There are 24 prizes/grants and fellowships for writers of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and for journalists; the awards range from $75 to $40,000. A few deadlines are in April. There’s also a bonus residency, with no cash stipend. These are roughly divided geographically. – S. Kalekar

PRIZES OPEN FOR INTERNATIONAL SUBMISSIONS

Words Without Borders Poems in Translation Contest
This poetry translation contest is open to contemporary international poetry translated from other languages into English. Apart from the cash prize, four winning translated poems will be co-published on Words Without Borders, the digital magazine for international literature, and in Poem-a-Day, the popular daily poetry series produced by the Academy of American Poets, throughout September, which is National Translation Month. (They’re also accepting nominations for the 2021 Ottoway Award for the Promotion of International Literature – nominations of individuals from the fields of publishing, media, academia, philanthropy, film, and theater who have served as advocates for international literature translated into English).
Value: $150 each for winning poets and translators
Deadline: 30 April 2021
Open for: All poet-translators
Details here.
(There are still a few other contests that are open in April – see this list for details.)

Waterston Desert Writing Prize

This prize is for a proposed book of literary non-fiction that illustrates artistic excellence, sensitivity to place, and desert literacy – with the desert both as subject and setting. Writing samples about deserts and natural settings are more likely to be reviewed favorably. Apart from the cash award, there is also a residency at PLAYA at Summer Lake and a reading and reception at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon.
Value: $2,500, residency
Deadline: 1 May 2021
Open for: All writers
Details here and here.

Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award
This international grant is for supporting the recipient in crime fiction writing and career development activities. She or he may choose activities that include workshops, seminars, conferences, and retreats, online courses, and research activities required for completion of the work. This is for an emerging writer (see guidelines). The application process includes a writing sample – an unpublished piece of crime fiction, written with an adult audience in mind. This may be a short story or first chapter(s) of a manuscript in-progress, 2,500 to 5,000 words. Previous writing or publishing experience is not required, but the applicant should include any relevant studies or experience.
Value: $2,000; the winner can choose from a range of activities
Deadline: 15 May 2021
Open for: Writers of color
Details here.

The Sunlight Press Short Fiction Award
This is their fifth flash fiction contest. They want original (previously unpublished) stories 1,000 words or less. Entries that do not win the prize may be selected for regular publishing in the journal.
Value: $500
Deadline: 15 May 2021
Open for: All writers
Details here.

Remastered Words Contest
This organization creates audio dramatizations of short story submissions and an audio recording. Submit a story of up to 5,000 words in any fantasy sub-genre.
Value: £75, £50, £25, and royalties
Deadline: 1 May 2021
Open for: All writers
Details here.

Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest
This is an international fiction contest. While the story should appeal to the audience of this magazine, all themes will be considered. Their readers have interests in music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America. Ideally, stories should not exceed 3,000 words, but those up to 5,000 words will be considered.
Value: $100
Deadline: 31 May 2021
Open for: All writers
Details here.

The Black Orchid Novella Award
They want novellas (15,000-20,000 words) that confirm to the tradition of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe series. They should focus on the deductive skills of the sleuth. Their guidelines also say, “We need to stress that a novella is not a padded short story. A novella needs to be as tight and fast-paced as a short story or a novel. Authors need to ensure that the story they want to tell is properly sized for whatever format they choose.” They are not looking for derivatives of the Nero Wolfe series, or the milieu. They accept mailed submissions only.
Value: $1,000 and publication in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine
Deadline: 31 May 2021 (postmarked)
Open for: All writers
Details here.

Speculative Literature Foundation Grants: Older Writers Grant
They have some upcoming reading periods for grants. The one open for May is their Older Writers Grant, for a writer who is 50 years of age or older at the time of grant application, and is intended to assist such writers who are just starting to work at a professional level. The writing application sample could be of poetry, fiction, drama, or creative non-fiction, of speculative literature. A writing sample (up to 10 pages of poetry, 10 pages of drama, or 5,000 words of fiction or creative nonfiction — if sending a segment of a novel, novella, or novelette, include a one-page synopsis as well) is part of the application.
Value: $1,000
Application period: 1-31 May 2021
Open for: All speculative fiction writers above 50
Details here.

They also have other grants coming up, later in the year. Details of all Speculative Literature Foundation grants can be found here.

