New York, NY (October 18, 2024)—The Community of Literary Magazines & Presses (CLMP) announced today a new regranting program that will directly support small presses impacted by the abrupt and devastating closure in March 2024 of Small Press Distribution (SPD), the country’s only nonprofit distributor of literary publishers that had been in operation for 55 years. Presses distributed by SPD at the time of its closure will be eligible to apply to the Small Press Future Fund for one-year grants of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 to implement projects that will help support them during this transition, as they recover inventory, secure new distribution and warehousing solutions, and implement internal systems and publicity/marketing strategies to strengthen their operations. All grant recipients will also receive a free one-year membership to CLMP, providing them with additional resources and support. Funding from the Mellon Foundation makes this program possible.
“We are immeasurably grateful to the Mellon Foundation for its support of this critical program for small presses as they recover from SPD’s abrupt closure” said CLMP Executive Director Mary Gannon. “While these presses have shown characteristic resiliency in the face of devastating disruption, it is imperative that they continue to receive support as they move forward to ensure their continued success. Protecting the long-term sustainability of this vulnerable yet vital segment of the publishing ecosystem is essential to ensuring a vibrant future for the literary arts in our country.”
Grants will be recommended by an independent panel and approved by a committee of the CLMP Board of Directors. Applications will be accepted from October 28 through December 2 at 5 p.m. ET. To learn more, visit www.clmp.org/small-press-future-fund.
About CLMP
CLMP ensures a vibrant, diverse literary landscape by helping mission-driven independent literary magazines and presses thrive. Since 1967, CLMP has provided publishers with funding and technical assistance; facilitated peer-to-peer learning and group action; served as a dependable, essential hub for best practices, resources, and nurturing community support; and connected publishers with other groups of literary stakeholders, including readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, educators, presenting organizations, and funders. Along with directly serving 1,000+ publishers located in every state in the country, CLMP administers the Lit Mag Adoption program, which provides educators and students with discounted magazine subscriptions; the $10,000 Constellation Award, given to honor an independent literary press that is led by and/or champions the writing of people of color for excellence in publishing; and the Firecracker Awards for Independently Published Literature, which celebrate magazines and books that make a significant contribution to our literary culture, among other programs.
About the Mellon Foundation
The Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Learn more at mellon.org.
