Opportunity Information: Apply for 2015NEA03LFCW
Apply for 2015NEA03LFCW
- The National Endowment for the Arts in the arts (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NEA Literature Fellowships Prose, FY 2016" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 45.024 Promotion of the ArtsGrants to Organizations and Individuals.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 6, 2015 and posted on Jan 6, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 11, 2015 You must submit your application electronically through Grants.gov, the federal governments online application system. The Grants.gov system must receive your validated and accepted application no later than 1159 p.m., Eastern Time, on March 11, 2015.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $25,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Individuals.
- The Arts Endowment s support of a project may begin any time between January 1, 2016, and January 1, 2017, and extend for up to two years. Applicant Eligibility Creative writers who meet the publication requirements that are listed below are eligible to apply. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States. You may submit only one application for FY 2016 funding. You may not apply for both a Literature Fellowship under this deadline and a Translation Project under the December 8, 2014 deadline. You are not eligible to apply if you have received two or more Fellowships (in poetry, prose, or translation) from the National Endowment for the Arts. In addition, you may not apply if you have received any Arts Endowment Literature Fellowship (in poetry or prose) or Translation Fellowship on or after October 1, 2006 (FY 2007). Former grantees must have submitted acceptable Final Report packages by the due date(s) for all Arts Endowment award(s) previously received.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NEA Literature Fellowships Prose (FY 2016) opportunity was a discretionary federal grant program from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to support published creative writers working in prose, specifically fiction and creative nonfiction. Each award was a fixed amount of $25,000 (both the award floor and ceiling), with no cost sharing or matching requirement. The fellowship was intended to give writers the freedom to set aside dedicated time for writing and related professional development, including research, travel, and broader career advancement activities that can strengthen or enable new work.
A key feature of this program was its anonymous review process. Applications were evaluated only on artistic excellence and artistic merit, meaning the NEA structured the process so that the writing sample itself carried the decisive weight. To assess applications, the NEA convened a different advisory panel each year, and the panel was assembled to reflect diversity across geography, race and ethnicity, and artistic perspectives. The fellowship program runs on a two-year cycle that alternates genres: prose fellowships are offered one year and poetry fellowships the next. For FY 2016, the open category was prose, while poetry fellowships were slated for FY 2017 (with guidelines expected in fall 2015).
The timeline for funded activity allowed considerable flexibility. NEA support for a proposed project could begin at any point between January 1, 2016, and January 1, 2017, and the period of support could extend for up to two years. Although the award is often thought of as a “time to write” fellowship rather than a project-based production grant, the guidelines still framed it in terms of an NEA-supported effort that can span research, travel, and writing over that multi-year window.
Eligibility centered on individual writers with demonstrated publication credentials, as specified in the program’s publication requirements. Applicants had to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The program also imposed limits to keep the awards circulating among different writers over time. Applicants could submit only one application for FY 2016 funding, and they could not apply for a Literature Fellowship under this deadline if they had also applied for a Translation Project under the separate December 8, 2014 deadline. Writers were ineligible if they had already received two or more NEA Literature Fellowships (across poetry, prose, or translation). In addition, writers could not apply if they had received any NEA Literature Fellowship (poetry or prose) or Translation Fellowship on or after October 1, 2006 (FY 2007). Prior NEA grantees also needed to have acceptable final report packages on file for any previous NEA awards by the required due dates.
The application process was entirely electronic through Grants.gov. For this FY 2016 prose competition, the opportunity was posted January 6, 2015, and the closing deadline was March 11, 2015. The submission had to be validated and accepted by Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date. The funding opportunity number was 2015NEA03LFCW, and the CFDA listing associated with it was 45.024 (Promotion of the Arts - Grants to Organizations and Individuals), though this specific fellowship competition was for individuals.
Finally, the NEA emphasized just how competitive the program is. The agency typically receives more than 1,000 applications per year in the category and awards fellowships to fewer than 5 percent of applicants. In practical terms, that statement served as a clear signal that applicants should assess whether their writing samples are strong enough to compete at a national level, since selection is driven purely by the artistic quality and merit reflected in the submitted work.
