2026 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowships

March 25, 2026

In addition to the other eligibility and application criteria, the concept, scope, components, depth, geographic reach, and community support of the proposed project will be considered by a panel of award-winning poets and leaders in poetry and civic engagement. The panelists who will recommend the recipients of the 2026 Poet Laureate Fellowships are poet and editor, Diana Marie Delgado; Civic Poet of Seattle (2023–24) and visual artist Shin Yu Pai; 2024 Wallace Stevens Award winner and Chancellor Emerita Naomi Shihab Nye; Senior Program Officer at the Institute of Museum and Library Services Dennis Nangle; and, 2021–22 Los Angeles Poet Laureate and Cave Canem Board Chair Lynne Thompson. Final award decisions are finalized and approved by members of the Academy’s Board of Directors.. Review the eligibility requirements here: https://poets.org/academy-american-poets/laureate-fellowships-guidelines. Only one type of support, either in-kind or cash, will be matched up to $10,000.. The Academy of American Poets assumes no responsibility for applications not received due to user error. Applicants may verify the receipt of their application materials by logging into Submittable.