2026 PEN/Jean Stein Grants for Literary Oral History

The PEN/Jean Stein Grants for Literary Oral History, presented by PEN America, are awarded to recognize and support literary nonfiction projects that utilize oral history to explore significant events, individuals, locations, or movements. These grants aim to encourage the development of unpublished works-in-progress that integrate oral narratives in a meaningful and literary fashion. Originating from a generous contribution by Jean Stein, an esteemed author and editor whose own works helped to shape the genre, the grants honor her legacy by bolstering authors who continue this tradition. Each year, two grants of $15,000 are awarded to individual authors. The primary objective is to facilitate the completion of literary oral history books that are yet to be published and that will not be released before April 1, 2026. Projects must be authored individually, written in English, and classified as literary nonfiction, with oral history playing a central role in their research and narrative structure. Scholarly or academic texts are not eligible. The application requires several components: a description of the project’s importance, an explanation of the use of oral history, a statement on how the grant will aid project completion, the author’s CV, a detailed outline including participant names, 6-10 pages of unedited interview transcripts, and a 20-40 page writing sample derived from those transcripts. All documents must be formatted in 12-point Times New Roman with 1-inch margins. Except for the writing sample, which should be double-spaced, all other materials must be single-spaced. Evaluation is conducted by a panel of judges from literary and journalistic backgrounds. The 2025 judges include Adrian LeBlanc, Legs McNeil, and Graham Rayman. Recent recipients include Tina Dupuy for "Moxie," which explores female friendship and intergenerational resilience through oral histories, and Katie Prout for "Life and Death in the Loop," a deeply immersive account of life on the margins in Chicago. These works exemplify the power of oral history to reveal nuanced, untold stories with literary merit. The grant has a history of supporting a wide array of powerful narratives, such as Yasmine Shamma’s exploration of refugee experiences and Jason Prokowiew’s intergenerational memoir rooted in World War II history. PEN America continues to spotlight essential voices and underrepresented communities through this initiative. Contact for inquiries is available via email at awards@pen.org. Applicants are encouraged to consult the FAQ on the PEN America website before reaching out with questions. Specific timelines for submission and selection are not provided on the grant page.