Currently 20 active paid writing and translation grants, fellowships and residencies. Hand-curated and updated weekly. Every entry is funded, no exposure-only calls. Browse the list below, or use the interactive desk for filtering and shortlisting.
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Story grants supporting in-depth, original reporting on water governance, transboundary river issues and community experiences in the Mekong basin, with emphasis on stories that explore and voice marginalised groups such as women, youth and Indigenous people. ELIGIBILITY: journalists working in any medium (online, print, TV, radio), media practitioners with professional reporting experience, early-career and experienced reporters, freelancers and staff from international, national, local and community-based outlets. Groups of journalists may apply with one lead applicant. Reserved for applicants from and covering Mekong countries: Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and/or Vietnam. English-language proficiency required. SUPPORT: up to USD 2,000 per grant (up to 13 grants), plus one-on-one mentorship from experienced journalists and EJN's GESI specialist. APPLY: submit an application including a letter of editorial support committing to publish by the deadline; the proposal should address relevance, originality, reach, impact, innovative storytelling and a timely publication plan. Stories must be published by 31 December 2026. Deadline: 14 June 2026.
PEN America's suite of literary grants and fellowships supporting individual writers and works in progress across genres (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, oral history and more), each with its own focus and criteria. ELIGIBILITY: varies by grant; generally US-based writers, with several open to writers and translators at different career stages. Distinct from the PEN/Heim Translation Fund and PEN Presents. Review individual grant criteria and apply via the PEN America literary grants page.
Fellowship from the New York Public Library and Random House for writers of literary narrative nonfiction whose projects engage NYPL's archival and special collections. ELIGIBILITY: writers of narrative nonfiction with a project requiring on-site access to the collections at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building in New York. Apply via the NYPL fellowships page.
PEN America's annual grants for in-progress book-length literary translations from any language into English. Up to 10 grants of USD 4,000 each. Preference for early-career translators and works from underrepresented languages and regions. Eligible genres include fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry and drama. ELIGIBILITY: translators of any nationality; the project must be a translation of a book-length work into English; previous PEN/Heim recipients are eligible after a waiting period. No application fee. Apply by 15 June 2026 via PEN America's grants portal.
Tractor Beam's sixth issue, themed around water in soil, growth, land and ecosystems large and small, is open for submissions. Editors are seeking anti-apocalyptic visions that explore the future of water in farming and food production, island ecologies, hybrid sea-soil technologies, the people who move water and the people water moves, plus stories about drought, diaspora and what gets carried downstream. FORMAT: stories under 6,000 words; comics 12-16 panels. Submissions accepted via the call page on Tractor Beam's Substack.
Annual international writing prize from Wasafiri and Queen Mary University of London, with three categories: Poetry, Fiction, and Life Writing (creative nonfiction). The prize is specifically for writers who have NOT yet published a book-length work, making it strongly debut-friendly. The Life Writing category suits a self-contained creative-nonfiction piece (for example an extract or essay drawn from a longer project). ELIGIBILITY: open to anyone who has not published a complete book; no restrictions on age, gender, nationality or background. Deadline 11:59pm BST, 30 June 2026. NOTE: entry fee applies (GBP 12/16, or a subsidised GBP 6).
Biannual works-in-progress grants from the Society of Authors. The Authors' Foundation supports writers contracted with a British publisher across fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama and scripts. The K Blundell Trust adds a parallel stream specifically for writers under 40 working on socially aware or politically engaged projects. Both schemes share the same two-round-a-year schedule: 1 February and 1 July deadlines. ELIGIBILITY: writers (UK or international) with a contract for the next book with a British publisher; for K Blundell, also under 40 and writing on a contemporary socially aware theme.
Annual essay prize for a previously unpublished essay of up to 3,000 words on a set theme. The 2026 theme takes Auden's line 'Poetry makes nothing happen' as a prompt about what impact high culture can have in a world facing crisis - well suited to a critical essayist working on AI, media and society. Judged blind, so it is open to and fair for debut writers (no publication history required). ELIGIBILITY: entrants must be over 18 and a citizen of the UK or an EU member state. Deadline 3 July 2026.
