FAQ

We produce original research on pressing threats to free expression, advocate for threatened writers and public policies that bolster freedom of speech worldwide, celebrate literature through awards, publications, and public programming, and connect a community of authors, writers, and their allies through our Membership.

 

PEN International was founded in 1921 in direct response to the ethnic and national divisions that contributed to World War I. Founded in 1922, PEN America is the largest of more than 100 centers of PEN International. PEN America subscribes to the PEN International Charter.

You can sign up to receive updates on PEN America events and initiatives—including the DARE, our daily roundup of the most pressing threats to free expression in the United States and worldwide. Please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Members of the press can contact [email protected] to join our press list and receive media alerts.

PEN America is a national organization headquartered in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood. We also maintain offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

Go to the “Festival and Events” dropdown menu on our homepage to find our Events Calendar to RSVP or purchase tickets to our year-round events. In late winter and spring, you can also find the program for the World Voices Festival.

Unless otherwise noted, PEN America events are open to the public. PEN America Members receive discounts on ticketed programs, as well as invitations to certain Member-only events.

There are a number of internship opportunities available at PEN America throughout the year. You can learn more about internship opportunities here and about job opportunities here.

We adhere to confidentiality protocols and are unable to share contact information for any of our Members. However, you can consult our Membership Directory.

PEN America gratefully accepts tax-deductible donations online here. You can also send a check to:

PEN America
Development Department
588 Broadway, Suite 303
New York, NY 10012

Please call the development department at +1 646-981-0681 for more information or to make a gift by phone. You can also email the department at [email protected].

Yes. PEN America is recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization by the Internal Revenue Service. Our Federal Tax ID number or Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 13-3447888. You can view PEN America’s latest IRS Form 990 here.

When you make a contribution, 100 percent is tax deductible, unless otherwise noted.

A great way to support PEN America is by becoming a Member.

Planned Giving: By including PEN America in your will, you can leave the legacy of literature and free expression for future generations. For more information, please contact Senior Director of Development Deborah Wilson at [email protected] or +1 646-779-4812.

Gifts of Stock: PEN America also accepts gifts of stock. Contact [email protected] or call +1 646-981-0681 for more information

Gifts in honor or memory of: Donations in honor or memory of someone are a great way to recognize that individual. You may donate online, send a check, or contact [email protected] or call +1 646-981-0681 for more information.

Matching Gifts: If your company has a matching gift program, you can double or in some cases triple your contribution. Please obtain a matching gift form from your personnel office or matching gift coordinator, fill it out, and send it to us.

Event Sponsorship: Corporations play an integral role in our annual PEN America Literary Gala in New York or LitFest Gala in Los Angeles, please email [email protected] or call +1 646-981-0681.

General sponsorship or advertising with PEN America: There are a number of sponsorship and advertising opportunities available at PEN America that can offer your press, company, or organization unique access to a broad audience of cultural enthusiasts. View our Corporate Sponsorship page for more information.

Please email [email protected] and [email protected] and our staff will identify the transaction and assist with processing your payment.

Please contact [email protected] with any concerns regarding website content. Please include a detailed description of the problem and a URL link to the page where it appears, if applicable.

Apply for Membership here. There are two categories of Membership:

• Professional Membership is available to authors who have published one or more books of a literary character; editors who have demonstrated commitment to excellence in their profession; translators who have published at least one book-length literary translation; playwrights who have had one production of their work mounted in a professional theater; and literary essayists and journalists whose publications are extensive even if they have not yet been issued as a book-length work.
• Reader Membership is open to anyone who supports PEN America’s mission. Reader Membership offers many benefits, such as opportunities to participate in advocacy for free expression and discounts to our public programs and invitations.

Membership dues are 100 percent tax-deductible.

Please encourage your friends to apply for Membership online or have them reach out to us directly at [email protected].

PEN America offers confidential assistance to writers in the United States to address cases of acute financial emergency through the Writers’ Emergency Fund and other programs. Please visit the Writers’ Emergency Fund for more information.

Please have them fill out an application for support here. If you are not comfortable talking to them directly, please email [email protected] and we will reach out confidentially.

No, this is not within our mission.

While most of PEN America’s grants and awards are for published works, the PEN/Jean Stein Grant for Literary Oral History, the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, the PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship, the PEN/Heim Translation Fund grants, and the PEN Grant for the English Translation of Italian Literature recognize unpublished manuscripts or works in progress.

Due to the large number of submissions, we cannot give individual feedback.

Unfortunately, PEN America does not offer legal services to its Members.

While PEN America does not currently offer health care options to its members, we have compiled a listing of organizations offering health-care access to writers and artists on the Health Insurance for Writers Page. Please note that these resources are not administered directly through PEN America, and those interested should contact the organizations directly for specific details. 

PEN America hosts advocacy events and workshops around the country, as well as online activism opportunities. Most activities are available to PEN America Members and the broader literary and advocacy communities. Visit our Take Action page for an overview of our current initiatives to get involved in. Subscribe to our email alerts to learn of new activities and events.

Our PEN Across America initiative offers opportunities for Members and their allies to mobilize locally through public programming, campaigns, literary events, workshops, civic forums, and other projects that expand engagement with PEN America’s mission.

Please email [email protected]. We apologize that we cannot respond to every inquiry.

We very rarely accept unsolicited submissions. You can send materials for consideration to [email protected]. Given the volume of submissions we receive, we can respond only to materials under consideration for publication. We apologize that we cannot respond to all submissions.