{"id":12930,"date":"2026-01-21T11:46:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T19:46:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/?p=12930"},"modified":"2026-01-21T11:46:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T19:46:18","slug":"34-cash-awards-grants-fellowships-contests-for-writers-up-to-80000","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/uncategorized\/34-cash-awards-grants-fellowships-contests-for-writers-up-to-80000\/","title":{"rendered":"34 Cash Awards, Grants, Fellowships & Contests for Writers (Up to $80,000)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


By S. Kalekar<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are awards, grants, residencies, and fellowships for fiction, non-fiction, poetry, playwriting, and journalism, up to $80,000. They are, very loosely, divided geographically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A couple of the deadlines are in January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INTERNATIONAL CONTESTS

The Propel Cambridge Poetry Prize 2026
<\/strong>\u201cWe accept submissions from poets writing in English, based anywhere in the world, who have yet to publish their first full-length poetry collection.\u201d Submit one poem, up to 3 pages (see guidelines).
Value:
Deadline: 31 January 2026
Open for: See above
Details here<\/a> and here<\/a>.

Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award
<\/strong>They want a short story, of up to 8,000 words, that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration. They want to see Moon bases, Mars colonies, orbital habitats, space elevators, asteroid mining, artificial intelligence, nano-technology, realistic spacecraft, heroics, sacrifice, adventure. They do not want stories that show technology or space travel as evil or bad, galactic empires, paranormal elements, UFO abductions, zombie stories, thinly veiled copies of previous winners, non-standalone novel excerpts, or screenplays.
Value: 8c\/word, and various non-cash awards
Deadline: 1 February 2026
Open for: All writers
Details here<\/a> (click on \u2018Contest rules\u2019).
(They also have a fantasy short story contest, the Baen Fantasy Adventure Award<\/strong><\/a>, which opens<\/strong> on 20th<\/sup> January.)\u00a0

Biographers International Organization: The Frances \u201cFrank\u201d Rollin Fellowship
<\/strong>They offer two fellowships, open to all biographers anywhere in the world who are writing in English, who are working on a biography of an African American figure or figures whose story provides a significant contribution to our understanding of the Black experience, and who are at any stage in the writing of a book-length biography. A publishing contract is not required for eligibility.\u00a0Memoirs are not eligible. An excerpt of up to 20 pages is part of the application. The Biographers International Organization also has other awards<\/a> (some of which are open for all writers), as well as other resources.\u00a0 Value: Two fellowships of $5,000 each
Deadline: 1 February 2026
Open for: See above
Details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


St. Gallen Symposium Global Essay Competition
<\/strong>This is a contest for young writers, they want a themed essay of 2,100 words, on \u2018Disruption in Tech + Politics + Demography: What happens when they collide?
Pick a case where at least two of these forces meet, and propose a bold idea to maximize the benefits while minimizing the risks over the long term.\u2019 <\/strong>See guidelines for details. To be eligible, writers must be enrolled in a graduate or postgraduate programme (master level or higher) in any field of study at a regular university, and be born in 1996 or later.
Value: CHF20,000, split between three winners; they\u2019ll also cover travel, accommodation, and admission to the symposium in Switzerland.
Deadline: 1 February 2026
Open for: Young writers (see above)
Details here<\/a>.

New America National Fellows Program
<\/strong>This international program brings on thinkers\u2014journalists, scholars, filmmakers, and public policy analysts\u2014whose work enhances the public conversation about the most pressing issues of our day. The product of the fellowship should be a nonfiction reporting project in the form of a book, film, podcast, longform article, or well-researched multimedia project. Fellows advance ideas through research, reporting, analysis, and storytelling. The organizers look for projects that are original and ambitious, with viable plans for their implementation. Their goal is to find bold, impactful thinkers and to fund them for a year; long enough to make progress on a book, develop a series of articles, produce a documentary, or work on another project that is accessible. Fellows have to attend two cohort gatherings throughout the fellowship year. There are no residency or nationality requirements, though fellows need to be involved in the New America community.
Value: Generally $15,000-30,000
Deadline: 2 February 2026 (letters of reference are due 5 February)
Open for: All journalists, scholars, filmmakers and public policy analysts
Details here<\/a>.

