Money for poetry from the Mellon Foundation

A more recent gift finds Mellon bolstering the field of poetry, a cause near to Alexander’s heart. The foundation awarded $2.2 million to the Academy of American Poets, by far the largest donation Mellon has made in this space. The funds are divided into two grants. The first will start a new fellowship program to support poets laureate of states, cities, U.S. territories or tribal nations across the country. (Click here for more information and to apply; applications opened on January 15.) In April, the Academy of American Poets will bestow 10 to 20 fellowships that will range from $50,000 to $100,000 each.The fellowship will fund creative programs during the poets’ terms. “It recognizes their own brilliance as poets and their ability to bring forward into communities the value of poetry,” Alexander said.
The second grant will fund the Poetry Coalition, a national alliance of more than 20 poetry organizations, several of which are nonprofits. The funding will support the coalition’s work over the next four years and create a pilot fellowship program that will offer part-time, paid positions at select organizations.

Click to expand...