Upcoming Webinar
Instrumentl Fall Launch: Grant Work, Leveled Up.
Thu, Oct 29 or Wed, Nov 4 @ 2PM ET

Skip to main content
Main content

Best Grants for Creative Writing

Explore creative writing grants supporting authors, workshops, literary journals, and storytelling programs.

439

Available grants

$5.6M

Total funding

$5K

Median grant

439 grants
$5.6M total
$5K median

Skip the search. Get matched with grants that fit your non-profit.

Skip the search.

Get matched with grants that actually fit.

Smart recommendations based on your profile — in minutes.

Find me grants

Filters

439 Results based on applied filters

Mary Francis Book Scholarship

Legacy Foundation: Lake County's Community Foundation
Private
United States
US $150

About Legacy Foundation

Legacy Foundation is the community foundation for Lake County, Indiana. We connect people, knowledge, and funding to build an equitable, accessible, and inclusive Lake County, now and for generations to come.

Legacy Foundation is supported by a broad base of individuals, families, and businesses connected by the desire to improve Lake County, Indiana. With a growing portfolio of over 300 funds and approximately $80 million in assets, Legacy Foundation is a trusted source for philanthropic giving in the region.

For over 30 years, Legacy Foundation has been empowering people, providing strategic leadership, and impactful philanthropic support to create an equitable Lake County where all people thrive.

Mission Statement

Transforming Lake County by providing strategic leadership and impactful philanthropic support to ensure equitable opportunity for all communities that we serve.

Vision Statement

Create an equitable Lake County where all people thrive.

Mary Francis Book Scholarship

Use the chart below to see which scholarships are the best fit for you! You must complete the Legacy Universal Application to apply.

Scholarship eligibility requires students to attend an accredited 2 or 4 year public or private institution of higher learning. All scholarships are for full-time students, unless otherwise noted. Renewable awards are for 4 years of undergraduate study and cannot be used for post graduate coursework; all awards are paid directly to the school or may be used for book reimbursement.

Education - Higher Education Education - High School Academic Scholarship Programs +1 more

Hillman Barnett Adkins Endowed Fund Scholarship

Native Forward Scholars Fund
Association/Society
United States
Unspecified amount

Native Forward awards are allocated based on the financial aid information provided by the institution’s Financial Aid Office. Awards can vary, ranging from $100 to $30,000 per academic year.

Native Forward Scholars Fund members of federally and state-recognized Tribes as well as first and second-generation descendants. However, Native Forward Scholars Fund scholarship opportunities have different Tribal eligibility requirements and can be determined by submitting a Tribal Eligibility Certificate.

Hillman Barnett Adkins Endowed Fund Scholarship

The Hillman Barnett Adkins Endowed Fund is provided in honor of members of the Hillman, Barnett, and Adkins families. The purpose of the Hillman Barnett Adkins Endowed Fund is to provide financial assistance to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native vocational, undergraduate, and graduate students enrolled at an accredited not-for-profit college/university, vocational school, or Tribally controlled college or university (TCU) and pursuing degrees with a focus in Fine Arts (studio arts), Performing Arts (music, drama, musical theater, dance), Creative Writing, Art History, Visual Communication, Photography, Culinary Arts, Film (Cinematography, Screenwriting), or Fashion Design & Jewelry Design.

This opportunity is a merit-based award.

Writing & Literature Performing Arts Film +7 more

Katrin Lamon Fellowship

Native Forward Scholars Fund
Association/Society
United States
Unspecified amount

Native Forward awards are allocated based on the financial aid information provided by the institution’s Financial Aid Office. Awards can vary, ranging from $100 to $30,000 per academic year.

Native Forward Scholars Fund members of federally and state-recognized Tribes as well as first and second-generation descendants. However, Native Forward Scholars Fund scholarship opportunities have different Tribal eligibility requirements and can be determined by submitting a Tribal Eligibility Certificate.

Katrin Lamon Fellowship

This opportunity is provided to honor the life and legacy of Katrin Lamon.

The purpose of the Katrin Lamon Scholarship program is to provide financial assistance to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native graduate students pursuing degrees full-time at an accredited institution in literature, communication, journalism, or other related fields.

This opportunity is a need-based award.

