The following is a list of writing contests, fellowships, and grants with cash prizes. All of them are free to enter. That means no submission fees.

Deadlines are listed for each contest. Some of them are approaching quickly.

1. Sapiens Plurum is holding its Earth Day Short Fiction Contest. Writers can submit short stories that deal with climate change. The editors note that “stories must offer hope, at least a possibility” and “personalize the consequences of climate change so readers feel as well as know them.” The first place winner will receive $1,000; second place will receive $500; and third place will receive $300.Deadline is April 22. To learn more, read the contest guidelines.

2. Rusty Scythe Publishing is seeking submissions for their 2016 Scythe Prize. The prize is open to all collegiate writers in the fields of short fiction and creative nonfiction. The judges will select one winner in each field to receive $250 and publication in an upcoming anthology.Deadline is April 30. To learn more, read the prize guidelines.

3. The Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant is currently open for applicants. Creative nonfiction writers who are at least two years into a contract with a publisher can apply for the grant, which awards writers “allocations of $35,000 to as many as three works in progress to enable authors to complete their books.”Deadline is May 1. To learn more, read the grant guidelines.

4. The SHARKPACK Poetry Review is seeking submissions for their Valus’ Sigil contest. Writers may submit poems, short fiction, flash fiction, or creative nonfiction on the theme of “supernature.” Winners will receive $150 and publication in the SHARKPACK Annual.Deadline is May 1. To learn more, read the contest guidelines.

5. The Maine Artist Fellowship is currently open. Writers residing in Maine (and who meet a few other requirements) may apply for a fellowship, which presents recipients with a maximum award of $5,000.Deadline is May 5. To learn more, read the fellowship guidelines.

7. The Think-Write-Publish Science & Religion Project is offering twelve 2-year fellowships in the amount of $10,000 each. Writers can submit story ideas that focus on the intersection of science and religion. Fellows will attend three writing workshops across the United States to work on their stories.Deadline is May 16. To learn more, read the fellowship guidelines.

8. The Gotham Writers’ Workshop is holding its 2016 A Very Short Story Contest. In this unique competition, writers can submit a story of ten words or fewer, in the style of Hemingway’s famous baby shoes story. The winner will receive a free 10-week workshop.Deadline is May 16. To learn more, read the contest guidelines.

9. The Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation is holding their 2016 playwriting competition. Playwrights are invited to submit full-length plays that concern LGBT issues and are “based on, or directly inspired by, a historical person, culture, work of art, or event.” The first place winner will receive $3,000; second place will receive $1,500; and honorable mentions will receive $500 each.Deadline is May 31. To learn more, read the competition guidelines.

10. The Rotary Club of Elgin is sponsoring the Castle to Cathedral to Cashmere Writing Competition. Authors are invited to submit short stories that focus on the city of Elgin in Scotland in the eighteenth and/or nineteenth century. The Club’s goal is to promote Elgin through a collection of short stories to be published in late 2016.Deadline is May 31. To learn more, read the competition guidelines.

11. The Griffin Poetry Prize welcomes poets and translators to submit their work. Two prizes will be awarded. The Canadian Prize will go to a Canadian poet or translator who has published or translated a work. The International Prize will go to a poet or translator from any part of the world. Each prize winner will receive $65,000 CAD. In addition, shortlisted poets will receive $10,000 each.Deadline is June 30 with a second deadline of December 31. To learn more, read the prize guidelines.

12. The University of Pittsburgh Press is holding the 2017 Drue Heinz Literature Prize. Published writers may submit a collection of short fiction for consideration. The winner will receive $15,000 and publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press.Deadline is June 30, but the submission period begins on May 1. To learn more, read the prize guidelines.

13. Blue Mountain Arts is hosting its 28th Biannual Poetry Card Contest. Writers can submit poems that focus on a special occasion or person. There is no limit to how many poems a writer can submit. The first place winner will receive $300; second place will receive $150; and third place will receive $50. The winning poems will also be published online.Deadline is June 30. To learn more, read the contest guidelines.

14. FutureScapes is holding a 2016 writing contest with a unique agenda; they’re looking for “stories that, when placed in the hands of a mayor or governor, could change the course of the future.” This year’s theme is “Cities of Empowerment,” and winning stories will indeed be distributed to mayors and governors. The first place winner will receive $2,000; the second place winner will receive $1,000; and 4 runners-up will receive $500 each. All winners will be published in an anthology.Deadline is July 15. To learn more, read the contest guidelines.

15. The Freeditorial Literary Contest is currently open. Writers can submit short stories of between 10,000 and 40,000 words that are fictional or historical. Over the course of the contest, Freeditorial readers will have the ability to download the submitted stories for free, and the number of downloads will help determine the winner. The first place winner will receive $15,000; second place will receive $5,000; and third place will receive $2,000.Deadline is July 31. To learn more, read the contest guidelines.

16. I Must Be Off! is holding its 2016 Travel Writing Contest. Writers can submit one travel writing essay (up to 1,200 words) of any theme or topic. The first place winner will receive $200; the second place winner will receive $50; and one Readers’ Choice winner will receive $50. All winners will be published on the I Must Be Off! Blog.Deadline is July 31. To learn more, read the contest guidelines.

17. Holland Park Press welcomes poets to submit to their Poetry & Politics Competition. Poets may submit one poem on any topic related to politics; the Press wants the theme to be open for interpretation but still focused in the political sphere. The first place winner will receive £200 (roughly $281 USD) and publication in the Press’s online magazine. Runners-up will also be published.Deadline is August 31. To learn more, read the competition guidelines.

18. PEN American Center is holding its Annual Prison Writing Contest. The rules state that “anyone incarcerated in a federal, state, or county prison in the year before the September 1 deadline is eligible to enter.” Writers may submit poetry, fiction, drama, and nonfiction. The first place winner will receive $200; second place will receive $100; and third place will receive $50.Deadline is September 1. Note that while there is no fee for submissions, writers must send in their work via postal mail. To learn more, read the contest guidelines.