The Writers' Exchange
The Writers' Exchange is a Vancouver-based nonprofit that delivers free literacy and creative-writing programs to over 350 under-resourced kids and youth annually, funded through donations, foundation grants, and government support.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Writers' Exchange does
The Writers' Exchange is a Vancouver-based registered Canadian charity (The Writers' Exchange Society, BN 795045095 RR0001) founded in 2011 that delivers free literacy programs to under-resourced kids and youth ages 6-18 in East Vancouver. The organization runs four core program lines — After School Programs, In School Programs (4-6 week publishing projects at Enhanced Support Schools), Summer Programs, and Youth Programs for Grades 7-12 including a Grade 7-8 Transition Program — supported by a volunteer network of more than 70 literacy mentors who commit to weekly 2.5-hour shifts for a minimum of six months. Programs culminate in professionally printed chapbooks displayed on ISSUU, alongside supplementary features such as Kids' Story Readings, a Youth Radio Show, and Story Boxes. Service capacity reached more than 350 youth in 2024/2025, and summer registration expanded from 240 to 400 spots in 2025.
The organization is led by Managing Director Anna Forst and Co-founder and Director of Community Jennifer MacLeod, with a 16-person staff including program managers, coordinators, and operations roles. Delivery relies on formal partnerships with the Vancouver School Board for school access and the Greater Vancouver Food Bank for meals, rather than proprietary technology. Operations are non-technology in nature; program execution is built on in-person volunteer mentorship at schools, community sites, and the headquarters at 207-877 East Hastings Street.
The Writers' Exchange generates revenue entirely through charitable channels rather than fees to beneficiaries: individual monthly and one-time donations, foundation and corporate grants (tiered at $20,000+, $10,000+, and $1,000+ levels across roughly nine named foundations plus corporate donors), government funding from the Province of British Columbia and the City of Vancouver, in-kind contributions, paid corporate team-volunteering experiences, and rental income from its Strathcona event space ($50/hour). The organization launched its first Writing Challenge fundraising event in 2025, raising $18,000.
The Writers' Exchange firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Writers' Exchange
- Legal name
- The Writers' Exchange Society
- Website
- https://vancouverwe.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Writers' Exchange is a Vancouver-based nonprofit that delivers free literacy and creative-writing programs to over 350 under-resourced kids and youth annually, funded through donations, foundation grants, and government support.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Writers' Exchange industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Literacy & Education Services
- NAICS
- All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Children’s & YA Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Writing Skills & Composition Enrichment (EDAMAJAC), K–12 Remedial Writing & Composition Support (EDANAJAC)
Keywords
Where The Writers' Exchange is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Writers' Exchange business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Monthly donors receive three fresh Writers' Exchange books delivered to their door throughout the year. One-time donors receive email receipts. Monthly donors can choose monthly receipts or a single cumulative tax receipt at year-end.
- Foundation and Corporate Grants: Funding from foundations including Captain Scott Legacy Society, Grayross Foundation, Sasamat Foundation, Waterbury Foundation, JTC Heersink Foundation, Seedlings Foundation, TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, Taylor Taliesin Foundation, and others at various donation levels.
- Government Funding: Supported by the Province of British Columbia; City of Vancouver provides funding.
- Corporate Team Volunteering: Organizations pay a minimum donation for team volunteer experiences, with amounts depending on team size and experience type.
- Space Rental: Rental of community space at 877 East Hastings St; $50/hour with 30% discount for partners; kitchen access available at extra cost.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Community Space Rental |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Corporate Team Volunteering |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Writers' Exchange product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Writers' Exchange is a Vancouver-based nonprofit organization that delivers free literacy programs to under-resourced kids and youth ages 6-18. It runs after-school, in-school, summer, and youth programs in which trained volunteers provide individualized mentorship, leading to creative writing projects and professionally printed student publications. All programs are offered at no cost to participating children, youth, and families.
Product overview
The Writers' Exchange is a non-profit literacy organization offering a portfolio of free programs for under-resourced kids and youth in Vancouver, including After School Programs, In School Programs, Summer Programs, and Youth Programs (Grades 7-12). These core programs integrate reading and writing into creative activities with volunteer support. The organization also produces annual Publications (chapbooks) and runs program events including the Writing Challenge, Writers Festival Story Walk, WE Kids' Story Readings, and Youth Radio Show. Additional services include Corporate and Team Volunteering opportunities and Space Rental for community events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- After School Programs Weekday programs for elementary and high school students where kids complete fun reading and writing projects with volunteers, featuring game time, snack time, homework/reading time, and creative project activities.
- In School Programs Volunteer-supported publishing projects in classrooms at Enhanced Support Schools, where students create professionally printed publications over 4-6 week programs with individualized volunteer attention.
- Summer Programs Daytime literacy programs across East Vancouver for kids and youth ages 6-18, featuring outdoor and indoor creative activities, field trips, and city exploration during July-August.
- Youth Programs (Grades 7-12) Programs including Grade 7-8 Transition Program to ease the move to high school, high school programs at two East Vancouver schools, and a dinner program at the home base for youth to connect, build confidence, and explore creativity.
- Publications (Chapbooks) Annual chapbooks published from submissions by kids and youth in the Writers' Exchange programs, where participants develop titles and themes for cover art. Full collections available on ISSUU.
- Corporate and Team Volunteering Structured corporate volunteer experiences with flexible team-building activities that support under-resourced kids and youth, including minimum donation requirements based on team size and experience type.
- Space Rental Event and workshop space rental at the Strathcona location, with 1,120 sqft capacity for up to 75 standing, featuring kitchen access, free Wi-Fi, and accessibility options.