The AI Accountability Fellowships support journalists working on in-depth AI accountability stories that examine how governments and corporations use predictive, generative and surveillance technologies to guide decisions in policing, medicine, social welfare, criminal justice, hiring and more. Designed for reporters from all beats, desks and formats, the fellowship asks applicants to propose a concrete reporting project (with evidence of pre-reporting) that uses approaches such as data analysis, records requests and shoe-leather reporting to examine the real-world impact of algorithms. For the first time this year, the fellowship also includes funding, mentorship and training to develop and execute an impact/engagement plan to reach strategic audiences. SUPPORT: up to USD 25,000 per fellow (up to USD 20,000 reporting plus USD 5,000 engagement), paid in three installments; freelancers may budget up to one third as a stipend, while newsrooms cover staff salaries. Fellows also receive mentors, specialized training, pro bono legal and public records support, and a lasting community of peers. ELIGIBILITY: staff or freelance journalists across print, radio, video and multimedia, able to work collaboratively; reporters may be based anywhere (fellowship is remote). Experience reporting on AI is not required, but a track record of in-depth, impactful reporting and investigative/data/explanatory experience is valued. Small teams may apply with a designated lead Fellow. REQUIREMENTS: a mandatory monthly 1.5-2 hour meeting, at least one community call, engagement with other fellows, and sharing of methodologies and lessons learned; fellowship communication, meetings and training are in English, but fellows may publish in any language. APPLY: submit a 500-word statement of purpose, a 500-word project description with reporting plan, an engagement plan, a budget, three links to recent work, a letter of commitment from a publishing media organization (or editor support letter for staff), three references and a CV. Funded with support from the MacArthur Foundation, Luminate, Omidyar Network and others. Contact: reacheditorial@pulitzercenter.org. Deadline: 12 July 2026, 11:59pm EDT.
Established in memory of editor Kari Howard, who championed narrative journalism that wove the music of everyday life into stories illuminating the most important issues of the day. Offered by Kari's family and friends together with the International Women's Media Foundation, the fund supports narrative journalism projects. Grants average around USD 5,000 (based on previous years). ELIGIBILITY: open to women and nonbinary journalists. Applicants may be a print journalist or a print journalist leading a multi-media team, and may be freelance or staff; they may apply individually or as part of a multi-format team. Professional journalism must be the applicant's primary profession, with three or more years of professional experience (internships do not count). Applicants must show proof of interest from an editor or a proven track record of publication in prominent media outlets. Applicants must apply and publish in English; projects published anywhere in the world are eligible, and stories may be published digitally (not necessarily in a newspaper or magazine). Any multi-format reporting must supplement a printed project. All reporting and publishing must be completed within six months of the award. Applicants receive a decision by early September. DEADLINE: 12 July 2026, 11:59pm EST.
International Writers' Workshop (IWW) at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), founded in 2004, has hosted over 150 writers from more than 60 countries. The 2027 Writers-in-Residence Programme runs 26 February to 25 March 2027 and culminates in the IWW Literary Festival on the theme 'Inheritance'. Writers are encouraged to share a piece of writing in conversation with the festival theme. ELIGIBILITY: have at least one published book; currently reside outside of Hong Kong; have a functional command of English or Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese). WHAT IWW PROVIDES: round-trip economy class airfare; accommodation on HKBU's campus for 4 weeks; a per diem. DEADLINE: 14 August 2026. APPLY via the IWW HKBU call for application (PDF).
Project subsidies from the Nederlands Letterenfonds for advanced literary translators with a current publishing contract for a translation from or into Dutch. The next round closes 15 August 2026; decisions are made approximately four months after the deadline (December). ELIGIBILITY: literary translators with a substantial published portfolio and a contracted translation project; primary income must be below EUR 52,500.
