Form 3135-0112 Creative Writing Fellowships Guidelines

02/05/21 Literature Fellowships: Creative Writing, FY 2008/2009 18

These guidelines replace the FY 2006/2007 Literature Fellowships guidelines for Creative Writing.

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

CFDA No. 45.024 OMB No. 3135-0112 Expires 11/30/2007

Application Calendar

Application

Postmark (or Other Earliest Announce- Earliest Beginning Date

Proof of Mailing) ment of Grant for Arts Endowment

Category Deadline Award or Rejection Period of Support

Creative Writing Fellowships:

Fiction and

Creative Nonfiction (FY 2008) March 1, 2007 December 2007 January 1, 2008

Poetry (FY 2009) March 3, 2008 December 2008 January 1, 2009

The Arts Endowment encourages individuals to submit their applications electronically through Grants.gov, the federal government’s online application system. See "Apply Electronically Through Grants.gov" for further information.

Before you apply through Grants.gov for the first time, you must be registered. Registration with Grants.gov:

• Is a multi-step process.

• Takes time; allow a few days.

• Must be completed before you can submit your application.

Late, ineligible, and incomplete applications will be rejected. We strongly recommend that you send material "return receipt requested." Without proof of mailing from the delivery service, the Arts Endowment will not accept applications that are delayed or lost in the mail.

In the event of a major emergency that affects a large number of applicants for an extended period of time (e.g., a multi-state power outage or a natural disaster such as a hurricane), the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts may decide to adjust application deadlines for applicants in the affected area. If this occurs, the Arts Endowment will post an announcement on its Web site.

The Arts Endowment will not accept any application material by FAX or e-mail unless such submission is requested by Arts Endowment staff.

Please do not seek information on the status of your application before the announcement date that is listed above.

If you have questions:

Call: 202/682-5034

202/682-5496 Voice/T.T.Y. (Text-Telephone, a device for individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing)

Individuals who do not use conventional print may access these guidelines on the Web site or contact the Arts Endowment's Office for AccessAbility at 202/682-5532 for help in acquiring an audio recording of these guidelines.

Write: Literature Fellowships: Creative Writing

National Endowment for the Arts

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20506-0001

The National Endowment for the Arts continues to experience lengthy delays in the delivery of First-Class and Priority mail. In addition, contents are subject to an irradiation process that may damage material. See "How to Prepare and Submit an Application" for further information.

January 2007

From the Chairman

The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Because a great nation deserves great art, the NEA is committed to supporting the arts in communities -- large and small, urban and rural, including military bases -- throughout the country.

Through Literature's Creative Writing Fellowships, the Arts Endowment makes a direct investment in American creativity. The goal of the program is to encourage the production of new literary work and allow writers the time and means to write.

To accomplish this goal more effectively, in FY 2008 the Arts Endowment will increase the amount of each Creative Writing Fellowship to $25,000. By supporting writers at critical stages of their careers, the National Endowment for the Arts ensures that American readers have access to a diversity of voices who will define the contours of the American experience during the 21st century.

Through its commitment to outstanding programs such as Literature Fellowships, the Arts Endowment continues its legacy of supporting excellence in the arts for all Americans.

Dana Gioia

Chairman

The National Endowment for the Arts

The National Endowment for the Arts is the largest annual funder of the arts in the United States. An independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Arts is the official arts organization of the United States government.

The National Endowment for the Arts awards more than $100 million annually, investing in every state. For every discretionary dollar that the Arts Endowment grants, at least seven dollars are generated from other sources. Over the last 40 years, the Arts Endowment has played a transformative and sustaining role in the development of regional theater, opera, dance, orchestras, museums, and other arts -- both contemporary and traditional -- that Americans now enjoy.

Mission

The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education.

Grant Program Description

Fellowships in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) or poetry are available to exceptionally talented, published creative writers. Fellowships enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement.

This program operates on a two-year cycle with fellowships in prose available in FY 2008 and fellowships in poetry available in FY 2009. Individuals may apply only once each year.

Competition for fellowships is extremely rigorous. Potential applicants should consider carefully whether their work will be competitive at the national level.

