A grant program of the Florida Keys Council of the Arts - $2,000 Award Each

A Poetry Collection Award & Short Story Collection or Memoir Award

The purpose of the awards is to enable a talented writer who is a fulltime or parttime resident of Monroe County to complete a Poetry Collection OR a Short Story Collection/or Memoir. Any KWWG Member may apply for and receive multiple awards in any one year.

Individuals winning an award triggers a three (3) year waiting period for ONLY the award received.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES – In separate files please upload below:
1. Submit (upload) no more than a one-page cover letter that includes a description of the project, the author’s goals for the work, and how he/she will go about creating it.

2. Submit (upload) your manuscript excerpt (10 - 20 pages). Manuscripts must be double-spaced and in 12-point type. The author’s name, phone, mailing address, and email address may NOT appear on the title page or on any page. No personal information should appear anywhere on the manuscript.

3. Submit (upload) proof of Monroe County residency such as a copy of a driver’s license or utility bill.

4. ELIGIBILITY: The applicant must be a current member of the Key West Writers Guild since July 1, 2025, and must have read from the manuscript at least three (3) times at a meeting and have attended at least five (5) meetings. The last reading must occur on the date specified below.

5. POETRY AWARD FOR 2026:Readings completed by Saturday, May 9, 2026. Application deadline is: Saturday, MAY 23, 2026 at midnight. The winner will be announced on June 13 at the Key West Writers Guild meeting.

6. SHORT STORY or MEMOIR AWARD FOR 2026: Readings completed by Saturday, June 13, 2026. Application deadline is: Saturday, JUNE 20, 2026 at midnight. The winner will be announced on July 11 at the Key West Writers Guild meeting.

The award will be distributed in two parts — $1,000 upon announcement of the winner, and $1,000 the following year after the author’s satisfactory status report to the Florida Keys Council of the Arts. This award must be appropriately acknowledged in the finished manuscript and all editions of the published book.

These Key West Writers Guild Awards are supported by the Riley Fisher Family Fund and are administered by the Florida Keys Council of the Arts.

All Applications must be submitted through the www.keysarts.com website using the form therein. Any questions may be directed to Elizabeth Young, Executive Director of the Florida Keys Council of the Arts at director@keysarts.com.