NYWC20
NY Writers Coalition is a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free creative writing workshops to historically marginalized communities across NYC and virtually, including the Black Writers Program and outreach workshops at partner social service, healthcare, and criminal justice organizations, funded by donations, memberships, and grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersBrooklyn, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What NYWC20 does
NY Writers Coalition (NYWC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002 and headquartered at 80 Hanson Place in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. The organization provides free creative writing workshops to historically marginalized communities across New York City and virtually, operating through three core delivery channels: Virtual Public Workshops (six-week Zoom-based cycles offered five times per year), Outreach Workshops delivered on-site at partner social service, healthcare, criminal justice, and cultural institutions, and the year-round Black Writers Program, which provides 12-week craft workshops plus specialty intensives in fiction, poetry, scriptwriting, and songwriting.
Delivery depends on a volunteer workshop leader corps that completes 20 hours of training and commits to leading weekly sessions for at least nine months, using NYWC's proprietary workshop method designed to reduce competition and offer only positive feedback on fresh writing. Sub-programs include Sunday Rituals for queer BIPOC writers in Prospect Park, Mic Check public readings, the Fort Greene Park Summer Literary Festival, and the annual Write-A-Thon fundraising event. The organization also publishes participant work in anthologies such as Common Unity and The Journal, and runs a merchandise store under the "This Is What A Writer Looks Like" and "Write Your A** Off!" brands.
Revenue is generated entirely from non-participant fees through six streams: individual donations, three-tier monthly memberships ($5-$30 Supporter, $50-$200 Patron, $250-$1,000+ Champion), foundation and government grants (NEA, NYC Council, DCLA, NYSCA, NYCT, Brooklyn Community Foundation, Hawthornden, LitNYS, Cowan Slavin), corporate sponsorships (Con Edison), merchandise sales, and book affiliate referrals. The organization is led by Founder and Executive Director Aaron Zimmerman with a small staff of 1-10 employees and has been recognized as one of the largest community-based creative writing programs in the nation.
NYWC20 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NYWC20
- Legal name
- NY Writers Coalition
- Website
- https://nywriterscoalition.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- NY Writers Coalition is a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free creative writing workshops to historically marginalized communities across NYC and virtually, including the Black Writers Program and outreach workshops at partner social service, healthcare, and criminal justice organizations, funded by donations, memberships, and grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NYWC20 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Arts Education
- NAICS
- Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Online & Hybrid Creative Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fiction Writing Workshops (Short Story, Novel) (EDAMAMAA), Writing Craft & Technique Workshops (Voice, Structure, Character, Style) (EDAMAMAH), Publishing & Submission Prep Workshops (Query Letters, Agents, Journals) (EDAMAMAI), Genre Writing Workshops (Sci‑Fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Horror) (EDAMAMAG)
Keywords
Where NYWC20 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brooklyn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
NYWC20 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from individuals supporting the organization's mission of providing free creative writing workshops to underserved communities.
- Membership Program: Monthly membership dues at three tiers: Supporter ($5-$30/month), Patron ($50-$200/month), and Champion ($250-$1000+/month). Members receive benefits including newsletters, merchandise, and access to exclusive events.
- Foundation and Government Grants: Funding from foundations including Brooklyn Community Foundation, Hawthornden Foundation, Cowan Slavin, LitNYS, and government sources including NEA, NYC Council, DCLA, NYCT, NYSCA.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Support from corporate partners such as Con Edison, providing additional funding streams.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of NYWC merchandise including 'This Is What A Writer Looks Like' items and 'Write Your A** Off!' slogan merchandise, with proceeds supporting workshop programs.
- Book Sales: Sale of books from creative writing workshops through Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate links.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Supporter tier ($5-$30/month) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Patron tier ($50-$200/month) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Champion tier ($250-$1000+/month) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
NYWC20 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NY Writers Coalition provides free creative writing workshops to historically marginalized communities across New York City and virtually. The organization delivers prompt-based generative writing sessions through Virtual Public Workshops (6-week Zoom cycles), in-person Outreach Workshops at partner social service and healthcare organizations, and the year-round Black Writers Program tailored for Black writers. Trained volunteer workshop leaders facilitate sessions using a distinctive non-competitive workshop method, and participants have opportunities to publish their work in anthologies and journals.
Product overview
NY Writers Coalition is a nonprofit organization offering free creative writing workshops to historically marginalized communities in NYC. The organization provides a multi-channel service model consisting of: Virtual Public Workshops (6-week cycles via Zoom), In-Person Outreach Workshops at partner organizations, and the Black Writers Program (a dedicated year-round program for Black writers featuring 12-week cycles plus specialty workshops). Additional offerings include membership tiers with exclusive benefits, merchandise sales supporting operations, publication of workshop participants' writing in anthologies and journals, and signature events including the annual Write-A-Thon, Mic Check readings, and the Fort Greene Park Summer Literary Festival. The organization was founded in 2002 and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022, growing from a grassroots operation to one of the largest community-based creative writing programs in the nation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Black Writers Program (BWP): A year-round program specifically for Black writers featuring workshops, panel discussions, events, and traditional NYWC-style workshops
- NYWC
- Palabras en Movimiento
Products and services
- Virtual Public Workshops
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 20 years of continuous operation providing free workshops
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use NYWC20
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
NYWC20 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
NYWC20 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- New AlternativesminorSocial service organization for youth that hosts NYWC creative writing workshops, providing space and participants.
