Jack Hazard Fellowships Program

The Jack Hazard Fellowship is an initiative of the New Literary Project, designed to support high school teachers in the United States who are also creative writers. This fellowship recognizes the unique challenges and dedication of individuals who balance a full-time teaching career with a commitment to the literary arts. It aims to create a supportive space for these educators to focus exclusively on their creative writing during the summer, offering financial support and professional recognition. The program is rooted in the belief that fostering the artistic pursuits of teachers enriches not only their own lives but also the educational environments in which they work. Eligible applicants must currently teach full-time in an accredited U.S. high school (grades 9-12) across any department or discipline—not limited to English—and must have taught for a minimum of three years. They must also expect to return to full-time high school teaching in the fall following the fellowship term. The fellowship is open to writers working in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or memoir, and publication history is not required. Applicants must demonstrate a serious commitment to their craft, regardless of past recognition, and must not be planning a transition to non-secondary-level teaching positions during the fellowship year. The application process involves completing an online form and submitting a single PDF document containing four key components: a brief biography reflecting on the applicant’s dual roles as writer and educator; a curriculum vitae including contact information, educational background, teaching experience, and any publication history; a project proposal (maximum 250 words) detailing the applicant's intended writing work for the summer and how the fellowship will support it; and a writing sample—up to 5,000 words of prose or 10 pages of poetry. If the sample is not part of the proposed summer project, an additional 250-word excerpt from the proposed work must be submitted. Submissions are reviewed by New Literary Project staff, with recipients notified in early spring. Recipients of the Jack Hazard Fellowship are awarded $5,000, distributed in two installments: $3,500 in late spring, and the remaining $1,500 in fall, upon submission of a final report. This report includes both reflective writing on the summer experience and a sample of work completed during the fellowship period. While recipients retain full rights to their creative work, they are expected to share a portion of it with the New Literary Project. Fellows may also be invited to contribute to the Project’s anthology, Simpsonistas: Tales from New Literary Project, published by Rare Bird Books. In addition to written reflections, fellows must confirm their employment status for the upcoming academic year and provide contact details for both their school principal (or head of school) and communications lead. This ensures visibility and acknowledgment of their achievement within their school community. Fellows are also expected to attend any scheduled Zoom meetings hosted by the New Literary Project. The fellowship emphasizes commitment to both teaching and writing, and thus excludes applicants transitioning to college-level teaching or non-instructional roles. The fellowship operates annually and is intended to support the production of new creative work. For Summer 2026, applications opened on November 15, 2025, and closed on January 9, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Applicants can expect to hear decisions in early spring, with the award disbursed shortly thereafter. The program does not allow for concurrent summer school teaching, underscoring its focus on uninterrupted writing time. Questions about the application process can be directed to the program staff at [email protected], with all correspondence clearly marked in the subject line with “JHF Application” and the applicant’s name.

Submit strongest work, ideally related to proposed project.