Funding Programs by the League of Canadian Poets

UPDATED March 6, 2023

The League of Canadian Poets provides funding to poets participating in events all across Canada, thanks to the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Toronto Arts Council.

You’ll find the latest updates for all funding opportunities on this page.

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FUNDING STREAMS

The League administers a variety of funding streams to support as many poets as possible, all across Canada. If you are unsure of which funding stream to select on your application form, your best guess will do: applications are processed manually by a staff member who will contact you if clarification is needed.

  • Full members of the League are eligible for all general event funding streams
    • Please continue reading this page to find out more about application windows and timelines
  • Ontario members of the League are eligible for our Poets in the Schools program, for visits (virtual or in-class) to Ontario schools
    • Find out more about Poets in the Schools, including links to programs outside of Ontario, here
  • Associate members and non-members of the League are eligible to receive $125 through our National Poetry Month event funding stream

OPEN funding streams

  • In-person and digital events anywhere in Canada, for Full members only
  • Poets in the Schools – For school visits planned April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024

CLOSED funding streams:

APPLICATION FORMS

If you are unsure which application form to submit, please contact admin@poets.ca.

OPEN | In-person and digital events anywhere in Canada on or after April 1, 2023 (Full members only): apply here (deadline February 12, 2023)

OPEN | Poets in the Schools. Applications for events in April – June 2023 will open in late February 2023. First come, first served.

CLOSED | National Poetry Month event funding, for Associate members and non-member anywhere in Canada (deadline was February 12, 2023)

CLOSED | Reading Series and Festival reservations for events from April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024. Will reopen in December 2023 for 2024-2025 season.

CLOSED | 2023 Book Launch Tour funding reservation requests for events from April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024, for Full League members with a book to be published in 2023. Will reopen in December 2023 for 2024 book tours.

CLOSED; FULLY DISBURSED | In-person event funding for locally based events (Members and non-members)

ELIGIBILITY

Applications must be submitted during an open application window, or at least three weeks in advance of an event (if there is no specified application window).

  • Poets may submit the application for funding for an event they are participating in, even if it is organized by a host. The host will have to verify the event with staff by submitting a report after the event
  • 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); with the exception of Poets in the Schools events in Ontario public schools
  • Applications submitted by publishers
  • Events that do not feature a live poetry reading
  • Non-live events (eg. prerecorded readings or events); please contact admin@poets.ca if non-live events are the only format available to you and you are seeking funding

HONORARIUM DETAILS

  • Solo feature: $250
  • Group event with reading longer than 15 minutes: $250
  • Group event with reading up to 15 minutes: $125
  • Class visits 1-3 hours: $250
  • Class visits 3+ hours: $500

Honoraria are paid directly to the poet following the event. Contact admin@poets.ca if you have misplaced your confirmation e-mail and the links required to submit a payment request.

TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT

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 $0.42/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.

Travel reimbursement may be requested by the poet at the time of the expense.

HOST DATABASE

All applications must be connected with a host from our database, although the host does not need to be the person who submits the application.

View the database here.

Add a host here.

LIMITS

Please read this section carefully to understand host and poet funding limits. All limits are between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024. With questions, contact admin@poets.ca.

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
  • Ontario Full members are eligible to receive up to an additional $2,000 for Poets in the Schools visits

Associate members of the League

  • Associate members are eligible to receive up to $125 from the National Poetry Month funding stream
  • Ontario Associate members may be eligible to receive funding through Poets in the Schools; contact admin@poets.ca with questions

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. Limits are for events between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023.

  • 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)
  • Schools: up to $2,000 per year