Amazon has been running a little known program since 2009 and has given out over $13 million in grant money to literacy organizations. Over $120,000 in grants went to the Academy of American Poets and the Community of Literary Magazines and to establish a poetry fund and literary magazine fund this year.
“The Amazon Literary Partnership champions organizations that support writers, poets, translators, and diverse voices at every stage in their career,” Alexandra Woodworth, manager of the Amazon Literary Partnership, said in a statement. “Given the impact COVID-19 has had on the literary community, we are proud to continue to fund these remarkable organizations sustaining the literary culture in our communities now and for the future.”
This year’s grant recipients include new organizations like Deep Vellum Publishing, City of Asylum Pittsburgh, The Center for Africa, and LitNet as well as organizations that the Amazon Literary Partnership has supported over the years like Lambda Literary, National Writing Month, the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35, PEN America, and Poets & Writers.
“In times of danger and upheaval, writers help us make sense of what is happening, expand our capacity for empathy, and imagine the future. So we are especially grateful to have the renewed support of Amazon Literary Partnership this year,” said Elliot Figman, Executive Director, Poets & Writers. “The grant will help us continue United States of Writing, an initiative to deepen our support for writers nationwide. In a field that is woefully under-capitalized, Amazon’s support for the literary community is critical.”