We Do Not Fund

• Individuals who previously have received two or more Creative Writing or Translation Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts.

• Individuals who have received any Creative Writing or Translation Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts within the ten years prior to the application deadline.

• News reporting.

• Scholarly writing. (Writers who are engaged in scholarly work should contact the National Endowment for the Humanities.)

• Vanity publication or self-publication.

• Work toward academic degrees.

Deadline and Announcement Dates

The Arts Endowment encourages individuals to submit their applications electronically through Grants.gov, the federal government’s online application system. See "Apply Electronically Through Grants.gov" for further information.

For FY 2008/Fiction & Creative Nonfiction

Applications will be accepted between January 2, 2007, and March 1, 2007. Do not send applications before January 2, 2007. Complete application packages must be postmarked (or show other proof of mailing) no later than March 1, 2007. Do not expect notification of awards and rejections before late December 2007. The Arts Endowment’s support of a fellowship may begin any time between January 1, 2008, and January 1, 2009, and extend for up to two years.

For FY 2009/Poetry

Applications will be accepted between January 2, 2008, and March 3, 2008. Do not send applications before January 2, 2008. Complete application packages must be postmarked (or show other proof of mailing) no later than March 3, 2008. Do not expect notification of awards and rejections before late December 2008. The Arts Endowment’s support of a fellowship may begin any time between January 1, 2009, and January 1, 2010, and extend for up to two years.

Award Information

Grant Amount

Fellowships for Creative Writers are for $25,000.

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. See "How to Prepare and Submit an Application" for the documentation that is required to demonstrate eligibility. Ineligible applications will be rejected.

An individual may submit only one application per year. Multiple applications will be rejected. You may not apply for a Creative Writing Fellowship and a Translation Project in the same year. (See Translation Projects for more information.)

You are not eligible to apply if you have received two or more Creative Writing or Translation Fellowships (in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, belles-lettres, or for translation) from the National Endowment for the Arts. In addition, you may not apply in Prose if you have received any Arts Endowment Creative Writing or Translation Fellowship since October 1, 1998 (FY 1999). You may not apply in Poetry if you have received any Arts Endowment Creative Writing or Translation Fellowship since October 1, 1999 (FY 2000).

Former grantees must have submitted acceptable Final Report packages by the due date(s) for all Arts Endowment award(s) previously received.

You are eligible to apply in Fiction if, between January 1, 2000, and March 1, 2007, you have had published:

• At least five different short stories, works of short fiction, or excerpts from novels in two or more literary journals, anthologies, or publications which regularly include fiction as a portion of their format; or

• A volume of short fiction or a collection of short stories; or

• A novel or novella.

You are eligible to apply in Creative Nonfiction if, between January 1, 2000, and March 1, 2007, you have had published:

• At least five different creative essays (such as personal essays, memoirs, etc.) in two or more literary journals, anthologies, or publications; or

• A volume of creative nonfiction.

You are eligible to apply in Poetry if, between January 1, 2001, and March 3, 2008, you have had published:

• A volume of 48 or more pages of poetry; or

• Twenty or more different poems or pages of poetry in five or more literary journals, anthologies, or publications which regularly include poetry as a portion of their format. Up to 16 poems may be in a single volume of poetry of fewer than 48 pages. This volume, however, may count as only one of the required five places of publication.

Applicants may use online publications to establish up to fifty percent of their eligibility, provided that such publications have competitive selection processes and stated editorial policies.

You must apply in a specific literary form (i.e., fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry). You must establish your eligibility in the form in which you apply. No exceptions will be made to the eligibility requirements. The following may not be used to establish eligibility:

• Self-publication including work that has appeared in a publication for which you are the editor, publisher, or staff.

• Collaborative work.

• Scholarly writing.

• Instructional writing.

• Journalism.

• Book reviews.

• Editorials/letters to the editor.

• Interviews.

• Student publications and publications which primarily print work by persons who are affiliated with a particular academic institution.

