Writers Workshops Scholarships and Financial Aid

Financial Aid

A limited amount of financial aid is available each year for both of the Writers Workshops.

Much of the financial aid is granted in the form of tuition waivers and scholarships, which are funded by donations from our past participants, staff, and friends. All financial aid, including scholarships, is granted on the basis of merit + need. See below for more information on specific scholarships available.

Most financial aid awards are in the form of partial tuition waivers.


How do I apply for Financial Aid?

Requests for financial aid must be made during the online application process. On the financial aid section, please indicate the minimum amount of financial aid you would need in order to attend, and whether you can attend without it. Financial aid decisions are made after admission decisions. If an applicant is accepted, but we don’t have enough aid available, we will still issue an invitation in the hope that other means of support may be found by the applicant. Likewise, if an applicant has requested a certain amount of aid, but we can’t provide the full amount, we will grant what we can.

Scholarships

Each applicant for financial aid will be considered for all of our tuition waivers and general scholarships. However, a few scholarships are designated for talented writers and poets from specific populations.

To apply for financial aid, you do not have to apply for a specific scholarship. Simply indicate your need on the Writers Workshops application form.

Writers Workshops Page   

Scholarships for the Writers Workshops for Specific Populations

Note: Please review the following to see if any of these scholarships apply to you. If you feel you qualify for one or more of these, please indicate that on your Financial Aid form, which is part of the online application. If you are not awarded that particular scholarship, you will still be considered for general financial aid and other scholarships. For new participants only.

Alan Cheuse Memorial Scholarship
Writer Alan Cheuse was a beloved staff member and board member of the Community of Writers. This scholarship has been established to help writers who are Creative Writing MFA Students at George Mason University, current or recently graduated (within the last three years), to attend the Writers Workshops. After GMU MFA status is established, qualification for the scholarship is based on financial need and the quality of work submitted. Donate

Alexander Cushing Memorial Scholarship for Locals
Alexander Cushing was the founder of the Olympic Valley Ski resort. In the early years, he allowed the Community of Writers to use his seasonally empty ski lodge for the conference. This scholarship has been established to help creative writers living within a 50-mile radius of Olympic Valley to attend the Writers Workshops. After residency, qualification for the scholarship is based on financial need and the quality of work submitted.

The Ancinas Scholarship
This scholarship is funded by the Ancinas Family, longtime board members and supporters of the Community of Writers, and residents of the Valley. This scholarship is awarded to a writer or writers of Latino/Latina/Latinx and/or Hispanic heritage who request financial aid.

The DREAMer Scholarship 
Funded by donations from alumni, staff, and friends of the Community of Writers, this scholarship is established to provide undocumented participants an opportunity to attend summer workshops. For new participants only.
Please refer to scholarship requirements: The DREAMer Scholarship. Donate

The James D. Houston Memorial Scholarship
Funded by donations from alumni, staff, and friends of the Community of Writers, this scholarship is awarded to a writer or writers of Asian heritage (of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands) to honor his memory. James D. Houston was a celebrated author and a longtime staff member at the Community of Writers. Along with his wife, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston he wrote the seminal Farewell to Manzanar. Donate

The Kimbilio Scholarships
This scholarship is awarded to alums of the Kimbilio Fiction Workshop. Please refer to specific scholarship requirements. Donate

The Lambda Literary Scholarship
The Community of Writers is delighted to announce one scholarship for a Lambda Literary fellow who needs financial assistance  to attend the Community of Writers this summer in Fiction, Nonfiction or Memoir. Participation will be confirmed with Lambda. Please refer to specific scholarship requirements. Donate

The Erica Ellner Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is provided to honor the memory of Erica Ellner. This scholarship covers tuition and private housing, and is awarded to an African American writer.

The George Pascoe Miller Memorial Scholarship: This scholarship is reserved for a writer who has not previously attended who lives within 20 miles of Sacramento. 

The Maat Scholarships
Funded by donations from alumni, staff, and friends of the Community of Writers, this scholarship is awarded to writers of color. Donate

The Macondo Scholarships
This scholarship is awarded to alums of the Macondo Writers Workshop. Please refer to specific scholarship requirements. Donate

PEN “Emerging Voices” Scholarship
The Community of Writers is delighted to announce two scholarships for participants in the PEN “Emerging Voices” program to attend the Community of Writers this summer in Fiction, Nonfiction, and Memoir. Please refer to scholarship requirements. Donate

The Veteran’s Scholarship
This scholarship is reserved for a writer who has not attended previously, who has served in the armed forces, and who would not be able to attend without financial assistance.
Donate

Below are other Writers Workshops merit + need based scholarships which may be awarded in 2024. These are granted at the discretion of our directors. Please do not apply for these scholarships. We thank our friends and donors who make these scholarships possible.

The Gill Dennis Memorial Scholarship
Ruth Nyswander Del Duca Scholarship
The Isobel English Scholarship
The Getty Foundation Scholarship
The Blair Fuller Memorial Scholarship
The Oakley Hall Memorial Scholarship
The Burnett Miller Scholarship
The Carlisle Family Scholarships
The Christina Meldrum Memorial Scholarship
The O’Dwyer Scholarships
The Paul Radin Memorial Scholarship
The Robert Stone Memorial Scholarship
The Springcreek Foundation Scholarship
The Austin Tracey Memorial Scholarship
The Lojo Foundation Scholarship
The Harold F. Weaver Memorial Scholarship
The John Zobel Memorial Scholarship

…and others to be determined. Find our more information about specific scholarships that you can support with your donation.

These are granted at the discretion of our directors. Please do not apply for these scholarships. 

Fiction Workshops Page   Nonfiction & Memoir Page