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Grants for Writers: 8+ International Opportunities

by | Sep 27, 2016

Getting a grant can be just the thing a writer needs to ease financial stress and focus on his or her work. But landing one can be tough — particularly for international writers.

Fortunately, there are some really great organizations offering funding to writers all over the world.

Here are eight awesome grants for international writers, along with a whole slew of resources to help you find grants more specific to your region or niche (like journalism or academia). Now, go put your best foot forward and apply for funding for your writing!

1. Speculative Literature Foundation

The SLF currently offers four grants, all open to international writers: The Older Writers’ Grant, the Travel Grant, the Working Class Writers Grant, and the Diversity Grant. The amounts are small — all under $1000 — and are designed to be a “gateway grant” for speculative fiction writers.

Deadlines vary according to each grant.

2. The Awesome Foundation

Kristen Pope noted The Awesome Foundation in her list of grants for U.S.-based writers.

The Foundation consists of fully autonomous chapters committed to giving out $1000 micro-grants to “awesome projects” each month. There are chapters throughout the world, and artists are also welcome to apply for “worldwide” grants if they don’t have a local chapter.

Feeling philanthropic? You could start your own chapter, too!

3. Don and Gerel Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

Open to new or amateur screenwriters based anywhere in the world, this competition has been running since 1986. It awards up to five fellowships of $35,000 each year, and fellowship winners are expected to complete one full screenplay during that time.

To enter, screenwriters must submit a feature-length screenplay and pay an entry fee (scaling from $45 to $82). The final deadline for 2016 was in May; check back for 2017 dates.

4. Brown University International Writers Project Fellowship

This fellowship is presented each year to an established international poet or fiction writer unable to practice his or her craft with free expression in their home country. The fellowship, worth $45,000, pays travel and living expenses; it also provides an office on the Brown University campus for 10 months. The deadline for 2016 was in February; visit the website for 2017 details and guidelines.

5. FT/OppenheimerFunds Emerging Voices Awards

This award offers a prize of $40,000 to a writer in Africa or the Middle East of “extraordinary artistic talent” for a work of fiction published in English.

The 2016 awards were granted in September; check back on the website to find submission deadlines for 2017.

6. Miles Morland Foundation

The MMF awards a small number of writing scholarships each year, with the intention of allowing the receiving writer time to complete the first draft of his or her book. The grant is available to anyone who was born in Africa, or both of whose parents were born in Africa.

The writer must be working in English. This year’s applications are due by October 31, 2016.

7. John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation

The Guggenheim Foundation offers fellowships to mid-career writers, open to citizens and permanent residents of the United States and Canada. Approximately 200 fellowships are awarded every year, and the amount of the grants vary according to the number of awards given. Applications for 2017 were just due; mark your calendars to visit the site next year for 2018.

In years past the award has been available to citizens and permanent residents of Latin America and the Caribbean; with any luck they’ll reopen that category again.

8. NSW

This early career fellowship awards $30,000 to a new Australian writer to allow him or her to “ undertake a self-directed program of professional development.” This includes travel, mentorships, workshops and courses, research, collaboration, and “experimentation.” The deadline for 2016 was in March, but keep your eye on the website for next year.

More international grant resources and niche writing resources

Looking for more opportunities to apply for grants? Check these resources:

International:

  • TransArtists: Run by Dutch Culture, this website lets you search for international artist-in-residence programs.
  • Global Investigative Journalism Network: Maintains a list of grants and fellowships for journalists throughout the world.
  • Funds for Writers: A list of funds (mainly residencies) around the world. Many of the opportunities listed are open to international writers.
  • Creative Resistance Fund: Grants, prizes, and emergency help for writers around the world facing persecution for their art.
  • European Cultural Partnership: Lists writing contests, residency opportunities, and more available both internationally and to EU residents.

Africa:

Australia:

Canada:

  • Canada Council for the Arts: Lists a variety of grants available to residents of Canada. This includes grants especially for professional writers, aboriginal peoples, and spoken word artists, and others.

International writers, which opportunities would you add to this list?