The Literary Arts Fund is an unprecedented effort to dramatically increase support for and the visibility of the nonprofit literary arts field for the next five years, concluding in 2031, toward ensuring a healthy and more robust U.S. literary culture in support of creative writers.
Founded by the Ford Foundation, Hawthornden Foundation, Lannan Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Mellon Foundation, Poetry Foundation, and an anonymous foundation after two years of planning, the fund will distribute at least $50 million and continue fundraising.
The Literary Arts Fund will also conduct peer-learning sessions with grantees, develop and release reports on the literary arts field, and continue to foster the development of the Literary Arts Funders Collaborative, a new affinity group.
The nonprofit literary field comprises hundreds of charitable organizations and publishers that serve writers and readers in ways that are distinct from commercial publishing. These organizations champion established writers, critical first-time and historically underrepresented authors, and provide a home for the intellectually rigorous and artistically adventurous voices whose work deepens and challenges our culture.
Literary arts nonprofits bring literature to communities nationwide—hosting book festivals and events that connect authors and readers across the country; broaden the reach of writers by publishing works in translation; mentor and encourage authors through retreats and residencies; and celebrate artistic achievement through literary awards and fellowships. Together, these efforts sustain the vitality and independence of American literature and ensure that a wide spectrum of voices and ideas continues to shape our collective imagination.
Literature (1.9%)
$5 billion in 2023 arts grants
And yet, literature is the least-supported artistic discipline in the U.S., receiving only 1.9% of the $5 billion in arts grants awarded in 2023 per data collected from Candid. This disparity, which is persistent, coupled with other ongoing challenges, including shrinking public funding and rising operating and publishing costs, underscores the underfunding in the nonprofit literary arts field and the urgent need for the Literary Arts Fund’s support.
The seven founders of the Literary Arts Fund serve as its Advisory Committee: Ford Foundation, Hawthornden Foundation, Lannan Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Mellon Foundation, Poetry Foundation, and an anonymous foundation.
The Literary Arts Funders Collaborative is a new philanthropic affinity group for foundation leaders interested in literature, reading, and creative writers, and who appreciate how stories and poems enrich our lives. The collaborative will have opportunities to learn about the nonprofit literary arts field and from one another throughout the year.
Members of the Literary Arts Funders Collaborative to date include:
Anonymous foundation
Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Fund of the Sidney E. Frank Foundation
Ford Foundation
Hawthornden Foundation
Houston Endowment
Jerome Foundation
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Lannan Foundation
McKnight Foundation
Mellon Foundation
Poetry Foundation
List in formation
“Writers open our minds to understanding, invite us to question, and guide us to imagine anew. We are honored to join this collaborative effort, committing together to grow the cultural infrastructure that keeps our communities vibrant, connected, and thriving.”
—Eleanor Savage, President and CEO, Jerome Foundation