Literary Arts Fund

The Literary Arts Fund, established in 2025, is a major philanthropic initiative aimed at strengthening the nonprofit literary arts ecosystem in the United States. Its overarching goal is to bolster the visibility and sustainability of nonprofit literary organizations and enhance the vitality of the U.S. literary culture in support of creative writers. Over a five-year period concluding in 2031, the Fund is committed to distributing at least $50 million in grants to eligible nonprofit literary organizations across the country. These organizations must be primarily dedicated to presenting, publishing, or otherwise supporting contemporary writers working in genres such as poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction (distinct from journalism or academic writing), and hybrid literary forms. The Fund offers two main types of grant opportunities: general operating grants and innovation project grants. General operating grants provide unrestricted funding to support a nonprofit literary organization’s core mission, activities, and administrative needs. These grants are distributed in a single payment and are intended to cover a five-year period of operations. In contrast, innovation project grants are targeted at supporting collaborative projects that address specific challenges within the literary arts nonprofit sector. These grants aim to create improvements that directly benefit writers' creative work and ability to connect with audiences. To apply for general operating grants, organizations must first complete an eligibility quiz via Submittable. If eligible, they must submit a formal application through the same platform by December 19, 2025. Innovation project grant applications are expected to open in June 2026, with a submission deadline in August 2026. Organizations that receive a general operating grant in 2026 cannot apply independently for innovation project grants until a full year has passed, although they may participate in a collaborative innovation project application in the same year. Eligible applicants must be U.S.-based nonprofit literary organizations (including those with fiscal sponsorships) with a mission that directly supports creative writers. Eligible activities include public events (e.g., readings, festivals), publishing literary work (e.g., books, magazines), offering residencies or workshops, increasing readership through media and digital platforms, and recognizing literary achievement via awards or fellowships. Additional requirements include being in operation for at least three years as of December 19, 2025, having an executive director in place for at least twelve consecutive months, and maintaining a minimum annual operating budget of $50,000 exclusive of in-kind contributions. These requirements also apply to fiscally sponsored groups, with budget criteria evaluated at the sponsor organization level. Entities explicitly excluded from eligibility include organizations focused on youth or K–12 arts education, those affiliated with academic institutions, general literacy organizations, and literary service organizations. Similarly, libraries and research institutions are not eligible, nor are groups whose primary mission is not aligned with creative literary arts. All applicants will be notified of their grant status by May 30, 2026, for general operating grants, and in November 2026 for innovation project grants. Modifications to applications can only be made by withdrawing and resubmitting before the respective deadlines. The Literary Arts Fund makes final determinations regarding eligibility and does not accept appeals. For more information, applicants are encouraged to review the FAQ or email the Fund directly at [email protected].