2025 Jack Hazard Fellowships Program for Writers

The Jack Hazard Fellowship, offered by the New Literary Project, provides $5,000 awards to full-time high school teachers in the United States who are also creative writers specializing in fiction, creative nonfiction, or memoir. This fellowship is designed to support these educators in dedicating their summer to advancing their writing projects, recognizing the challenges of balancing a teaching career with the demands of creative work. Applications for the 2025 fellowship open on November 15, 2024. Eligible applicants must teach full-time at an accredited high school in the U.S., regardless of whether the school is public, private, charter, or independent. This program seeks to uplift writers across diverse communities and regions, encouraging them to produce meaningful work during the summer months when they are free from their teaching responsibilities. The fellowship originated in 2021 as a state-focused initiative and expanded nationally in 2023. To date, the program has awarded funding to numerous writers from across the country, enabling them to complete significant creative projects. Past fellows have reported being reinvigorated by the opportunity to focus on their writing and have made substantial progress on their creative goals. Applications are evaluated based on the strength of the applicant's creative writing and their potential to benefit from the fellowship. Writers who balance their teaching vocation with their creative pursuits are especially encouraged to apply. The fellowship reflects a commitment to supporting the next generation of teacher-writers, drawing inspiration from notable authors who began their careers as educators. For more information about the application process, eligibility, and past fellows, visit the New Literary Project website. The program director, Ian S. Maloney, emphasizes the fellowship's mission to discover and spotlight talented writers who inspire the next generation of students through both teaching and storytelling.