Keats-Shelley Memorial Association: Young Romantics Prize
<\/strong>The Young Romantics Poetry (up to 30 lines) and Essay Prize (750-1,000 words) is open to anyone aged 16-18.
\u201cThe theme of 2025-26\u2019s Young Romantics Poetry Prize<\/strong> has been chosen to mark the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley\u2019s The Last Man<\/em>. Entrants are invited to submit poems on the subject of either \u201cDystopia\u201d or \u201cUtopia\u201d.\u201d
For the essay prize<\/strong>, choose one of these two topics:
\u201c1. Mary Shelley\u2019s The Last Man<\/em> imagines a plague which all but wipes out the human race. What is the appeal of dystopias in literature?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. \u2018The most successful writers are both insiders and outsiders.\u2019 Do you agree?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Value: \u00a3700, \u00a3300
Deadline: 2 February 2026 (see guidelines)
Open for: Writers ages 16-18
Details here<\/a>.
(They are also running a Keats-Shelley prizes for adults<\/strong>. For the essay contest<\/strong> \u2013 on any aspect of the writing and\/or lives of the Romantics and their circles, up to 3,000 words \u2013 entry is free<\/strong>, and winner gets \u00a31,000. There is an entry fee for the poetry prize, and the deadline for both is 2 February 2026, details here<\/a>.)

Narrative \u2018Tell Me a Story\u2019 High School Contest
<\/strong>They want a poem, story, or essay, on a theme by students in grades 9-12 all over the world \u2013 see guidelines for suggestions on what the theme can entail, and length guidelines. The work must be submitted by the student\u2019s English teacher. The prompt is,  \u201cOne True Thing\u201d<\/strong>.
Value: $500, $200, $100; $50 for finalists
Deadline: 4 February 2026
Open for: High school students
Details here<\/a>.

Reuters Institute Journalist Fellowship Program<\/strong>
This is a scheme for \u201cpractising, mid-career journalists to take some time out from their day jobs to explore journalism in depth. Journalists joining us in Oxford will further their understanding of journalism through seminars, networking events, discussions with peers and working on a personal project. This is a programme for working journalists and editors who will return to journalism after spending a few months with us.\u201d They accept around 30 Journalist Fellows from around the world each year. And, \u201cMost journalists on the programme are fully funded. Successful applicants get their fees covered and receive a monthly stipend of \u00a32,000, which will be enough to cover the cost of accommodation, food, and general living expenses. We will also cover the cost of travel to and from the UK and any visa costs. Fellows should refrain from professional work during the fellowship.\u201d Applicants must have a minimum of five years’ journalistic experience.
Value: Monthly stipend of \u00a32,000, and more (see above)
Deadline: 13 February 2026
Open for: Mid-career journalists
Details here<\/a> and here<\/a>. 

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

International Thriller Writers Scholarships<\/strong>
They are awarding two separate scholarships for ThrillerFest: the Fresh Perspectives Scholarship<\/strong> for any underrepresented author, published or unpublished, and the Undiscovered New Voices Scholarship<\/strong> for any unpublished author who is writing a mystery\/thriller novel (80k-100k words). Each scholarship recipient will receive a cash stipend and a free pass to attend ThrillerFest XXI, which takes place May 5 \u2013 May 9, 2026\u00a0in New York City. One of the application requirements is a writing sample. Application is via a form on their website.
Value: $1,000 stipend, ThrillerFest pass
Deadline: 15 February 2026
Open for: Unspecified
Details here<\/a>.
(Also see The Poisoned Pen \/ Barbara Peters Scholarship for ThrillerFest 2026, for ITW members; details here<\/a>.)

VCA Playwriting Award<\/strong>
\u201cVAULT Creative Arts \u2013 the former producers of VAULT Festival \u2013 are delighted to be opening applications for the second ever VCA Playwriting Award. Up to 15 scripts will be shortlisted, with 2 runners up chosen and one winner. The winning writer will recieve a fee of \u00a32,500, a guarantee of publication by Methuen Drama, and a fully-produced, 4-week run of their script at VCA\u2019s current home, The Glitch in Waterloo!\u201d Two runners-up will receive mentorship. Additionally, up to 15 shortlisted writers will receive written, developmental feedback on their script, and invitation to a talk by Methuen Drama on getting work published.
Value: A \u00a32,500 fee, or 10% of the production\u2019s ticket sales, whichever is greater
Deadline: 20 February 2026
Open for: Unspecified
Details here<\/a> and here<\/a>.
<\/strong>
NYU Journalism: Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award
<\/strong>The Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award is \u201cto provide the means for promising early-career, creative nonfiction writers to report on an untold story that uncovers truths about the human condition\u201d. Writers can apply for one of the institute\u2019s awards per year.
Deadline: 22 February 2026
Value: Up to $15,000
Open for: Unspecified
Details here<\/a>.

