Grants for Creative Writing

Last updated October 10, 2026

Grantable tracks 283 active grants for creative writing in its free grants database, drawn from foundation sources and updated daily. 166 list an award amount, with a median of $5,000.

Grants tracked: 283; from 181 funders
Median award: $5,000; middle half $2,575–$25K
Total listed funding: $12.3M; across 166 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 4; 13 with a published date

On this page: Foundation · Updated daily

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
U.S. Writers Aid Initiative Pen American Center Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies A PEN America grant program supporting writers in the United States, mentioned as part of PEN's Literary Grants offerings.	Not published	Varies
Rising Filmmaker Program Moving Picture Institute · Foundation Not published · Varies MPI's Rising Filmmaker program supports filmmakers committed to producing marketable projects about human freedom. The program helps filmmakers hone skills in writing, directing, and production with the goal of finding industry success.	Not published	Varies
McKnight National Residency And Commission Grant Playwrights' Center · Foundation Not published · Up to $27K The McKnight National Residency and Commission Grant supports a distinguished playwright from outside Minnesota to create a new play.	Not published	Up to $27K
Anne V. Zarrow Award for Young Readers' Literature Tulsa Library Trust · Foundation Not published · $8K Gives formal recognition, on behalf of the Tulsa County community, to a nationally acclaimed author who has made a significant contribution to the field of literature for young adults.	Not published	$8K
Creative Capital Award Creative Capital Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $50K The Creative Capital Award is the only national open call grant program dedicated to funding artists creating new work in every discipline.	Not published	Up to $50K
New ERA Writers Program Grant Cornelia T Bailey Charitable Trust · Foundation Not published · Up to $25K The New Era Writers Program aims to inspire those who seek to improve their current abilities or find a community with like-minded individuals and writers.	Not published	Up to $25K
HBFoL Scholarship Program - Turning The Page (Creative Writing) Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library · Foundation Not published · $1K Write an original fictional story in which a book, story, or act of reading changes the course of a person's life or a community. The South Bay, especially Hermosa Beach, should appear as a meaningful setting, influence, or character.	Not published	$1K
Art and Creative Writing Portfolio Scholarships Mount Marty University · Foundation Not published · $2K – $5K For students with demonstrated talent in art or creative writing.	Not published	$2K – $5K
Marilyn Horowitz / PANO Screenwriting Award Pano Network Inc · Foundation Not published · $5K	Not published	$5K
FAWC Fellowship Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
IDEA Opera Grants Opera America Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies These grants support composers and librettists in the development of new operas and help advance their careers in the opera industry.	Not published	Varies
Goddard/PEN North American Centers Scholarship Pen American Center Inc · Foundation Not published · $10K A partnership between Goddard College and PEN America, PEN Canada, PEN Mexico, and PEN Center USA to support creative writers committed to freedom of expression.	Not published	$10K
Community Arts Endowment Fund Grant Community Foundation of the North State · Foundation Not published · Varies The Community Foundation builds trust through relationship, integrity, and by providing safe places for donors to give their resources.	Not published	Varies
Art Ventures Individual Artist Grants The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida Inc · Foundation Not published · $4K Grants funded through multiple endowments: Senior Program Director for Art Ventures The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida	Not published	$4K
Alabama State Council on the Arts Literary - Project Grant Alabama State Council on the Arts · Foundation Not published · $1K – $10K The Alabama State Council on the Arts Literary - Project Grant aims to enhance the quality of life and economic vitality in Alabama by supporting diverse artistic resources.	Not published	$1K – $10K
Summer Grants Dietrich Von Hildebrand Legacy Project · Foundation Not published · $3K Enable a period of focused engagement with Hildebrandian and personalist ideas resulting in new writing destined for publication.	Not published	$3K
Alaska Literary Awards Grant Alaska State Council on the Arts · Foundation Not published · $5K The Alaska Literary Awards, established in 2014 by the Alaska Arts and Culture Foundation, support literary artists in poetry, fiction, and more.	Not published	$5K
Open Book Prize + Arcadia Open Access Publishing Award Grant American Council of Learned Societies · Foundation Not published · $20K – $30K Open Book Prize + Arcadia Open Access Publishing Award ACLS welcomes submissions to its 2026 Open Access Book Prizes, funded with generous support from Arcadia.	Not published	$20K – $30K

Showing 265–282 of 282

About grants for creative writing

Grants for creative writing support fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction through fellowships, residencies, and project funding. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Creative Writing Fellowships award funds to published writers in prose and poetry on an alternating-year cycle, judged anonymously on artistic merit. State arts councils, literary foundations, and writing organizations provide additional fellowships, awards, and residency support for writers at all career stages.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do grants for creative writing award?

Of the 283 grants for creative writing Grantable lists as of October 10, 2026, 166 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $5,000, and the middle half fall between $2,575 and $25K. The largest is $7.5M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.

Which funders offer the most grants for creative writing?

By number of active listings, the leading funders are Pen American Center Inc (20), The Dramatists Guild Fund Inc (10), Moving Picture Institute (7), South Arts Inc (7), and Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (6). In all, 181 funders have at least one active grant in this category.

When are grants for creative writing due?

Of 283 grants listed, 4 accept applications on a rolling basis, 13 have a published upcoming deadline, 81 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 185 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site.

What grants are available for creative writers?

Creative writers can apply for fellowships and grants that provide time and resources for writing, research, travel, and career development. The NEA Creative Writing Fellowships support published writers in prose and poetry, and state arts councils, literary nonprofits, and private foundations offer additional fellowships, project grants, and residencies for fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.

Who funds individual writers?

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is a leading federal source of fellowships for individual creative writers, awarding support based on the artistic excellence of a writing sample. State arts agencies, regional arts organizations, university programs, and private literary foundations also fund writers directly through fellowships, prizes, and residencies.

Do I need to be published to apply for writing fellowships?

Many competitive fellowships, including the NEA Creative Writing Fellowships, require a record of publication to demonstrate that an applicant is a working writer. That said, opportunities exist for writers at all stages, including emerging-writer awards, residencies, and project grants with lighter eligibility requirements, so it is worth checking each program's guidelines carefully.

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