NEA Literature Fellowships Prose (FY 2016) - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NEA Literature Fellowships Prose (FY 2016) opportunity?
It was a discretionary federal grant program from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) that supported published creative writers working in prose, specifically fiction and creative nonfiction.
Who was this fellowship intended to support?
The fellowship was intended for individual, published creative writers in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) who met the program's publication requirements and citizenship or residency rules.
What genres were eligible under the FY 2016 open category?
For FY 2016, the open category was prose, covering fiction and creative nonfiction.
How much funding did the fellowship provide?
Each fellowship award was a fixed amount of $25,000.
Is the $25,000 amount flexible (a range), or is it fixed?
It was fixed. The award floor and ceiling were both $25,000.
Is cost sharing or a match required?
No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What is the fellowship designed to help writers do?
The fellowship was designed to give writers the freedom to set aside dedicated time for writing and related professional development, including research, travel, and broader career advancement activities that can strengthen or enable new work.
Is this fellowship primarily a "time to write" award or a project-based production grant?
It was often thought of as a "time to write" fellowship rather than a project-based production grant, but the guidelines still framed it as an NEA-supported effort that could include research, travel, and writing within the allowed support window.
How were applications reviewed?
Applications were evaluated only on artistic excellence and artistic merit, using an anonymous review process designed so that the writing sample carried the decisive weight.
What does "anonymous review process" mean in this program?
It means the NEA structured the review so that evaluation focused on the writing sample itself, and applications were judged on artistic excellence and artistic merit.
Who reviewed the applications?
The NEA convened an advisory panel to assess applications. A different panel was convened each year.
How was the advisory panel selected?
The panel was assembled to reflect diversity across geography, race and ethnicity, and artistic perspectives.
How often are prose fellowships offered?
The fellowship program runs on a two-year cycle that alternates genres: prose fellowships are offered one year and poetry fellowships the next.
What was planned for the following year (FY 2017)?
Poetry fellowships were slated for FY 2017, with guidelines expected in fall 2015.
When could NEA support for the proposed project begin for FY 2016 awards?
NEA support could begin at any point between January 1, 2016, and January 1, 2017.
How long could the period of support last?
The period of support could extend for up to two years.
Who was eligible to apply (citizenship/residency)?
Applicants had to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Were there publication requirements?
Yes. Eligibility centered on individual writers with demonstrated publication credentials, as specified in the program's publication requirements.
How many applications could a writer submit for FY 2016?
An applicant could submit only one application for FY 2016 funding.
Could an applicant apply for this fellowship if they also applied for an NEA Translation Project under the December 8, 2014 deadline?
No. Writers could not apply for a Literature Fellowship under this deadline if they had also applied for a Translation Project under the separate December 8, 2014 deadline.
Are there limits based on how many NEA Literature Fellowships someone has previously received?
Yes. Writers were ineligible if they had already received two or more NEA Literature Fellowships (across poetry, prose, or translation).
Are there restrictions based on receiving a fellowship in certain years?
Yes. Writers could not apply if they had received any NEA Literature Fellowship (poetry or prose) or Translation Fellowship on or after October 1, 2006 (FY 2007).
Do prior NEA grantees have any additional requirements before applying?
Yes. Prior NEA grantees needed to have acceptable final report packages on file for any previous NEA awards by the required due dates.
How was the application submitted?
The application process was entirely electronic through Grants.gov.
When was the FY 2016 prose opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on January 6, 2015.
What was the application deadline?
The closing deadline was March 11, 2015.
What time did the application need to be submitted by on the deadline date?
The submission had to be validated and accepted by Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.
What was the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number was 2015NEA03LFCW.
What CFDA listing was associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA listing associated with it was 45.024 (Promotion of the Arts - Grants to Organizations and Individuals), although this specific fellowship competition was for individuals.
How competitive was the program?
The NEA emphasized that it is highly competitive: the agency typically receives more than 1,000 applications per year in the category and awards fellowships to fewer than 5 percent of applicants.
What is the main factor that determines selection?
Selection is driven purely by the artistic quality and merit reflected in the submitted work, with the writing sample carrying decisive weight.
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