Microgrants & Bursaries

Honorarium funding for events

With the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Toronto Arts Council, the League provides honorarium payments directly to poets for their participation in poetry events all across Canada.

Please note that the League receives far more applications than our programs can support; poets should wait to hear the status of their application prior to booking travel, confirming for an event, or purchasing books for which they are relying on funding.

Please read all eligibility guidelines carefully before completing an application for funding.

Organizers and venues

All applications for event funding must be connected to a host from our database, and in-person events must be connected with a venue in our database.

Accessibility note: We are seeking to improve database information on the accessibility of physical event spaces. If you have feedback or information on venue accessibility, please email [email protected]. You can find all venues that have specified their accessibility measures here.

View our organizer database

View our venue database

Add to our venue and organizer database

Poetry readings

Various applications windows; see full details by expanding the items below.

Honoraria and travel reimbursement for poets, paid directly to the poet following the event.

With the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Toronto Arts Council, the League provides hundreds of poets each year with honorarium payments and travel reimbursement for poetry readings.

National Poetry Month events

Applications for funding for National Poetry Month events open January 15 each year, and are open until approximately February 15
National Poetry Month events may take place anywhere in Canada, online or in person
Funding for National Poetry Month events is available for members and non-members
No travel reimbursement is available for NPM events
Honoraria for NPM events are $125, paid directly to the poet following the event

Application form: https://airtable.com/appO6bDTPQb7GYdXF/shrVzqodCIgMR09NS

Funding for non-members and associate members

Digital and in-person event funding for full members

For events taking place in April, May, June, July, and August, and September, applications open January 15 annually and are open until approximately February 15
For events taking place in October, November, December, January, February, and March, applications open July 1 annually and are open until approximately August 1
A maximum of $300 travel reimbursement is available per funded event, payable directly to the poet. Mileage reimbursement will be calculated from the poet’s address to the address of the venue, and reimbursed at $0.60/km. Travel reimbursement may support travel such as flying, bus or train travel, ferries, driving, and public transit, as well as rideshares (eg. Uber, Lyft) or carshares (eg. Communauto, Zipcar) for accessibility purposes.
No meal or accommodation reimbursement is available
Honorarium rates are as follows:
- Solo feature: $250
- Group event with reading longer than 15 minutes: $250
- Group event with reading up to 15 minutes: $125

Application form: https://airtable.com/appO6bDTPQb7GYdXF/pagxgHRewYxR3YY57/form

Funding limits and FAQ

Please read this section carefully to understand host and poet funding limits. Note that these limits are in place to ensure an equal distribution of funds; poets are in no way guaranteed approval of applications before their personal limit is reached.

Limits are for events between April and March annually (eg. April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024). With questions, contact [email protected].

Full members of the League
- Full members are eligible to receive up to $1,000 in honoraria from general event funding between April 1 and March 31; this includes National Poetry Month funding and funding disbursed via the Reading Series and Festivals reserve fund

Associate members of the League
- Associate members are eligible to receive up to $125 from the National Poetry Month funding stream

Non-member poets
- Non-member poets are eligible to receive up to $125 from the National Poetry Month funding stream

Host limits
- Host limits are in place to ensure LCP funding is distributed equitably. Although applications may be submitted by a poet, host limits still apply.
- Series and festivals: up to $3,000 per year, across all funding streams
- Individual event organizers: up to $2,000
  - EXCEPTION: No host may receive more than $1,250 for events during National Poetry Month (April)

How to apply

National Poetry Month reading applications are open January 15 - February 15 annually.

Applications for Full member honoraria for events in April - September are open January 15 - February 15 annually.

Applications for Full member honoraria for events in September - March are open July 1 - August 1 annually.

Applications must be submitted during an open application window.
Poets may submit the application for funding for an event they are a part of
Virtual events must be organized by a Canadian host, whether an individual or organization
In-person events must be taking place in Canada
Please note that we cannot fund the following:
- Events that are not open to the public (eg. closed University/College events, closed membership events)
- Applications submitted by publishers
- Events that do not feature a live poetry reading; if you are planning a workshop, check out our workshop & consultation fund
- Non-live events (eg. prerecorded readings or events); please contact [email protected] if non-live events are the only format available to you and you are seeking funding

Book launch tours

Applications open annually in November.

