2024 COURAGE to WRITE GRANTS
The de Groot Foundation
APPLICATION PERIOD: January 7 - February 5, 2024
APPLICATION FEE: $22.00
INFO: The de Groot Foundation will award thirty COURAGE to WRITE unrestricted grants to writers in 2024.
Ten COURAGE to WRITE grants of $7000 each and twenty Writer of Note grants of $1500 each. These grants are meant to encourage and support writers as they further or complete a specific project. The Writer of Note grantees are chosen from the pool of finalists for the COURAGE to WRITE grants.
GUIDELINES: Applicants for COURAGE to WRITE grants may be writing in any genre. We welcome projects of fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, YA, children’s books, plays, and screenplays.
WHO SHOULD APPLY: Writers over 18 years of age who are actively engaged in a writing project and for whom a monetary boost could help them further or complete a project.
ELIGIBILITY:
Applications:
are open to individual writers over 18 years of age regardless of race, ethnicity, gender orientation, education, economic situation, geographic origin or location.
must be submitted in English.
are not open to family, members of the board or employees of the The de Groot Foundation, Lando family members, reviewers, or the selection committee.
Applicants must be individuals. Companies or organizations are not eligible.
If you’ve already received a writing grant from The de Groot Foundation, please wait a year before applying again.
HOW TO APPLY:
Please read this section carefully before preparing or submitting your application. We receive grant applications through the Submittable platform. If you have an account already, click the button at the bottom of this page and login to apply. If you do not have an account, you will need to create a free account in order to apply. You can create an account here: https://manager.submittable.com/signup
Application
There are three parts to your application: 1) a biosketch, 2) the letter of application, 3) your writing sample
Your biosketch
a. A brief statement about you, what matters in your work, what you’ve written, what you want to write, and something about you as a person
b. Limited to no more than 100 words
c. Your biosketch will be inserted into a form on the application so have this ready to cut and paste.
2. The letter of application (2-4 pages) which must include:
a. An introduction to the writing project for which you are seeking support (1-3 paragraphs)
b. How this project is important (1-2 paragraphs)
c. How a grant at this time would be helpful to you and how you would use the funds (2-3 paragraphs)
d. Anything else you would like us to know about you as a writer (1 paragraph)
e. Please address the letter to: Dear COURAGE to WRITE Reviewers
f. Please double space your letter of application and use Times New Roman 12-point font.
The paragraph suggestions above are recommendations. Should you wish to add a paragraph in a section and have one fewer in another that is fine as long as the needed information is well conveyed.
3. Writing sample
a. Please submit an unpublished writing sample, which relates to the project for which you are requesting funds. Do not submit a previously published writing sample.
b. Your unpublished writing sample should be five pages.
c. The writing sample, like the letter of application, should be double spaced and in Times New Roman 12-point font.
d. Exceptions:
i. Poetry: Use your original poetry formatting. You do not need to double space the poems. There can be more than one poem on a page.
ii. Screenplay or a play: You may submit up to 12 pages of a sample using the standard formatting for plays or screenplays.
iii. Graphic novel: You may include up to 10 pages of prose and graphics for the writing sample. Please submit by PDF.
IMPORTANT: The letter of application and the five pages of your current writing project must be uploaded as a SINGLE DOCUMENT. Please make sure you have merged them as a SINGLE DOCUMENT before you submit.
Submit your application through the Submittable platform, which you will be directed to below. Make sure your document is ready and exactly as you want it to be before uploading. Once you have submitted an application, you are unable to change it.
Format:
Use Times New Roman 12-point font and double space your application document.
Numbering pages is optional.
Application Timeline:
Grant recipients will receive an automatic notification from Submittable once your application is received.
Finalists will be notified by the end of April 2024.
Grant awardees will be notified by the end of May 2024.
Review and Selection:
You’ll be sent a message when your application has been received.
Stage 1 Review: All eligible applications are read by teams of reviewers. Depending on the discretion of the reviewers, between 40 to 60 finalist applications are chosen.
Stage 2 Review: Finalist applications are evaluated by the final Selection Committee. This committee chooses the ten COURAGE to WRITE grantees. From the remaining applications, this committee will then pick the 20 Writer of Note grantees.