Residency for writers and translators at the Jan Michalski Foundation in Montricher, Switzerland, set in seven distinctive 'cabin' modules hanging from an openwork canopy, offering conditions to start, continue or finish a writing project. Around forty authors from around the world (emerging to established) are hosted each year. Open to all kinds of writing and all languages, with priority given to literary writers and translators; other disciplines are welcome as long as literature is at the heart of the project. Residencies are for individuals or pairs working on a common project (e.g. a writer and a translator). A percentage of residencies are dedicated to nature writing. WHAT IS PROVIDED: a private cabin for independent living (a separate cabin per person for pairs; one accessible cabin for reduced mobility), travel costs to and from home, a weekly allowance of CHF 400, breakfast and lunch, electric bikes, and daytime library access. ELIGIBILITY: no age or nationality restrictions; beginners accepted; one application per year; former residents may not reapply (families, children and pets cannot be accommodated). Stays cannot be split into multiple periods. Selection is by a panel chaired by Vera Michalski-Hoffmann, assessing the literary quality of the project, the candidate's background, and whether the stay length matches the project scope. APPLICATION: online in English or French (work excerpts may be in any language); the 2027 form is open 2 June to 31 August 2026; selected candidates announced December 2026.
Annual writing scholarship from the Miles Morland Foundation for African-born writers working in English on a full-length book project (80,000+ words for fiction; equivalent for nonfiction). One of the largest single-author African writing grants. Application window opens 1 July 2026 and closes 22 September 2026; applications outside that window are not read. ELIGIBILITY: writers born in Africa, or with both parents born in Africa, writing in English; nationality is not the criterion. Existing publication record is helpful but not strictly required.
Translators' residency at Uebersetzerhaus Looren in Wernetshausen near Zurich. Looren offers a free residency for literary translators with a current contract, including six competitive CHF 4,000 stipend grants per year tied to one-month residencies. The Pro Helvetia residency programme (separately funded) has a 2026-10-15 deadline for 2027 stays. The James Joyce Scholarship and Looren Residency 2027 closes 2026-10-31. General free residencies are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. ELIGIBILITY: literary translators with substantial published work and a current translation contract; any language combination is welcome. Apply via the application page on looren.net. No application fee.
Leading Irish literary magazine that publishes and pays for creative nonfiction (as well as fiction and poetry), with a stated particular interest in promoting new and emerging writers. A clean, no-fee, internationally-open outlet for a standalone critical/creative-nonfiction piece. ELIGIBILITY: Irish and international writers; debut-friendly, no published-book requirement. Submissions are accepted in specific windows; the next nonfiction window runs Monday 9 November to Monday 23 November 2026 (closes 5pm Irish time) for the Summer 2027 issue.
Development grants from the Nederlands Letterenfonds (Dutch Foundation for Literature) for starting and advanced Dutch literary creators - writers, illustrators and translators - to fund training, coaching, editorial support, or travel and research abroad linked to a literary project. EUR 500 to EUR 2,500 per grant. ELIGIBILITY: Dutch-language literary creators (Dutch or Flemish-speaking world); see funder's application page for full eligibility criteria. CYCLE: applications are reviewed on a ROLLING basis (the scheme has been open since February 2026 and there is no fixed deadline). No application fee.
Online literary magazine paying for original creative nonfiction (essays and flash), open year-round with no submission fee. Useful, low-barrier way for an emerging writer to publish a standalone critical/creative-nonfiction piece and build a publication record toward a book. ELIGIBILITY: open to any emerging or established author; submissions accepted from international writers. Creative categories are open on a rolling basis year-round.
Contemporary art magazine commissioning paid art writing and criticism, with pitches accepted on an ongoing basis (online reviews/pitches continuous; themed print issues have set deadlines, e.g. the Spring issue around 15 September 2026). A direct paid outlet for criticism on digital, new-media and AI art. ELIGIBILITY: writers at all experience levels are invited; not restricted to Canada. Mostly pitch-based, with short online reviews accepted unsolicited.
Commissioned long-form writing at the intersection of design, technology, art and culture. Editorial themes: designing with AI as cultural and infrastructural system; responsive and adaptive materials; politics of platforms and creative-infrastructure governance; post-digital hybrid making; designing for collapse and continuity; creative research as practice. In-depth pieces only, no press releases or promotional copy.