Best Grants for Creative Writing in Arizona

Literary Arts Project Grants

As part of its Literary Arts Initiative, South Arts is pleased to announce Literary Arts Project Grants supporting literary arts organizations and small presses that focus on contemporary literary arts.

These grants advance South Arts’ commitment to amplifying the literary traditions and artistic practices of the American South by directly supporting the development, production, and public engagement of high-quality literary projects.

Literary Arts Project Grants support projects in poetry, fiction, creative or literary nonfiction, young readers’ literature, and drama (scriptwriting). Projects must demonstrate artistic excellence, editorial rigor, and meaningful public or community impact.

Award Amount

South Arts will award up to $5,000 per project to eligible literary arts organizations and small presses.

Early-career fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry writers in Arizona and across the U.S. can access funding and mentorship through the Emerging Voices Fellowship, which offers US $1,500 and a five-month virtual program. Administered by PEN America, it supports underrepresented writers with professional guidance, community, and tools to advance toward publication.

Early-career Native writers and other artists in Arizona can access funding through the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation’s LIFT program to develop and complete new creative projects. Individual Native artists across disciplines, including writing and poetry, receive one-year US $10,000 awards plus professional development, evaluation, and communications support.

Hendrix-Murphy Foundation

Enhancing literature & language at Hendrix College since 1978.

In homage to Bertie Wilson Murphy’s passion for the study and appreciation of literature and language, the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation at Hendrix College was founded in 1978 with an endowment by her son, Charles H. Murphy, Jr., former CEO of Murphy Oil Corporation. Mrs. Murphy was a 1905 graduate of Galloway Women’s College in Searcy, Ark., which merged with Hendrix College in Conway in the 1930s. Charles H. Murphy, Jr., was a member of the Hendrix Board of Trustees and served as chair. 

The Foundation's programs are overseen by a Board of Directors that is headed by the president of the College and includes Murphy family members, the provost, and representatives from the Hendrix Board of Trustees.

The Hendrix-Murphy Book Award

Hendrix is proud to offer the Hendrix-Murphy Book Award to an outstanding high school junior who demonstrates distinguished scholarship or leadership in literary studies (English, creative writing, foreign languages, or drama).

Hendrix-Murphy Book Award recipients will receive a copy of Poems to Read: A New Favorite Poems Anthology, edited by Robert Pinsky and Maggie Dietz.

Students may be nominated by their English, languages, creative writing, or drama teacher or guidance counselor by using the required form.

The Lazarus Family Scholarship in Bioethics and Humanities, offered by the AMA Foundation, supports students engaged in bioethics or the humanities, including art, music, and literature. This scholarship aims to foster the next generation of physician leaders by providing financial assistance to those who are committed to advancing health equity and community service. By recognizing diverse fields of study, it emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in medicine and the humanities.

The PEN Prison Writing Awards, initiated after the 1971 Attica Prison Riots, invites incarcerated writers in the U.S. to submit unpublished works across various genres including Poetry, Fiction, and Memoir. Winners receive cash prizes and their works are published in an annual anthology. This program not only recognizes talent within carceral facilities but also supports writers through mentorship, fostering creativity and expression in challenging circumstances.

The Sundance Collab's Cultural Impact Residency, honoring Michael Latt, is a six-month online program supporting early-career, underrepresented storytellers focused on social impact. Running from March to August 2026, it offers mentorship, feedback sessions, and resources to eight selected fellows in screenwriting, directing, and documentary filmmaking. This opportunity is designed for works-in-progress, fostering a supportive creative community to inspire and develop impactful narratives.

The RWA Perseverance Fund, administered by the Romance Writers of America (RWA), supports members in financial need for their annual national dues. RWA, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to advancing the interests of romance writers through advocacy and networking. The fund is available to applicants who can demonstrate financial need and commitment to a career in romance writing. Eligibility includes submitting proof of work, while ensuring a respectful and inclusive environment for all members.

