broad universe
Broad Universe is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2000 that supports women and historically excluded genders in speculative fiction through a $30/year membership, convention appearances, Rapid Fire Readings, and community programs like the Broad Spectrum sampler and supporter directory.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- Headquarters—
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What broad universe does
Broad Universe, formally The Broad Universe Literary Coalition, Inc., is a Wisconsin-incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 04-3723936) founded in 2000 and operated entirely by a volunteer Motherboard with no paid staff. Its mission is to promote, encourage, honor, and celebrate women and historically excluded and marginalized genders writing, editing, and publishing in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other speculative genres. The organization functions as a membership-based community with international scope but US-centric activity, maintaining an active presence at 15+ major SF/F conventions annually and hosting Rapid Fire Readings and dealer tables that members use for visibility and direct book sales.
The core product is a $30/year supporter membership delivered through Wild Apricot membership management software, with payments processed via AffiniPay (US/Canada), PayPal (international), and Square (at conventions). Members receive a Supporter Directory listing, access to the Broad Blog and Broadsheet newsletter, supporter-only forums and private Discord/Facebook groups, on-demand recorded workshops, and eligibility to participate in Rapid Fire Readings and dealer tables. Supporting programs include the Broad Spectrum Sampler (a free multi-format fiction anthology of 29 member works) and ad hoc podcast/audiobook initiatives such as the February 2026 launch of The Immortal Gifts Podcast. The technology stack is off-the-shelf: Wild Apricot for membership, conventional social platforms for community, and standard payment processors; no proprietary platform or AI/ML capability is documented.
Broad Universe funds itself through recurring supporter dues and tax-deductible donations. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the organization has acknowledged financial constraints, notably pausing its NetGalley subsidy program in 2021 after it consumed nearly half of annual expenses while serving a small fraction of members. The customer base is a long-tail of individual supporters and donors with no enterprise concentration, and the organization's scale is best understood as a volunteer-led community association rather than a commercial enterprise.
broad universe firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- broad universe
- Legal name
- The Broad Universe Literary Coalition, Inc.
- Website
- https://broaduniverse.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Broad Universe is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2000 that supports women and historically excluded genders in speculative fiction through a $30/year membership, convention appearances, Rapid Fire Readings, and community programs like the Broad Spectrum sampler and supporter directory.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
broad universe business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual supporter membership dues at $30 USD per year, providing access to member directory, exclusive website content, forums, private social groups, and ability to post professional news to the Broad Blog.
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations to underwrite events, online workshops, and other programs. Broad Universe is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
- NetGalley Program (Paused): Previously offered subsidized NetGalley access for small presses and indie authors. Program was paused due to unsustainable costs relative to revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Broad Universe Supporter Membership - $30/year |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
broad universe product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Broad Universe is a nonprofit membership organization that supports women and historically excluded/marginalized genders writing, editing, and publishing in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other speculative genres. For an annual $30 supporter membership, members gain access to a Supporter Directory listing, professional and craft workshops, Rapid Fire Readings and dealer table opportunities at conventions, networking forums, and a free fiction sampler showcasing member work. The organization is funded through membership dues and tax-deductible donations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Product overview
Broad Universe is a nonprofit membership organization offering a portfolio of programs and services to support women and historically excluded and marginalized genders writing, editing, and publishing in speculative fiction genres. The core offering centers on an annual supporter membership ($30/year) that provides access to member-only resources including professional workshops, discussion forums, the Broadsheet newsletter, and networking communities. The organization hosts Rapid Fire Readings and manages Dealers Room Tables at conventions where members can showcase and sell their work. Additional offerings include the Supporter Directory, the Broad Blog for news and announcements, and the Broad Spectrum Sampler—a free fiction anthology showcasing member work. These programs work together to promote visibility, provide education, and build professional community for members in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and related speculative genres.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Broad Universe Supporter Membership Annual supporter membership program priced at $30 USD per year that provides access to the Supporter Directory listing, supporter-only website sections with resources and recorded workshops, discussion forums, private social groups, and the ability to post professional news to the Broad Blog. Members are eligible to participate in Rapid Fire Readings and sell at convention dealer tables. Payment via AffiniPay (US/Canada), PayPal (international), or check (US).