Writing & Literature Journalism Indigenous Services

Book Seminar Legacy Fund Annual Grant

Community Foundation Of New Jersey
Private
New York
US $3,000
The Book Seminar Legacy Fund Annual Grant, established by the Community Foundation of New Jersey, honors the legacy of Professor Samuel Freedman by providing three annual grants starting in 2026. These grants support various stages of book projects, including proposals, initial research, and manuscript writing. Eligible applicants include former students and auditors from the Book Seminar class, which ran from 1991 to 2025. This initiative fosters literary creativity and supports authors in their publishing journeys.
Writing & Literature

Elizabeth Furber Scholarship

Native Forward Scholars Fund
Association/Society
United States
US $100 - US $30,000
The Elizabeth Furber Scholarship honors the legacy of Elizabeth Furber by providing financial assistance to American Indian and Alaska Native female graduate students. This scholarship supports students pursuing full-time degrees in various fields, including fine arts, music, and creative writing. As a need-based award, it requires applicants to demonstrate Tribal affiliation through a Tribal Eligibility Certificate. This opportunity empowers eligible students to achieve their academic goals.
Academic Scholarship Programs Writing & Literature Performing Arts +6 more

Large Creative & Performing Arts Grants

University Of Notre Dame Du Lac
Private
Indiana
Up to US $25,000
The Large Creative & Performing Arts Grants, offered by the University of Notre Dame's Franco Family Institute, support innovative arts projects led by faculty in the College of Arts & Letters. These grants are awarded biannually and prioritize projects that foster social engagement, explore sacred themes, or integrate technology with the arts. Eligible faculty can use the grants for materials, travel, and exhibition costs, enhancing the creative landscape and encouraging collaboration among scholars and artists.
Performing Arts Visual Arts Architecture +3 more

Creative West TourWest Grant

Utah Division of Arts & Museums
State/Local Government
Alaska, American Samoa +13 more
US $2,000 - US $3,000

Utah Division of Arts & Museums

As the first and oldest state arts agency in the nation, the Utah Division of Arts & Museums (UA&M) celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2025.

UA&M Mission: Our agency enhances Utah’s quality of life. We champion opportunities to experience culture by investing in arts and museums, offering professional development, facilitating connections, and providing direct services.

Creative West - TourWest Grant

Creative West’s TourWest grant program, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, provides funding to presenters and presenting organizations to bring touring performers and literary artists to communities throughout the Western region.

Regional touring is defined as:

  • Programming that brings out-of-state touring artists to your venue, or
  • In-state artists traveling at least 50 miles from their home base

TourWest focuses on expanding access to the performing arts, especially in underserved communities. To support this goal:

  • Creative West encourages working closely with local individuals and groups to understand and meet community needs.
  • Applicants are urged to include community engagement or educational outreach activities in their projects.
  • Collaboration with artists, agents, and community partners is highly encouraged, along with strategies like block booking and using presenter networks to reduce costs and maximize impact.

A 1:1 cash match using non-federal funds is required. This match requirement is waived for organizations based in the Pacific Jurisdictions, including American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.

Performing Arts Arts / Culture Access & Participation Writing & Literature +3 more

Self-directed Art Practice Grant

Washington State Arts Commission
State/Local Government
Washington
Up to US $3,000

 Washington State Arts Commission

ArtsWA is the Washington State Arts Commission. We are a state agency, formed by the Washington State Legislature in 1961. Our mission is to nurture and support the role of the arts in the lives of all Washingtonians.

ArtsWA promotes and documents the public value of the arts. We are dedicated to accountability and accessibility. Our commissioners and staff work together to support the following main programs:

  • Public Art. We manage and protect the State Art Collection, a shared cultural resource.
  • Grants. We provide grant opportunities to expand art participation statewide.
  • Creative Districts. We support communities that connect arts and culture to economic development.
  • Arts in Education. We support high quality, standards-based arts education as a part of PreK-12 basic education.

Self-directed Art Practice (SAP) Grant

ArtsWA’s Wellness, Arts, and Military (WAM) program aims to introduce more Veterans and military-connected families to the enriching possibilities of the arts. Whether someone is picking up a creative practice for the first time or returning to a long-time interest, the arts offer a space for self-expression, connection, and discovery. Through participation in artistic experiences, individuals can explore new skills, build community, and engage in meaningful personal growth. Engaging in an art practice improves physical, social, and emotional well-being for active-military, Veterans, and their families.

