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Poetry Grants

Poetry is one of the oldest, simplest art forms, yet most poets have a hard time making money from their art. If you feel called to be a poet, you must either stick with a day job or get funded through grants. There are several grants available to poets and organizations that sponsor poetry.

  1. Witter Bynner Foundation

    • The Witter Bynner Foundation offers grants to organizations that encourage poetry writing. Grants are given on an annual basis. The foundation awards up to $10,000, to be given out over the course of three years. A yearly grant is given through the Library of Congress to an individual poet chosen by the current Poet Laureate. Other grant opportunities include grants for funding of translation work, grants for poetry programs and grants for bringing poetry to underserved populations, such as impoverished schools.

      All organizations interested in receiving a grant should send a letter of intent to the Witter Bynner Foundation by December 31 of the prior year. The foundation reviews all letters of intent and sends invitations to apply to qualified organizations. Organizations that receive an invitation to apply must return all application materials by February 15. Final decisions are made in May, and funding begins in June.

      The Witter Bynner Foundation for Poetry
      P.O. Box 10169
      Santa Fe, NM 87504-0169
      505-988-3251
      bynnerfoundation.org/grants/index.htm

    National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)

    • The National Endowment for the Arts offers a grant to poets every other year. This grant is worth $25,000 and is available to poets who have already published one book of poems. The book must be published via a traditional publisher; self-published books are not eligible.

      People interested in this grant must apply online. You also need to submit a writing sample and a copy of your published book. As of this writing, the NEA is accepting applications for Fall 2011. The deadline is August 11, 2010.

      National Endowment for the Arts
      1100 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
      Washington, DC 20506-0001
      202-682-5400
      nea.gov/Grants/apply/Lit/GrantProgDescription.html

    Poetry Alive

    • Poetry Alive funds poetry therapy, a branch of psychotherapy that uses the writing and reading of poetry to help heal psychological trauma. These grants are available both to certified poetry therapists and those studying the field of poetry therapy. There is no upper limit as to how much funding may be requested; however, Poetry Alive is specific in its expectation that it will not be the sole source of funding for projects.

      Those interested in applying can download an application from Poetry Alive's website. Applicants must give information about their projects, as well as presenting a detailed budget for the project.

      Poetry Alive
      c/o Center for Education, Training & Holistic Approaches, Inc. (CETHA)
      777 E. Atlantic Ave.
      #243
      Delray Beach, FL 33483
      866-844-NAPT
      poetrytherapy.org/foundation.projects.html#PoetryAlive

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