The 2026 Whiting Nonfiction Grant for Works-in-Progress of $40,000 will be awarded to ten writers completing a deeply researched and imaginatively composed book-length work of nonfiction for a general adult readership. The grant supports multiyear projects at a crucial mid-process stage, after substantial progress has been made but before the final work is complete, when additional support can meaningfully shape the final work. The program’s objective is to foster original, ambitious projects brought to the highest possible standard.

Whiting welcomes applications for works of history, cultural or political reportage, biography, memoir, science, philosophy, criticism, graphic nonfiction, and personal essays, among other categories. The work should be intended for a general, rather than academic, adult readership. Self-help titles, historical fiction, textbooks, books primarily for a scholarly audience, and books for young readers are not eligible.

Examples of the wide range of previous grantees can be found on the program's website. 

Projects must be under contract with a publisher in Canada, the UK, or the US by May 31, 2026, and a fully executed contract must be uploaded with the application. Contracts with self-publishing companies are not eligible.

Please note that we cannot offer any extensions for contracts that are not signed by both writer and publisher by the application deadline.

Projects will be evaluated by a panel of expert judges according to established review criteria. The application includes three written responses addressing the work, research design, and narrative approach.

If you have any questions about the eligibility of your project or the application process, please contact the Whiting Foundation awards-grants@whiting.org.