Did you know that the company that pioneered independent publishing as we know it today also provides grants for authors around the world? Many of these grants are, admittedly, targeted at organizations or author-focused business opportunities, but they benefit the authors they support.
One of these programs is the Amazon Literary partnership (ALP) which opened up applications for 2025 in the UK and the Republic of Ireland until January 31st of 2025. This program opened up in November of 2024 and is the 6th year that the program has run in the United Kingdom and the second in Ireland. This grant supports nonprofit literary organizations fostering creative writers of all ages and in all stages of their writing career.
The 2024 ALP supported 37 literary focus groups across the UK and subsequently expanded further into Ireland.
Many of the organizations that have benefited focus on providing creative writing opportunities to both young people and older generations. These are integrated deeply into their local communities cultivating storytelling both as a medium of communication and as a career opportunity.
Eligible applicants are registered non-profit organizations in the UK or the Republic of Ireland with a core mission dedicated to emerging authors, supporting diversity, celebrating storytellers, and building careers.
Grants typically range from $5,000 to $20,000
Grant recipients will be notified by May 16th of 2025
Grant Details
In 2024, ALP supported 37 literary groups across the UK
Since 2009, Amazon has provided over $16 million in grant funding
apply.amazonliterarypartnership.co.uk
Additonal Grants or Funding Opportunities are avaialbe to authors and aspiring authors all over the world. Here we are gong to highlight ones from areas that most commonly visit this site.
Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing Fellowships
Application deadline: January 19, 2025
Details: Week-long Writer’s Fellowships for their Creative Writing Summer Conference
The Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing (MVICW) offers several fellowship opportunities for writers to attend their Summer Writers’ Conference in 2025. These fellowships support diverse voices and provide financial assistance to various groups of writers.
Fellowship winners typically receive full or partial registration to the MVICW Summer Writers’ Conference, which may include lodging and manuscript sessions. The application process usually requires a writing sample, a letter of interest, and a submission fee ranging from $10 to $20.
MVICW is offering over $20,000 in fellowships for the 2025 conference. These opportunities are designed to foster creativity, community, and craft while supporting writers at various stages of their careers.
https://mvicw.submittable.com/submit https://www.mvicw.com/fellowships
The Frances “Frank” Rollin Fellowship is named after Frances Anne Rollin Whipper, one of America’s first recorded African American biographers. The fellowship was launched by Biographers International Organization (BIO) in 2020 to support authors working on biographical works about African American figures.
The fellowship aims to address the underrepresentation of Black lives in published biographies and encourage diversity in the field. Winners are typically announced by early May, with a formal announcement at the annual BIO conference.
Apply: https://biographersinternational.org/award/the-frances-frank-rollin-fellowship/#apply
The Writers’ Trust Woodcock Fund Grant is a notable grant for Canadian writers and authors.
The Woodcock Fund Grant was established in 1989 by the Writers’ Trust of Canada. Named after George Woodcock, a prolific Canadian writer and literary critic, the grant aims to provide emergency funding to professional Canadian writers facing financial crisis mid-project.
Grant Details:
Amount: $2,000 to $10,000
Eligibility: Professional Canadian writers with at least two published books
Must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
Focus: Writers experiencing financial difficulties while working on a book-length project
Prepare required documents:
Completed application form Project description (max 500 words)
Financial statement
Writing sample from the current project (max 15 pages)
Publication history
Two letters of support from industry professionals
Submit application:
Applications are accepted year-round via email to programs@writerstrust.com
Include “Woodcock Fund Grant” in the subject line
And in Australia
The Create Grants by Copyright Agency offer significant support for Australian creative writers and visual artists. Here are more details about this grant:The Create Grants provide $20,000 to support time for writing and creating new work1. In 2025, they will give up to five grants, and projects must begin after August 1, 2025.
This grant is for:
- For creative writers: Must be writing their second book in specific genres including fiction, poetry, children’s literature, young adult literature, picture book illustration, graphic novels, playwriting, literary non-fiction, and writing for performance (plays only)
- For visual artists: Must be creating new work for their fourth exhibition
- Applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents
- Applicants must have acquitted any overdue Cultural Fund grants
Application process:
- Submissions open at 12pm AEDT on December 16, 2024, and close at 1pm AEDT on March 3, 2025
- Applications must be submitted via the SmartyGrants online system
- Only one application per round is allowed per applicant
Assessment criteria:
Contracts or Letters of Interest/Intent: From publishers, presenters, or galleries
Applications are evaluated by an independent panel of peers from the writing and visual arts sectors
The assessment focuses on literary or artistic merit, including:
Project description: Clear details of the planned work
One-page CV: List of publications, plays, or exhibitions
Samples of work: From the proposed project or previous work
