Professional Development Grants
The SWG provides an annual professional development grant to eligible Saskatchewan writers' groups to help their members develop their craft of writing.
A Saskatchewan writing group is eligible for funding if it meets the following criteria:
- it has a minimum of five members;
- two-thirds of the group are members of the SWG;
- it meets a minimum of five times per year to discuss writing by members;
- members meet in order to develop their craft;
- it has provided a follow-up report (with all the requested documentation) for the previous grant; and
- new groups should have been formed no less than six months before applying for funding.
If the group is approved for funding, payment will be issued in September.
Applications must be received in the SWG office by the deadline: Monday June 24, 2024 at 4:30 pm.
Each writers' group may apply for up to $750 for the following fiscal year (August 1- July 31).
Application & Follow up forms
APPLICATION FORM 2024-2025 FOLLOW UP FORM 2024
If you require a copy of these documents in Word doc format, please email swgpr@skwriter.com. For more information on how to complete these forms, please refer to the Writers Group Grant Info and How to Create a Follow Up Report below.
Please contact the SWG Program Coordinator at swgpr@skwriter.com or 306-791-7749 if you have any questions or require assistance in completing these forms.
GRANT INFO How to Create a Follow Up Report
Responsibilities of groups who receive grants
Groups who receive grants have the following responsibilities:
- include mention of the SWG sponsorship on all publicity issued by the group;
- provide follow-up reports with the next year's grant application; if not applying for funding, submit only the follow-up report;
- provide copies of receipts or cheques of spent funds; and
- unspent grant money in excess of $50 must be returned to the SWG by 4:30 p.m. on the last working day of June along with the report.
Acceptable uses of the grant money
This grant is intended to help the members of the writers' groups develop their craft. Allowable expenses may include, but are not limited to:
- fees to an author/presenter to offer a workshop in-person or online (ensure that the presenter hired is eligible to be paid through the SWG funding);
- member travel expenses to allow them to attend meetings and craft development sessions, including festivals, conferences, etc.;
- member participation fees in conferences, workshops, and other craft development sessions, in-person or online
- offsetting accommodations and mileage for writers' group retreats for members; and
- digital professional development events or training, or costs associated with virtual writers’ group meetings.
Restrictions
The grant may not be used:
- self-publication;
- to buy books for the group;
- the costs of a website;
- to promote the group or individual members;
- for social events, food, alcohol, or party favours; and
- writing groups receiving a grant through this program are not eligible for funding to host readings through the Author Readings Program within the same grant period. Individual members may do readings through the Author Readings Program if they meet program eligibility.
How to join or start a writers' group
Many writers' groups are closed or by invitation only. However, members can put a notice in the SWG's weekly e-newsletter, Ebriefs, to indicate you are looking to join one. To do so, email swgmedia@skwriter.com with a short notice stating what genre you write in (children's, romance, sci-fi, etc.), the level at which you are writing (beginner, intermediate, advanced), whether you want to meet in person or prefer an online group, and how often you'd like to meet.
These links will give you some helpful information on starting a Writers' Group:
https://www.tckpublishing.com/how-to-start-a-writers-group/
https://writersrelief.com/2014/09/11/start-writers-group-set-success/
https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/writing-groups/writing-group-starter-kit/
For more information, please contact:
Program Coordinator
T: 306.791.7749 | E: swgpr@skwriter.com