Through the Self-directed Art Practice (SAP) grant program, WAM offers this unique opportunity for eligible military-connected individuals to spend time pursuing an art practice for professional and personal development.

The SAP grant provides one-time grants. These grants pay for costs associated with taking time to practice art throughout the grant period.

Applicants must provide:

  • an art practice plan
  • 3 art samples
  • a simple budget that shows how time and funds will be used
Military & Veterans Services Arts / Culture Access & Participation Music +6 more

MAC Annual Grants: Organizations of Color

Missouri Arts Council
State/Local Government
Missouri
Up to US $40,000

Missouri Arts Council

The Missouri Arts Council supports the arts that strengthen the cultural, educational, and economic vitality of our state.

Established as a state agency in 1965, the Missouri Arts Council is a division of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. The Council is funded through the Missouri General Assembly, Missouri Cultural Trust, and National Endowment for the Arts.

The Missouri Arts Council is the state agency dedicated—as public leader, partner, and catalyst—to broadening the growth, availability, and appreciation of the arts in Missouri and fostering the diversity, vitality, and excellence of Missouri’s communities, economy, and cultural heritage. The grants we award make possible quality arts programming to communities both large and small throughout the state. We provide grants to arts projects that meet our strategic goals:

  • Engage people in meaningful arts experiences
  • Grow Missouri’s economy using the arts
  • Strengthen Missouri education through the arts

In addition to funding, we provide technical assistance in community development, fundraising, marketing, grant writing, arts education, artistic disciplines (visual arts, music, literature, theater, dance, festivals, and film/media) and more.

Annual Grants

Annual Grants are designed for experienced Missouri Arts Council applicants with large budget arts projects. The annual application is extensive and more demanding with a rigid deadline schedule, a more competitive review process, and a longer turnaround. While the request amount is higher, organizations receive a smaller percentage of their request based on our funding. 

Annual Grants: Organizations of Color

Organizations must meet the following criteria:

  • Organizations where a majority of the board and staff (combined) are American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (as reflected in the Demographic section of the application).
  • The mission of the organization has historically served people of color. Supports arts projects created by and/or targeted to African-American, Asian-American, Latino/Hispanic, and Native American communities. 
Performing Arts Theater Dance +7 more

Margaret Metzger Fellowship

Brookline Education Foundation (BEF)
Association/Society
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
US $1,000

Brookline Education Foundation

The Brookline Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Brookline’s commitment to excellence in public education. The BEF raises private funds to support innovative teaching, administrative leadership, professional development, and community participation in the schools.

The BEF works closely with the Brookline School Department in a unique partnership, identifying needs and opportunities where its efforts can make a difference to teachers and children. BEF monies are available to educators currently working in the Public Schools of Brookline for new approaches to professional development and systemwide improvements that the schools could not otherwise afford. The BEF seeks out and supports innovation and leadership among teachers and administrators alike. It looks for leverage opportunities where its programs can generate funds from other public and private sectors.

Margaret Metzger Fellowship

If you have an interest in writing about teaching, we strongly encourage you to apply for a Metzger Fellowship.

The Margaret Metzger Fellowship grants Brookline educators the opportunity to reflect on their life as educators and write an essay about those experiences. Dominique Herard, Pierce educator, experienced mentor, and published writer, will lead and support the six Metzger Fellows selected by the Metzger Committee. The group of Fellows work together and separately in a workshop format giving and receiving peer input. There is a wonderful culminating event in the Fall at which the essays are read by the authors.

Writing & Literature Teacher Development & Training

The Hendrix-Murphy Book Award

Hendrix-Murphy Foundation
Association/Society
United States
Unspecified amount

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.

Writing & Literature Linguistics Language Education +1 more

Hunt Fellowship in Public Writing

Wenner-Gren Foundation
Private
Countries
US $80,000

About Us

The Wenner-Gren Foundation is a private operating foundation dedicated to providing leadership in support of anthropology and anthropologists worldwide.

Our Mission

The Wenner-Gren Foundation is committed to playing a leadership role in anthropology. We help anthropologists advance anthropological knowledge, build sustainable careers, and amplify the impact of anthropology within the wider world. We dedicate ourselves to broadening the conversation in anthropology to reflect the full diversity of the field.

Hunt Fellowship in Public Writing

General

Anthropologists have important stories to tell about human lives, histories, societies, and futures. Yet many scholars lack the time and resources needed to translate their research into books that reach readers beyond the academy. The Hunt Fellowship in Public Writing supports anthropologists who are writing serious nonfiction books for general audiences.

