New York, NY (January 19, 2023)—The Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) has announced that it will award capacity-building grants to 42 independent nonprofit literary magazines and presses. The recipients will each receive two-year grants of $2,500–$25,000 per year, or $5,000–$50,000 total, to support capacity-building initiatives.
“Mission-driven independent literary publishers are the bedrock of the publishing ecosystem. Yet they are uniquely vulnerable–having to compete in the marketplace with commercial publishers, while also being part of one of the most underfunded fields in the arts,” said CLMP Executive Director Mary Gannon. “We’re honored to help ensure the sustainability of these essential publishers, with thanks to the Hawthornden Foundation.”
Through its Capacity-Building Grant Program, CLMP will support grantees’ projects in areas such as fundraising, finance, marketing, publicity, distribution, and website development; skill-building opportunities for staff or board members; diversity and equity initiatives; leadership development and management training; strategic planning; and succession planning. A grant from the Hawthornden Foundation, originally founded in 1983 by the late Drue Heinz, makes this program possible.
Grants were recommended by an independent panel composed of Patrick Davis, Publisher and Editor in Chief of Unbound Edition Press; Johanna Ingalls, Managing Editor and Director of Foreign Rights of Akashic Books; and Maria Maloney, Publisher and Editor in Chief of Mouthfeel Press. Final award decisions were approved by a committee of CLMP’s Board of Directors.
The 42 recipients of capacity-building grants from CLMP are:
Center for the Art of Translation / Two Lines Press
Furious Flower Poetry Center at James Madison University
Philippine American Writers and Artists (PAWA)
The Academy of American Poets will also be awarding capacity-building grants to fifty-three independent nonprofit literary organizations that present poetry or serve poets in their programming across the U.S. as part of a similar program. To learn more about the Academy’s grantees, visit poets.org/academy-awards-capacity-building-grants-fifty-three-organizations.
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 900+ publishers located in almost every state in the country, CLMP administers the Lit Mag Adoption program, which provides educators and students with discounted magazine subscriptions; the annual Indie Lit Fair, in partnership with the PEN World Voices Festival; 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.
