Poetry Programs, Partnerships, and Innovation Grant Program

The Poetry Programs, Partnerships, and Innovation Grant Program, funded by The Poetry Foundation, offers financial support to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and its territories dedicated to advancing poetry. Grants ranging from $10,000 to $75,000 facilitate general operating and program support, encouraging access, collaboration, and innovation in poetry. The program prioritizes organizations led by or serving historically underrepresented communities, ensuring diverse voices are amplified in the literary arts.

The Poetry Programs, Partnerships, and Innovation grant program provided funding to nonprofit organizations based in the U.S. and U.S. territories that are dedicated to advancing the field of poetry. Grants supported organizations working to:
Broaden audiences for poetry,Increase access to poetry,Foster new collaborations and partnerships in poetry, andDrive innovations in poetry, including the use of new technologies.
Types of Support
Grants ranged from $10,000 to $75,000 for a 12-month period and offered two types of support:

• general operating support for poetry-centric nonprofits and program support for organizations with multi-genre or diverse poetry programming.
• General Operating Support

The General Operating Support Program offers unrestricted funding to nonprofit poetry organizations, presses, publications, and select literary arts service and membership organizations. This funding is designed to support and strengthen core operations, including:

• Staff salariesRent and utilitiesTechnologyGeneral administrative expensesMarketing and fundraising effortsTechnical supportHiring new paid staff positions
• This program aims to provide flexible resources that enable organizations to focus on their missions and sustain their vital work in the literary arts.
• Below are the eligibility details for each category:
• Nonprofit Poetry Organizations and Literary Arts Service and Membership Organizations

The Foundation supports nonprofit poetry organizations based in the U.S. and U.S. territories with poetry central to their mission, along with select literary arts service and membership organizations. The Poetry Foundation supports both traditional literary arts service and membership organizations and literary arts organizations that serve as literary arts service and membership organizations for historically underrepresented poets and writers.
Nonprofit Poetry Presses and Publications
Nonprofit poetry presses and publications based in the U.S. and U.S. territories are eligible to apply for general operating grants.

Eligibility

The Poetry Foundation provides general operating support to nonprofit poetry organizations, presses, publications, and select literary arts service and membership organizations that are based in the U.S. and U.S. territories. For the full eligibility guidelines, please refer to the Grants FAQs. Organizations without 501(c)(3) status may apply with a fiscal sponsor. Organizations have to have a minimum operating budget of $20,000, which can include in-kind revenue.

Ineligibility

The Poetry Foundation does not provide grant funding to the following:IndividualsFor-profit organizationsUniversities, colleges, and K-12 schoolsOrganizations whose primary focus is on youth younger than high school age Organizations whose primary focus is on literacyReligious organizationsCapital proposals or endowment campaignsCommercial ventures