Grants for Writers...

How would a writer use a grant?

Grants can be used for a variety of reasons, which are usually outlined in the presenting organization's guidelines. Some allow you to purchase equipment and supplies. Others give grants in form of scholarships to writing retreats and conferences. Others provide the cash to live on while you focus on your writing full time.

Who can apply for grants?


Again this would be covered in the guidelines and would vary from grant to grant. Some will want established writers working on a new piece. Some grants are limited by location, age, gender or ethnicity. There are grants out there for students, for teachers, for professors, and for poets, novelists, and journalists. If you're a playwright, you can find a grant to write and produce a new play. Screenwriters and filmmakers can be funded through grants. You can also find grants to fund writing programs like working with at risk students or other special groups to write their stories.

Grant applications may be similar to book proposals to publishers. Some may ask for an outline of the specific project your planning and/or chapters, while others want to see samples of what you've already published and a professional credits list. With some you'll have to demonstrate need and you might need a budget, especially if you're developing a program or production.

Where do you find grants and guidelines?

The Internet and search engines are wonderful things. Simply typing in "grants for writers" garnered 15 pages. A visit to a library, especially a college or university library, could uncover a multitude of opportunities. I actually found a combination of the Internet and a library when I found a database of grants on the Michigan State University's Library website. It is listed below along with other grant databases and individual writing grants.


Individual Grants, Fellowships or Awards: click the name to go to the website.

National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowships - prose, which includes fiction and creative nonfiction, and poetry on rotating years. 2008 was for poetry.
New Media Women Endowment - will fund three women journalistic entrepreneurs wanting to start new businesses in the field of news and information - May 1 deadline.

Grant Databases: click on the organization to go to the website.

Michigan State University Libraries - database of web pages and books of interest for writers and other artists.
National League of American Pen Women - Listing of grants and guidelines is available for a SASE mailed to National Scholarship Chair, Mary B. Barrer at 255 Saratoga Street, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270-2843.
PEN American Center - has a subscription database of over 1000 grants, awards, residencies and fellowships - $12/year.
Poets & Writers, Inc - a database of over 2000 grants, fellowships and awards.
Writing-World.com - list of websites with grants or with grant listings.