Literary Arts Emergency Fund

The Literary Arts Emergency Fund will award one-time, unrestricted emergency grants from $5,000 to $50,000. Grant amounts will be determined by the following factors: financial need and projected loss due to COVID-19; budget size; diversity, equity, and inclusion as it relates to an organization's staff and board; poets and writers contracted with; audiences served; geographic location; and an organization’s ability to continue offering programming. Grants will be awarded to organizations that promote poets and/or poetry; publishers (literary magazines and presses); and literary or writers’ centers, book festivals, Writers in the Schools programs, literary presenting organizations, and other literary organizations.

To be eligible, applicants must be literary arts organizations and publishers, and incorporated nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (or a fiscal agent); and based in the United States, U.S. territories, or Tribal lands. Because recent financial losses experienced by nonprofit literary arts organizations and publishers have been substantial and emergency relief is limited, libraries, museums, book arts organizations, humanities councils, centers for the book, residencies, playwriting organizations, author’s homes, and organizations devoted to championing the legacy of an individual writer are ineligible.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Academy of American Poets website.