Guidelines

CLMP offers literary presses, magazines, and online publishers the opportunity to apply for support to pay for 10 to 20 hours of working with a professional consultant on a proposed project to help build organizational capacity. This program helps grantees identify and implement strategies for improvement in areas such as marketing, publicity, distribution, website development, fundraising, strategic and succession planning, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and overall operations.

Eligibility and Requirements

• Applicants located in New York State that received NYSCA funding for 2026 are ineligible.
• Applicants must be based within the United States.
• Applicants must have published at least one title or issue within the past 18 months.
• Applicants must have a consultant confirmed before applying.
• Awarded amounts will be paid directly to consultants.
• Applicants must be able to complete the consultancy by November 30, 2026.
• Applicants must submit a final report to CLMP by December 15, 2026.

For more information, read our FAQs.

Review Process

Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

• Clear and complete articulation of the proposed project
• Feasibility of the project as described in project description
• Potential impact on organizational capacity and/or sustainability
• Artistic excellence of the submitted work and contribution to the literary field

Grants will be recommended by an independent panel of three individuals with expertise in the literary field. Final grant decisions will be approved by a committee of the CLMP Board of Directors.

For helpful information about applying to this and other grant opportunities. please consult the following CLMP resources:

• How to Apply for Grants: Tips for Writing Successful Applications
• Examples of Previously Funded Projects
• Applying for Grants 101 Webinar (for CLMP members)

Timeline

November 17, 2025: Application portal opens
December 17, 2025, 5 p.m. PT: Application portal closes
February 2026: Grants announced
February–November 2026: Consulting period
November 30, 2026: Projects completed
December 15, 2026: Final reports due

Application and Deadline

Applications are accepted through Submittable. You must create a free Submittable account in order to apply. You may download a preview of the application here.

Applications will be accepted through December 17, 2025, 5:00 p.m. (PT).

Information Session

CLMP held an information session about this opportunity on November 13, 2025. You may watch the recording below. The slides from the presentation are available to download here.

In New York State, the Professional Development Consulting Program is supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Funding for the Professional Development Consulting Program is also made possible by Hawthornden Foundation.