Readings & Workshops FAQ

Go to the Application Guidelines and follow the instructions to reach our online application. 

The application must be completed by a New York State-based organization sponsoring or hosting a reading or workshop in New York State. If you are the writer, you cannot apply for yourself, but you can encourage the event organizer or host to apply. 

Applications are accepted semi-annually for Festival Grants, semi-annually for Reading Series Grants, and quarterly for Mini-Grants. For deadlines, please refer to the application schedules.

We review and approve grants on a rolling basis, until available funds run out. So it is best to submit early! Our fiscal year starts July 1 and ends June 30.

Yes, you can apply for a whole series of events or for specific events within a series.

R&W grants support writers fees only and are paid directly to the writer. Applications, however, must be submitted by the organization sponsoring the event.

Due to changes in funding, we unfortunately cannot support events in these locations at this time.

No, nonprofit status is not required. For-profit businesses (such as a café) and informal organizations (such as a book club) are welcome to apply.

Yes. However, we prefer to support free or low-cost events in the interest of making literature available to the widest possible audience.

No, past funding does not guarantee future funding.

A payment will be sent directly to the writer approximately two to four weeks after the event.

Mini- Grants for individual readings or spoken word performances range from $150 to $450; and for workshops, $200 to $300 per session. The Festival Grant and Reading Series Grant each award up to $1,500 in fees to multiple writers.

Yes, you can apply for multiple writers appearing as part of the same event. If you are applying through the Mini-grant application, submit one application for each writer for whom you’re requesting funding. If you are applying through the Readings Series and Festival Grant application, use the Writer Grant Requests section to indicate the number of writers you plan to apply for, then fill out the writer information and grant amounts for each writer’s participation in the reading series or festival. 

Organizations may apply for multiple writers; however, we typically grant no more than a combined annual total of $3,000 to any single organization. (This cap fluctuates depending on the availability of funds and the number of applications we receive.) 

Due to a mandate from our funders, grants for events outside of New York City (i.e. New York, Kings, Queens, Bronx, and Richmond counties) are restricted to writers who are New York State residents.

To be eligible, writers must have at least one publication credit or, in the case of spoken word artists, a performance credit. Please clearly list publication credits, which may include books (including chapbooks and self-published work), as well as anthologized work. For performance-based writers, please list featured performance credits (date and venue) or include a published review of the presentation.

We fund emerging and established poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. We do not fund journalists, screenwriters, playwrights, writers of children’s literature, or historical nonfiction. If you are not sure whether the writer is eligible, contact us.

When a grant is awarded, we ask the writer to provide us with their Social Security number. Grant funds are considered taxable income. In order to lawfully issue a grant, we must have this information. If we pay more than $600 to an individual writer during the course of a year, we must issue the writer a 1099 and report those payments to the IRS. International writers do not have to provide a Social Security number.

No, the application must come from an organization and the event organizer cannot be the same person as the writer. The writer cannot be a board member or a paid employee of the organization applying. However, writers can encourage organizations to apply on their behalf, and will be asked to collaborate with the event organizer to complete the application.

We suggest you use this email template to tell event sponsors about the program and suggest that they apply for an event you are participating in. You can also simply share this link with organizations you think may be interested.

No, we can pay only the writer, not the other artists.

Yes, if original poetry, fiction and/or creative nonfiction is the primary focus of the piece.

No, writers who receive R&W grants are not employees of Poets & Writers.

Yes, as long as the translator is reading from his or her own translations and/or conducting a translation workshop in the categories of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction.

International writers presenting programming in New York State are eligable if the event is taking place in New York City (i.e., New York, Kings, Queens, Bronx, and Richmond counties). The writer will be required to submit banking information for electronic payment.

We fund readings and workshops taking place in any city in New York State.

No, we do not offer retroactive funding.

No, please wait until you have the writer booked before applying.

No, we do not fund programs that are exclusively for young children. We do fund programs for teenagers (13 and up), families, and/or intergenerational audiences.

We fund events sponsored by colleges and universities (except colleges that are part of the State University of New York (SUNY)), if the event is open to the general public. We also fund events for teens in middle or high school, if the events are held after school hours. We do not fund events for elementary school students.

Generally, yes, events must be open to the public to be eligable for support. However, we do support events at venues closed to the public such as correctional facilities, hospitals, and senior centers.

If the change is able to take place prior to the event, in most cases, yes, we are able to consider a replacement writer. Event organizers should provide the appropriate office with the new writer’s bio for eligibility, contact information, and Social Security number.

No, we do not support events that take place in private residences.

You will receive an e-mail indicating that your application has been approved, declined, or is still pending—usually because we need more information. If you have not heard from us one month after submitting your application, please call or e-mail to check on the status of your application.

Organizations are encouraged to match P&W’s payment to the writer. However, if your organization is not able to match or add to the request, we will still consider the application.

We do not consider in-kind contributions as matching fees. However, you can provide in-kind contributions in addition to a cash match. Also, writers may use the cash match for expenses such as travel and lodging if they choose.

Event organizers should notify us as soon as possible.

The writer should mail the check back to us at the following address:
Attn: Readings & Workshops, 90 Broad Street, Suite 2100, NY, NY 10004. 

Organizations with events supported by Readings & Workshops are required to credit Poets & Writers and our funders on all publicity materials—print and online—for the event. Please see your grant approval e-mail for the correct credit line for your event; logos can be downloaded here.

We encourage you to post all of your literary events on our free online Literary Events Calendar. From time to time, we publicize events listed on our calendar in our e-newsletters, on our website, and in other communications. Please also add our e-mail to your promotional mailings: for events taking place in New York State, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans, or Washington, D.C., rw-east@pw.org; for events taking place in California, Houston, Seattle, or Tucson, rw-west@pw.org.

Be sure to tag us on Twitter and Instagram @poetswritersinc and Facebook @PoetsAndWriters; and when possible, use the hashtag #litfunding, so we can share and retweet your R&W-supported events.

A list of Poets & Writers Magazine subscribers in your area is available for rental. Please contact us for more information.

Both the event organizer and the writer are required to submit a report.

Both the event organizer and the writer can submit reports online using our grant management system at pw.smartsimple.com. Event organizers should use their existing e-mail and password. Writers will receive an e-mail with log-in instructions. 

We are looking for a detailed description of the event and its impact on your community. A good report will help Poets & Writers to raise more funds for the R&W program. A few extra minutes devoted to your report may have a direct impact on the funds we will be able to distribute next year. In addition, sponsors should submit examples of marketing and publicity materials such as flyers, programs, or press releases with their reports.

If multiple writers have been funded as part of one large event, you will need to submit a separate report for each writer, but may upload publicity files to just one of the reports.

Posters, flyers, postcards, press releases, and newspaper clippings are all acceptable. We accept print-outs of e-mail messages, web pages, and social media posts as well, but please keep in mind that online publicity should meet the same textual and graphic standards as any other type of publicity. All publicity materials should contain the appropriate credit lines and logos.

Reports should be submitted within thirty days of completion of the event. Timely completion of reports keeps your organization in good standing for potential future funding.