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 this apprenticeship program, which offers more than US $5,000 and intensive editorial experience. With a mission to support scientific and educational work, PIDS Foundation provides Arizona medical writers with mentorship on manuscript review, editorial teleconferences, and participation in JPIDS editorial board activities.

Scholars and writers working on Shakespeare and performance studies can receive recognition for published work through the Barbara Hodgdon Award, open to Shakespeare Association of America members, including those in Arizona. Grants from Shakespeare Association of America help support innovative articles on Shakespeare’s works or adaptations across diverse media, geographies, and time periods.

Doctoral candidates whose dissertations feature a significant Shakespeare component can seek recognition and support through the J. Leeds Barroll Dissertation Prize, open to Shakespeare Association of America members. Focused on writing and literature, this national award may benefit Arizona creative writing scholars whose approved dissertations fall between September 1, 2024 and September 1, 2025.

Arizona scholars and creative writers producing a first monograph with a significant Shakespeare component may be eligible for the SAA First Book Award. Grants from Shakespeare Association of America help current SAA members in good standing gain recognition for book-length work in writing and literature, presented annually at the association’s conference luncheon.

Nonprofit and academic projects that foster public engagement with Shakespeare through teaching, scholarship, performance, or activism may be eligible for the SAA Shakespeare Publics Award in Arizona and beyond. Shakespeare Association of America members can apply or nominate others, including collaborative projects where at least one primary collaborator is a member in good standing.

Focused on writing and literature, PEN America invites translators of original, book-length literary prose to submit U.S.-published English translations for its PEN Translation Prize. Eligible Arizona translators with qualifying titles from any original language can compete nationally for a US $3,000 award and recognition through PEN America’s literary emblems.

Publishers of book-length poetry translations in Arizona can access funding through the PEN Award for Poetry in Translation, which honors English translations of poetry originally published in another language. PEN America awards US $3,000 to the translator of an eligible title published by a U.S. trade publisher, supporting outstanding literary translation work.

Authors of single-author nonfiction books published by a U.S. trade publisher can apply for PEN America's PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award, which provides US $10,000 for distinguished nonfiction with strong literary merit and critical perspective. Arizona creative nonfiction writers whose recent books illuminate important contemporary issues may be eligible if their work meets PEN America's criteria.

Biographers with a single-author work of literary nonfiction published by a U.S. trade publisher can apply for PEN America’s PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography; awards US $5,000 for exceptional biography. Authors in Arizona and elsewhere writing book-length biographies may be eligible if their work meets the publication and genre criteria.

U.S. science writers with a single-author book on physical or biological sciences may be eligible for this literary award, which honors work for a general audience. PEN America supports writing and literature in Arizona and nationwide by granting the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award, offering US $10,000 to the winning title.

Arizona creative nonfiction authors with a U.S.-published collection of essays 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 essay collections from seasoned writers, published by a U.S. trade publisher, with authors who are permanent U.S. residents or citizens.

Poets with a distinguished poetry collection published by a U.S. trade publisher can receive US $5,000 for work that expands the scope of American poetry. With a mission to celebrate literary excellence, PEN America provides permanent U.S. residents and citizens, including those in Arizona, with national recognition for single-author poetry books.

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 plus a residency. Arizona creative writers meeting these criteria may be eligible.

Editors of literary magazines, journals, or cultural websites publishing debut short stories in English can apply for PEN America's PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize, awarding US $2,000 per writer. Arizona-based and other publications featuring emerging creative writers may be eligible if they submit an author’s first-ever published work of fiction.

Debut fiction authors in Arizona and across the U.S. with a first short story collection published by a U.S. trade publisher can receive US $25,000 to support their next literary work. PEN America provides this prize to a single, living U.S. resident whose debut collection shows exceptional promise in writing and literature.

Individual writers on sculpture in Arizona and across the U.S. can seek funding to develop significant new critical or scholarly work on sculpture. Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation offers one US $20,000 annual grant for published writers creating essays, books, memoirs, or related forms that advance thinking about sculpture.

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.