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
Loft Mentor Series Grant The Loft · Foundation Not published · $3K The Loft Mentor Series supports twelve early career writers in Minnesota to collaborate with eight acclaimed mentors in poetry and prose.	Not published	$3K
Emerging Traditional Artists Program Grant South Arts Inc · Foundation Not published · $5K The Emerging Traditional Artists Program (ETAP), presented by South Arts Inc., supports early-career traditional artists from Appalachian Regional Commission-designated counties.	Not published	$5K
Creative County Initiative Last Mile Fund Grant Essex County Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Funding for the arts is more critical now than ever before Public art brings people together. Sharing diverse cultures paves the way for understanding, civic discourse and collective problem solving.	Not published	Varies
Saltonstall Residency Program Grant Constance Saltonstall Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Saltonstall Foundation offers residency programs for writers and artists in New York, promoting diversity and inclusion. Eligible applicants must be at least 21 years old and reside full-time in New York State.	Not published	Varies
PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection (Fiction) Grant Pen American Center Inc · Foundation Not published · $25K The PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection recognizes an outstanding debut collection of short stories by a talented fiction writer.	Not published	$25K
Smith Literary Scholarship Grant The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Smith Literary Scholarship, established in memory of Margaret P. Smith, supports literary and historical research for students majoring in History or English Literature.	Not published	Varies
Vossler Prize Caxton Club · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
Spokane Arts Grant Awards (SAGA) Spokane Arts Fund · Foundation Not published · $33K – $67K	Not published	$33K – $67K
Sustainable Arts Foundation: Residency Grant Sustainable Arts Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies _NOTE: We will not be holding an open call this fall for 2024 residency grants._ The Sustainable Arts Foundation supports artists and writers with children.	Not published	Varies
Kevin Koch Writing Prize Loras College · Foundation Not published · Varies Award recognizing the legacy of Dr. Kevin Koch ('81), Professor of English, by honoring excellence in student writing.	Not published	Varies
Sundance Graton Collab Artists Sundance Institute · Foundation Not published · Varies Graton Collab Artist Opportunity serves to cultivate a stage for artists from federally and non-federally recognized California Indian tribes to tell their stories through film.	Not published	Varies
Vahé & Lucie Awards Tumo Foundation · Foundation Not published · $1M – $1.5M An annual competition for TUMO students and alumni recognizing creative work across five categories.	Not published	$1M – $1.5M
Cullman Center Fellowship Grant The New York Public Library Astor Lenox and Tilden Foundations · Foundation Not published · $90K The Cullman Center Fellowship at The New York Public Library supports scholars and writers by providing access to extensive research collections.	Not published	$90K
Emergency Grants The Dramatists Guild Fund Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Financial assistance programs for writers in crisis situations, helping them get back on track. To support writers facing emergency financial hardship	Rolling	Varies
Amy Clampitt Poet Residency Program Grant Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · $4K The Amy Clampitt Poet Residency Program, established by The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, offers a six-month residency for poets at Amy Clampitt's former home in Lenox, Massachusetts.	Not published	$4K
Bobette Bibo Gugliotta Memorial Scholarship for Creative Writing Grant Silicon Valley Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $1K The Bobette Bibo Gugliotta Memorial Scholarship for Creative Writing honors the legacy of author Bobette Bibo Gugliotta, encouraging high school seniors and undergraduate students in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.	Not published	Up to $1K
Richard E. Cytowic Nonfiction Fellowship Grant Virginia Center for the Creative Arts · Foundation Not published · Varies The Richard E. Cytowic Nonfiction Fellowship, offered by the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, provides a fully-funded residency lasting up to two weeks for writers specializing in long-form nonfiction.	Not published	Varies
AICEF: Cultural Grant American Indonesian Cultural · Foundation Not published · $1K – $5K The AICEF Cultural Grant aims to enhance cultural ties between the United States and Indonesia by funding projects in the performing, visual, and literary arts.	Not published	$1K – $5K
Amazon Literary Partnership Grant: UK Amazon, Inc. · Foundation Not published · Varies The Amazon Literary Partnership Grant supports literary organizations in the UK and Republic of Ireland, promoting diverse voices and emerging writers.	Not published	Varies
The Rona Jaffe Foundation Fellowship Grant Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown Inc · Foundation Not published · $3K The Rona Jaffe Foundation Fellowship supports emerging women writers with a fully funded 7-month residency at the Fine Arts Work Center.	Not published	$3K
Moving Stories: Short-Form Graphic Novels for King County Metro Transit RapidRide Grant 4Culture · Foundation Not published · $54K The 'Moving Stories' project invites six artists to create short-form graphic novels that illustrate narratives from communities along King County Metro's RapidRide lines.	Not published	$54K
Lawrence A. Sanders Scholarship Fund for Creative Writing Grant Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Easily learn more about the Lawrence A. The next deadline for this grant is Thu, 04 Mar 2027.	Not published	Varies
Moving Image Fund: Pre-Production & Early Development Funding Grant The LEF Foundation · Foundation Not published · $5K The Moving Image Fund, established by LEF New England, offers crucial support for independent documentary filmmakers in the region. Since 2002, it has funded over 300 projects, promoting innovative storytelling and artistic excellence.	Not published	$5K
The Arthur and Lila Weinberg Fellowship for Independent Researchers Grant The Newberry Library · Foundation Not published · $3K The Arthur and Lila Weinberg Fellowship for Independent Researchers offers a $3,000 monthly stipend for one month, targeting writers, artists, and humanists.	Not published	$3K

Showing 73–96 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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