Quantifiable outcome
- 350+ kids complete creative literacy projects annually with individualized volunteer attention
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Writers' Exchange
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Writers' Exchange technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Writers' Exchange partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.
- 2026 DTES Writers FestivalcoreCo-host of the 2026 DTES Writers Festival Story Walk, showcasing youth writing in Strathcona neighbourhood windows at 14 locations.
- Article (store)minorCommunity partner for 2026 DTES Writers Festival Story Walk, displaying youth stories in storefront window.
- Eastside Arts SocietyminorCommunity partner for 2026 DTES Writers Festival Story Walk, supporting arts programming in the community.
- VPL (Vancouver Public Library)minorCommunity partner for 2026 DTES Writers Festival Story Walk, displaying youth stories at library branch.
- Vancouver Writers FestivalcoreCo-host of 2025 Granville Island Story Walk featuring stories by kids and youth in the festival's free self-guided Story Walk event.
- SFU's Vancity Office of Community EngagementsupportingUniversity partner engaged in community programs, listed at $1,000+ donor level.
- Greater Vancouver Food BanksupportingProvides weekly food donations that support the snacks and meals served in programs. Listed as in-kind donor.
- Vancouver School BoardcoreEducational partner providing access to schools for in-school and after-school programs. Listed as in-kind donor.
- Hemlock PrinterssupportingProvides printing services for student publications. Listed as in-kind donor.
- HerschelsupportingCorporate in-kind donor supporting youth programs. Listed as in-kind donor.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
The Writers' Exchange competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Community Word Project: New York City arts and literacy nonprofit that places teaching artists in under-resourced schools to lead poetry, creative writing, and publishing residencies. Comparable as a creative writing workshop nonprofit for K–12 students with publishing outcomes and in-school delivery.
- Reading Partners: Nonprofit that mobilizes community volunteers to provide one-on-one literacy tutoring to under-resourced students in Title I schools. Comparable in volunteer-driven literacy delivery model, school-embedded programming, and focus on K–12 under-resourced youth.
- Behind the Book: New York City nonprofit that brings authors into under-resourced schools to lead writing workshops with students. Comparable as a volunteer/author-driven in-school literacy program serving grades K–12 with publishing outcomes, similar target population, and free delivery model.
- 826 Valencia: San Francisco-based nonprofit founded by Dave Eggers that provides free writing tutoring, workshops, and publishing programs for underserved youth ages 6–18. Operates as the flagship of the 826 National network and is the most direct comparable to The Writers' Exchange in mission, volunteer-driven model, and student publication output.
- Writers in the Schools (WITS): Houston-based nonprofit that places professional writers in classrooms to teach creative writing to K–12 students. Comparable as a creative writing workshop nonprofit for kids and youth, producing student anthologies and operating through school partnerships.
Broad incumbents
- ABC Life Literacy Canada: Canadian nonprofit that supports literacy across all ages through program funding, volunteer mobilization, and advocacy. Comparable as a Canadian literacy sector umbrella organization that could provide national funding, partnership, or replication pathways for The Writers' Exchange model.
- 826 National: Network umbrella for the 826 family of writing and tutoring centers across the U.S. Comparable as a federated nonprofit model that could host or replicate The Writers' Exchange-style programs in additional cities, and provides a relevant peer for franchise-style expansion analysis.
- First Book: Large U.S./Canada nonprofit that distributes books and educational resources to programs serving children in need. While broader in scope (book distribution rather than workshops), it targets the same under-resourced youth population and frequently partners with smaller literacy programs.
- Raising A Reader: National nonprofit focused on early literacy and family engagement through book bag rotations and home reading routines. Comparable in the literacy nonprofit category, though focuses on younger children (ages 0–8) and on parent-mediated reading rather than creative writing.
Regional players
- Frontier College: Canadian national literacy nonprofit founded in 1899 that mobilizes volunteer tutors for literacy programs across Canada, with significant presence in under-resourced communities. Comparable as a Canadian literacy volunteer-driven nonprofit, providing the most relevant national peer for benchmarking and partnership analysis.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Writers' Exchange social profiles
Digital presenceThe Writers' Exchange financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Writers' Exchange leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
The Writers' Exchange funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Writers' Exchange 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 The Writers' Exchange
What does The Writers' Exchange do?
The Writers' Exchange is a Vancouver-based nonprofit organization that delivers free literacy programs to under-resourced kids and youth ages 6-18. It runs after-school, in-school, summer, and youth programs in which trained volunteers provide individualized mentorship, leading to creative writing projects and professionally printed student publications. All programs are offered at no cost to participating children, youth, and families.
Is The Writers' Exchange a public or private company?
The Writers' Exchange is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Writers' Exchange founded?
The Writers' Exchange was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Writers' Exchange based?
The Writers' Exchange is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does The Writers' Exchange make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are foundation and Corporate Grants, government Funding, corporate Team Volunteering and space Rental.
Who are The Writers' Exchange's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Community Word Project, Reading Partners, Behind the Book, 826 Valencia and Writers in the Schools (WITS). Broad incumbents are ABC Life Literacy Canada, 826 National, First Book and Raising A Reader. Frontier College is listed as a regional player.
Does The Writers' Exchange have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Writers' Exchange.
What industry is The Writers' Exchange in?
The Writers' Exchange's product category is Youth Literacy & Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAMAF, Children’s & YA Writing Workshops, with a secondary code of EDAMAJAC, Writing Skills & Composition Enrichment. Its NAICS code is 61169 and its SIC code is 8200.