- The Fortune SocietycoreCriminal justice organization providing creative writing workshops for formerly incarcerated individuals, with work published in chapbooks.
- CIDNY (Center For Independence of the Disabled, New York)minorDisability services organization hosting virtual workshops for blind and visually-impaired seniors.
- Montefiore Wellness CenterminorHealthcare facility in the Bronx hosting workshops for individuals with mental health disorders and addiction issues.
- Free Minds Book Club & Writing WorkshopcoreCriminal justice organization that NYWC partners with for On the Same Page events, providing feedback on incarcerated writers' work.
- Pen + BrushminorArt institution in Flatiron hosting monthly Communals events and writing gatherings.
- Nuyorican Poets CafeminorHistoric NYC venue hosting NYWC events including The Writers are Striking and public readings.
- FPWA (Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies)minorNonprofit human services organization hosting Write-A-Thon event in Lower Manhattan.
- 80 Hanson Place (80 Arts building)minorOffice location in Fort Greene, Brooklyn where NYWC is headquartered and hosts some programs.
- Port Morris Wellness Center (Albert Einstein Medical College)minorAddiction treatment program through Albert Einstein Medical College hosting NYWC workshops in the Bronx.
- National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)minorPartnership for events featuring NaNoWriMo Executive Director Grant Faulkner in conversation about short fiction and flash writing.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
NYWC20 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bread Loaf Writers' Conference: Long-running writers' conference operated by Middlebury College offering workshops, craft seminars, and readings. Comparable to NYWC's Write-A-Thon-style intensive workshop model, though anchored in an academic institution and fee-based.
- National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo): Large nonprofit mobilizing writers globally through an annual writing challenge. Already a NYWC GTM partner and comparable as a community-driven creative writing nonprofit at much larger scale.
Direct peers
- Kundiman: Nonprofit nurturing Asian American writers through workshops, retreats, and mentorship. Closely comparable to NYWC as a free community-led creative writing program for an underserved community, with similar workshop method, grant funding model, and NYC anchor.
- Cave Canem Foundation: A nonprofit dedicated to cultivating the artistic and professional growth of Black poets. Directly comparable to NYWC because it is a free, community-based literary workshop organization serving historically marginalised writers in NYC, with similar reliance on foundation grants and a workshop-based delivery model.
- Community of Writers: Nonprofit running writing conferences and workshops (formerly the Squaw Valley Community of Writers). Comparable to NYWC as a nonprofit creative writing organization offering workshops, retreats, and community events supported by donations and program fees.
- Lambda Literary: Nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ writers through programs, awards, and writer retreats. Comparable to NYWC as a community-driven creative writing nonprofit serving a historically marginalised literary community, with overlapping Sunday Rituals-style programming.
- Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop: Nonprofit providing creative writing workshops for incarcerated youth and adults. Already a NYWC partner, serving the same criminal-justice writing population with a comparable workshop methodology and publishing pipeline.
- The Loft: One of the largest independent literary centers in the U.S., offering workshops, classes, and readings. Comparable to NYWC as a community-based nonprofit creative writing organization with multi-channel workshop delivery, though it charges fees and is Minneapolis-based.
- Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation (VONA): Nonprofit providing multi-genre writing workshops for writers of color. Directly comparable in mission (writers of color), workshop-led delivery, foundation funding model, and emphasis on safe creative spaces for marginalised communities.
Emerging players
- Sackett Street Writers' Workshop: Brooklyn-based creative writing workshop offering multi-genre classes for adults. Comparable in NYC geography and workshop delivery, though fee-based rather than free and serving a broader (not specifically marginalised) audience.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
NYWC20 social profiles
Digital presenceNYWC20 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NYWC20 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
NYWC20 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NYWC20 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NYWC20
What does NYWC20 do?
NY Writers Coalition provides free creative writing workshops to historically marginalized communities across New York City and virtually. The organization delivers prompt-based generative writing sessions through Virtual Public Workshops (6-week Zoom cycles), in-person Outreach Workshops at partner social service and healthcare organizations, and the year-round Black Writers Program tailored for Black writers. Trained volunteer workshop leaders facilitate sessions using a distinctive non-competitive workshop method, and participants have opportunities to publish their work in anthologies and journals.
Is NYWC20 a public or private company?
NYWC20 is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was NYWC20 founded?
NYWC20 was founded in 2002. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is NYWC20 based?
NYWC20 is headquartered in Brooklyn, United States, in the North America region.
How does NYWC20 make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are membership Program, foundation and Government Grants, corporate Sponsorships, merchandise Sales and book Sales.
Who are NYWC20's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Bread Loaf Writers' Conference and National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Direct peers are Kundiman, Cave Canem Foundation, Community of Writers, Lambda Literary, Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop, The Loft and Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation (VONA). Sackett Street Writers' Workshop is listed as an emerging player.
Does NYWC20 have an API?
No public API is recorded for NYWC20.
What industry is NYWC20 in?
NYWC20's product category is Community Arts Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAMAL, Online & Hybrid Creative Writing Workshops, with a secondary code of EDAMAMAA, Fiction Writing Workshops (Short Story, Novel). Its NAICS code is 71151 and its SIC code is 8600.