The Poetry Foundation
Chicago, Illinois · EIN 362490808 · Private foundation
Based in Chicago, Illinois, The Poetry Foundation has awarded $17.2M across 1,555 grants in our index of public IRS filings, with giving recorded as recently as 2024. Its largest grant on record went to Mid Atlantic Arts. This profile covers its focus areas, top grant recipients, year-by-year giving, and how a nonprofit should approach it.
What The Poetry Foundation funds
The Poetry Foundation's giving carries a documented focus on arts & culture, civil rights & social justice, higher education, libraries & literacy, youth development.
Populations it has supported include indigenous, youth pop.
Grant history
The largest grants Bespoke Grants has on record for The Poetry Foundation, by amount:
| Recipient | Location | Grant | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid Atlantic Arts GRANT FOR POETRY OUT LOUD | Baltimore, MD | $500K | 2024 |
| United States Artists Inc ARTIST RELIEF FUND CONTRIBUTION | Chicago, IL | $250K | 2020 |
| Illinois Arts Alliance Foundation ARTS FOR ILLINOIS RELIEF FUND SECOND CONTRIBUTION | Chicago, IL | $225K | 2020 |
| Weta PBS NEWSHOUR SPONSORSHIP | Arlington, VA | $200K | 2018 |
| Weta PBS Newshour Sponsorship | Arlington, VA | $200K | 2017 |
| American Public Media The Writer's Almanac Sponsorship | St Paul, MN | $122K | 2017 |
| Recitation Prizes - Detail Upon Req RECITATION PRIZES | Chicago, IL | $114K | 2024 |
| University of Nebraska 3 YEAR GRANT - AFRICAN POETRY BOOK DISTRIBUTION PROJECT | Lincoln, NE | $112K | 2022 |
| University of Nebraska Foundation SPECIAL PROJECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFRICAN POETRY BOOK FUND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA | Lincoln, NE | $110K | 2023 |
| University of Nebraska Foundation SPECIAL PROJECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES GRANT FOR AFRICAN POETRY BOOK FUND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA | Lincoln, NE | $106K | 2024 |
| Li-young Lee RUTH LILLY POETRY PRIZE | Chicago, IL | $100K | 2024 |
| Verse Video Education Inc General Support of Poetry Programs | Brookline, MA | $100K | 2019 |
| Joy Harjo-sapulpa Ruth Lilly Prize | Knoxville, TN | $100K | 2017 |
| Marilyn Rae Nelson Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize | East Haren, CT | $100K | 2019 |
| Rita Frances Dove RUTH LILLY PRIZE 2022 - RITA DOVE | Charlottesville, VA | $100K | 2022 |
The Poetry Foundation giving by year
Total grants Bespoke Grants has indexed for each filing year:
How to apply for funding from The Poetry Foundation
From The Poetry Foundation's IRS Form 990-PF, on how it handles applications:
Verify the current process on the foundation's own materials before sending anything. You can review the foundation directly at poetryfoundation.org.
Is The Poetry Foundation the right funder for your nonprofit?
This page shows what The Poetry Foundation has funded. Bespoke Grants tells you whether it fits your mission — and finds every other foundation that does. Free, no credit card.
Match my nonprofit to funders →Frequently asked questions about The Poetry Foundation
- Does The Poetry Foundation accept grant applications?
- Yes — The Poetry Foundation's IRS filing describes an application process. Confirm the current details directly with the foundation before applying.
- What does The Poetry Foundation fund?
- The Poetry Foundation's grants focus on arts & culture. Recent recipients include Mid Atlantic Arts, United States Artists Inc, Illinois Arts Alliance Foundation. Its full grant history is listed above.
- How much does The Poetry Foundation give in grants?
- The Poetry Foundation reported $1.3M in grants in its most recent IRS filing (FY2020). Across all years in our data it has awarded $17.2M over 1,555 grants.
- Where is The Poetry Foundation located?
- The Poetry Foundation is based in Chicago, Illinois. Its IRS employer identification number (EIN) is 362490808.
- How can I find foundations similar to The Poetry Foundation?
- Bespoke Grants matches your nonprofit against 225,000+ foundations like The Poetry Foundation, ranking each by how well it fits your mission, location, and budget — with the reasoning shown. It is free to search.
Find more funders like The Poetry Foundation
Foundations similar to The Poetry Foundation
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