The Selection Committees are writers and writing professionals who appreciate the challenges of emerging writers. Selection Committee decisions are final. Correspondence will only be entered into with finalists and grantees.
Grantees will be asked to complete a Grant Acceptance Agreement and, if appropriate, a U.S. W-9 tax form. One year after receipt of funding, grantees agree to complete and return a one-to-three-page final report so that we can learn about your project and the grant’s impact on your work.
degrootfoundation.org/courage-to-write-grants/
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2024 LANDO Grant
The de Groot Foundation
APPLICATION PERIOD: January 7 - February 5, 2024
APPLICATION FEE: $22.00
The de Groot Foundation is thrilled to collaborate with Barry Lando, award winning investigative journalist and former 60 Minutes producer, to provide the LANDO grants for immigration, migration, and/or refugee writing.
GUIDELINES: Applicants for LANDO grants may be writing in any genre. We welcome projects of fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, YA, children’s books, plays, and screenplays.
WHO SHOULD APPLY: Writers over 18 years of age who are actively engaged in a writing project and for whom a monetary boost could help them further or complete a project.
ELIGIBILITY:
Applications:
are open to individual writers over 18 years of age regardless of race, ethnicity, gender orientation, education, economic situation, geographic origin or location.
must be submitted in English.
are not open to family, members of the board or employees of the The de Groot Foundation, Lando family members, reviewers, or the selection committees.
Applicants must be individuals. Companies or organizations are not eligible.
If you’ve already received a writing grant from The de Groot Foundation, please wait a year before applying again.
HOW TO APPLY:
We want all applications to be considered. Please read this section carefully before preparing or submitting your application. We receive grant applications through the Submittable platform. If you have an account already, click the button at the bottom of this page and login to apply. If you do not have an account, you will need to create a free account in order to apply. You can create an account here: https://manager.submittable.com/signup
Application
There are three parts to your application: 1) a biosketch, 2) the letter of application, 3) your writing sample
1. Your biosketch
A brief statement about you, what matters in your work, what you’ve written, what you want to write, and something about you as a person
Limited to no more than 100 words
Your biosketch will be inserted into a form on the application so have this ready to cut and paste.
2. The letter of application (2-4 pages) which must include:
An introduction to the writing project for which you are seeking support (1-3 paragraphs)
How this project is important (1-2 paragraphs)
How a grant at this time would be helpful to you and how you would use the funds (2-3 paragraphs)
Anything else you would like us to know about you as a writer (1 paragraph)
Please address the letter to: Dear LANDO Reviewers
Please double space your letter of application and use Times New Roman 12-point font.
The paragraph suggestions above are recommendations. Should you wish to add a paragraph in a section and have one fewer in another that is fine as long as the needed information is well conveyed.
3. Writing sample
Please submit a writing sample which relates to the project for which you are requesting funds. Do not submit a previously published writing sample.
Your unpublished writing sample should be five pages.
The writing sample, like the letter of application, should be double spaced and in Times New Roman 12-point font.
Exceptions:
i. Poetry: Use your original poetry formatting. You do not need to double space the poems. There can be more than one poem on a page.
ii. Screenplay or a play: Please submit a one to two page synopsis of the screenplay or play and up to 12 pages of a sample script using the standard formatting for plays or screenplays.
iii. Graphic novel: You may include up to 10 pages of prose and graphics for the writing sample. Please submit by PDF.
IMPORTANT: The letter of application and the five pages of your current writing project must be uploaded as a SINGLE DOCUMENT. Please make sure you have merged them as a SINGLE DOCUMENT before you submit.
Submit your application through the Submittable platform, which you will be directed to below. Make sure your document is ready and exactly as you want it to be before uploading. Once you have submitted an application, you are unable to change it.
FORMAT:
Use Times New Roman 12-point font and double space your application document.
Numbering pages is optional.
Grant recipients will receive an automatic notification from Submittable once your application is received.
Finalists will be notified by early April 2024.