Lunch Ticket: Diana Woods Award in Creative Nonfiction
<\/strong>This award is for a creative non-fiction piece of up to 3,500 words on any subject. The contest is open in February and August.
Value: $250
Reading period: February 2026
Open for: All writers
Details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lunch Ticket: The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multilingual Texts<\/strong>
<\/strong>Translators and authors of multilingual texts are encouraged to submit their work for The Gabo Prize. Writers should indicate whether the translation falls under poetry or prose, and include the original work along with your translation. Original, bilingual work qualifies for the Gabo Prize. <\/em>This contest, too, is open in February and August.<\/em>
Value: $200
Reading period: February 2026
Open for: All translators
Details here<\/a>.

Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest
<\/strong>This is a short fiction contest run by the Little Tokyo Historical Society in Los Angeles. Stories must take place in Little Tokyo, and can be set in the past, present, or future. Stories can be in Japanese (5,000 ji<\/em> or fewer) or English (up to 2,500 words). There are three categories: Youth (under 18s), Japanese, and English. They want fictional stories set in Little Tokyo.
Value: $500 in each category
Deadline: 28 February 2026
Open for: Unspecified
Details here<\/a> (download the guidelines and agreement form).

Kinsman Quarterly: Voices of Mixed Heritage
<\/strong>This is an award forauthors and poets of mixed heritage or relationships. \u201cSubmit essays, fiction, or poetry exploring themes of multicultural or third-culture identity, love, belonging, home life, and pain. We seek heartfelt reflections on living between worlds.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Win up to $500 in cash prizes and publication in Kinsman\u2019s upcoming anthology.\u201d They accept prose of 300 to 2,000 words, and up to 10 pages of poetry. Please note, you have to log into their website to access submission guidelines.
Value:  $500, $250, $150; $25 Amazon gift cards for runners-up
Deadline: 28 February 2026
Open for: Authors and poets of mixed heritage or relationships
Details here<\/a>.
(Kinsman Quarterly has other contests in 2026 too, both fee-based and fee-free, see brief information about those on this page<\/a>; again, you have to log in to access detailed information.

The Tom Grass Spirit of Adventure Literary Prize
<\/strong>This prize is for writers aged 25+. They want short pieces of stand-alone prose in either fiction or non-fiction (1,500 – 3,000 words). \u201cIt can be adapted from a longer work but must be satisfying to read by itself.
The prize invites writers from all walks of life, whether writing a short story, essay, memoir, piece of reportage, historical investigation, or other hybrid form, as long as the writer reflects the sensibility of the prize.
The prize is not aimed at the action-adventure genre nor limited to the idea of physical adventure. We invite writers to grapple with the spirit of adventure in any way they interpret. Pieces will be read and judged on their literary merit and their engagement with the general reader.\u201d Entrants must not have a previous or new book under contract with a mainstream publisher (see guidelines), or be represented by a literary agent. All three finalists will also get a meeting with a literary agent. The fee-free reading period for this prize is until 28th<\/sup> February; after that, they charge a submission fee.
Value: \u00a31,000; \u00a3500 each for runners-up
Deadline: 28 February 2026 (for fee-free submissions)
Open for: Emerging writers who are 25+ (see guidelines)
Details here<\/a> and here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


<\/strong>Baltimore Science Fiction Society Poetry Contest
<\/strong>For this contest, poets are required to submit poetry on science fiction\/fantasy\/horror\/science themes. Send poems up to 60 lines. Winners will receive a cash prize, convention membership and be invited to read their winning entries at Balticon. Attendance at Balticon is not required to win.
Value: $100, $75, $50
Deadline: 1 March 2026
Open for: All poets
Details here<\/a>.