• Vanity press publication. For the purposes of this category, a vanity press is defined as one that does any of the following: requires individual writers to pay for part or all of the publication costs; asks writers to buy or sell copies of the publication; publishes the work of anyone who subscribes to the publication or joins the organization through membership fees; publishes the work of anyone who buys an advertisement in the publication; or publishes work without competitive selection.

How to Prepare and Submit an Application

NOTE: THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOR INDIVIDUALS APPLYING UNDER THE MARCH 1, 2007, DEADLINE ONLY (FOR FY 2008 FELLOWSHIPS IN PROSE). INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE MARCH 2008 DEADLINE (FOR FY 2009 FELLOWSHIPS IN POETRY) WILL BE AVAILABLE IN JANUARY 2008.

These application guidelines provide all of the information that you need to submit an application.

The Arts Endowment encourages individuals to submit their applications electronically through Grants.gov, the federal government’s online application system. See "Apply Electronically Through Grants.gov" for further information.

Before you apply through Grants.gov for the first time, you must be registered. Registration with Grants.gov:

• Is a multi-step process.

• Takes time; allow a few days.

• Must be completed before you can submit your application.

Step-by-step instructions for registering are available at Individual Registration. As part of the registration process, you will be asked to provide the Funding Opportunity Number that you intend to apply under on Grants.gov. Enter 2007NEA03LFCW.

If you have problems registering, call the Grants.gov help desk at 1-800-518-4726, e-mail [email protected], or consult the information posted on the Grants.gov Web site at Applicant Help. Please be aware, however, that the Grants.Gov Customer Service hours are 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday to Friday.

If you do not submit your application through Grants.gov, follow the information below.

For your application to be considered complete, all items (including the required number of copies) must be included in your application package, which must be postmarked (or show other proof of mailing) no later than March 1, 2007. Applications that are determined to be incomplete will be rejected. Use the Application Checklist to make sure that you include all required material in your package. You do not need to include the checklist in your application package.

Please follow carefully the instructions below. It is each applicant’s responsibility to make certain that his or her application package is complete and accurate. We are unable to contact you in case of omissions or inconsistencies in your submission.

Please submit material in the order and format that is noted below. Keep copies of everything that you send.

1. Application Acknowledgment

You will be sent an e-mail that acknowledges the receipt of your application and provides your application number. To make sure you receive this acknowledgment e-mail from the Arts Endowment, please have [email protected] added to your approved list of senders. As the Arts Endowment transitions to application acknowledgment via e-mail, you also may include a self-addressed postcard with your application. The Arts Endowment will complete the postcard with your application number, apply postage, and return it to you to acknowledge receipt of your application.

2. Application Form

The Literature Fellowship Application form contains two parts: Basic Information and Supplemental Information. Complete both sections. Submit the original (i.e., a set with an original signature) and two copies. Instructions for those items that require explanation are on the form or in the "Completing the Application Forms" section. You must use the application form that is provided with these instructions; previous versions will not be accepted.

3. One copy of a Summary of Publications to establish your eligibility (two-page maximum). List the specific published works that establish your eligibility (see Eligibility for details). Use the bullets below as column headings for your list. For each publication note:

• Title.

• Publisher (including name of magazine or press with address and phone number).

• Publication date (month and year).

• ISBN number.

• Number of pages of your material.

Example:

Title	Publisher	Publication Date/ ISBN # / # of pages
A Walk in the City	University Press 1234 Main St. Springfield, IL 123-456-7891	12/2004, ISBN 0000000000, 200 pages

The Arts Endowment may contact you to verify the accuracy of the information that you provide. Therefore, you must maintain on file, and be able to provide to the Arts Endowment upon request, proof of your eligibility. For each publication listed, maintain on file one clearly reproduced copy of each of the following:

a. The title page or cover with your name and the title of the work.

b. The copyright page with the publisher's information, publication date, and ISBN number.

Where applicable, highlight your name as it appears on any of the above.

NOTE: When you sign the Certification box (Item 7) on the application form, you are certifying that all parts of your application, including your summary of the publications that establish your eligibility, are true and correct to the best of your knowledge.