This program is designed to encourage public writing that brings anthropological knowledge into wider conversations. The Foundation welcomes book projects that are intellectually ambitious, grounded in substantial research, and written in ways that invite nonacademic readers to explore anthropological questions, evidence, and insight. We are interested in projects that demonstrate how anthropological writing can shape public understanding, contribute to urgent debates, and expand the audiences for anthropological work.

The fellowship supports scholars pursuing a book-length project for broad audiences. Through this award, the Foundation seeks to raise the status of public writing within anthropology, especially for earlier career scholars, and promote its recognition in hiring, tenure, promotion, and other forms of professional evaluation.

There is no preference for any methodology, research location, or subfield.

Anthropology & Cultural Studies Writing & Literature

WEF Distinguished Alumni Award

Wallingford Education Foundation (WEF)
Association/Society
New Haven County, Connecticut
Unspecified amount

Wallingford Education Foundation

Our Mission

The Wallingford Education Foundation is a non-profit, community-based partnership supporting educational innovation and excellence in our town.

Our Vision

The Wallingford Education Foundation empowers ideas and enhances educational experiences for students, educators and community members. It provides financial support outside the education budget that is aligned with the goals and focus areas of the school district’s strategic plan.

Distinguished Alumni Award

The Wallingford Education Foundation (WEF) established the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2004 to honor and showcase individuals whose deeds and character exemplify outstanding accomplishments, leadership, and/or service to their community. This award is presented annually and alumni need not have graduated from a Wallingford high school in order to be considered.

Members of the community are invited to nominate candidates for this award by completing the nomination form.

All submitted nominations are reviewed with the final selection of award recipients made by the Distinguished Alumni Committee and endorsed by the WEF Board of Directors. Only those individuals selected for the award are notified of their nomination. Nomination forms of individuals not selected will be kept on file for three (3) years for future consideration. Award recipients are honored at the Distinguished Alumni Dinner held each spring.

Art & Culture Music Writing & Literature +1 more

Artistic Innovations Grants for Individual Artists

Mid-America Arts Alliance
Private
Arkansas, Kansas +4 more
Up to US $15,000

Mid-America Arts Alliance

Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) believes art can be a catalyst for expression, connection, collaboration, and community. This philosophy is reflected in our mission and values.

M-AAA is a nonprofit, regional arts organization representing Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and beyond. We focus on strengthening communities and improving lives by supporting artists, elevating arts organizations, and connecting people to extraordinary cultural experiences.

Artistic Innovations Grants for Individual Artists

Program Objectives

The Artistic Innovations program supports the development of new or original works of art across all disciplines, created exclusively by in-region individual artists and art-based organizations in M-AAA’s six-state region (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and the Native Nations in this geography). Eligible applicants include individual artists and nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organizations in the region.

Individual Artist Grant Considerations

The Artistic Innovations grant program supports direct project expenses incurred in the art-making process and production of public-facing engagements to individuals through private funds. These grants are funded through private support and, unlike Artistic Innovations grants to organizations, are not supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Writing & Literature Performing Arts Media Arts +4 more

NEH Postdoctoral Fellowship in Poetics

Emory University
Private
Georgia (US state)
More than US $62,000

Emory University’s Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry

Emory University’s Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry (FCHI) supports ambitious research on culture, history, and society. We house a community of scholars working on individual and collaborative projects, and we design programming for the university and the broader community.

At the core of our activities is a set of residential research fellowships. Each year, we select faculty and advanced graduate students from Emory University, and postdoctoral fellows from around the world, to devote uninterrupted time to research and writing on large-scale projects. They meet weekly to share their work in progress—sometimes with invited guests from other universities—and to discuss important themes and issues in the humanities. We also provide mentorship and community for acohort of talented undergraduate students writing honors theses on humanistic topics.

NEH Postdoctoral Fellowship in Poetics

Description

The Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry is pleased to open applications for our NEH Postdoctoral Fellowship in Poetics. This longstanding fellowship reflects the importance of Emory’s Raymond Danowski Poetry Library, part of the Stuart A. Rose Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Book Library, as a center for research in poetry. We are especially eager to support research projects which make use of Emory University's archival holdings in poetry.

