National League of American Pen Women
/OVERVIEW: National League of American Pen Women seeks to increase the visibility of women artists in the art world. It’s funding priorities include music, visual arts, and writing.
IP TAKE: This niche funder makes a limited number of grants to women. Grant seekers who meet the very specific requirements for these funds will have the most success here. Programs and types of funding change from time to time so grantseekers will want to keep an eye on the program page. This is an accessible funder dedicated to supporting women who write.
PROFILE: Founded in 1897, National League of American Pen Women, Inc. (NLAPW) was created by seventeen literary women, including “writers, novelists, newspaper women, a teacher, a poet, and an artist.” The organization seeks to “encourage, recognize, and promote the production of creative work of professional standard in Art, Letters, and Music, and through outreach activities provide educational, creative, and professional support to members and non-members in these disciplines.” It supports women writers through a few different grants, which change periodically and are awarded in accordance with specific donor requirements.
Grants for Women in Writing, Film, Theater, and Visual Arts
The Shirley Holden Helberg Grants for Mature Women funds grants of $1,000 to women writer age 35 or older. To apply for this grant, grant seekers should enclose a cover letter and an article or short story of 2,500 words or less. Alternately, if the writing sample is a book chapter, first act of a play, or a film script, which should not exceed 4,000 words and should contain a detailed outline or synopsis of the rest of the work. There is also a $35 application fee made payable to NLAPW, Inc.
The Helen Trueheart Cox Art Scholarship for a Native American Women supports Native American women between 18 and 25 years old. The scholarship for art is awarded every two years to a “Native American girl who is talented but lacks financial resources to further her education.” The national grant is for $1,000 and the Carroll (Mid-Atlantic) Grant is for $500. Grant seekers must live in the Mid-Atlantic States to be eligible for the Carroll grant.
Important Grant Details:
New grant seekers can contact the National Letters Chair with questions.
PEOPLE:
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