Scholarship season is officially here!
It’s one of our favorite times of year here at Boyds Mills. We love this season because it represents our commitment to making sure the magic of Boyds Mills is accessible to as many creators as possible.
This year, the window opens on January 22 for three weeks. It will close Febuary 9. Storytellers can apply at any time during the scholarship window. Whether you are a novelist, a poet, an illustrator, or a picture book creator, we invite you to take a look at the opportunities available this season.
Mark Your Calendars: Key Scholarship Dates
If you’re wondering which scholarship is right for you, or if you just want to celebrate the power of this community, please join us for our Scholarship Celebration and Info Session on Jan. 28. It’s a great way to get your questions answered and get a feel for the application process.
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January 22: Applications Open
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January 28: Scholarship Info Webinar
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February 9: Applications Close
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Mid- to Late-March: Awards Announced
Whether you are a poet, a novelist, an illustrator, or a non-fiction dreamer, we want to hear from you. We believe your stories matter, and we can’t wait to support your work!
What’s New This Year?
We are constantly inspired by the generosity of our community, and thanks to that support, we’ve added these new opportunities to scholarship list for 2026:
- Wheeler Emerging Novelist Award: Specifically for those attending our “Whole Novel Workshop,” this award is designed to give a novelist the time and space to bring their big project to life.
- Christine French Cully Love of Reading Scholarship: Named in honor of our longtime friend, board chair, and Editor and Chief Purpose Officer of Highlightsmagazine, this fund supports those dedicated to the vital mission of fostering a lifelong love of reading in children.
- Beth Brody Poetry of Nature Scholarship: For the poets who find their rhythm in the rustle of leaves and the quiet of the outdoors, this scholarship celebrates the intersection of verse and the natural world, and named in honor of longtime friend Beth Brody.
- The Spinelli Scholarship: The Spinelli Scholarship recognizes the long dedication of two beloved storytellers who have served the mission of Boyds Mills for decades.
- Bernette Ford Scholarship: This fund celebrates Bernette for her pioneering work in children’s publishing and was established to honor and celebrate Black women in children’s publishing.
Beyond our named and general scholarships, we are grateful to offer additional opportunities supported by Hawthornden Foundation. We also recognize that getting to Boyds Mills can be a challenge, so we are offering a limited number of travel stipends to help cover transportation costs for those traveling from afar.
Our name is also new! This is the first year we’ll award scholarships as Boyds Mills. You can lean more about our new name here.
Hear From Our 2025 Scholarship Recipients
This is what a few of our 2025 scholarship recipients shared about their experiences:
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– Eori Tokunaga |
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– Sibylla Nash |
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– Taina Almodovar |
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– Jodi Turchin |
Use Your Scholarship for Online or In-Person Workshops
Boyds Mills provides scholarships designed to nurture the voices of storytellers. These awards provide financial assistance to help writers and illustrators access the space and mentorship they need, whether through structured learning or quiet, independent work at Boyds Mills.
You can use Boyds Mills scholarships for the following opportunities:
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Personal Retreats: These provide a “DIY” experience where you can focus on your work without a structured schedule. Scholarships typically cover three nights and four days of lodging (in a cabin, the lodge, or the farmhouse) and all meals.
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Whole Novel Workshops: A limited number of specialized awards support these intensive programs. They are designed for writers with a complete draft who are looking for deep-dive feedback on their entire manuscript from faculty mentors.
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Boyds Mills Workshops: Scholarships can be applied to both online or in-person workshops. We offer more than 40 workshops per year to choose from.
After all the piles of rejections over the years, it’s priceless to realize that someone believes I have potential. It was pure magic. I truly didn’t realize how much it would help to be in a space where I was surrounded by other creatives and everything I needed was taken care of. The breathtaking scenery, the spaces, and the interactions with others all blended together to create the perfect experience. Read more here.
Rosemary Lynn, All About Picture Books Retreat
I can’t say enough about my experience at the Whole Novel Retreat. It was truly a wonderful and nurturing week. I met so many talented writers, faculty and peers alike, and everyone was so generous with their time. I took walks and enjoyed the opportunity to just slow down and breathe. Being around writers, talking about writing while being fed delicious meals three times a day… it was like pinch me! I’m a heroine in my own book!
Sibylla Nash, Whole Novel Workshop
My scholarship allowed me to spend four nights, five days on campus (I added one night), and it was absolutely transformative for my draft. I was able to finish Part 3 of the book as I intended, and I finished outlining Part 4. Doing this by mid-April was critical to my ability to have a good first draft ready to submit to my editor by the end of May. Without the time at Boyds Mills, it’s hard to figure out how I would have done that. Read more here.
Mary Ann Cappiello, Personal Retreat
