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
Individual Artist Fellowship: Literary Arts Grant Kentucky Arts Council · Foundation Not published · $8K The Individual Artist Fellowship, offered by the Kentucky Arts Council, provides a competitive $7,500 award to professional artists in Kentucky.	Not published	$8K
Annual Essay Contest Loudon County Education Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Writing contest to offer writing challenges to students and support writing curriculum in schools.	Not published	Varies
IFPDA Foundation Book Award Ifpda Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · $3K Annual award honoring excellence in research, scholarship, and the discussion of new ideas in the field of fine prints.	Not published	$3K
Catalyst Fellowship The Dramatists Guild Fund Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies A fellowship program offering support and development opportunities for theater writers. Details limited in provided materials.	Not published	Varies
ALSCW Dissertation Fellowship Grant Association of Literary Scholars, Critics, and Writers Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The ALSCW Dissertation Fellowship supports scholars whose doctoral dissertations focus on literary history and aesthetics.	Not published	Varies
PEN America: Phyllis Naylor Grant for Children’s and Young Adult Novelists Pen American Center Inc · Foundation Not published · $5K The PEN America: Phyllis Naylor Grant for Children’s and Young Adult Novelists awards $5,000 annually to authors of children's or young adult fiction.	Not published	$5K
Artists & Scholars Project Grants Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomer · Foundation Not published · $1K – $5K The Artists & Scholars Project Grants support individual artists and scholars residing in Montgomery County, MD, with awards ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.	Not published	$1K – $5K
Minnesota Film Production Grant Jerome Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $30K The Minnesota Film Production Grant supports early career film directors based in Minnesota who are willing to take creative risks.	Not published	Up to $30K
Kay Sexton Award The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library · Foundation Not published · Varies A special recognition award presented as part of the Minnesota Book Awards program. Recipients are honored at the annual Minnesota Book Awards Ceremony.	Not published	Varies
NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship New York Foundation for the Arts Inc · Foundation Not published · $8K	Not published	$8K
McKnight Fellowships in Playwriting Grant Playwrights' Center · Foundation Not published · $29K The McKnight Fellowships in Playwriting support mid-career playwrights in Minnesota, providing a $25,000 stipend, $2,500 for play development, and $1,400 for travel.	Not published	$29K
PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grant Pen American Center Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The PEN/Heim Translation Fund was established in the summer of 2003 by an endowed gift of $730,000 from Michael Henry Heim and Priscilla Heim, in response to the dismayingly low number of literary translations currently appearing in…	Not published	Varies
Oakland Youth Poet Laureate Program Scholarship The Friends of the Oakland Public Library · Foundation Not published · $500 – $5K	Not published	$500 – $5K
Peggy Lee Songwriter Award Ascap Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, supported by contributions from ASCAP members and music fans throughout the United States.	Not published	Varies
Amazon Literary Partnership Grant: US Amazon, Inc. · Foundation Not published · $5K – $20K The Amazon Literary Partnership Grant supports nonprofit organizations in the U.S. that empower diverse and marginalized writers.	Not published	$5K – $20K
Cultural Districts Grants South Carolina Arts Commission · Foundation Not published · Up to $10K The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission is to expand access to the arts and foster creativity for all South Carolinians.	Not published	Up to $10K
GLCA New Writers Award Great Lakes Colleges Association Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies A national literary award program that has been recognizing promising young authors since 1970.	Not published	Varies
Colorado Book Awards Colorado Humanities · Foundation Not published · Varies The Colorado Book Awards recognize and celebrate outstanding contributions by Colorado authors, editors, illustrators, and photographers. Now in their 29th year (as of 2020), the awards are presented each spring.	Not published	Varies
Greene County Poet Laureate Greene County Council on the Arts · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
William Emberton Scholarship Grant The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The William Emberton Scholarship, established in memory of Bill Emberton, awards $1,000 to students in Eastern Connecticut who demonstrate a strong interest in literature and poetry.	Not published	Varies
The Hansberry-Lilly Fellowship The Dramatists Guild Fund Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies A fellowship program supporting theater writers. Details limited in provided materials.	Not published	Varies
Fellowship Award Grant Rasmuson Foundation · Foundation Not published · $50K The Fellowship Award, offered by the Rasmuson Foundation, supports mid-career and established artists in Alaska with grants of up to $25,000.	Not published	$50K
Traditional Arts Apprenticeships Grant Idaho Commission on the Arts · Foundation Not published · Up to $3K The Traditional Arts Apprenticeships grant, provided by the Idaho Commission on the Arts, fosters mentorship by pairing experienced artists with apprentices to preserve cultural art forms.	Not published	Up to $3K
Juliet Lea Hillman Simonds Foundation Grant Hillman Family Foundations · Foundation Not published · $1K – $7.5M The Juliet Lea Hillman Simonds Foundation Grant supports nonprofit organizations, focusing on education, visual arts, writing, and literature, primarily in Pittsburgh.	Not published	$1K – $7.5M

Showing 49–72 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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