The Treehouse Climate Action Poem Prize, offered by the Academy of American Poets, recognizes exceptional poems that highlight the urgent state of environmental vulnerability. The prize is open to U.S. citizens, long-term U.S. residents, or individuals with specific immigration statuses (DACA, TPS, LPS). Poets may submit one original, unpublished poem, which may be written in English or Spanish (accompanied by an English translation). Performance or spoken word poets can include an audio recording.
The contest awards $1,000 for first place, $750 for second, and $500 for third, with winning poems featured in the Poem-a-Day series and Teach This Poem educational resources. The application must be submitted via Submittable, with entries accepted in .doc, .docx, or .pdf formats. There is no entry fee, and simultaneous submissions are permitted if the poet notifies the Academy if the work is published elsewhere.
The application deadline is April 30, 2025, and all participants will be notified of results by that date. Poets who have studied with the judge in the last three years are ineligible.
