Through its support of literary arts organizations, the NEA: encourages people of all ages to write and engage with literary content in meaningful ways; helps writers at all stages of their careers create, publish, and connect directly with readers; and helps readers in communities across the country have access to a diversity of voices. These organizations – such as literary presses and journals, book festivals, literary centers, literary presenters, and literary service organizations – complement the commercial publishing sector and play an important role in the shaping of contemporary literature.

The NEA is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and fostering mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups. Projects may focus on reaching a particular group or demographic; however, they may not be exclusionary under Federal civil rights laws and policies prohibiting discrimination. This extends to hiring practices, artist selection processes, and audience engagement. For additional information, refer to this archived webinar: Things to Know Before You Apply: Federal Civil Rights and Your Grants Application.

Applicants may request cost share/matching grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. Literary Arts welcomes applications for a variety of arts projects that address the review criteria of Artistic Excellence and Artistic Merit. Apply to the deadline that corresponds with the appropriate project type as outlined below.

This grant opportunity is intended for organizations, not individuals. Each year, the NEA offers a separate fellowships program to published creative writers and translators of prose and poetry.

For information on how to apply, see “How to Apply” on the left.

Project Types

Literary Arts supports projects in two distinct categories: Literary Publishing (February deadline) and Public Engagement/Professional Development (July deadline). Literary Arts applicants must choose the deadline that best matches their proposed project.

In some cases, a project that involves the literary arts may be better suited for review in another discipline. For example, if your project is developed and managed by a local government, see the guidelines for Local Arts Agencies. If you are proposing an education project for youth, see “Choosing the Right Discipline for Youth Projects” for more information.

For more guidance about which category or discipline is most appropriate for your project, please contact us.

Literary Publishing (February Deadline)
These projects from literary journals and independent and university presses seek to publish and promote literary content by contemporary writers and translators in such genres as poetry, fiction, drama, and creative nonfiction. We welcome project activities that focus on publishing, promoting, and distributing books and/or journal issues online or in print or audio formats. Projects may also include efforts to deepen and expand engagement with audiences (including through the use of digital or emergent technology), and/or collaborate within and across fields to advance literary publishing.

For projects with a book publishing component, proposed titles should already be selected and must be described in the application and represented in the work samples. Exceptions are made for titles that will be selected through a contest; in this case, work samples would include excerpts from past titles chosen through the contest.

Competitive proposals typically include: compensation to writers; clearly stated marketing and/or promotion efforts that are reflected in the budget; distributor information for print publications; work samples that reflect the applicant’s mission or artistic vision; and consideration of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in relation to the project.

Public Engagement/Professional Development (July Deadline)
These projects from literary arts centers, festivals, presenters, and other organizations offer literary arts programming and services that focus on local, regional, and/or national activities designed to promote and develop practitioners of, and audiences for, the literary arts.

Proposals may include but are not limited to: reading series, festivals, writing workshops, conferences, residencies, and podcasts and other media that feature contemporary writers and writing. We welcome efforts to reach new audiences and deepen community connections, including through the use of digital or emergent technology. We also welcome efforts to collaborate within and across fields and/or build capacity within the literary arts field through knowledge-sharing, tools, resources, and evidence-based practices. The NEA supports a variety of projects across the country in urban, suburban, rural, and tribal communities of all sizes.

Competitive proposals typically include: clear activities that are reflected in both the narrative and budget and align with the applicant’s mission or artistic vision; a demonstrated understanding of the intended audience; well-defined goals and plans for assessing those goals; and consideration of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in relation to the project.

We welcome projects that advance or sustain the creative work or careers of people with disabilities.

Deadlines

First Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:

Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov	February 9, 2023 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal	February 14-21, 2023 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection	November 2023
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project	January 1, 2024

Second Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:

Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov	July 6, 2023 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal	July 11-18, 2023 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection	April 2024
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project	June 1, 2024