We invite applications from scholars who are eager to be part of a community engaged in interdisciplinary conversations around our theme of Humanities Plural. (See below.) Research projects do not need to address the theme directly, but applicants should briefly address how the project relates to significant methodological, theoretical, or conceptual issues in the humanities. (For example, a project in an established scholarly tradition could make a case for the importance of carrying that tradition forward within the current humanities landscape; a project in an emerging area of scholarship could share some thoughts about interdisciplinarity or new methods.)

The Fox Center will appoint one NEH Postdoctoral Fellow in Poetics for the academic year. The appointment will be for one year with the possibility of renewal for one additional year. The fellowship includes a stipend of $62,000, a research budget of $2,000, and a one-time additional payment of $2,000 to defray the costs associated with moving to Atlanta. Fellows are eligible for a wide range of competitive benefits, including dental and vision care, and are required to be in residence for the term of the fellowship.

All postdoctoral fellows participate in a weekly interdisciplinary seminar, presenting their research at one of these meetings, and teach one undergraduate class in their area of expertise in the College of Arts and Sciences. If invited to continue for a second year, fellows will have additional teaching responsibilities and will receive teaching mentorship from Emory faculty in a relevant discipline.

Humanities Plural

At a moment when fields such as "history of the humanities" and "humanities theory" are coming into view, and as hybrid formations such as digital humanities, health humanities, and public humanities are taking humanities scholarship into new academic and extra-academic spaces, we seek to expand our horizons for thinking about the humanities as they have existed or are unfolding in our current moment. The questions we hope to address in our shared discussions and programming include: What are the contexts, across time and space, where humanistic learning occurs and matters (e.g., formal or informal academic settings, places of worship, prisons, online spaces, museums)? Where is humanistic scholarship enlisted into serving other systems of knowledge and value (e.g., medical schools, think tanks, revolutionary movements, corporate boardrooms), and what sorts of work is it asked to do there? Which communities have forged programs or practices of humanistic learning without having access to formal or elite institutional structures? What are the distinct methods, epistemologies, aesthetics, and/or values that take shape in these sites? What gave rise to "theory," where and why has it taken root, and what is its future? And how do or should "the humanities" function in hybrid formations, for example in digital humanities, environmental humanities, or health humanities?

If for any reason a Fellow’s circumstances change and the grantee is unable to use the Fellowship during the academic year for which it was granted, the Fellowship will be forfeited.

If the project involves human subjects, approval from the proper Emory Institutional Review Board Committee (IRB) is requiredbefore Fellowship funding can be released. For more information, please refer to this website: https://www.irb.emory.edu.

Poetry Humanities & Social Science

ALWD Teaching Grants

ALWD
Association/Society
United States
US $1,500 - US $3,750

About Association of Legal Writing Directors (ALWD) ALWD supports its members’ professional development as teachers, scholars, and leaders through both teaching and scholarship grants. These grants provide funding for legal writing professionals to pursue their scholarly interests and to develop innovative teaching materials. In funding grants, ALWD focuses on providing resources to those who do not have other sources of funding for these endeavors.

ALWD also supports projects that preserve the history of ALWD, honor community contributions, and make ALWD’s history accessible to scholars, teachers, and practitioners into the future.ALWD Teaching GrantsIn furtherance of ALWD’s commitment to the professional development of legal research and writing faculty, ALWD funds annual teaching grants that allow legal writing faculty to spend their summers exploring innovative teaching ideas and producing teaching tools, materials, and curriculum that will assist others in the field. 

Teacher Development & Training Writing & Literature

Youth Literary Grant

Minnesota Humanities Center
State/Local Government
Minnesota
Up to US $50,000

Minnesota Humanities Center

The Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC), a non-profit organization, strives to create a more just society that is curious, connected, and compassionate by increasing the collective understanding of ourselves, our communities, and our histories through stories and experiences. 

Youth Literary Grant

Grant Goals

Funding will support individual authors and organizations to create, produce, and distribute books for youth in Minnesota.

An applicant that receives funding under this grant opportunity must do at least one of the following:

  • Amplify arts, culture, and heritage in Minnesota,
  • Increase the depth and breadth of Minnesota who will connect with arts, culture, and heritage, and
  • Provide opportunities for individuals in Minnesota to enjoy arts and culture for free or at reduced cost to allow access for economically disadvantaged individuals and families in Minnesota to attend Legacy programs.

