Foundation News

Poetry Foundation Awards Over $1.6M in Grants

Originally Published: May 16, 2023
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The Poetry Foundation is proud to announce the 55 nonprofit organizations that received over $1,600,000 in funding in our spring 2023 grant cycle. Selected from 194 grant applications, this robust slate of grantee-partners is committed to increasing access to poetry and supporting poets through providing publications, educational activities, festivals, writing workshops, residencies, and more.

In keeping with the Foundation’s commitment to the principles of trust-based philanthropy, the grants program relies on a community-based proposal review process. 140 members of the arts and culture community applied to serve as grant proposal reviewers. The 19 people who were selected made recommendations for funding to the Poetry Foundation's internal committee consisting of the president, vice president of programs and engagement, and director of grants and awards.

Of the 55 organizations funded this grant cycle, 25 received Equity in Verse grants and 30 received Programs, Partnerships, and Innovation grants. Thirty-four (60%) of the awarded grants are for general operating support, 33 (60%) of the awarded organizations are BIPOC-led, and 23 (40%) are receiving financial support from the Poetry Foundation for the first time. 

Congratulations to all of the Poetry Foundation’s new grantee-partners! 

The Foundation’s next cycle of Equity in Verse and Poetry Programs, Partnerships, and Innovation grants will open in June 2023 with a September 1, 2023 deadline. For more information please visit PoetryFoundation.org/Grants.

Equity in Verse 

Alegria Bilingual Bookstores & Arts CollectiveCalifornia, $15,000

Alternative Field IncCalifornia, $15,000

Bamboo Ridge PressHawaii, $25,000

Burst Into BooksIllinois, $25,000

Cardboard House PressArizona, $25,000

Cave Canem Foundation, Inc.New York, $65,000

ConTextosIllinois, $40,000

DewMore BaltimoreMaryland, $35,000

InsideOut Literary ArtsMichigan, $50,000

Kearny Street WorkshopCalifornia, $35,000

Kuumba LynxIllinois, $40,000

Lambda LiteraryNew York, $45,000

Love Now MediaPennsylvania, $35,000

Lugar Comun IncFlorida, $25,000

Noemi PressArizona, $20,000

Northwest New Mexico Arts CouncilNew Mexico, $15,000

Radius of Arab American Writers IncTexas, $15,000

SISTORIESNorth Carolina, $20,000

The Philly PigeonPennsylvania, $20,000

The Watering Hole Poetry OrganizationSouth Carolina, $25,000

The Word, A Storytelling SanctuaryColorado, $45,000

Torch Literary ArtsTexas, $40,000

Urban Word NYCNew York, $45,000

Voices of our Nations Arts FoundationFlorida, $30,000

Young Chicago AuthorsIllinois, $45,000

 

Poetry Programs, Partnerships, and Innovation

Academy of American PoetsNew York, $50,000

Community of Literary Magazines and PressesNew York, $30,000

Dinétah Drama FestivalNew Mexico, $50,000

EcoTheo CollectiveTexas, $30,000

Floating MuseumIllinois, $40,000

Gemini Ink (The Gemini Series, Inc.)Texas, $20,000

Good Journey Development FoundationMissouri, $18,000

Mass PoetryMassachusetts, $30,000

National Poetry Series IncNew Jersey, $30,000

Nebraska Writers CollectiveNebraska, $40,000

PEN AmericaNew York, $40,000

Pen ParentisNew York, $20,000

Philadelphia ContemporaryPennsylvania, $40,000

Poet LoreMaryland, $11,000

Poetry Society of AmericaNew York, $30,000

Southern Fried Poetry IncGeorgia, $18,000

Street Poets IncCalifornia, $30,000

The Arts Council of PrincetonNew Jersey, $12,000

The Beautiful ProjectNorth Carolina, $50,000

The Care CenterMassachusetts, $40,000

The Poetry Forum, Inc. (RHINO Poetry)Illinois, $10,000

The Poetry LabCalifornia, $25,000

Ugly Duckling PresseNew York, $25,000

Under the Volcano International, Inc.New York, $30,000

The University of Arizona Poetry CenterArizona, $25,000

Wick Poetry Center - Kent State UniversityOhio, $25,000

Woodland PatternWisconsin, $45,000

Words Without BordersNew York, $20,000

Writers Without Margins, Inc.Massachusetts, $20,000

YourWords STLMissouri, $10,000