CLMP Capacity-Building Grant Program 2024

The CLMP Capacity-Building Grant Program offers financial support to nonprofit literary magazines and presses. This program is aligned with CLMP's mission to foster a sustainable and effective literary community by providing resources for organizational development. Grants range from $1,000 to $10,000, specifically $5,000 or $10,000, and are designed to bolster various aspects of these organizations. The target beneficiaries are nonprofit literary magazines and presses based in the United States or U.S. Territories, holding 501(c)3 status or having a fiscal sponsor. A key eligibility criterion is that applicants must primarily publish literary works—over 50% fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, drama, and/or literary reviews—and have published at least one title or issue within the past 18 months. Those primarily publishing children's literature, self-publishers, and "hybrid" publishers are not eligible. The program prioritizes projects that enhance organizational capacity and sustainability. This includes initiatives related to fundraising, marketing, distribution, and web development. Furthermore, it supports skill-building opportunities for staff and board members, strategic and succession planning, diversity and equity initiatives, and leadership development and management training. These focus areas reflect CLMP's strategic goal of strengthening the operational foundations of literary organizations. Expected outcomes include the creation of more sustainable and effective literary organizations, improved staff and board capabilities, robust strategic planning, and enhanced diversity and equity within the literary publishing landscape. The impact is measured through the feasibility of the proposed capacity-building project, its potential impact on organizational capacity and/or sustainability, and the clarity of the application and proposal. Previous funding from the Academy of American Poets and CLMP, as well as the Hawthornden Foundation, will also be considered during the review process, demonstrating a theory of change that values continuous improvement and strategic investment in the literary field.