Grant awardees will be notified by early May 2024.
degrootfoundation.org/2024-lando-grant-guidelines/
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James Merrill Writer-in-Residence
James Merrill House
DEADLINE: January 8, 2024 by 11:59 pm EST
APPLICATION FEE: $30
INFO: In recognition of Merrill’s own contributions to Stonington, and his longstanding generosity, the fellowship provides living and working space and a $1,100 stipend to a writer to complete a project of literary or academic merit. Fellows are also hosted by local community members and organizations.
CRITERIA:
A writer or scholar with a specific project of literary or academic merit who is committed to full-time residence in Stonington during his or her stay. We regret that the residency is not intended for completion of one’s dissertation. Genres accepted: poetry, fiction, non-fiction, plays.
A person willing to contribute to the community. It is expected that this will include a reading or a workshop for the community.
A person of integrity and responsibility who can be entrusted with the Merrill Apartment and its contents.
We welcome suggestions from applicants about ways in which our fellows might reinforce the community’s links to writing, poetry, and James Merrill’s legacy.
ABOUT THE RESIDENCY:
We have six residencies for 2024-25: September 2024 (4 weeks), October (4 weeks) November (4 weeks) February-mid March 2025 (6 weeks) April-mid May (6 weeks) August (4 weeks)
For more information about living and working in the apartment, please visit: https://www.jamesmerrillhouse.org/apply
The Writer-in-Residence program includes a stipend of $1,100 per month, prorated according to the length of stay.
APPLICANTS:
We accept applications for the 2024-2025 residencies between October 1, 2023 and January 8, 2024 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time. Decisions will be made by mid-March A complete application includes the following documents:
A resume of four or fewer pages
A writing or work sample of ten or fewer pages
A statement of your plan of work while in Stonington CT
Two letters of reference
If applicable, a brief biographical sketch of a spouse or partner who would be residing in the apartment with you. Please note that due to the age and nature of the building we cannot accept pets and it may be difficult for a child to reside there. If you have a child that would need to reside with you during the residency please let us know. Also, please note that the apartment is located on the third floor and is only accessible by stairs.
The James Merrill House follows the State of Connecticut guidelines on the COVID-19 pandemic.
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MCKNIGHT FELLOWSHIPS IN PLAYWRITING
McKnight Foundation
DEADLINE: January 11, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. CST
INFO: The McKnight Foundation, a family foundation based in Minnesota, advances a more just, creative, and abundant future where people and planet thrive.
The McKnight Fellowship in Playwriting recognizes and supports mid-career playwrights living and working in Minnesota who demonstrate a sustained body of work, commitment to their craft, and distinct artistic vision. The fellowship, which runs July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025, includes: a $25,000 stipend, an additional $2,500 to support a play development workshop and other professional expenses, and $1,400 in travel funds. Past recipients include: Carlyle Brown, Lisa D'Amour, Barbara Field, Keli Garrett, Marvin González De León, Jeffrey Hatcher, Christina Ham, Rachel Jendrzejewski, Tori Sampson, TyLie Shider, Carson Kreitzer, May Lee-Yang, Kira Obolensky, Savannah Reich, Harrison David Rivers, Stacey Rose, Katie Ka Vang, and Rhiana Yazzie.
Applicants must reside in and have the legal right to work in the U.S. during the fellowship term. Applicants must have been continuous residents of Minnesota since at least January 11, 2023, and must maintain residency in Minnesota during the fellowship year. Applicants must have had a minimum of one work fully produced by a professional theater at the time of application.
ELIGIBILITY: Recipients of 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2022-24 McKnight Artist and Culture Bearer Fellowships in any discipline are not eligible. Full-time students are not eligible. Staff and board members of the McKnight Foundation and the Playwrights' Center and their immediate family members are not eligible. Fellowship recipients may not receive any other Playwrights' Center fellowships, grants, or Core Writer program benefits during the grant year. If a recipient is a Core Writer, the Core term will be extended by one year. Applicants may only apply for one McKnight Artist and Culture Bearer Fellowship each year in any of the disciplines listed below.
The McKnight Fellowship disciplines include: Printmaking (Highpoint Center), Book Arts (MCBA), Fiber Arts (Textile Center), Choreographers and Dancers (Cowles Center), Media Artists (FilmNorth), Visual Artists (MCAD), Ceramics (NCC), Composers (ACF), Musicians (MacPhail Center), Writers (the Loft), Playwrights (Playwrights’ Center), Theater Artists (Playwrights’ Center), Culture Bearers (Indigenous Roots), and Community-Engaged Artists (Pillsbury House).