4. Manuscript Material

Your application package must include clearly reproduced copies of one of the following manuscript samples of work that you have written between January 1, 2000, and March 1, 2007, and for which you have sole artistic responsibility:

Fiction & Creative Nonfiction:

• Nine sets of a minimum of 20 to a maximum of 30 typescript, double-spaced, and stapled pages of:
– Short fiction, or
– Short stories, or
– Creative nonfiction; or
– An excerpt from a novel.

Please indicate clearly at the top of the first page of each manuscript sample the literary form of your submission (i.e., fiction or creative nonfiction). Your submission must be in the literary form in which you establish your eligibility. Indicate whether the submission is complete in itself or an excerpt from a longer work (e.g., excerpt from a novel or short story). Titles of stories or novels should appear at the top of every page.

In addition, include in your application package:

• One copy of an unnumbered cover page which lists your legal name and address and the title(s) of the work(s) that are submitted. Your name, initials, address, or other identifying marks must not appear on any other page of the manuscript material that is submitted.

For the manuscript material, you may submit published work, unpublished work, or work in progress. Do not indicate whether or not the material has been published.

Manuscript material must be legible, clearly reproduced, stapled, and properly collated.

"Typescript" means material that has been produced by a typewriter or a "letter quality" printer. Clear photocopies of this typescript material are acceptable, but do not send onionskin copies. Photocopies from books or magazines (and handwritten material) will not be accepted. All paper should be 8-1/2" x 11"; do not use legal-sized paper. Use a 12-point or larger font. Write the page number in the upper right corner of each page; staple each copy. Do not submit manuscripts in folders or binders. Do not crowd pages. Do not submit more than the maximum number of pages that are allowed; excess pages will be removed.

Copies of manuscripts cannot be returned. Be sure to keep a copy of what you send.

Complete application packages must be postmarked (or show other proof of mailing) no later than March 1, 2007.

Late and incomplete applications will be rejected. We strongly recommend that you send material "return receipt requested." Without proof of mailing from the delivery service, the Arts Endowment will not accept applications that are delayed or lost in delivery.

Label your application package as shown below and send it to:

Application Processing

Room 815

(Creative Writing Fellowships)

National Endowment for the Arts

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20506-0001

Be sure to include a complete return address on your package. If the delivery service that you use requires a telephone number for the recipient on the label, use 202/682-5760.

The National Endowment for the Arts continues to experience lengthy delays in the delivery of First-Class mail. In addition, some or all of the First-Class and Priority mail we receive may be put through an irradiation process. Support material put through this process has been severely damaged. Until normal mail service resumes, please consider using a commercial delivery service, particularly if you are sending time-sensitive material.

Completing the Application Forms

The following instructions are for the Literature Fellowship Application forms:

• Basic Information

• Supplemental Information

Basic Information

The following items on the form may require clarification.

1. Name: Provide your legal name. If you use a pen name, do not list it here; you will be asked to provide it later. All transactions with the Arts Endowment must be made using your legal name.

2. Congressional District: Provide the number of the Congressional District that corresponds to the permanent address that you provide below. For example, if you are in the 5^th Congressional District of California, enter a "5." If you do not have a Congressional District (e.g., you live in a U.S. territory that doesn’t have districts or you reside in a foreign country), enter "0." If you need help determining your district, please visit the House of Representatives Web site at www.house.gov/ and use the "Find Your Representative" tool.

3. Address: Correspondence concerning the application process will be sent to your "Present Address." Notice of fellowship award or rejection will be sent to your "Permanent Address." Addresses must be valid through the announcement date for your category. You must notify us of any change in either address. If you do not know your 9-digit ZIP Code (also know as "ZIP + 4 Code") you may look it up at http://www.usps.com/zip4/.

4. Period of Support: A Prose fellowship must be scheduled to begin between January 1, 2008, and January 1, 2009, and may extend up to two years. A Poetry fellowship must be scheduled to begin between January 1, 2009, and January 1, 2010, and may extend up to two years.

6. Description of Fellowship Activity: Briefly describe how you see your work being advanced by this fellowship; this may include writing, research, travel, etc. Complete in the space that is provided. Do not continue on additional pages.

7. Certification: Provide contact information that will be valid through the announcement date for your category. You must notify us of any changes.

