Great nonfiction isn’t built on passion alone. It demands long stretches of work—often unpaid—while authors sift through archives, conduct interviews, and piece together narratives that challenge and enlighten readers. A publisher’s advance isn’t always enough to help authors get their books to the finish line. The Whiting Foundation recognizes this struggle and steps in with a $40,000 grant to help authors finish what they’ve started.
Established in 2016, the Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant has supported groundbreaking books such as The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom and The Invisible Kingdom by Meghan O’Rourke. These aren’t just well-written books; they’re cultural touchstones that required extraordinary commitment and resources to complete.
Who’s Eligible?
The grant isn’t open to everyone—there’s a specific target: writers working on ambitious, nonfiction multiyear book projects with a publisher’s contract already in place. The publisher must be based in the United States, Canada, or the U.K. Self-published authors or those without a signed contract aren’t eligible. However, if you’re a self-published author considering a shift to traditional publishing, this grant is a compelling reason to take that leap.
The book can cover a number of topics, including biography, memoir, history, cultural reportage, personal essay, and science—as long as it’s written for a general adult audience. Academic texts or niche projects won’t make the cut, but a compelling, well-researched narrative with broad appeal might just win you a spot on the recipient list.
2025 Deadlines You Need to Know
- Application Deadline: April 23, 2025, by 11:59 PM ET
- Publisher Support Letter Deadline: April 30, 2025
- Grantee Announcement: December 2025
The application process requires not just your best pitch, but also a letter of support from your publisher—a critical piece that can take time to secure.
Why This Grant Matters—Especially When You Hit a Wall
Writing a book that breaks new ground isn’t just an intellectual challenge; it’s often a financial one. The research process can spiral into unexpected territory: new interview leads, surprise travel requirements, or the need for niche experts to verify crucial details. The grant’s purpose is to cover these kinds of costs.
Writers of color, who often face systemic barriers to accessing funding, are especially encouraged to apply. The Foundation understands the additional obstacles these authors may encounter and aims to be a major support in their journey through publication.
The Application
Writers must submit the materials listed below via the online application form by 11:59pm ET on Wednesday, April 23. The application form includes detailed instructions for each requested item.
- The original proposal that led to the contract with your publisher
- Up to 25,000 words from your draft. Please submit full-length draft chapters, rather than short excerpts from across your book, to the extent the word count allows
- A statement of work yet to be completed
- A plan for use of funds
- A signed and dated contract (please note that to be eligible, books must be under contract with a Canadian, UK, or US publisher – unfortunately, we can make no exceptions to this requirement)
- A current resume
- A list of grants, fellowships, or other funding received for the book
- A letter of support from your publisher or editor
If you’re unsure about the process, the Foundation offers virtual information sessions to guide applicants through the details:
- February 19, 2025, at 1 PM ET
- March 6, 2025, at 1 PM ET
If you’re knee-deep in research and worried about how you’ll afford the next phase of your journey, consider this grant. The story you’re working on might just be the next essential narrative we didn’t know we needed—until you wrote it.
For more details and application instructions, visit the Whiting Foundation’s official page.
