Grants For writers
Writers of nonfiction diligently sacrifice to get their projects recognized and awarded. Funding your writing takes perseverance and determination. Grants are a great source of funding. If you have a passion for prose, there is support to assist in the development of your craft. A variety of foundations and writing institutions award up-and-coming, as well as seasoned, writers for their talent.
Literature Fellowship Grant
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) provides a Literature Fellowship Grant to writers of creative nonfiction. The grant is in place to allow you the time for career development, travel and research. The grant works on a two-year cycle, alternating years with a poetry grant the NEA offers. Both the prose and poetry grant are valued at $25,000 each. Writers may apply for the Literature Fellowship Grant once a year. You are required to submit your application on the government application system's website. (See the link in Resources.)
Gulliver Travel Grant
Speculative Literature Foundation issues a travel grant to writers of speculative literature. It provides $800 to assist in expenses, such as room and board. You are asked to submit an outline of your project along with a writing sample in your chosen genre. Creative nonfiction submissions require 5,000 words. Although not a requirement to apply, a one-page bibliography of published writings should be attached. If you are awarded the travel grant, you are required to consent to writing a piece for the SLF website to use at its discretion.
Bill Desmond Writing Award
Writers residing in Arizona have the opportunity to receive the Bill Desmond Writing Award. It is graciously given by the Bill and Kathy Desmond Endowment and the Arizona Commission of the Arts. Only one prevailing nonfiction writer has the privilege to win. The amount of the award is $500. It is intended to support one specified project cost. For a chance at this award, you must apply for the Artist Project Grant on the ACA website.
Older Writers Grant
The Older Writers Grant is handed out annually. It is specifically for writers over the age of 50. Distributed by the Speculative Literature Foundation, it is intended for individuals beginning their professional writing career. The grant consists of $750 of unrestricted funds. As the winner of the grant, you decide where the money is best allocated. You must submit, along with your application, a 10,000-word writing sample, a 500-word description of yourself (including age) and your previous works. Include one typed page of published work if applicable. Upon receipt you must consent to writing a 500- to 1000-word excerpt of your work as well as a short autobiography.