Supplemental Information

The following item on the form may require clarification.

3. Category Under Which Support is Requested: Choose Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, or Poetry.

Important Information About Fellowships for Creative Writers

The following are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about Fellowships for Creative Writers.

1. In order to apply, you must meet the eligibility requirements by the deadline date. Commitments for future publication or production do not fulfill the requirements. No exceptions are made to the eligibility requirements.

2. You are not eligible to apply if you have received two or more Creative Writing or Translation Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts at any time in the past. In addition, you may not apply for a FY 2008 fellowship in Prose if you have received any Arts Endowment Creative Writing or Translation Fellowship since October 1, 1998 (FY 1999). You may not apply for a FY 2009 fellowship in Poetry if you have received any Arts Endowment Creative Writing or Translation Fellowship since October 1, 1999 (FY 2000).

3. Only one application is eligible per year. You may not apply for a Creative Writing Fellowship and a Translation Project in the same year.

4. The manuscript submission must be in the literary form in which you establish your eligibility (i.e., fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry). If you receive a fellowship, however, you will not be limited to writing in that form.

5. You may submit published work, unpublished work, or work in progress; all manuscript submissions, however, must be in typescript or clear photocopies of typescript. Photocopies from books or magazines will not be considered.

6. Manuscripts in languages other than English must be accompanied by nine copies of an English translation. The translation need not be done by the applicant. The application form must be submitted in English.

7. Absolutely no changes or additions in the manuscript will be accepted once your application has been submitted.

8. Your work will be evaluated up to the maximum number of pages allowed. Excess pages will be removed.

9. Fiction and creative nonfiction applications are reviewed by an advisory panel primarily composed of prose writers, representing both fiction and creative nonfiction. Poetry applications are reviewed by an advisory panel primarily composed of poets.

10. Manuscripts are judged anonymously by the advisory panel. If your name, initials, or identifying marks other than the title appear anywhere other than the cover page, your application will be rejected.

11. The manuscript should be representative of your best recent work, published or unpublished. It must be work for which you have sole artistic responsibility. The artistic excellence and artistic merit of the work contained therein are the criteria on which your application will be judged. Choose your manuscript sample carefully.

12. Financial and other kinds of need, the body of past work, geographic location of the applicant, academic career, professional reputation, etc., are not criteria for receipt of a fellowship.

13. We cannot accept collaborative works or joint applications. Fellowships are individual grants.

14. The Internal Revenue Code provides that the full amount of a fellowship grant is taxable to its recipient. If you have any questions about your own income tax liability, you should contact the Internal Revenue Service or your tax counsel.

Please read these guidelines thoroughly before you start to prepare your application package. Failure to follow the guideline instructions or to submit a complete application will mean that your application will be rejected. We are unable to contact you in case of omissions or inconsistencies in your submission.

If you have questions about your application, please contact the Literature staff at 202/682-5034.

APPLICATION FORMS

Instructions for Using Fill-in PDF Application Forms

The application forms are in fill-in PDF format. To access a PDF file, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader, Acrobat Approval, or the full Acrobat Standard or Professional program. The Acrobat Reader software is free and is available at Adobe's Web site at www.adobe.com. Acrobat Approval is no longer available, but existing versions will work. CAUTION: Please note that the free Adobe Acrobat Reader does not allow you to save your completed forms. You can save your completed forms if you use Acrobat Approval or the full Acrobat Standard or Professional programs.

If you are using the free Acrobat Reader: Before you start to fill out a form, please make sure that you have all the correct, final information available. You may wish to print the forms first, fill them out by hand, and ensure their accuracy before filling in the final forms on your computer. As Adobe Acrobat Reader does not allow you to save the form once it is filled out, you will be unable to go back and retrieve or edit your information once you close the window containing the forms. You must print out the forms before you close the window or you will lose the information that you have entered. With multi-page documents, you may want to proofread and print each page as you complete it.

If you are using Acrobat Approval or the full Acrobat Standard or Professional programs: You can save, close, and reopen a form as you would a conventional word processing document.

