Amy Lowell was an American poet who died in 1925. In her will, she set up the Amy Lowell Poetry Travelling Scholarship. This is an annual scholarship that awards outstanding American poets with prize money, which must be used to work and live outside of North America for an entire year. Returning to the United States during that time is generally prohibited, except under extreme circumstances. The annual award is roughly $50,000, and those interested in applying for the scholarship must send in either no more than 40 pages of typed work or one full manuscript plus no more than an additional 20 pages of recent work. Judges include a Harvard University professor from the English department, two notable American poets and the board of trustees for Amy Lowell's will. The winner receives the prize money in quarterly installments, and must begin her year abroad within one year of winning the scholarship.
Amy Lowell Poetry Travelling Scholarship
F. Davis Dassori, Esq.
Choate, Hall & Stewart
Two International Place
Boston, MA 02110
amylowell.org/
Many emerging poets discover that getting published is a real challenge. For those in need of extra funds to make that dream become a reality, The Greenwall Fund is available. Created by a grant from The Greenwall Foundation, which supports emerging artists, this poetry grant targets poets who are beginning to make a name for themselves. The fund was established in 1998, and since then has been providing awards of up to $3,000 per year to poets who are striving to publishing their first book of original poetry via noncommercial presses.
The Greenwall Fund
The Academy of American Poets
584 Broadway, Suite 604
New York, NY 10012-5243
poets.org/page.php/prmID/131
The Live Poet's Society of New Jersey is a good example of what a poetry contest can do for high school aged students. This program offers 12 scholarships annually, and awards range from $150 to $1,000. Other program opportunities include having your work published, which can be great for young poets looking for exposure. Although the name suggests otherwise, this program is open to high school students across the United States.
Live Poet's Society of New Jersey
P.O. Box 8841
Turnersville, NJ 08012
highschoolpoetrycontest.com/