University of Colorado: Ted Scripps Fellowships in Environmental Journalism
<\/strong>Their website says, \u201cFive Ted Scripps Fellowships are awarded each year. The fellowship is open to full-time journalists working in any medium who are interested in advancing their knowledge of environmental issues. It is aimed at outstanding journalists committed to a career in professional journalism. Applicants must have five years of full-time professional journalism experience and must also have a BA or BS college degree, at minimum. Applicants may include reporters, editors, producers, photojournalists, documentarians, and feature writers. Both salaried staff and full-time freelancers are welcome to apply. Prior experience in covering the environment is not required.\u201d And, \u201cWe welcome applications from international journalists; however, please be advised that you must hold a current visa and be authorized to work in the United States at the time of application to be considered for this position.\u201d Fellows audit classes, pursue an independent project, attend weekly seminars, and participate in field trips to world-renowned institutions to learn what\u2019s new in the realm of environmental science and policy. Fellows pay for their own housing and make their own housing arrangements. They receive a stipend, and will travel (expenses paid) to the Society of Environmental Journalists annual conference.
Value: $80,000
Deadline: 1 March 2026
Open for: Full-time journalists authorised to work in the US (see guidelines)
Details here<\/a> and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


(A couple of contests with later deadlines are:

— Verity Bargate Award:<\/strong> Launched in 1982, the Verity Bargate Award one of the longest-established playwrighting awards in the UK. It is \u201cSoho Theatre\u2019s flagship new writing award with the winning play produced in a full production on our stages.\u201d Emerging playwrights in the UK or Ireland can enter; you must have had fewer than three professional productions. The winner receives \u00a312,000 and the deadline is 13th<\/sup> April 2026; details here<\/a> and here<\/a>.

— The Mike Resnick Memorial Award: <\/strong>This award is sponsored by Galaxy\u2019s Edge magazine and Dragon Con. They want a science fiction story by a new writer (who has not been paid a per-word rate of 6 cents a word or more or received a payment for any single work of fiction totaling more than $50). Send stories up to 7,499 words. Writers do not need to be members of Dragon Con. The awards are $250, $100, $50, and the deadline is 15 April 2026; details here<\/a> (scroll down) and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— Terrain.org Editor\u2019s Prize: <\/strong>They welcome submissions on place, climate, and justice<\/strong> \u2013 fiction (short story, flash fiction series, novel excerpt, radio play, or other fiction piece) and non-fiction; they are not open for poetry in 2026. They also accept translations, and art. Payment for general submissions is a minimum of $50. And, \u201cAll accepted submissions by writers of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, women, and\/or other marginalized communities whose contributions explore place particularly in the context of social, environmental, or climate justice are considered for our annual Editor’s Prize of $500 per genre.\u201d There is no separate submission process or entry fee for this contest; they have other, fee-based contests too. Certain sections, like Letter to America and ArTerrain, are open year-round, and other sections have submission periods, or are open periodically. Submissions close on 30th<\/sup> April for fiction and non-fiction. The Editor\u2019s Prize for underrepresented writers is $500 per genre. Details here<\/a>.)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

FOR WRITERS IN US AND CANADA
(Also see the Frances \u201cFrank\u201d Rollin Fellowship<\/strong>,International Thriller Writers Scholarships, Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest, Ted Scripps Fellowships for Environmental Journalism<\/strong>, in the section above.)

Fund for Investigative Journalism<\/strong> Grants<\/strong>
They are accepting applications for regular grants for investigative journalism, for the Winter 2026 cycle. The Fund provides grants for print and online articles, television and radio stories, documentary films, podcasts and books. Foreign-based story proposals must come from U.S.-based reporters or have a strong U.S. angle involving American citizens, government or business; all stories must be published in English, in a media outlet in the United States.
Value: Up to $10,000
Deadline: 30 January 2026
Open for: Investigative journalism stories based in the U.S.\/with a strong U.S. angle
Details here<\/a>.
(Fund for Investigative Journalism is also accepting applications for seed grants and follow up grants; for these too, journalists must be U.S.-based or working on a story with a very strong U.S. angle; details here<\/a>.)

Bucknell University: Philip Roth Residence in Creative Writing
<\/strong>This residency is offered by Bucknell University, and provides writing time of up to four months. It\u2019s for writers of any literary genre: any creative genre in the literary arts, including fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, hybrid work, graphic novel, etc. Writers should be working on a first or second book. There are two residencies, in fall and spring semesters. Some record of publication is desirable.
Value: $5,000 and residency
Deadline: 1 February 2026
Open for: US writers
Details here<\/a>.
(See the full list of their programs and residencies here<\/a>.)