Please note that currently there is no computer-generated computation, validation, or verification of the information that you enter. Form fields simply allow you to type in information; you must ensure it is correct.

To complete the forms:

1. If your cursor is not already in the shape of a "hand," select the "hand" tool from the Acrobat toolbar menu. This will allow you to move the page around to see each portion.

2. Move the "hand" pointer over a form box on the document. The "hand" should turn into an "I-beam." The "I-beam" signifies a "fill-in" section of the form. Click inside the box. You can now type into the box. When the pointer hovers over a check box, button, or item list, it will turn into a hand with one finger pointing. This means you can select the item.

3. Fill out the form by typing text into the appropriate areas and by checking boxes where needed. (Boxes can be checked either by clicking on the box with your mouse or by tabbing into the box and hitting the "enter" key.)

4. To move from field to field, use the Tab key. Shift + Tab will move you to the previous field.

5. Print the form using the "print" icon in the Acrobat toolbar menu, not the print icon or command in your Web browser. If you print using your Web browser's print command instead of the Acrobat command, the contents of the fields might not print properly.

6. Check the printed forms very carefully for any errors, fields that did not print, or omissions. You may go back and make changes to any of the fields in your open document and then reprint it.

This is 12-point type; use type at least this large when completing this form.

1. Legal Name: Mr. Ms.

First:

     

Middle Initial:

 

Last:

     

2. Congressional District:

     

3. Permanent Address:      

Present Address (if different):      

ZIP Code (9-digit number):

     

ZIP Code (9-digit number):

     

Is this your first application to the Arts Endowment? No Yes

If no, please check here if your name or permanent address has changed since your last application:

4. Period of Support (e.g., MM/DD/YY to MM/DD/YY):

   /    /   

to:

   /    /   

5. U.S. Citizenship:

Yes

No

If Permanent Resident, Alien Registration #:

     

6. Description of Fellowship Activity: Complete in the space that is provided. Do not continue on additional pages.      

7. Certification I certify that the information contained in this application, including all attachments and supporting material, is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I also certify that I am in compliance with the federal requirements specified under "Assurance of Compliance."

Signature (must agree with legal name in #1):

Date:

   /    /     

Day Telephone:

(     )      

ext.

     

Evening Telephone:

(     )      

E-mail:

     

Fax:

(     )      

This is 12-point type; use type at least this large when completing this form.

Applicant (legal name):

     

1. If applicable, Pen Name: Mr. Ms.

First:

     

Last:

     

2. Birth Date:

   /    /     

3. Category under which support is requested:

Translation Projects (7521112) (check one):

Prose

Poetry

Drama

The project is a (check if applicable):

Collaboration

Retranslation

Specify language:

     

Fellowships for Creative Writers (7521111) (check one): This category operates on a two-year cycle with fellowships in fiction and creative nonfiction available one year and fellowships in poetry available the next; check the guidelines to verify the cycle.

Fiction

Creative Nonfiction

Poetry

4. Education:

Name of institution

Major area of study

Inclusive dates

Degree

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

5. Present Employment

Employer:

     

Position/Occupation:

     

6. Fellowships, grants, and awards previously received (list any previous Arts Endowment grants first):

Name

Area of study

Inclusive dates

Amount, if applicable

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

Application Review

Review Criteria

In reviewing applications for Creative Writing Fellowships, advisory panelists consider solely the artistic excellence and artistic merit of the work that is submitted. The identity of the applicant is not known to the panelists.

What Happens to Your Application

Applications are evaluated according to the review criteria as set forth in these guidelines.

After processing by Arts Endowment staff, applications are reviewed, in closed session, by advisory panelists in the literature field. Each literature panel comprises a diverse group of arts experts and at least one knowledgeable layperson. Panel membership rotates regularly. Panel recommendations are forwarded to the National Council on the Arts, which then makes recommendations to the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. The Chairman reviews the Council’s recommendations and makes the final decision on all grant awards. Applicants are then notified of funding decisions.

Applicants are welcome to attend meetings of the National Council on the Arts and open policy sessions of advisory panel meetings.