Legacy funding may only be used for new work or new additions to existing work. Funding must supplement and not substitute existing funding sources or be used as reimbursement of expenses for existing projects.

Applicants must provide books for free or at a reduced cost for youth and families.

Community Culture & Heritage Arts / Culture Access & Participation Youth Involvement in the Arts +2 more

National Writers Series Scholarships

Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation
Private
United States
Unspecified amount
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.
Writing & Literature Education - Higher Education Academic Scholarship Programs +1 more

Haddy Harrington Memorial Scholarship

Community Foundation of Henderson County
Private
United States
US $2,000

About Community Foundation of Henderson County

  • Mission: Helping people who care make lasting contributions to causes that matter.
  • Vision: Community Foundation of Henderson County is a highly visible, philanthropic leader directed by an engaged and committed board, staffed by qualified employees, empowering donors at all levels to invest in professionally managed charitable funds that address community needs.

Haddy Harrington Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is to provide financial assistance for students who have demonstrated a passionate desire for advanced education in art or writing. Applicant must be a graduate of a Henderson County high school with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

This is a renewable scholarship.

Education - Higher Education Art Education Writing & Literature

South Arts, Inc.: Arts in Community Grants

South Arts, Inc.
Private
Alabama, Florida +7 more
US $2,000 - US $10,000

South Arts Inc

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, South Arts is a nonprofit regional arts organization empowering artists, organizations, and communities, and increasing access to arts and culture.

In partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the State Arts Agencies of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee — with additional funding from other public and private donors such as the Doris Duke Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and Mellon Foundation — South Arts supports artists and organizations through a rich and responsive portfolio of grants, fellowships, and programs. Why? Because South Arts believes that the arts elevate the region, increasing connectedness and inspiring meaningful change in the process.

Our mission: Advancing Southern vitality through the arts.

Arts in Community Grants

Program Description

Arts in Community Grants are designed to support deeper engagements between Southern communities and artists. Through these grants supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, we aim to increase access to the arts, expand audiences for artists, and broaden our reach. Eligible projects require a Southern artist/company visiting another Southern state for public activities, offering access to arts programming by professional artists. Funding supports Southern film directors, traditional artists, visual artists, performing artists, or writers:

  • film (documentary, fiction, experimental, and animation),
  • traditional arts (music, dance, storytelling, and visual arts/crafts),
  • visual arts (crafts, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media),
  • performing arts (theater, music, opera, musical theater, and dance), and
  • literary arts (fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry).

Projects require an artist or artist ensemble and a host or partner organization. Project must include at least two in-person or live, virtual public activities – both a public presentation (a film screening, performance, reading, or exhibition) and an educational/community engagement activity (a workshop, demonstration, lecture, facilitated discussion, or master class). The grant requires a dollar-for-dollar cash match.

Performing Arts Film Media Arts +8 more

AΩA Stories Award

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
Private
Colorado
US $500

AΩA Stories Award

The AΩA Stories Award celebrates the important role narratives play in medical education. It is open to medical students enrolled at institutions with an active AΩA chapter who have completed at least three months of clinical clerkship experience by the submission deadline (typically M3/M4 at time of submission). 

Medical students may reflect on experiences that have shaped their understanding of service, compassion, professionalism, and the human dimensions of medicine. Through narrative writing, participants explore what it means to embody AΩA’s motto: “Be worthy to serve the suffering.”

Writing & Literature Medical Education & Professional Training

Elvira Caroselli Creative Spirit Award

Rochester Area Community Foundation
Private
Monroe County, New York, Otsego County, New York
Up to US $1,500

Mission & Vision

Rochester Area Community Foundation, in partnership with generous philanthropists and community partners, works to improve the quality of life for people who live and work in the eight-county region through its leadership and strategic grantmaking.

Our Mission:

We are cultivating a thriving Greater Rochester region — powered by philanthropy, grounded in community, and sustained across generations.

Our Vision:

We envision a Greater Rochester region transformed by enduring philanthropy, where every person, neighborhood, and future generation can thrive.

Elvira Caroselli Creative Spirit Award

Purpose of Scholarship

The Elvira Caroselli Creative Spirit Award will provide small awards to encourage the creative spirit and endeavors of junior and senior high school students.

Number and Size of Awards

Number of recipients and award amounts vary; paid in one lump sum in the Summer. Maximum award $1,500.