National High School Poetry Contest at Gannon University
<\/strong>This is a poetry contest for US high school students, including homeschooled students, in grades 9-12. \u201cPoems may be in rhyme, free verse, Haiku or other accepted poetry forms and of any length, up to a maximum of 40 lines.\u201d Winners will be required to complete a W-9 form to get the monetary award.
Value: $50, $40, $30
Deadline: 1 February 2026
Open for: US high school students in grades 9 through 12
Details here<\/a> (see the relevant category).

Poetry Foundation and Graywolf Press: The Pegasus Poetry Book Prize
<\/strong>This prize is by the Poetry Foundation and Graywolf Press, and it \u201dawards $10,000 and publication to an unpublished first or second poetry collection by a United States poet 40 or older. This prize replaces the Poetry Foundation\u2019s former Emily Dickinson First Book Award and will be offered periodically rather than annually.\u201d Manuscripts must be 48 to 80 pages, and multilingual works containing a full English translation by the author will be considered.
\u201cPoets will need to register and submit manuscripts through the\u00a0Poetry Foundation\u2019s Grants and Awards Online Portal<\/a>. To access the portal, poets must submit an initial registration form. Registrations will be approved within 3 to 5 business days.\u201d The cutoff for registering on their portal is 26th<\/sup> January, and the deadline for submitting the manuscript is 2nd<\/sup> February 2026 (see \u2018Important Dates\u2019 on the guidelines page).
Value: $10,000
Deadline: Registration deadline 26th<\/sup> January, submission deadline 2nd<\/sup> February 2026
Open for: US poets ages 40 or above, for a first or second poetry book
Details here<\/a>.\u00a0
(See all of Poetry Foundation\u2019s grants and awards for individuals<\/strong> here<\/a>.)

A Public Space Editorial Fellowship<\/strong>
This is a program for aspiring editors; the fellowship period is The 2026 Editorial Fellowships period is approximately six months, from June 1, 2026 through November 30, 2026.\u00a0The Fellows will work on their own schedule, and will have responsibilities of approximately fifteen hours weekly. They must be able to attend up to two weekly meetings (virtual and in person) during regular office hours; they must be residents of New York City for the duration of the fellowship. (Also, \u201cUnfortunately, A Public Space is unable to sponsor work visas.\u201d) \u201cSome experience in editorial work is preferred but not required. Preference will be given to aspiring editors who have not worked extensively in literary publishing, and who may have limited access to career opportunities in the industry.\u201d And, \u201cTwo Editorial Fellows will be selected to work alongside the editorial staff at A Public Space on various aspects of the magazine, including evaluating submissions, researching, developing, and soliciting work, editing, copyediting, proofreading, production, and promotion. They will also have the opportunity to oversee an Open Call and serve as the lead editor on a piece for the magazine.\u201c They have some eligibility and application requirements.
Value: $6,000
Deadline: 15 February 2026
Open for: Aspiring editors who can reside in New York City for the duration of the fellowship
Details here<\/a>.

Poetry Northwest: James Welch Prize for Indigenous Writers
<\/strong>This is a poetry prize for Indigenous writers in the US \u2013 \u201cnew, emerging, and established poets who are community-recognized members of tribal nations within the United States and its trust territories (including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Chamorros, and American Samoans). Only poets who have not published more than one book-length collection are eligible; however, previous publication is not a requirement.\u201d And, \u201cEligible contestants must be community-recognized members of their tribal nation. Formal tribal enrollment is not the only way of acknowledging belonging, and this prize aims to recognize all Native writers who are in community.\u201d Submit up to three poems. Apart from cash prizes, two poets will also be invited to read at a literary venue.
Value: $1,000 each (Kickstarter-funded for the next few years \u2013 see here<\/a>.)
Deadline: 15 February 2026
Open for: Indigenous writers in the US (see guidelines)
Details here<\/a> (scroll down), here<\/a>, and here<\/a>.