- Rapid Fire Readings Fast-paced reading events held at science fiction, fantasy, and horror conventions where members read short selections from their works, with each author typically having 5-10 minutes to present. Designed to showcase multiple member authors at major SF/F conventions such as Arisia, Boskone, Norwescon, Worldcon, Philcon, Readercon, and World Fantasy Convention.
- Dealers Room Tables Sales tables at SF/F conventions where Broad Universe supporters can sell their books and promote their work directly to convention attendees, with payment processing handled via Square at events.
- Supporter Directory Public-facing online directory listing Broad Universe supporters with links to professional websites, cover art, buy links for two titles, contact information, and bios. Allows readers to discover and purchase books from member authors.
- Broad Spectrum Sampler Free fiction sampler featuring 29 excerpts and complete short stories from Broad Universe members, available in multiple digital formats including epub, mobi, and Kindle. Showcases member authors' work to readers of speculative fiction.
- Professional and Craft Workshops On-demand recordings of professional and craft workshops available to supporters, covering topics relevant to writers, editors, and publishers in speculative fiction genres.
Companies that use broad universe
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
broad universe technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
broad universe partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
broad universe competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Con or Bust: A nonprofit providing assistance to fans of color attending SF/F conventions. Comparable genre-and-diversity mission focus and similar volunteer-run nonprofit structure.
Direct peers
- Clarion Foundation: Runs the Clarion and Clarion West writers' workshops, foundational educational programs for speculative fiction writers. Comparable mission around developing speculative-fiction craft and community.
- Speculative Literature Foundation: A nonprofit granting organization supporting speculative literature through grants, scholarships, and educational programming. Closely aligned mission around nurturing and supporting speculative-fiction writers.
- Codex Writers' Group: A nonprofit writers' group focused on speculative fiction, hosting critique groups, conventions, and online community. Directly comparable niche focus and community-led nonprofit model.
- Carl Brandon Society: A nonprofit dedicated to increasing diversity in speculative fiction, including the Parallax and Kindred award programs and the Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholarship. Named as a Broad Universe partner and operating in the same diversity-in-SFF niche.
- Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA): The largest professional membership organization for SF/F writers in the US. Broad Universe's supporters (referenced as 'Broads') are explicitly eligible to participate in SFWA's Quasar program, making SFWA a direct genre peer with overlapping membership base.
Broad incumbents
- Mystery Writers of America: Established membership organization for mystery writers, administering the Edgar Awards and convention presence. Same membership-organization model as Broad Universe, applied to a different genre.
- Horror Writers Association: The principal membership organization for horror writers and industry professionals. Comparable genre-specific professional association model; Broad Universe's mandate includes horror alongside SF/F.
- Sisters in Crime: An organization supporting women crime/mystery writers. Comparable model — a women-centered genre writers' membership organization — making it a structural analog even though the genre differs.
- Romance Writers of America: Large genre writers' trade organization offering membership, conferences, and awards. Comparable genre-writer membership-association model, though broader and much larger in scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
broad universe social profiles
Digital presencebroad universe compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
broad universe financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
broad universe leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
broad universe funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
broad universe 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 broad universe
What does broad universe do?
Broad Universe is a nonprofit membership organization that supports women and historically excluded/marginalized genders writing, editing, and publishing in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other speculative genres. For an annual $30 supporter membership, members gain access to a Supporter Directory listing, professional and craft workshops, Rapid Fire Readings and dealer table opportunities at conventions, networking forums, and a free fiction sampler showcasing member work. The organization is funded through membership dues and tax-deductible donations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Is broad universe a public or private company?
broad universe is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was broad universe founded?
broad universe was founded in 2000. It employs 1 to 10 people.
How does broad universe make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are donations and netGalley Program (Paused).
Who are broad universe's main competitors?
Con or Bust is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Clarion Foundation, Speculative Literature Foundation, Codex Writers' Group, Carl Brandon Society and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). Broad incumbents are Mystery Writers of America, Horror Writers Association, Sisters in Crime and Romance Writers of America.
Does broad universe have an API?
No public API is recorded for broad universe.