterans Fellowship A career-advancement program for Veterans Writing Project alumni on the threshold of breaking into the television industry. Fellows work one-on-one with showrunners, participate in workshops, and receive professional guidance for staff writer positions.
• Shavelson-Webb Library A non-circulating research library containing over 50,000 produced film and television scripts, open to the public by appointment at WGAW headquarters in Los Angeles. Provides wireless internet, quiet workspace, and script access for writers studying screenwriting craft and history. Free admission; 4,588 visits in 2025.
• Writers Guild Foundation Archive An archival collection preserving screenwriting history including produced and unproduced scripts, oral histories, letters, photographs, production notes, and personal papers of film, television, and radio writers dating back to 1933. Accessible by appointment via email. 65 boxes processed across 9 collections in 2024.
• Content Library (Screenwriting Videos on YouTube) A collection of hundreds of screenwriting educational videos available free on YouTube, featuring Showrunner Sessions, Writers on Writing series, Library Script Breakdowns, Inside the Writers Room events, and panels with WGA writers. 10,806 YouTube views for 2025 event recordings.
• Nicholl Fellowships Public Submissions Partnership Official public submissions partnership for the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, allowing eligible writers to submit feature screenplays through WGF for evaluation as part of the Nicholl referral process. Submissions open for the 2026-2027 cycle with a deadline of July 20, 2026.
• Our Talent Portal A talent portal connecting program alumni from the Writers' Access Support Staff Training Program and Veterans Writing Project with over 500 agents, managers, showrunners, executives, and potential employers for career advancement.
• WGFestival An annual two-day screenwriting conference featuring interactive workshops, conversations with working writers and producers, and networking opportunities for writers at all levels. Includes WGA partner sessions and craft workshops, sponsored by partners such as Netflix, Prime Video, and Amazon MGM Studios.
• WGF Public Events Series Public events including Beyond Words (Writers Guild Awards screenplay nominees panel), Sublime Primetime (Emmy-nominated writers event), Showrunner Sessions, Writers on Writing interviews, Library Script Breakdowns, Write-A-Thons, and career coaching workshops. 37 events held in 2025 with 4,215 attendees.
• Visiting Writers Program An educational program connecting WGA writers with classrooms across the country through guest speaker presentations and workshops, bringing professional screenwriting knowledge to students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,588 library visits and 5,200+ scripts requested in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Academy of Television Arts and SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWGF partnered with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences to produce oral histories with prominent screenwriters including Felicia Henderson and Mara Brock Akil.
• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWGF partnered with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to produce oral histories with prominent screenwriters including Mara Brock Akil.
• NetflixmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNetflix sponsored WGFestival 2022 and 2024 events. Netflix provided sponsorship for the annual two-day conference featuring top screenwriting talent and created opportunities for writers to speak about their writing processes.
• Villa AlbertinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWGF partnered with Villa Albertine and the French Consulate for the Boulevard des Séries: The Factory program, bringing nine French TV writers to Los Angeles to learn about the American television industry.
• Series ManiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinued partnership with Series Mania TV festival. WGF helped secure Lisa Joy as President of the International Jury at Series Mania.
• Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques (SACD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with SACD as part of international screenwriting collaboration initiatives.
• HumanitasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Humanitas' Industry 101 event series where WGF Archivist Hilary Swett spoke on the history of the Writers Guild.
• GiveffectcoreTechnology or IntegrationWGF uses Giveffect for donation processing, event registrations, volunteer management, and general nonprofit CRM operations.
• MailchimpcoreTechnology or IntegrationWGF uses Mailchimp for newsletters and email communications. Mailchimp collects and processes information related to email delivery and engagement.
• Zoom EventscoreTechnology or IntegrationWGF uses Zoom Events for hosting online events, webinars, and virtual programming including Writers Time and library tours.
• 826LAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFacilitated two speaker sessions at 826LA, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting students ages 6-18 with creative and expository writing skills.
• Get LitminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganized monthly speakers for Get Lit's Poetic Screenwriters Lab, a yearlong workshop series for young screenwriters.