Sapiens Plurum: Healthy Together – Innovations for One Health
Sapiens Plurum conducts an annual short fiction contest, opening on Earth Day of each year. The purpose of the contest is to entice authors to conceive of the future in terms of desirable outcomes, and imagine how we might get there. The topic of this year’s contest is, ‘Healthy Together: Innovations for One Health’. Their guidelines say, “One Health is an effort by the CDC that recognizes the connection among the health of people, animals and the environment to achieve optimal health outcomes. … The One Health concept is the basis for this year’s contest.
The news today is full of stories of disease and environmental destruction. We ask authors to imagine a world in which technology has improved One Health —  the health of the environment, humans, and all living things.” (See guidelines for further details). Submissions should be 1,500-3,000 words.
Value: $1,000, $500, $300
Deadline: 31 May 2021
Open for: All writers
Details here and here.

Bacopa Literary Review Writing Contest
They have prizes in poetry (1-3 poems), prose poetry (25-250 words), creative non-fiction (up to 2,500 words), and fiction (up to 2,500 words).
Value: $300 first prize, $100 second prize in each category
Reading period: 1-31 May 2021
Open for: All writers
Details here.

The Navayana Dalit History Fellowship 2021
Navayana is an India-based indie publisher that publishes work on the issue of caste, from an anti-caste perspective. They want submissions for non-fiction book proposals on dalit history; the proposals have to up to 3,000 words, and the completed manuscript must be at least 50,000 words. They will award at least two fellowships. They have extensive guidelines, including: “…we welcome histories of movements, campaigns, local struggles, ideological or cultural movements, histories of organisations or periodicals, biographies, or even stories of individual lives. The ambit of dalit history is wide. We leave it to the applicants to surprise us with their interpretations of the term.” Writers can live anywhere in the world, and dalit writers will be given preference; non-dalits must account for their engagement with dalit history. Early-career scholars are encouraged to apply, as are those working on translations pertaining to dalit history.
Value: At least two fellowships of Rs.100,000 (approx. $1,300) each
Deadline: 31 May 2021 for proposals
Open for: All writers engaging with dalit history; preference given to dalit writers
Details here.

CNO Naval History Essay Contest
Their website says, “The Chief of Naval Operations invites entrants to submit an essay that applies lessons from throughout naval history to establishing and maintaining (US) maritime superiority in an era of great power competition.” See guidelines for details on the theme. Essays have to be up to 3,500 words. This contest is open to: US and international professional historians (including history museum curators, archivists, history teachers/professors, persons with history-related doctoral degrees; authors of books on naval history (not including self-published works); civilians who have published articles in an established historical or naval journal or magazine.
Value: $5,000, $2,500
Deadline: 31 May 2021
Open for: See above
Details here.

PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grants
This international grant is to support the translation of book-length works of fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, or drama that have not previously appeared in English in print or have appeared only in an outdated or otherwise flawed translation. Works should be translations-in-progress, as the grant aims to provide support for completion. The works must be translated into English. Projects may have up to two translators. There are various submission requirements, including a 10-12 page translation sample.
Value: $2,000-$4,000
Deadline: 1 June 2021
Open for: All translators
Details here (scroll down).

Atlanta Review: Dan Veach Prize for Younger Poets
The Dan Veach Prize for Younger Poets solicits poems from college-age students, aged 18-23, on any subject or style. Poems with an international focus are especially welcomed, but all poems must be written in English.  Students may submit up to two poems (40 lines or fewer for each poem). A letter of recommendation from a teacher or other person well-acquainted with the student’s writing must accompany the poem(s).  The recommendation letter should affirm that these poems are the student’s original work.
Value: $100
Deadline: 1 June 2021
Open for: College-age poets (18-23 years)
Details here.

Shenandoah Fellowship for BIPOC Editors
The literary magazine Shenandoah is accepting applications on a rolling basis for BIPOC editors. Their guidelines say, “A single fellow will be selected for each issue of Shenandoah going forward, alternating genres (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics) as we see fit. Fellows will choose two–three pieces of prose, five–ten poems, or two–three comic artists for their issue; these authors will be paid at the same rates as other Shenandoah authors ($100 per poem; $50 per comic panel; $100 for every thousand words of prose—for a maximum honorarium of $500 per author). Each fellow will receive a $1000 honorarium for their work. We welcome writers and editors of all experience levels. No previous editorial experience is necessary, but we are looking for applicants who are passionate and informed about the literary community. We welcome candidates who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.”
Value: $1,000
Deadline: Ongoing
Open for: BIPOC writers
Details here.

CONTESTS FOR WRITERS IN THE US, CANADA, AND CUBA
(Also see the CNO Naval History Contest in the section above.)

