General Operating Support Program

The Poetry Foundation offers the General Operating Support Program, which provides unrestricted funding to nonprofit poetry organizations, presses, publications, and select literary arts service and membership organizations across the United States and U.S. territories. The Poetry Foundation is dedicated to promoting poetry and ensuring that it reaches as many people as possible. The Foundation's mission-driven funding helps strengthen the core operations of organizations that play a vital role in advancing literary arts and poetry. The General Operating Support Program is designed to provide flexible financial resources that enable eligible organizations to focus on their mission and sustain their essential work in the literary community. Grant funds can be used for various operational purposes, including staff salaries, rent, utilities, technology, general administrative expenses, marketing, fundraising efforts, technical support, and hiring new paid staff positions. This support helps grantee organizations maintain stability and grow their capacity to serve poets, readers, and the broader literary community. Eligible applicants for this program include nonprofit poetry organizations and literary arts service and membership organizations based in the United States and its territories, where poetry is central to their mission. Additionally, nonprofit poetry presses and publications are eligible, as are select literary arts service and membership organizations that serve historically underrepresented poets and writers. Organizations without 501(c)(3) status may apply with a fiscal sponsor. All applicants must have a minimum operating budget of $20,000, which may include in-kind revenue. The Foundation does not fund individuals, for-profit organizations, universities, colleges, K-12 schools, organizations focused primarily on youth younger than high school age, literacy-focused organizations, religious organizations, capital proposals or endowment campaigns, or commercial ventures. Interested applicants must visit the Poetry Foundation’s online grants portal and request access by submitting a registration request. Once approved, applicants will receive login credentials from Fluxx. The Foundation emphasizes accessibility and offers alternative application formats such as audio, video, or interviews with transcription for applicants with specific needs. To arrange an alternative format, applicants must contact grants@poetryfoundation.org or call 312-799-8059 at least two weeks prior to the application deadline. For any questions about the application process or to schedule a conversation, applicants are encouraged to email grants@poetryfoundation.org. The application window for the General Operating Support Program opens on June 2, 2025, and closes on July 15, 2025, at 11:59 PM Central Time. A virtual grants information session is scheduled for June 11, 2025, at 1:00 PM Central Time, providing an overview of the Foundation’s grant programs, eligibility criteria, and application process. All applications will be reviewed after the submission deadline, and applicants will be notified of funding decisions by October 1, 2025. Grantee-partners are required to submit a brief final report within 30 days of their grant’s end date through the Poetry Foundation’s grants portal. Grants awarded through this program range from $10,000 to $75,000, covering a 12-month grant period. The Poetry Foundation carefully evaluates applications to ensure that funding is directed toward organizations that significantly contribute to the literary arts and demonstrate a strong alignment with the Foundation’s mission. This program represents a critical investment in the infrastructure of the literary arts field, enabling organizations to continue their impactful work and foster a vibrant poetry community.

The Poetry Foundation offers alternative application formats such as audio, video, or an interview with transcription. Contact them at least two weeks before the deadline to arrange this.