April 14, 2020
Below are several organizations that provide options to assist independent workers experiencing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19.
We want to remind you that if you are suffering financial hardship as a result of COVID-19, you can seek help from the Authors League Fund. The Fund was created by the Authors Guild’s predecessor organization, the Authors League of America, in 1917 to provide emergency assistance in the form of no-strings-attached loans, repayment of which isn’t required. You can find more information about the Fund and access the application here.
The Freelancers Union has also launched the Freelancers Relief Fund to assist independent workers experiencing financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The fund will provide grants of up to $1,000 for freelancers experiencing hardship. The fund is open to all freelancers in the U.S., with relief targeted toward helping freelancers pay for essential expenses including groceries, utility payments, and other household bills. In addition, freelance writers and artists may find useful information on resources on the COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resource website.
For playwrights, the Dramatists Guild has a list of local and national resources for obtaining emergency relief.
Practicing artists who are experiencing dire financial emergencies due to the pandemic may be eligible for a $5,000 grant from Artist Relief, a special initiative led by a coalition of arts organizations. The fund is intended for writers as well as visual and performance artists. Any lost income is cause to apply, but recipients must demonstrate a sustained commitment to their work, careers, and a public audience.
Through the Disability Visibility Book Circle, 15 writers will receive a one-time $1000 grant to help them organize their own public book promotion event via video conference
The Maurice Sendak Foundation (MSF) has partnered with the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) to launch an emergency relief grant program to support children’s picture book artists and writers impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The program will distribute unrestricted grants, up to $2,500 apiece, to artists who have experienced financial hardship from loss of income as a direct result of the crisis. The program is open to children’s picture book artists and writers over the age of 21 in the United States and territories.
Professional, U.S.-based writers offers grants of $500 to $1,000 to help with acute financial needs, including the impact of COVID-19. Learn more about the Writers’ Emergency Fund eligibility and application.
If you are already listed in the Poets & Writers Directory or have received a grant or award from the organization, you can apply for a grant of up to $1,000 from the Poets & Writers COVID-19 Relief Fund to help with difficulty meeting basic needs due to the pandemic.
The WNDB Emergency Fund for Diverse Creatives in Children’s Publishing has been established to help authors, illustrators, and publishing professionals in the children’s genre.
Funds for Writers offers a roundup of grant opportunities for writers, including those established for COVID-19 and general grant opportunities, with listings for many local grants available to specific cities or states.
