Best Grants for Creative Writing in North Dakota

Nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in North Dakota with arts-and-wellness projects can receive US $2,000 - US $15,000 to support performances, workshops, clinical programs, creative aging, or veteran-focused arts activities. Grants from Arts Midwest help writing and literature programs and other disciplines engage professional artists in at least two activities between December 2025 and June 2026.

Nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in North Dakota and other Midwestern states can apply for the GIG Fund to support public-facing arts projects and activities, including writing and literature programs, with awards of US $2,000 - US $15,000. Grants from Illinois Arts Council Agency help smaller organizations engage professional artists, offer multiple activities, and reach underserved audiences, with a 1:1 match required.

Early-career fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry writers in the U.S., including those in North Dakota, can apply for PEN America’s Emerging Voices Fellowship, which offers US $1,500 and a five-month virtual mentorship program. Writers from underrepresented communities may benefit from professional guidance, industry access, workshops, and a supportive literary community.

Early-career Native writers, poets, and other artists in North Dakota and across the U.S. can receive one-year LIFT awards of US $10,000 to develop and realize new projects. North Dakota creative writing applicants may benefit from additional professional development, culturally appropriate evaluation support, and communications and marketing assistance from the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation.

The National Writers Series Scholarships, offered by the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation, support aspiring writers in 11th and 12th grades from Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau Counties. Eligible applicants must submit an online application along with a manuscript in one of the following genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, Journalism, or Poetry. This initiative encourages local youth to showcase their creativity and talent in writing, fostering a love for literature and expression.

The ISF Media Scholarship Program, established by the Islamic Scholarship Fund, supports American Muslim students pursuing degrees in media-related fields. With scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $5,000, the program aims to enhance Muslim representation in media and policy, counter negative portrayals, and foster positive narratives. Eligible applicants must be full-time students or working professionals in supported majors like media studies and journalism, maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Early-career pediatric infectious diseases physicians interested in academic writing and publishing can apply for the JPIDS Feigin Apprenticeship, an editorial training award open to U.S. candidates, including those in North Dakota. With a mission to support pediatric infectious diseases education, PIDS Foundation provides intensive editorial experience and mentorship through this year-long apprenticeship program.

Scholars and writers focused on Shakespeare and performance studies in North Dakota can seek recognition for outstanding articles through the Barbara Hodgdon Award. Grants from Shakespeare Association of America help creative writing and literature professionals whose published work explores Shakespearean performance across media, geography, and time. Applicants must be SAA members in good standing.

Doctoral candidates whose dissertations feature significant Shakespeare-related writing and literature may be eligible for the J. Leeds Barroll Dissertation Prize, presented by the Shakespeare Association of America. Focused on advanced academic work, this prize may benefit creative writing and literature scholars in North Dakota whose dissertations were approved between September 2024 and September 2025.

Creative writing scholars in North Dakota working on Shakespeare-related monographs may be eligible for the SAA First Book Award, which honors a first book-length publication with a significant Shakespeare component. Grants from Shakespeare Association of America help current SAA members in good standing gain recognition at the association’s annual luncheon.

Nonprofit scholars, educators, and artists working on Shakespeare-related writing, literature, or performance projects in the U.S., including North Dakota, may be eligible for support that recognizes innovative public engagement. Shakespeare Association of America supports efforts that foster and sustain broad, diverse Shakespeare publics through teaching, scholarship, performance, and activism; SAA members can apply or nominate collaborators.

Individual writers and students developing art criticism and creative writing about visual arts can receive approximately US $1,000 through this national fellowship, open to residents of North Dakota and across the U.S. The AICA-USA Art Critic Fellowship offers a six-week hybrid program with lectures, mentorship, and publication opportunities for emerging and established critics.

Literary translators of original book-length prose published by a U.S. trade publisher can apply for PEN America’s PEN Translation Prize, which awards US $3,000 for an outstanding English translation. Focused on writing and literature, this national prize may benefit North Dakota translators and creative writers working with translated literary prose.