Donor Information

Mrs. Caroselli loved creating, designing, and experimenting. This remarkable woman dropped out of school in the eighth grade to help support her family. Despite a lack of formal education, she sold an invention to a major manufacturer when she was 70 years old.

Educational Access & Equity Artist Training & Development Arts / Culture Access & Participation +6 more

Tom Melbert Annual Award in Humanities

Middlesex Community College Foundation
Association/Society
Middlesex County, Connecticut
Unspecified amount

About the Foundation

The MxCC Foundation Supports CT State Middlesex and Meriden Campuses

The purpose of the Middlesex Community College Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) public charity incorporated in Connecticut, is twofold:

  • To support the college and its students by receiving, managing, and distributing funds for scholarships and other educational purposes, and
  • To generate and strengthen communication and collaboration between the college and the Foundation and business, industry, professional, civic, and educational leaders in the communities served by the college—all of Middlesex County, Meriden and Wallingford in New Haven County, and Rocky Hill in Hartford County.

Removing financial obstacles that bar or inhibit student access to education is the Foundation’s driving force. Scholarships address not only the growing need for financial assistance, but also our perennial wish to celebrate student achievement.

The MxCC Foundation’s charge is to develop external resources that contribute support to student and academic programs, as well as efforts that foster student success.

Tom Melbert Annual Award in Humanities

Recipient must be enrolled in English studies or another humanities area and have an interest/love of literature, painting, the arts or travel.

Education - Higher Education Adult Education Academic Success & Enrichment +6 more

Helen H. Glaser Student Essay Award

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
Private
United States
US $1,500

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society

Alpha Omega Alpha, founded in 1902, is the national medical honor society. Its mission is:

  • Alpha Omega Alpha — dedicated to the belief that in the profession of medicine we will improve care for all by:
  • recognizing high educational achievement;
  • honoring gifted teaching;
  • encouraging the development of leaders in academia and the community;
  • supporting the ideals of humanism; and
  • promoting service to others.

Helen H. Glaser Student Essay Award

To encourage medical students to write scholarly essays relevant to medicine. Winning essays will be published in an issue of The Pharos.

Only one entry may be submitted per student.

Requirements

  • Essays must be written while the student is in medical school, must be the work of a single author, and must be an original work. The essay must not be offered to, or published by, any other journal or entered in any other contest prior to submission or during, the AΩA selection process.
  • The essay must be related to medicine.
  • Essays should not be fictional or written in first person, but academic/scientific in theme.
  • The essay must not exceed 15 double-spaced pages of 12-point type with minimum 1-inch margins, exclusive of reference listing. The author’s name and essay title must be on each page, and all pages must be numbered.
  • Unique references, numbered consecutively, should be limited to 20. (Reference citation of a website is not acceptable unless a site is the sole source of the information or has official academic credentials. Examples of acceptable sites are official government web pages such as that of the National Institutes of Health.)
  • The Pharos Editorial Board suggests that authors review George Orwell’s “6 Rules for Writing”.
  • Essays that are not selected as award recipients may be submitted to other contests/publications after the winners are announced.
  • Essays not meeting all requirements will not be considered.
Writing & Literature Health & Medicine Medical Education & Professional Training

The Alpha Omega Alpha/Pharos Poetry Award

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
Private
United States
US $1,500

The Alpha Omega Alpha/Pharos Poetry Award

To encourage students to write effective poetry. Winning poems are published in The Pharos.

The Award

Up to 5 poems will receive a $1,500 award. The winning entries will be published in The Pharos.

Poetry Education - Higher Education

Humanities Texas: Exhibition Grants

Humanities Texas
State/Local Government
Texas
Up to US $2,500

Humanities Texas

Humanities Texas is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, educational organization incorporated by the State of Texas in 1972. The state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Humanities Texas receives its primary funding through federal appropriations to the NEH and additional support from foundations, corporations, and individuals. Since 2009, Humanities Texas has received an appropriation from the State of Texas exclusively for the administration of our professional development programs for Texas teachers.

The Humanities Texas Grants Program

Working in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Humanities Texas provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and institutions for humanities programs that serve public audiences.

Exhibition Grants

Exhibition grants fund up to $2,500 of the costs associated with the rental of a Humanities Texas traveling exhibition and related programming. These small grants are easy to apply for and administer and are available on a rolling basis throughout the year. They require one-to-one cost-share. Our exhibition grants support educational, historical, and cultural organizations hosting a Humanities Texas exhibition and related programming throughout the state.

