Building on the success of the previous two years, the Amazon Literary Partnership is back to provide grants to UK literary organisations that empower a whole host of writers, no matter what age or stage they find themselves. In 2021, we supported a variety of literary groups, ranging from organisations that manage after school workshops, to writers’ retreats crafting specially-devised programmes to cater for deaf writers, all the way through to organisations running their own literary festivals to highlight the words and work of underrepresented writers and groups which provide a platform for budding scriptwriters.
By funding organisations that champion the voices of underrepresented writers, we hope to encourage people to write (and read) about a greater variety of perspectives on the world we live in today. In the US, the Amazon Literary Partnership has provided more than $14 million in funding to hundreds of organisations since 2009.
Andrew Kidd, CEO at Arvon (one of this year’s supported organisations) said: “Amazon Literary Partnership has made a vital contribution to Arvon’s Learning Programme, supporting our work with disadvantaged young people, marginalised communities, and others underrepresented in literature. We are especially grateful for ALP’s support towards Writing Back, which enabled Arvon to recruit two BSL interpreters for our first ever course tutored by and for D/deaf and disabled writers. One writer who participated in the course said, ‘As a disabled, neurodivergent writer it is hugely important for me to learn in safe spaces with other disabled people.’ The development of courses such as Writing Back lies at the heart of Arvon’s mission to provide a crucial space for the voices and creative expression of those who may otherwise go unheard, and the support of Amazon Literary Partnership is invaluable in helping us to deliver on this.”
Supporting diverse voices from a range of backgrounds, particularly those traditionally under-represented in the literary world, is a key aim of the Amazon Literary Partnership and we are proud to be working with, and supporting organisations who help us to champion writing, self-expression and stories that are more reflective of the world we live in now.
Another supported organisation in 2021 was the Literacy Pirates, which focuses on developing childrens’ reading and writing, while also working to increase their self esteem as learners, and their ability to keep on going when things get tough with their school work. All of this is carried out in the organisation’s fantastical setting of a Pirate Ship. The grant received from the Amazon Literary Partnership has enabled the Literacy Pirates to publish a book featuring a number of short stories and poems created by the children, titled Don’t Look Away, We Have Stories to Tell! The below video includes three of the Young Pirates, Yassin, Siri and Nanki discussing what the organisation means to them and a sneak peak of their work published in this book.
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The Amazon Literary Partnership is now inviting applications from non-profit literary organisations for grants to support their work in 2022. Details of how to submit an application and the criteria for entering can be found at the end of this article.
Supported groups
In 2021, the Amazon Literary Partnership awarded funding to these grant recipients:
Africa Writes
Arkbound
Artfulscribe
Arvon
Comma Press
Creative Future
English PEN
First Story
Harrogate International Festivals
Kernow Education
Literacy Pirates
Ministry of Stories
National Centre for Writing
New Writing North
Papatango Theatre Company
Poetry Translation Centre
Rathbones Folio Prize / Folio Academy
Scottish Book Trust
Serendipity
Society of Authors
Swanwick
The Royal Society of Literature
Writing East Midlands
Applications for the Amazon Literary Partnership 2022 grants
How do the grants work and how can I apply?
Amazon Literary Partnership provides grants to nonprofit literary organisations on an annual basis. Applications for 2022 grants are being accepted between 30th November 2021 and 31st January 2022. Grant recipients will be notified by 16th May 2022. Due to the volume of requests, we are unable to respond personally to each inquiry, nor can we provide guidance on applications.
Who is eligible?
Applicants must be a registered nonprofit organisation in the UK, whose core mission is to develop emerging writers, support diversity, celebrate storytelling, and/or build authors’ careers. Organisations should be structurally and financially sound; display energy, passion, and reach; have an online presence and an enthusiastic membership or readership.
What is the submission period?
30th November 2021 and 31st January 2022.
Apply for the Amazon Literary Partnership 2022 grants.