Award Administration

Award Notices

Grant decisions for the Literature Fellowships: Creative Writing category are expected to be announced in December 2007 for Prose and December 2008 for Poetry. Note that "announcement" will take the form of a letter.

General Terms & Conditions

Federal and agency requirements that relate to grants awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts are highlighted in our General Terms & Conditions. Included is information on reporting requirements and lobbying prohibitions.

Assurance of Compliance

By signing the application form, the Applicant certifies that he or she is in compliance with the statutes outlined below and all related Arts Endowment regulations and will maintain records and submit the reports that are necessary to determine compliance.

1. Nondiscrimination Statutes

The Applicant certifies that he or she does not discriminate:

• On the grounds of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency), in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.).

• On the grounds of disability, in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA") (42 U.S.C. 12101-12213). The ADA’s requirements apply regardless of whether you receive federal funds.

• On the basis of age, in accordance with the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.).

• On the basis of sex, in any education program or activity, in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.).

For further information and copies of the nondiscrimination regulations identified above, contact the Arts Endowment’s Office of Civil Rights at 202/682-5454 or 202/682-5695 Voice/T.T.Y. For inquiries about limited English proficiency, go to http://www.lep.gov or contact the Office of General Counsel at [email protected] or 202/682-5418.

2. Regulations relating to Debarment and Suspension (45 C.F.R. pt. 1154) in which the Applicant certifies that he or she is not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in covered transactions by any federal department or agency, nor has, within the three years preceding the submission of this application, been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against him or her for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with a public (federal, state, or local) transaction or a contract under a public transaction; for violation of federal or state antitrust statutes; for commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property; had any public transactions terminated for cause or default; or is presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity with any of the preceding offenses.

3. Federal Debt Status (OMB Circular A-129). The applicant certifies that he or she is not delinquent in the repayment of any federal debt, or if he or she is, provides explanatory information. Examples of relevant debt include student loans, delinquent payroll or other taxes, audit disallowances, and benefit overpayments.

4. Labor Standards (29 C.F.R. pt. 505). The applicant certifies that, if awarded a grant, he or she will comply with the labor standards set out in Labor Standards on Projects or Productions Assisted by Grants from the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities.

5. The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (41 U.S.C. 701 et seq. and 45 C.F.R. pt. 1154)

The Applicant certifies that:

(a) If awarded a grant, he or she will not engage in the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance in conducting any grant activity. (For the purposes of this Act, alcohol is not considered a controlled substance.)

(b) If convicted of a criminal drug offense that is the result of a violation occurring during the conduct of any grant activity, he or she will report the conviction to the Arts Endowment’s Grants & Contracts Officer, in writing, within ten calendar days of the conviction. This notice must include the grant number of each affected grant.

Agency Contacts

If you have questions about your application, please contact the Literature staff at 202/682-5034.

Other Information

Translation Projects

Through fellowships to exceptionally talented, published translators, the Arts Endowment supports projects that involve the specific translation of prose, poetry, or drama from other languages into English. Non-matching grants are for $10,000 or $20,000, depending upon the artistic excellence and merit of the project. This category accepts applications for prose, poetry, and drama every year.

Standards for Service

The Arts Endowment has set the following standards for serving applicants. We pledge to:

• Treat you with courtesy and efficiency.

• Respond to inquiries and correspondence promptly.

• Provide clear and accurate information about our policies and procedures.

• Provide timely information about funding opportunities and make guidelines available promptly.

• Promptly acknowledge the receipt of your application.

• Ensure that all eligible applications are reviewed thoughtfully and fairly.

We welcome your comments on how we’re meeting these standards. Please address them to: Office of Guidelines & Panel Operations; Room 710; National Endowment for the Arts; 1100 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; Washington, DC 20506-0001; e-mail: [email protected], attention: Standards for Service.

For questions about these guidelines or your application, contact the Literature staff at 202/682-5034.

Reporting Burden

The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated at an average of 12 hours per response including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The Arts Endowment welcomes any suggestions that you might have on improving the guidelines and making them as easy to use as possible. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Office of Guidelines & Panel Operations, Room 710, National Endowment for the Arts, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20506-0001. Note: Applicants are not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.