Kettle Pond is committed to offering need-based fellowship assistance whenever possible to writers who would otherwise be unable to attend. The amount of financial assistance awarded will vary based on the need of the writer applying. ​

Fellowships at Kettle Pond are not intended to serve as measures of prestige or to reflect the merit of a writer’s work, but are meant to expand and strengthen our writing community by creating greater access. Requests for assistance should be made according to what the writer is able to pay to attend. All funding will be awarded in the form of a partial tuition waiver. ​

We respectfully ask all fellowship applicants to be candid and thoughtful in their requests for financial support to ensure we are able to support as many writers as possible. We are self-funded (not a non-profit, and independent from both institutional obligations, as well as support). The candor of our fellowship applicants contributes to the longevity of our project, creative health of our community, and our ability to appropriately support our staff, as we plan around our resources year to year. ​

We encourage all applying writers to submit their applications for financial aid as close to their primary conference applications as possible. For the past few years, Kettle Pond has simplified this secondary application process by eliminating a separate deadline for funding requests; however, early applications for assistance increase the likelihood of a fellowship offer. As with admission to the conference itself, 2026 fellowships will be awarded, and applicants will be notified, on a rolling basis. ​