The Literary Arts Fund has announced $7.7 million in grants to be distributed among 40 organizations across 19 states, providing a significant boost to the U.S. independent and nonprofit book community.
Grant Recipients and Details
Recipients include the National Book Foundation, which presents the National Book Awards; the North Carolina Writers' Network; publishers Graywolf Press and Copper Canyon Press; and the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop. Grants range from $40,000 to $500,000.
Background and Future Plans
The fund was established last year by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and six other philanthropies. Its managers expect to distribute at least $50 million over five years. The announcement comes amid federal funding cuts to the arts under President Donald Trump's second term, though the fund was conceived before he took office.
“Writers give voice to the human condition, helping us better understand ourselves and each other,” said Jen Benka, the fund's executive director. “Central to millions of readers having access to their stories and poems are literary arts nonprofits, which work tirelessly to ensure literature continues to have a vital presence in our culture. As these organizations and publishers face a lack of funding, we encourage leaders who value literature to join us in supporting writers, books, and reading.”