APPLICATION:
(NOTE: The primary language used by evaluators during the selection process is English. If text is intentionally written not in English, a line of context would be helpful to an evaluator. Playwrights’ Center acknowledges this is an ethnocentric practice. While most Fellowship activities and engagements are conducted in English, Playwrights' Center staff are available to discuss additional support and resources as necessary.)
Each application will contain the following pieces:
-Application Form
(including contact details, eligibility, and demographic information)
-Playwriting Resume
Please note clearly which productions listed on your resume (if any) meet the criteria for being "fully produced by a professional theater." Professional productions are defined as full length productions—running at least 45 minutes in performance— for which the author and primary artists (actors, directors, and creative collaborators) were reasonably compensated and that received at least three public performances each. Ten-minute or one-act plays and university, college, secondary school, amateur, and Equity showcase/waiver productions are not considered full professional productions. Productions that open after January 11, 2024 do not count.
-Artistic Statement
Use this one-page statement to describe your artistic goals and vision as a theater maker. This is also an opportunity to provide context for the play you submitted and discuss how it fits into your larger body of work and how you envision your work developing. Please also discuss how you hope to take advantage of the fellowship resources.
-Full-length play script
A full-length play generally runs at least 45 minutes. If you are hoping to submit a script that is shorter than 45 minutes in length, please contact Julia at juliab@pwcenter.org to discuss. All script submissions must be written only by the applicant—no co-written submissions will be accepted. Scripts for musicals may be submitted by the book writer only. If you have previously received a McKnight Artist and Culture Bearer Fellowship in any discipline, this script must have been completed after that fellowship year.
NOTE: If you are planning to apply with a musical, please be aware that only text submissions are allowed. We do not accept any audio files or links to external websites, and evaluators will be instructed to not seek out any demos or audio tracks related to submitted scripts. We recommend that you consider the strength of just the text of your piece—separate from any music or other elements—as you select which piece to submit.
-References
Please list two individuals who are familiar with your work as a playwright and who we may contact during the evaluation process.
Questions may be addressed to Artistic Programs Manager Julia Brown at juliab@pwcenter.org.
pwcenter.org/programs/mcknight-fellowships-in-playwriting
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ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM
The Helene Wurlitzer Foundation
DEADLINE: January 18, 2024
APPLICATION FEE: $30
INFO: The Foundation offers three months of rent-free and utility-paid housing to people who specialize in the creative arts. Our eleven artist casitas, or guest houses, are fully furnished and provide residents with a peaceful setting in which to pursue their creative endeavors.
The Foundation accepts applications from painters, poets, sculptors, writers, playwrights, screenwriters, composers, photographers, and filmmakers of national and international origin.
Applications are reviewed by a selection committee consisting of professionals who specialize in the artistic discipline of the applicant. Numerous jurors serve on committees for each: visual arts, music composers, writers, poets, playwrights, and filmmakers. Jurors, who know nothing about the artist's demographics, score in five categories based purely on the merit of the applicant's creative work samples.
Artists in residence have no imposed expectations, quotas, or requirements during their stay on the HWF campus. The HWF’s residency program provides artists with the time and space to create, which in turn enriches the artistic community and culture locally and abroad.
RESIDENCY SESSIONS:
#1: Jan - Apr, 2025
#2: Jun - Aug, 2025
#3: Sep - Dec, 2025
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2024 Brendan Gill Prize
The Municipal Art Society of New York
DEADLINE: January 19, 2024
INFO: The Brendan Gill Prize is given each year to the creator of a specific work; a book, essay, musical composition, play, painting, sculpture, film, or choreographic piece, that best captures the spirit and energy of New York City.
All eligible nominations must have been completed and produced between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, and must be based-in and pertaining to New York City. The prize is not awarded for a body of work or lifetime achievement.
The prize was established in 1987 in honor of Brendan Gill by friend and fellow MAS board member Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis along with board members Helen Tucker and Margot Wellington.