U.S. trade publishers with book-length poetry translations into English can seek support for eligible titles through this national award, including works by authors connected to North Dakota. PEN America supports writing and literature by awarding US $3,000 to the translator of a winning poetry translation volume originally published in another language.

Nonfiction authors with intellectually rigorous, issue-focused books published by a U.S. trade publisher can receive US $10,000 for distinguished work through this PEN America award. Grants from PEN America help writers, including those reaching readers in North Dakota, gain recognition for recent nonfiction or memoir that illuminates important contemporary issues with literary merit.

Authors of single‑author biographies published by a U.S. trade publisher can apply for PEN America’s PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography, awarding US $5,000 for a distinguished work. Biography writers, including those in North Dakota, may be recognized for exceptional literary, narrative, and artistic merit based on rigorous research.

Authors of literary science writing who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, including those based in North Dakota, can receive US $10,000 for a book that explains physical or biological sciences to general readers. PEN America’s PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award honors a single-author title published in the eligible calendar year.

North Dakota creative nonfiction authors with essay collections published by a U.S. trade publisher can access funding through PEN America’s PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay, which offers US $15,000. Eligible books are single-author collections by seasoned writers who are permanent U.S. residents or citizens, not debut essayists.

U.S. poets with a distinguished poetry collection published by a trade publisher can receive US $5,000 for work that expands American poetry, including authors based in North Dakota. With a mission to celebrate literary excellence, PEN America provides writers with this annual PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry Collection recognition and cash prize.

Authors of color with English-language books of fiction, literary nonfiction, biography, memoir, poetry, or similar literary work published by a U.S. trade publisher can apply for PEN America’s PEN Open Book Award; awards US $10,000 and a residency. North Dakota creative writers meeting these criteria may be eligible.

Editors of literary magazines, journals, or cultural websites publishing debut English-language short fiction in North Dakota can apply for PEN America’s PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize, awarding US $2,000 per winning writer. Twelve emerging fiction writers are selected annually, and their stories are published in the Best Debut Short Stories anthology.

Debut short story authors in the U.S., including those published in North Dakota, can receive US $25,000 for a first short fiction collection to support future literary work. PEN America’s PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize honors a single-author debut collection published by a U.S. trade publisher, with submissions made by publishers or literary agents.

The Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation offers a $20,000 grant for writers focusing on sculpture, encouraging diverse voices in this field. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, or hold an O-1 visa, and have published work within the last five years. The grant aims to support fresh perspectives on the history and aesthetics of sculpture, promoting artistic growth and innovation. Applications are limited to one submission per individual, ensuring a fair opportunity for all.

The Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize, established in 1975, awards $25,000 to the best book of poetry published in the U.S. the previous year. It includes a ten-day residency at Glen Hollow, New York, and distribution to Academy of American Poets members. Eligible poets must be U.S. citizens or residents and submit original works published in the prior year. Self-published books and translations are ineligible, promoting excellence in contemporary American poetry.

The Anonymous Was A Woman Environmental Art Grants offer up to $20,000 for environmental art projects led by women-identifying artists in the U.S. and territories. Focused on themes like regeneration and eco-social engagement, the grants encourage projects that address ecological issues through ethical engagement. For the 2025 cycle, over $520,000 will be distributed, doubling previous funding. Eligible applicants must be 18+, lead artists, and not enrolled in degree programs during the grant term.

The Vilcek Foundation's 2026 Prizes for Creative Promise in Fashion & Design and Fashion & Culture will award six $50,000 prizes to young immigrant professionals. This initiative recognizes early- and mid-career creatives in fields such as fashion design, writing, and styling, highlighting the vital contributions of immigrants to the arts in the U.S. Eligible applicants must have at least five years of experience and intend to pursue their careers in the country.

The Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship supports emerging writers focusing on music criticism. This fellowship encourages applicants to submit writing samples that critically analyze live or recorded music. Eligible candidates must be U.S. citizens or residents, 18 or older, and have less than two years of publication experience. The award includes unrestricted funds to advance their careers, alongside opportunities for publication and public speaking at the Democracy Center.