Best Grants for Creative Writing in Indiana

Faculty researchers in Indiana seeking help with publishing peer-reviewed scholarly monographs can use this program to defray production, image, permissions, and indexing costs, with awards up to US $3,000. Grants from University of Notre Dame Du Lac are competitive, prioritize assistant and associate professors, and are paid directly to reputable academic presses after a contract is secured.

Indiana faculty authors seeking help with image costs for peer-reviewed scholarly monographs can apply for publication imaging grants supporting illustration expenses. University of Notre Dame du Lac provides Indiana writing and literature faculty with up to US $2,000 to substantially defray image acquisition and permissions, prioritizing assistant and associate professors producing first-edition books.

Faculty authors in Indiana seeking support for peer-reviewed scholarly book projects can receive up to US $1,500 to cover professional indexing costs. Grants from University of Notre Dame Du Lac help writing and literature scholars defray indexing expenses once they have a publisher contract and cost estimate in place.

Nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, hospitals, clinics, and tribal organizations in Indiana can receive $2,000 - $15,000 to run arts-and-wellness projects through the GIG Fund: Arts and Wellness. Grants from Arts Midwest help support performances, workshops, creative aging, and other programs that engage professional artists and incorporate writing and literature or other art forms.

Regular faculty at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana can apply for Large Creative & Performing Arts Grants to support arts and creative practice projects in any medium, including writing and literature. Funding up to US $25,000 can cover materials, collaborators, travel for residencies, exhibitions, equipment, production, and promotional costs for public events.

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 Native writers and poets in Indiana and across the U.S. can access funding to create new work and advance their artistic practice. The Native Arts & Cultures Foundation’s LIFT program offers one-year, US $10,000 awards plus professional development, evaluation, and marketing support for eligible Native artists working in writing, poetry, and other disciplines.

Early-career creative writers in Indiana 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. Indiana writers in fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry from underrepresented communities may benefit from PEN America’s one-on-one mentorship, workshops, and professional networking support.

Translators of original book-length literary prose published by a U.S. trade publisher can receive US $3,000 for outstanding English translations through the PEN Translation Prize. Focused on writing and literature, PEN America invites eligible translators, including those working with Indiana publishers or authors, to submit qualifying titles first published in another language.

Nonprofit and academic projects fostering Shakespeare-related writing, teaching, performance, or activism in Indiana and beyond may be eligible for the SAA Shakespeare Publics Award. Shakespeare Association of America supports pioneering, culturally significant efforts that build broad and diverse Shakespeare publics, including work in writing and literature, theater, and arts access and participation.

Early-career scholars writing book-length studies with a significant Shakespeare component may be eligible for the SAA First Book Award, a national opportunity that includes Indiana. Grants from Shakespeare Association of America help current members in good standing publish their first monograph in writing and literature, with the prize presented at the annual luncheon.

Doctoral candidates whose dissertations feature a significant Shakespeare component can apply for recognition and support through the J. Leeds Barroll Dissertation Prize, presented at the Shakespeare Association of America’s annual conference. Indiana and other U.S.-based scholars working in writing and literature or creative writing may be eligible if they are SAA members in good standing.

Scholars and writers focused on Shakespeare and performance in Indiana can receive recognition and support for outstanding published work through the Barbara Hodgdon Award. Grants from Shakespeare Association of America help members whose articles on Shakespeare and performance appeared in the eligible calendar year. All submitting authors must be SAA members in good standing.

The PIDS Foundation's Apprenticeship Program fosters early-career pediatric infectious diseases physicians, enhancing their skills in academic publishing. Named in honor of Ralph D. Feigin, the program offers junior faculty members the opportunity to engage with the editorial process of the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. Recipients will contribute to manuscript discussions and special projects, committing approximately four hours weekly. The award will be presented during the PIDS Annual Membership Meeting at IDWeek 2025, with the term spanning October 2025 to October 2026.

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.

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 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 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.

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.

U.S. trade publishers releasing book-length poetry translations may be eligible for support for works reaching Indiana readers and beyond. PEN America supports writing and literature in the U.S. by awarding US $3,000 to the translator of a winning poetry translation originally published in another language and issued by a U.S. trade publisher.

Authors of single‑author nonfiction books published by a U.S. trade publisher can receive US $10,000 for intellectually rigorous, stylistically strong works that illuminate contemporary issues. Grants from PEN America help writers of creative nonfiction and memoir, including those in Indiana, gain recognition through the PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction.

Biographers with a trade-published book released in the U.S. in the previous calendar year can apply for PEN America’s PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography, awarding US $5,000 for a distinguished work. Indiana authors of single-author biographies, including those writing creative literary biographies, may be eligible if their books meet these publication and content requirements.

U.S. authors with a single‑author science book published in the eligible year can receive US $10,000 for literary science writing, including writers based in Indiana. PEN America supports writing and literature by honoring works that explain physical or biological sciences to general audiences through its PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award.

Indiana 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. This annual US $15,000 prize honors seasoned essayists who are American citizens or permanent residents with a qualifying trade-published book that expands their established body of work.

Poets with a distinguished poetry collection published by a U.S. trade publisher can receive support for their work through the PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry Collection. With a mission to celebrate creative expression, PEN America provides permanent U.S. residents and citizens, including those in Indiana, with US $5,000 for notable poetry books that expand American poetry.

The PEN Open Book Award, presented by PEN America, recognizes literary works by authors of color published in the U.S. during the year. With a focus on diversity, it awards a $10,000 prize and a residency in Italy to authors who have not yet garnered significant media attention. This award promotes underrepresented voices in literature, celebrating fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that challenge the norms and enrich the literary landscape.

The PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers, awarded by PEN America, recognizes twelve emerging writers annually for their debut short story published in a literary outlet. Each winner receives a $2,000 cash prize, and their stories are published in an anthology by Catapult. The prize aims to foster new voices in fiction, inspired by Robert J. Dau's legacy, highlighting the importance of literary excellence and encouraging the next generation of writers.