Whiting Foundation: Creative Nonfiction Grant
Up to eight grants will be awarded to US writers of creative non-fiction, for books under contract by US publishers – the subjects are history, cultural or political reportage, biography, memoir, the sciences, philosophy, criticism, food or travel writing, graphic nonfiction, and personal essays, among other categories. It is intended for multiyear book projects requiring large amounts of deep and focused research, thinking, and writing, after significant work has been accomplished. The work should be intended for general, not academic, audiences. One of the application requirements is three sample chapters, or up to 25,000 words.
Value: $40,000, each; up to eight grants
Deadline: 26 April 2021
Open for: US writers with a contracted book
Details here.

OZY Genius Awards
These are for students in US colleges or universities, for projects in various disciplines. Part of the application is describing your genius idea. Why are you able to deliver it, and what impact will it have? There are several grant categories (scroll down), including Media, Communications, & Film.
Value: Up to $10,000
Deadline: 30 April 2021
Open for: Students in US colleges/universities
Details here.

CINTAS Foundation: Fellowship in Creative Writing
This is a creative writing fellowship for writers having Cuban citizenship or direct lineage (having a Cuban parent or grandparent).  Applications can be in English or Spanish. Fellows who are not U.S. citizens and who are living abroad must provide a U.S. taxpayer identification number when they accept the fellowship to receive payment. The foundation also offers fellowships for other disciplines – architecture & design, music composition, and visual arts.
Value: $20,000
Deadline: 1 May 2021
Open for: Writers having Cuban citizenship or direct lineage
Details here.

James Laughlin Award
This is for a second full-length poetry manuscript by a US poet, contracted by a publisher. Manuscripts have to be 48-100 pages long. Translations and new editions of previously published books are not eligible. Apart from a cash prize, the poet also receives an all-expenses-paid weeklong residency at The Betsy Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida.
Value: $5,000, residency
Deadline: 15 May 2020
Open for: US poets (see guidelines)
Details here.

Grist: Two fellowships
Grist announced two fellowships for early-career journalists on Twitter, and employees can work remotely from anywhere in the US. — News and Political Fellowship: “With the mentorship and support of Grist’s editorial staff, the news & politics fellow will be expected to write quick news updates, newsletter items, and short, reported stories. You’ll help chronicle the progress being made to tackle the climate crisis, whether it’s coming from scientific laboratories, the halls of Congress, or companies and corporations.”
— Environmental Justice Fellowship: “With the mentorship and support of Grist’s editorial staff, the environmental justice fellow will report on the connections between social inequality and the environment. You will explore the ways in which the environmental movement can become more inclusive, especially in the current moment — and how communities of color are developing new ways to fight for cleaner air and water and safer neighborhoods. We’re especially interested in journalism that identifies communities and people working on homegrown solutions.”
Value: $3,334/month for six months for each fellowship
Deadline: 18 May 2021
Open for: US writers
Details here and here.

ABA Journal/Ross Writing Contest for Legal Short Fiction
The ABA Journal is the flagship magazine of the American Bar Association. They want short stories (up to 5,000 words) that illuminate the role of the law and/of lawyers in modern society. This contest is for US citizens or legal permanent residents.
Value: $3,000
Deadline: 1 June 2021
Open for: US writers
Details here.

The Stony Brook Short Fiction Prize
This prize is for short fiction of up to 7,500 words. It is for undergraduates enrolled full time in US and Canadian universities and colleges for the academic year 2020-21. This prize has traditionally encouraged submissions from students with an Asian background, but they urge all students to enter.
Value: $1,000, scholarship to the Southampton Writers Conference
Deadline: 1 June 2021
Open for: Undergraduate students from the US and Canada
Details here.

Fraser Institute Student Essay Contest

For this year’s essay contest, the theme is ‘The Ideas of Joseph Schumpeter: Exploring the Concept of Creative Destruction.’ (See their extensive guidelines for details). The contest is for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students studying in Canada and Canadian students studying abroad.
Value: CAD1,500, CAD1,000, CAD500 each in high school, undergraduate, and graduate categories
Deadline: 1 June 2021
Open for: Canadian students
Details here.

BONUS: The Mastheads Writers’ Residency
Available for five writers across disciplines (poetry, fiction, non-fiction, translation, playwriting, comics, and more). Writers will be given room and board. The residency is in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, from 1 to 15 July. The application includes a 10-page writing sample, a Letter of Intent, and a CV. All COVID protocols will be in place and writers must be fully vaccinated to be able to attend – see guidelines. The application deadline is 15 May 2021. Details here and here.

Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She is the author of 182 Short Fiction Publishers. She can be reached here.