Full members of the League with a new book forthcoming may reserve up to $750 in honoraria, payable in $125 increments starting April the year of the book’s release, ending in March the year following the book’s release. Applications open annually in November, for books being released the following calendar year.

Eligibility

How to apply

Reading series and festivals

Applications open annually in November.

Eligible reading series and literary festivals may apply for funding of up to $2,000 in honoraria support for 8-16 unconfirmed readers. Readers must be Full members of the League to receive the funding, but do not have to be confirmed at the time of reservation. Honoraria are paid directly to the poets following their events.

Eligibility

Applicants must be an established reading series or festival, with at least one previous successful year of operating.
Series or festivals may not receive funding from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, or the Toronto Arts Council.
Individuals who organize multiple series or festivals are only eligible to reserve funding for one series or festival.
Applicants with a history of misusing reserved funding may be denied
Readers must be Full members of the League to receive the funding, but do not have to be confirmed at the time of reservation.
Approved funding may not be disbursed to the applicant, and will be paid directly to participating poets.

How to apply

Poetry in schools

Applications for funding for visits in April, May, and June open in late February annually.

Applications for funding for visits in September through to March typically open in the summer.

Funding for visits before April 2025 has been fully disbursed.

Honoraria for poets, paid directly to the poet following the event. The League does not assist in setting up school visits; poets must arrange the visits themselves, and then apply for funding. Please note that this funding is extremely limited.

Tips for networking with teachers (TWUC resource)

Eligibility and limits

Poets must be full members of the League, or associate members with professional experience in education
The League provides $250 honoraria for half-day class visits, and $500 for full-day class visits
In one funding year (April - March), no school may receive support for visits totaling more than $2,000
Poets may receive up to $2,000 in honoraria for school visits in one funding year

How to apply

Please note that the League's funding year runs from April to March; the school year falls into two different funding years

Applications for funding for visits in April, May, and June open in late February annually
Applications for funding for visits in September through to March typically open in the summer

Funding for visits before April 2025 has been fully disbursed.

Applicants must be able to provide contact information for a teacher or administrator with their application to confirm class visit details.

Mentorship microgrants

P.K. Page Mentorship Program

Workshops

Poetry consultations

P.K. Page Mentorship Program

Applications open annually in May, with an early July deadline.

The P.K. Page Mentorship Program, supported by the P.K. Page Trust Fund for Mentoring, was established to support the League’s Associate membership in honing their skill, craft, and professional understanding of poetry in Canada. This program is exclusive to members of the League of Canadian Poets.

Donate to support the P.K. Page Mentorship Program today!

Program details

Mentees and mentors will meet every other week (likely digitally) for two hours to discuss a poetry work-in-progress as agreed upon prior to the mentorship start date. Some examples of appropriate mentorship content are:

Development and editing of a poetry manuscript or collection of poems
The study and practice of a new form of poetry
Development of a new style
Review of a poetry manuscript
Development of professional skills related to poetry publishing

The mentorship structure is flexible, but must be agreed upon between mentor and mentee prior to the start date.
Selected participants will be provided with a mentorship agreement form to complete and sign.

Mentor eligibility

Established poets with two or more trade publications of poetry can apply to be a mentor for the P.K. Page Mentorship Program. At this time, mentors must be Full or Life members of the League of Canadian Poets.
Mentors will provide 12 hours of support to a mentee over 8 weeks—largely in the form of a 2-hour meeting every other week—and will receive an honorarium of $500.
The ideal mentor has some experience providing editorial feedback to other poets, and some experience working with emerging poets.

Mentee eligibility

How to apply

Workshops

Applications open annually in the late spring, with a rolling deadline until funding is disbursed.

Members of the League may apply to receive a $500 payment to facilitate a poetry-related workshop of their design. Workshops must be offered free of charge to participants. The League does not organize these workshops, but can distribute registration information.

2024 - 2025 funding, for workshops taking place before April 2025, has been disbursed.

