Established nonfiction freelance writers affected by the recent devastating wildfires in Los Angeles can apply for financial aid through the nonprofit Writers Emergency Assistance Fund, operated by the American Society of Journalists and Authors.
WEAF funds are part of ASJA’s ongoing mission to provide emergency financial support for eligible writers who experience natural disasters or other unexpected crises.
WEAF awards qualified recipients up to a maximum of $1,000 to help meet living expenses. Writers do not need to be ASJA members to receive the funds, but must meet the qualifications for ASJA professional membership. This means they must be an established nonfiction writer earning a living as a freelancer or otherwise self employed.
Established by a bequest in 1982 as the Llewellyn Miller Fund, WEAF is funded by charitable donations.
“ASJA and its members are proud to offer resources to help established nonfiction writers cope with the tragedy of the LA wildfires,” said ASJA president Darcy Lewis, who previously chaired the WEAF committee.
Continue reading to find out more about WEAF, then check if you’re eligible and apply for a grant here.
Am I Eligible for WEAF?
During its 40-year lifespan, WEAF has awarded hundreds of small grants to eligible writers experiencing a temporary crisis who need financial help to get back on their feet.
Previously intended to be a safety net for ASJA members, WEAF now exists to help all writers who meet the requirements to become ASJA professional members.
That caveat is important: Applicants do not need to be an ASJA member, but must qualify for ASJA professional membership. This means an applicant must be an established freelance nonfiction writer who earns their living as a self-employed writer.
To qualify for funding, the WEAF committee expects to see that an applicant has had a multi-year track record of a successful nonfiction freelance writing before the crisis. Applicants should have published at least six articles in national publications, written for national brands, or have had at least two nonfiction books published by a traditional publisher.
To be considered for WEAF funds, a freelance writer’s normal writing capacity must be severely diminished or nonexistent because of a natural disaster such as a fire or hurricane, illness, or an extraordinary personal crisis, such as having to care for a seriously ill spouse.
What WEAF Doesn’t Cover
WEAF funds are not available for writers experiencing economic difficulties because of downturns in the publishing industry, a client or publication that has not paid for contracted work, a publication or client’s business closing, or the loss of a staff or freelance writing position.
WEAF does not award grants for writing projects, nor does it fund works in progress.
ASJA associate members, or applicants who qualify for ASJA associate membership, are not eligible to receive WEAF funds.
Each year, WEAF receives many applications from writers who work in other genres that do not qualify for assistance. Writers who are not eligible include:
- Comedy writers
- Novelists
- Poets
- Screenwriters
- Self-published book authors
Only qualified self-employed journalists, content marketing writers, and nonfiction book authors may receive WEAF grants. Fortunately, other writer associations may have funds available to help writers in other genres displaced by the LA fires:
- The Authors Guild provides grants through the Authors League Fund.
- The Dramatists Guild Foundation also provides emergency financial assistance to individual playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists in dire need of funds due to severe hardship or unexpected illness.
- (EDITOR’S NOTE: ASJA will update this list as we hear about other resources.)
What Happens During the WEAF Application Process?
When ASJA receives an application for WEAF funds, the ASJA membership committee reviews it first to ensure the applicant meets the requirements of ASJA professional membership. If the applicant qualifies, their application is forwarded to the WEAF committee to evaluate.
Typically, the entire review process takes at least four weeks. However, in response to the unprecedented scale of the LA wildfires, ASJA will consider an expedited applications process for applicants affected by the fires.
Under normal circumstances, the WEAF committee requires income tax and bank records, as well as a personal narrative that establishes the writer’s credentials, outlines the crisis, and shows how the crisis affects the writer’s livelihood.
For WEAF applicants in the California fire zone who have lost their homes, ASJA reserves the right to waive WEAF’s financial documentation requirements until further notice – but the requirement to meet ASJA’s professional membership qualifications will remain in full effect.
For tips on disaster preparedness for freelance writers, see this ASJA Confidential blog post.
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