All applicants must book and confirm an exhibition using the online rental form before submitting an application for funding.

Humanities & Social Science History Community Culture & Heritage +2 more

Partnership Agreement Grants, FY 2027

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
Federal Government
American Samoa, Guam +4 more
US $400,000 - US $1,500,000
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) offers Partnership Agreement Grants for FY 2027 to support state and regional arts agencies. These grants enhance community access to the arts and leverage federal funding to attract additional state resources. By enabling agencies to create state arts plans, the NEA fosters a collaborative approach that strengthens the arts landscape across the nation, ensuring that local needs and priorities are addressed effectively.
Art & Culture Arts / Culture Access & Participation Art Education +2 more

Grants for Creative Writing Highlights

Grants for creative writing fund programs and projects that support writers, workshops, and literary initiatives. The following grants help nonprofits promote storytelling, foster creativity, and expand access to the arts.


Search Instrumentl's Creative Writing Grants Database


Explore 93 funding opportunities for creative writing, with $2.6M available. Instrumentl supports writers and nonprofits with advanced grant discovery, deadline tracking tools, and key insights to enrich literary arts and storytelling programs.

Grant Insights : Grants for Creative Writing

Grant Availability

How common are grants in this category?

Uncommon — grants in this category are less prevalent than in others.

93 Grants for Creative Writing grants for nonprofits in the United States, from private foundations to corporations seeking to fund grants for nonprofits.

18 Grants for Creative Writing over $25K in average grant size

9 Grants for Creative Writing over $50K in average grant size

25 Grants for Creative Writing supporting general operating expenses

77 Grants for Creative Writing supporting programs / projects

600+ Grants on Instrumentl focused on Food Access & Hunger

1,000+ Grants on Instrumentl focused on Workforce Preparation & Job Readiness

Grant Deadline Distribution

Over the past year, when are grant deadlines typically due for grants for Creative Writing?

Most grants are due in the third quarter.

Q1
23.9%
Q2
23.7%
Q3
28.3%
Q4
24.0%

Typical Funding Amounts

What's the typical grant amount funded for Grants for Creative Writing?

Grants are most commonly $9,500.

$250 $250 Min.
$9,500 $9.5 K Median
$35,556 $35.6 K Average
$950,000 $950 K Max.

Frequently asked questions

Nonprofits that support writing, literacy, or storytelling initiatives may qualify for these grants. Eligible organizations typically include literary nonprofits, universities, and arts programs.

Grants for creative writing typically have the highest concentration of deadlines in Q3, with 28.3% of grant deadlines falling in this period. If you're planning to apply, consider prioritizing your applications around this time to maximize opportunities. Conversely, the least active period for grants in this category is Q2.

Grants for creative writing support emerging writers, diverse voices, and educational writing programs. Funders provide these grants to foster creative expression and ensure that writers—especially those from underrepresented backgrounds—have the necessary resources to share their stories.

Funding for creating writing grants varies widely, with award amounts ranging from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $950,000. Based on Instrumentl’s data, the median grant amount for this category is $9,500, while the average grant awarded is $35,556. Understanding these funding trends can help nonprofits set realistic expectations when applying.

Government organizations at the federal, state, and local levels often provide funding for creative writing grants. Prominent funders include arts organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Massachusetts Cultural Council, along with various state-specific organizations.

Additionally, many private foundations, such as the Elsie H. Wilcox Foundation and the FDC Foundation, also offer support for creative writing initiatives.

To improve grant success for creative writing, here are some things you can do to stand out:

  • Align with funder priorities – Tailor proposals to align with the funder’s mission and key focus areas.
  • Use measurable outcomes – Provide data-driven results to demonstrate past impact and expected future success.
  • Build strategic partnerships – Collaborate with healthcare providers, government agencies, and community organizations to strengthen applications.
  • Develop a compelling narrative – Use real stories and case studies to highlight the significance of the program.

For additional guidance, explore our step-by-step guide to crafting compelling grant proposals.

Instrumentl assists creative writing organizations in streamlining the grant application process by identifying relevant funders. Just provide Instrumentl with a bit of information about your organization and funding requirements, and you will receive a list of suitable grants within seconds. Discover how Lutheran Braille Workers increased their grant submissions by 150%.