Today we would like to bring you some information on the Writers Emergency Assistance Fund (WEAF). We tapped Lisa Collier Cool, chair of WEAF’s board of trustees to explain this fund in more detail. Thanks Lisa for taking the time to share this with Freelance-Zone readers. –Catherine
“We’re Writers Helping Writers.”
The Writers Emergency Assistance Fund (WEAF) is like an insurance policy: You hope you’ll never need it, but if you do, it’s wonderful to know it’s there for you. Since 1982, WEAF, the charitable arm of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), has awarded more than $400,000 in grants to hundreds of established professional writers who are seriously ill and unable to pay their bills, freelancers who can’t work because they’re caring for a sick spouse, those who are injured or victims of natural disaster, and some who are simply too old to support themselves through writing. For many, WEAF is their last hope for help.
Among the many talented and deserving freelancers who have been aided by the Fund:
*A 72-year-old leukemia survivor with 33 books and numerous articles to his credit faced eviction after months of hospitalization and delayed book royalties depleted his savings. Our grant lifted the threat of homelessness.
*A 40-year-old single mom needed temporary help (pending receipt of a book advance) after a series of crises, including being attacked and carjacked while shopping, being evacuated from her home during California wildfires, and losing her grant-writing job and its health insurance when her employer lost its government funding.
*A young essayist, a double amputee once nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, had been equipped with poorly fitting artificial legs, making movement painful. Our assistance literally got him back on his feet, with new prosthetic limbs, so he could get on with the business of his life–writing.
Small grants can make a big difference, by giving needy writers the gift of a second chance. Our maximum grant is $6,000–a drop in the bucket against the medical, rent, utility and other essential living expenses of struggling freelancers. Yet even that modest sum means a lot as the touching thank-you letters we get attest. If your career is going well, why not share a bit of your better luck with those less fortunate? Donations are fully tax-deductible and provide a crucial safety net for fellow freelancers.
To donate, or download a grant application form, go to www.weaf.org. Grant applicants need not be members of ASJA, but have similar qualifications. These include being an established professional writer who has earned the majority of your income from bylined freelance nonfiction writing, such as books, articles or web content, over a period of years. Other eligibility criteria and required documentation are explained on the website, which also has a list of other grant-giving groups that aid writers. WEAF does not fund works-in-progress of any kind.
Lisa Collier Cool is chair of WEAF’s board of trustees. She is a past president of ASJA, winner of 18 journalism awards, and a widely published freelancer whose credits include Reader’s Digest, Parade, the Wall Street Journal, Woman’s Day, Ladies Home Journal, Glamour, Self, Fitness, Parents, O the Oprah Magazine, and many others. Her website is www.lisacolliercool.com. Contact the Fund at WEAFHelp@gmail.com or visit www.weaf.org for more information.