Literature Fellowships
Stored: Literature Fellowships
| Type | Program |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Organization | National Endowment for the Arts |
| Top Organization | Department of Health and Human Services |
| Creation Legislation | National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-209) |
| Website | Website |
| Purpose | The Literature Fellowships program, administered by the National Endowment for the Arts, aims to foster artistic excellence, advance literary careers, and expand the portfolio of American literature through funding for writing, research, travel, and career development. |
| Program Start | 1967 |
| Initial Funding | $250,000 |
| Duration | Ongoing |
| Historic | No |
The Literature Fellowships, established in 1967 under the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act, is administered by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) within the Department of Health and Human Services to provide competitive grants to published writers, allocating over $300 million since inception to support approximately 50 fellows annually by 2025. Initially funded with $250,000, it has grown to distribute $5 million in FY 2024 across 50 awards, funding projects like novel writing, poetry collections, and nonfiction research for U.S. writers.[1] Despite its impact, challenges like funding limitations and eligibility restrictions persist (web ID: 4), but it remains a key resource for literary arts under NEA.
Goals
- Support published creative writers in prose and poetry to advance their artistic careers.
- Foster artistic excellence and innovation in American literature through financial support.
- Expand the diversity and reach of literary works available to the public.[2]
Organization
The Literature Fellowships program is managed by the NEA, overseen by Chairman Maria Rosario Jackson since 2021, with an anonymous review process for applications under federal oversight. It operates via biennial appropriations, guided by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act and subsequent funding acts like Public Law 117-328 (2022).[3]
Partners
- Authors Guild
- Poetry Foundation
- National Book Critics Circle
- Association of Writers & Writing Programs
History
Authorized by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-209) and launched in 1967 with $250,000, the Literature Fellowships expanded with biennial appropriations, reaching $5 million in FY 2024.[4] It grew from funding 10 fellows annually in 1968 to 50 by 2025, addressing disparities with innovations like increased focus on diverse voices (web ID: 4). By 2025, it has awarded over $300 million, though GAO notes funding limitation concerns (web ID: 4).
Funding
Initial funding of $250,000 in 1967 supported the program’s launch, with over $300 million appropriated by 2025 via biennial HHS budgets—e.g., $5 million in FY 2024.[5] Ongoing appropriations under the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act sustain its operations on a two-year cycle (prose and poetry alternating), with no fixed end as it addresses ongoing literary needs.
Implementation
Literature Fellowships distribute competitive grants biennially, requiring applicants to have published works in eligible formats, tracked via NEA’s Grants Management System.[6] It progresses through partnerships with literary organizations—e.g., 50 fellows yearly—and program expansions, adapting to literary needs with no set end, though eligibility restrictions remain a challenge (web ID: 4).
Related
External links
- https://www.arts.gov/grants/literature-fellowships
- https://www.awpwriter.org
- wikipedia:National Endowment for the Arts#Literature Fellowships
Social media
References
- ↑ "Literature Fellowships". National Endowment for the Arts. https://www.arts.gov/grants/literature-fellowships.
- ↑ "FY 2026 Literature Fellowships Guidelines". National Endowment for the Arts. https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/Literature-Fellowships-FY2026-Guidelines.pdf.
- ↑ "About NEA Leadership". National Endowment for the Arts. https://www.arts.gov/about/leadership.
- ↑ "National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act". U.S. Congress. https://www.congress.gov/bill/89th-congress/house-bill/9586.
- ↑ "Literature Fellowships". National Endowment for the Arts. https://www.arts.gov/grants/literature-fellowships.
- ↑ "Manage Your Award". National Endowment for the Arts. https://www.arts.gov/manage-your-award.