The Gay & Lesbian Review: The Charles S. Longcope Jr. Writers and Artists Grant<\/strong>
They are awarding three grants of up to $5,000 each. \u201cEmerging scholars, writers, or artists whose proposed project makes a contribution to LGBTQ+ scholarship or the arts are eligible to apply. Multi-author applications and international applicants are welcome. The gift(s) will be awarded to scholars, writers, and artists to provide funding to write an article for\u00a0The G&LR<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0to begin, complete, or advance LGBTQ+ related writing and other creative projects such as a research paper or thesis, a book, a podcast, a video, a script, a novel, a multimedia creation, or an art installation. Proposals that incorporate discussion of race, gender, and class, disability, or other similar topics are of particular interest.\u201d\u00a0
Value: Up to $5,000 each
Deadline: 15 February 2026
Open for: Emerging scholars, writers, or artists whose proposed project makes a contribution to LGBTQ+ scholarship or the arts
Details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


The Academy of American Poets: 2026 Raiziss\/de Palchi Fellowship
<\/strong>The fellowship recognizes \u201c<\/strong>outstanding translations into English of modern Italian poetry through a $10,000 book prize and a $25,000 fellowship, given in alternating years. The Raiziss\/de Palchi Fellowship will be given in 2026 to enable an American translator to travel, study, or otherwise advance a significant work-in-progress. The Academy invites applications from American translators currently engaged in the translation of twentieth-century Italian poetry. The winning translator will receive an award of $25,000 and a five-week residency at the American Academy in Rome.\u201d 
Value: $25,000, residency
Deadline: 15 February 2026
Open for: American poets translating Italian poetry
dDetails here<\/a> and here<\/a>.
(Also see the Academy of American Poets\u2019 Harold Morton Landon Translation Award<\/strong><\/a>, a $1,000 award recognizing a poetry collection translated from any language into English and published in the previous calendar year; the deadline for that, too, is 15th<\/sup> February; details here<\/a>.)

West Chester University: Five contests
<\/strong>They run some contests, five of which are free to enter, and offer cash prizes. 
— Iris N. Spencer Poetry Award: <\/strong>This contest is for undergraduate poets enrolled in a US college or university for poems composed in the traditional modes of meter, rhyme and received forms. Prizes are $1,500, and $500.
— Sonnet Award:<\/strong> This is a contest for undergraduate poets in the US, for sonnets. The prize is $1,000.
— The Villanelle Award: <\/strong>This contest is for undergraduate poets enrolled in a US college or university, for villanelles. The prize is $1,000.
— Myong Cha Son Haiku Award: <\/strong>This contest is for undergraduate poets enrolled in a US college or university for unpublished, original haiku. The prizes are $1,500, and $500.
— Rhina P. Espaillat Award: <\/strong>This contest is for undergraduate poets enrolled in a US college or university for original poems written in Spanish, and translations of English poems to Spanish. The prize is $500.
Deadline: 20 February 2026 for all West Chester University contests
Open for: Undergraduate poets in the US
Details here<\/a> (scroll down) for all the West Chester University poetry awards; click on each contest name for details.

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BCALA Self-Publishing Literary Awards
<\/strong>The Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) is now accepting submissions for the 2026 Self-Publishing eBook Award. \u201cThrough this contest, the BCALA honors the best self-published ebooks by an African American author in the U.S. in both fiction and poetry genres.
These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. The purpose is to encourage the artistic expression of the African American experience via literature and scholarly research including biographical, historical, and social history treatments by African Americans.\u201d
Value: $2,500 each for a self-published poetry and prose ebook
Deadline: 28 February 2026
Open for: African American authors in the US
Details here<\/a>.
(Submissions are also open for The Caine Prize for African Writing<\/strong><\/a>, also called the African Booker. Entries must be sent by the publisher<\/strong> or a third-party institution that is independent of the author \u2013 entries sent by the author will be ineligible<\/strong>. It is for published short stories of 3,000 to 10,000 words, written by an African writer, published within the last five years \u2013 see guidelines. The award is \u00a310,000, and the submission deadline is 27 February 2026, 12:00 GMT.)

The Sejong Cultural Society Writing Contest
<\/strong>This is only for US and Canadian writers. The Sejong Writing Competition aims to introduce young adults to Korean culture through poetry. They are currently open for a sijo contest \u2013 you can enter in the adult division (age 19 and older) and pre-college division (age 18 and younger \u2013 see guidelines). They have detailed guidelines, please read them carefully.
Value: Adult division: $1,000, $750, $500; pre-college division: $500, $400, $300, and $50 each for honorable mentions
Deadline: 28 February 2026
Open for: Young US and Canadian writers (see guidelines)
Details here<\/a> and here<\/a>