• The HiveMind UnifiedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOngoing partnership with The HiveMind Unified for emerging talent connection and resources in entertainment.
• UCLA Extension Writers' ProgramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWGF partnered with UCLA Extension Writers' Program for hands-on workshops at WGFestival, providing craft development opportunities for writers.
• Prime VideomajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPrime Video sponsored WGFestival events including a look inside hit TV shows.
• Amazon MGM StudiosmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon MGM Studios sponsored career retrospectives with acclaimed writers and directors at WGFestival.
• AlbantshominorGTM or Marketing PartnerWGF connected U.S. writers to screenwriting programming in Africa through Albantsho's iDraft conference, including a formatting workshop presented by WGF Librarian Lauren.
• IATSE Local 871minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWGF partnered with IATSE Local 871 to host a Writers' Room Support Staff Appreciation Picket at Fox during the WGA strike.
• Stephens College MFA in TV and ScreenwritingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for events including 'Unapologetically Herself: Writing Bold Young Women' presented with Stephens College MFA.
• Northwestern Prison Education ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Northwestern University's initiative providing education to incarcerated students. WGF connected WGA members with students who are currently incarcerated, expanding to the Justice-Impacted Writing Project fellowship.
• Public Television Company of ArmeniaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational partnership providing educational resources and connecting U.S. writers to screenwriting programming in Armenia.
• Red Sea International Film FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGroups of writers from the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia toured the Shavelson-Webb Library.
• Korea Radio Promotion Association's Broadcast Format AcademyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGroups from the Korea Radio Promotion Association's Broadcast Format Academy in South Korea toured the Shavelson-Webb Library.
• Society of California ArchivistsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWGF Archivist Hilary Swett presented at the Society of California Archivists conference on her work with the Archives At Risk Committee.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Humanitas: Humanitas supports writers exploring the human condition through media, and WGF is a documented partner on its Industry 101 series. Both organizations function as writer-focused nonprofits adjacent to the WGA community.
• Film Independent: Film Independent runs screenwriting labs, the Spirit Awards, and filmmaker development programs in Los Angeles. It is a mission-aligned peer to WGF, both supporting emerging screenwriters and serving the L.A. film ecosystem.
• Sundance Institute: Sundance operates screenwriting labs, fellowships, and creative programs for emerging writers and filmmakers. It is the closest U.S. peer to WGF in mission — talent development for screenwriters — and competes for the same donor and corporate sponsor base.
• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Nicholl Fellowships): The Academy runs the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, the most prestigious feature-screenplay competition in the U.S. WGF is itself a Nicholl public submissions partner, making the Academy a directly comparable screenwriting-talent-development peer.
• 826LA: 826LA is a Los Angeles-based writing nonprofit for students ages 6-18, and a documented WGF partner for speaker sessions. It is a directly comparable nonprofit in the literary-arts education space, though focused on younger writers.

Emerging players

• The Black List: A for-profit platform that hosts screenplays and connects screenwriters to industry representation, intersecting with WGF's mission of giving emerging writers visibility to agents, managers, and showrunners.
• Coverfly: A screenwriting platform that aggregates contests, fellowships, and industry exposure opportunities. It competes with WGF in directing emerging writers toward screenwriting career pathways, though via a digital marketplace model.

Others

• Final Draft: The leading screenwriting software company used by virtually all working screenwriters. It is an adjacent ecosystem player rather than a competitor, but its ubiquity in the same screenwriting community makes it a thematically related peer.

Broad incumbents

• American Film Institute (AFI): AFI is a larger, established institution with a film school, Conservatory, and screenwriting education programs. It is a broad incumbent peer operating in the same screenwriting-talent-development space as WGF but at much greater scale and scope.
• International Screenwriters' Association: A larger, broader membership organization serving screenwriters globally with educational resources, events, and networking. It overlaps with WGF in serving aspiring and working screenwriters but with a wider, paid-membership business model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@WritersGuildFoundation
• Xx.com/WritersGuildF
• Facebookfacebook.com/wgfoundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Writers Guild Foundation