The Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC offers a grant program for writers of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry to support the continuation of their work. Grants of up to $10,000 are available, and the current Winter 2025 grant cycle is open until February 3, 2025, or until 40 applications per category are received, whichever comes first. Applicants must reside in New York City, have lived there for at least one year before applying, and plan to remain through the completion of their project.
Eligible writers must be the original creators of their submitted material. Grants cannot be used solely for research or equipment purchases. Funding may support expenses such as living costs, salary replacement, research, travel (within the United States), and editorial services directly related to the project. The submitted project must be completed no sooner than May 4, 2025, and no later than March 24, 2026.
The application process requires a PDF submission of up to 15 pages of the work in progress, a short project description, an author biography, a detailed budget not exceeding $10,000, and a breakdown of anticipated expenses. Travel and research expenses must directly relate to the project. Editorial and support services should ideally be sourced from individuals in the NYC area. International travel is not eligible for funding.
Submissions are evaluated on creativity, originality, cultural relevance, writing style, and potential for future achievements in writing. Applications undergo a two-step review process: initial scoring by the Selection Committee and final evaluation by the Executive Committee. The top five applications advance to the second round.
Approved expenses include living costs (e.g., rent, utilities), research and editing fees, and travel for project-related research within the U.S. Expenses such as routine equipment purchases and international travel are not eligible. Applicants may apply with the same project twice in different cycles or with different projects in subsequent cycles.
The foundation encourages writers at various stages of their careers and does not require applicants to have a publisher. Interested applicants should ensure that their submissions adhere to the guidelines and deadlines. For more details, visit the foundation’s website or contact their office at 225 4th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY.