Poetry Foundation: Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships
<\/strong>These grants are for US poets ages 21-31 years. Applicants have to register on their online portal. Poets can also apply for alternative formats to submit applications. One of the application requirements is a writing sample.
Value: $27,000
Deadline: 2 March 2026 (virtual information session, deadline to request alternative application formats, and cut off to submit application portal registration for first time applicants are earlier \u2013 see guidelines)
Open for: US writers
Details here<\/a>.
(See all of Poetry Foundation\u2019s grants and awards for individuals<\/strong> here<\/a>; the <\/strong>Pegasus Poetry Book Prize<\/strong><\/a>, which replaces the Emily Dickinson First Book Award for an unpublished first or second poetry collection by a United States poet 40 or older, is open now, as is the Pegasus Award for Poetry Criticism<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>for published book-length work published in the US in 2025 \u2013 eligible works include biographies, essay collections, and critical editions that consider the subject of poetry or poets.)

FOR WRITERS IN UK AND IRELAND
(Also see the <\/strong>VCA Playwriting Award, and Verity Bargate Award in the international section, above).

Footnote x Counterpoints Literary Prize
<\/strong>This is open to writers from <\/strong>a refugee or migrant background who is a resident of the UK or Ireland. For this cycle, they want an excerpt from a fiction manuscript. They have detailed guidelines, including, \u201cSubmissions must be for a fiction book centred on themes of displacement, courage and\/or belonging \u2026 and consist of a sample of 8,000-10,000 words and a detailed synopsis of a minimum of 1,500 words, as well as a fully completed online submission form. You will be asked to provide an estimated word count for the complete book, as well as the date by which you would be able to deliver the completed manuscript. You must be able to deliver a complete manuscript of approx. 60,000- 100,000 words before 27th June 2027.\u201d
Value: \u00a315,000
Deadline: 13 February 2026 (see guidelines)
Open for: Those from <\/strong>a refugee or migrant background in the UK\/Ireland
Details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Christopher Tower Poetry Competition
<\/strong>This is for young poets studying in the UK, aged 16-18 years. Submit a poem of up to 48 lines. The theme for 2026 is \u2018A Riddle\u2019.
Value: \u00a35,000, \u00a33000, \u00a31500; \u00a3500 for runners-up
Deadline: 19 February 2026 (12 noon GMT)
Open for: Young poets studying in the UK
Details here<\/a> and here<\/a>

The Orwell Society Dystopian Fiction Prize
<\/strong>The Orwell Society is organising its annual short story competition for current students (both BA and MA) at British universities. They want dystopian narratives of up to 3,000 words. The theme for 2026 is Belonging<\/strong>. \u201cExploring the following concepts:
What it means to truly belong<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The impossibility of returning home or inability to recapture the past\u201d.
Value: \u00a3750
Deadline: 28 February 2026
Open for: Current students (both BA and MA) at British universities, who are permanent UK citizens
Details here<\/a>.

The Kelpies Prize for Writing<\/strong>
This is for Scotland-based writers, for writers who want to start a career in children\u2019s books. A couple of the submission requirements are the first five chapters of a book for children, either fiction or non-fiction, or a whole picture book story (see guidelines), as well as \u201ca short piece of writing (1,000\u20133,000 words) for children that includes one of the following phrases at any point in the piece: \u2022 And then I remembered the porridge was still on the stove \u2022 We didn\u2019t plan to get lost in the woods \u2022 If only I could remember what [insert character name] always said
This can be a short story, poetry or a picture-book text; it can be comic, dramatic, moving, largely dialogue or whatever you like. It can be very different from your writing style in (1) (see guidelines): show us your range!\u201d They are looking for work for children ages 3 to 13. They do not want works for young adults.
Value: \u00a3500, mentorship
Deadline: 28 February 2026
Open for: Scotland-based writers
Details here<\/a> (download guidelines) and here<\/a>
(They also have a prize for illustration.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Bio:<\/strong> S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here<\/a>.

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By S. Kalekar These are awards, grants, residencies, and fellowships for fiction, non-fiction, poetry, playwriting, and journalism, up to $80,000. They are, very loosely, divided geographically. A couple of the deadlines are in January. INTERNATIONAL CONTESTS The Propel Cambridge Poetry Prize 2026\u201cWe accept submissions from poets writing in English, based anywhere in the world, who…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12930","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12930"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12930\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12933,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12930\/revisions\/12933"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}