Grant and Award Ops

Ten Things About Grants and Awards for Writers

1. A Room of Her Own Foundation $50,000 Gift of Freedom: AROHO is accepting applications from female writers in poetry, playwriting, creative nonfiction, and fiction; $35 application fee (I usually don't list ops with hefty entry fees, but this is a nice award, especially for a writer who wants to take six months to a year off from the day job.) See details about the application process and form to download in Word or .pdf format here. Deadline: Apply before October 31, 2008.

2. Astraea Foundation Lesbian Writers Fund: Astraea offers two annual $10,000 grants to emerging lesbian poets and fiction writers. Applicants must have published work at least once in a newspaper, magazine, literary journal or anthology, but must not have published more than one book in any genre. See guidelines at the web site for more details and to download the grant application. $5 entry fee, deadline is June 30, 2008.

3. Bard College Fiction Prize: Bard offers a $30,000 prize and a one-semester appointment as a writer-in-residence at Bard College to a U.S. fiction writer under the age of 40. See web site for more details; submit cover letter explaining what they plan to work while at Bard, a CV and three copies of a published book of fiction. No entry fee, deadline is July 15, 2008.

4. Frost Place Resident Poet Award: A prize of $2,000 and a two-month residency at Robert Frost's former home in Franconia, New Hampshire awarded to a poet who has published at least one poetry collection. Submit three poems and a personal statement; see web site for more details. No entry fee, deadline is July 1, 2008.

5. La Universidad de California Premio Literario Chicano/Latino: A prize of $1,000, publication and an all-expenses-paid trip to the award ceremony in Irvine, California to be awarded to a U.S. resident or citizen Chicano or Latino writer of a short story collection written in Spanish or English. See web site for more details and guidelines on submitting. No entry fee, deadline is June 1, 2008.

6. Literary Arts Oregon Literary Fellowships: Fellowships of $2,500 given to Oregon writers to initiate, develop or complete literary projects in poetry, fiction or creative nonfiction. Women writer fellowships of $1,000 are given to Oregon women writers for projects that explore experiences of race, class, physical disability or sexual orientation. See web site for more details and guidelines. No entry fee, deadline is June 27, 2008.

7. Maine Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowship: A fellowship of $13,000 awarded to a writer of poetry, fiction or creative nonfiction who is a resident of Maine. See web site for guidelines, tips on submitting and application. No entry fee, deadline is June 27, 2008.

8. University of Michigan Press Michigan Literary Fiction Award: A prize of $1,000 and publication by University of Michigan Press for a novel by a writer of at least one published fiction novel or story collection in English. See web site for complete details and guidelines. No entry fee, deadline is July 1, 2008.

9. University of Pittsburgh Press Drue Heinz Literature Prize: A prize of $15,000 and publication by University of Pittsburgh Press for a collection of short fiction. Open to writers who have previously published a book of fiction or a minimum of three short stories or novellas in nationally-distributed magazines. See web site for more details and guidelines. No entry fee, deadline is June 30, 2008.

10. Teachers & Writers Collaborative Bechtel Prize: A prize of $2,500 and publication in Teachers & Writers Magazine given for an essay that relates to creative writing education, literary studies, or the profession of writing. See web site for more details. No entry fee, deadline is June 30, 2008.

These listings as well as fifty others can also be found in the May/June 2008 print issue of Poets & Writers magazine.