Eligibility and limits

Applicants must be the workshop facilitator, and must be a full members of the League
Workshops are professional teaching sessions offered to an audience of 10+
Workshops are intended to introduce a new skill, form, editing method, or perspective to support the development of poetic craft or related skills
Workshops must be offered free of charge to participants
We encourage workshop leaders, when possible, to open these workshops to all members of the League of Canadian Poets 
Workshops may be online or in-person; no additional funding is provided for in-person workshops 
Full members of the League are limited to receiving funding for one (1) workshop ($500) per funding year (April - March)

How to apply

The application form will require:

A short background of your skills and experience
A rough timeline (including start date and end date) of the workshop
1-2 paragraphs outlining the kind of support you will provide as a workshop leader (eg. editing, poetry development, teaching new forms, publication advice, promotion and touring advice, etc.)
Additional information about your workshop: 
- Will this workshop be open to all members of the League?
- Will this workshop be open to the public?
- If attendance is restricted, please provide information on why the workshop is private, and who will be participating.
- Is there an admission fee for your workshop?

If applications for this program are open, a link to submit an application will be available on this page.

One-on-one poetry consultations

Applications open annually in the late spring, with a rolling deadline until funding is disbursed.

Members of the League may apply to receive a $250 payment to work one-on-one with another poet and provide editorial guidance to develop skill in editing, craft, form, publishing guidance, or other essential skills for poets. The League does not organize these consultations; poets must apply for the funding with a mentee poet already confirmed.

2024 - 2025 funding, for consultations taking place before April 2025, has been disbursed.

Eligibility and limits

Poetry Consultations are 1-on-1 teaching relationships that focus on developing skill in editing, craft, form, publishing guidance or other essential skills for developing poets
Poets are asked to apply to act as a consultant, and to create their own meeting schedule, and guidelines
The League recommends that poet consultants last no longer than 5 hours, and that the parameters for consultation be set out at the outset of the relationship. 
The poet consultant must be a full member of the League
The application must be made by the consulting poet
Full members are limited to receiving funding for two (2) consultations ($500 total) per funding year (April - March)

How to apply

The application form will require:

A short background of your skills and experience
A rough timeline (including start date and end date) of the consultation
1-2 paragraphs outlining the kind of support you will provide as a consultant (eg. editing, poetry development, teaching new forms, publication advice, promotion and touring advice, etc.)
The name, bio, and e-mail address of the poet you'll be working with

If applications for this program are open, a link to submit an application will be available on this page.

Bursaries

Annual Poetry Bursary

Applications open annually in May, with an early September deadline.

The League of Canadian Poets Annual Poetry Bursary provides financial support for students who are studying poetry at the post-secondary level in many formats. This special bursary will provide $2000 in support for one year of education that has a focus on poetry at the undergraduate, graduate, or doctorate level.

Eligibility

This bursary is intended to provide financial support for students who are studying poetry at the post-secondary level in many formats. We are particularly invested in supporting students that identify as BIPOC, Metis, First Nations, Deaf, Disabled, or newcomers to Canada.

Who should apply for this bursary?

Students entering a year of education at the undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral level at an accredited Canadian post-secondary institution for the upcoming year. Poetry study must make up a significant portion of studies (15% of undergraduate courses, 25% of graduate courses, or the focus of a doctoral degree)
Students who are taking poetry classes at a local Canadian college, school or education centre. Certain online courses may be eligible for this bursary, provided the instructors and courses are taught in Canada. Please be sure to outline your poetry experience and information outlining your study plans in your statements.

How to apply

The application form will request:

CV
Short statement about educational and career goals as they relate to poetry in Canada, as well as evidence that they are enrolled in or planning to enroll in an eligible program or course.

Applicants may also provide one (1) letter of support for their award. We welcome letters from employers, mentors and teachers. Please upload this letter of support with your application (ie. The letter of support should not be sent directly to the League, and does not need to remain confidential from the application)

If applications are open, a link to submit will be available on this page.

League of Canadian Poets

Microgrants & Bursaries

Honorarium funding for events

Organizers and venues

Poetry readings

Book launch tours

Reading series and festivals

Poetry in schools

Mentorship microgrants

P.K. Page Mentorship Program

Workshops

One-on-one poetry consultations

Bursaries

Annual Poetry Bursary

Site links

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“MapQuest” by Allison LaSorda