The FY 2026 Translation Project Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) offers grants to individual translators working to bring prose, poetry, or dramatic works from other languages into English. The program prioritizes translation projects featuring languages, perspectives, and authors underrepresented in English, and particularly encourages translations of works that have not previously been translated into English. The NEA aims to strengthen the literary arts by supporting diversity and accessibility in the availability of global literature.

Eligible applicants are U.S. citizens or permanent residents who meet NEA’s publication requirements, including having published at least 20 pages of translations in eligible formats or having translated a full-length play produced by a professional theater company. Each applicant can submit only one application per year and may not simultaneously apply for both a Translation Fellowship and a Creative Writing Fellowship. Those who have received NEA fellowships for translation since January 1, 2022, or for creative writing since January 1, 2020, are not eligible.

Grant awards range between $10,000 and $25,000, with award amounts determined by the NEA based on the proposed project’s scope and merit. The NEA does not fund projects already translated more than three times consecutively, scholarly work, or projects tied to academic degrees. The fellowship period starts no earlier than January 1, 2026, and extends up to two years, providing flexibility for various project needs. Applications must demonstrate that the translator has permission to translate the work, either through written consent from the copyright holder or proof that the work is in the public domain. This documentation is crucial, as failure to provide it can disqualify an application.

Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by January 16, 2025. Applicants should allow sufficient time to resolve potential issues with the submission process, as late submissions will not be accepted. Steps include registering with both Login.gov and Grants.gov, creating a Grants.gov Workspace, and submitting the complete application package, which includes the required Application for Federal Domestic Assistance form and supporting attachments. Incomplete or erroneous applications may be disqualified without panel review.

The NEA reviews applications based on the project’s artistic excellence and merit. This includes the quality of the translation sample, the importance of the work, the translator's proficiency, and the relevance of the project within the context of English-language literature. Following an internal staff review, applications are evaluated by a diverse panel of literary translation experts, with final decisions made by the NEA Chair.

Awardees will be notified by December 2025. For award management, recipients must provide banking details for a U.S.-based account and understand that fellowship funds are considered taxable income. Additional terms and compliance standards, such as federal non-discrimination policies and data privacy regulations, apply to all fellowship activities. Applicants can find further details and guidance in the Grant Program Details and Application Instructions documents or contact NEA’s Literary Arts staff for specific questions regarding eligibility and application requirements.