On Wednesday, Feb. 26, the International Writing Program (IWP) learned that its grants with the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, were being terminated. This notification explained that the IWP’s awards “no longer effectuate agency priorities,” nor align “with agency priorities and national interest.” The immediate result was the cancellation of Between the Lines (the IWP’s summer youth program), and the dissolution of Lines and Spaces Exchanges, Distance Learning courses, and Emerging Voices programs. The overall Fall Residency cohort will be reduced by around half due to the loss of federally funded participants; the IWP’s other long-time funding partners, including a combination of donors, grants, foreign ministries of culture, and NGOs, will continue to support writers.

We are devastated by the abrupt end of this 58-year partnership and are working closely with University of Iowa General Counsel and Grant Accounting to review the terminations, understand their full impact, and respond in the best interest of the organization. Despite this disappointing turn of events, the IWP’s mission to promote mutual understanding through creative writing and literature remains unchanged; with the help of a limited number of other partners, we will still hold a 2025 Fall Residency even while pursuing new sources of funding. To support the IWP as we begin to rebuild, please visit this website: donate to the IWP.

A Message from IWP Director Christopher Merrill

Thank you for your messages of support, which are truly heartening in this difficult moment. We are committed to continuing to host the best possible Fall Residency this year and in coming years, and we’re grateful to have you with us in that mission. Many of you have asked how you can help. There are three ways that you can get involved.

First, help us keep telling our story. Talk to your friends and family about the impact the IWP has had on your life, on Iowa, and on the international literary community, and let them know how important it is to continue the Fall Residency.

Second, if you have the means to support us financially, we very much appreciate donations of any size. Remember that for people in the U.S., donations to the IWP are tax deductible. All funds will go directly to financing the Residency, including travel, lodging, cultural programming for writers, and public events like readings and panel discussions at the Iowa City Public Library.

Third, if you want to really go above and beyond, combine these two things: organize in your community. Talk with friends and colleagues about how you can collectively raise awareness and funds for the IWP.

While this is certainly a challenging moment, we also see it as an opportunity to renew our commitment to connecting writers around the world. Sometimes it takes the possibility of losing something to appreciate what you have. We hope to take this chance to build new connections with local and international communities, as we have done for nearly six decades now, and strengthen the bonds we have. We hope you’ll join us in that mission.