February 1 Deadlines
2/1/16 Château de Lavigny Writers' Residence Prizes: 4-week residency Fee: none
Le Château de Lavigny Writers' Residence
Fondation Ledwig-Rowohlt
Montbenon 2
Case postale 5475
1002 Lausanne
Switzerland
chlavigny@hotmail.com Judge:
Notify: April
Published book: Open to writers who have published at least one book (not self-published) in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, translation, plays, and screenplays, this program runs four-week sessions from the beginning of June to mid-September. Writers are offered a private room and all meals. Applicant must be fluent in speaking either English or French. Application must be received by February 1.
http://www.chateaudelavigny.ch/

2/1/15 Robert Frost Poetry Award  Prizes: $1,000 and reading Fee: $10 per poem to Robert Frost Foundation
Attention: Poetry Award
The Robert Frost Foundation
Lawrence Public Library, 3rd Floor
51 Lawrence St.
Lawrence, Massachusetts 01841
  Judge:
Notify: late February
Poems: Please send two copies of your poem written in the "spirit of Robert Frost" (whatever you feel that may be). One copy should have your name, address, email and phone #. The other copy should not have this information on it. Poets may submit up to three poems on plain paper of not more than three pages for consideration. Prior published work may be submitted; for all work submitted to the Robert Frost Foundation, you retain copyright and the Robert Frost Foundation will request your permission if we choose to publish your work on our web site or in other foundation publications. Original manuscripts should have your name, address, email and phone #; please include a second copy of each page that will be sent to the judges and therefore should not have any information that identifies you as the author. Please note: E-mail submissions are acceptable in the following formats: a single MS. Word document attached that presents one page per poem. For example, page 1 should have your name, address, e-mail and phone #; page 2 should other should not have this information on it. Or, the text pasted into the body of the email. E-mail submissions to should be sent to frostfoundation@comcast.net. Manuscripts will not be returned. To receive information regarding the winning poet, enclose SASE or check website. Enclose a $10 per poem entry reading fee made payable to The Robert Frost Foundation. In the case of electronic submissions, manuscripts submitted via e-mail will be held until reading fees are received via regular mail.
http://www.frostfoundation.org/award-guidelines/index.html

2/1/16 Gannon University High School Poetry Contest Prize: $100, $75, $50, and signed Naomi Shihab Nye books Fee: none
Berwyn Moore
attn: Nat'l High School Poetry Contest
Gannon University
109 University Square
Erie, PA 16541
  Judge:
Notify: March
Poems: High school students in grades 9 through 12 are invited to participate. Your original poetry. Type each entry separately on plain white paper. Include your name, home address, and phone numbers in upper left corner. Include high school name, address of high school, your grade, and teacher's name in upper right corner. Send 2 poems (Do not send your only copies). Poems will not be returned.
http://www.gannon.edu/Academic-Offerings/Humanities-Education-and-Social-Sciences/Undergraduate/English/Poetry-Contest/

2/1/16 Levis Reading Prize Prizes: $2,000, reading Fee: none
Levis Reading Prize
VCU Department of English
900 Park Avenue, Hibbs Hall, Room 306
PO Box 842005
Richmond, VA 23284-2005
  Judge:
Notify:
Published book:  For the best first or second book of poetry. Entries may be submitted by either author or publisher, and must include three copies of the book (48 pages or more), a cover letter, and a brief biography of the author including previous publications. (Entries from vanity presses are not eligible.) The book must have been published in the preceding calendar year. Entrants wishing acknowledgment of receipt must include an SASP. Entries must be received by February 1. Materials received after that date will be returned unopened. Because we cannot guarantee their return, all entries will become the property of the VCU Department of English. Judges will come from faculty of the VCU English Department and the VCU MFA Program in Creative Writing. The winner will receive an honorarium of $1500 and will be invited, expenses paid, to Richmond to present a public reading in September.
http://english.vcu.edu/mfa/levis/

2/1/17 Long Poem Prize Prizes: (2x) $1,000 Fee: $40 U.S.
The Malahat Review
University of Victoria
P.O. Box 1700
Stn CSC
Victoria, B.C. V8W 2Y2
CANADA
malahat@uvic.ca
250-721-8524
Judges: Louise Bernice Halfe, George Elliott Clarke, Patricia Young
Notify: April
Poem: Biennial. For a single poem or cycle of poems that is between 10 to 20 pages long. A page is up to 36 lines (or less), including breaks between stanzas. In a cycle of poems, each poem must begin on a new page. In a multi-part poem, it is up to the author whether or not each section begins on a new page. No restrictions as to subject matter or aesthetic approach apply. See site for guidelines. Enter via post or e-mail: longpoem@uvic.ca.
http://www.malahatreview.ca/contests/long_poem_prize/info.html

2/1/16 Muse Prize for Excellence in Poetry Prizes: $200, $100, $75 Fee: $8 to WFOP Literary Fund
WFOP/Muse/Jagielski
572 Berwyn Drive
Fontana, WI 53125-1556
  Judge: Dennis Herschbach
Notify: April
Poems: Wisconsin poets only. Contest opens December 1. For rules and entry form see site.
http://www.wfop.org/s/Muse-Prize-Rules-Entry.pdf

2/1/16 Pamet River Prize Prizes: $1,000, 100 copies, and publication Fee: $15
online entry   Judge:
Notify:
Book manuscript: first or second full-length books of poetry or prose by female-identifying or gender-queer writers. You may nominate your own work or the work of others. Provide a cover letter with name, contact information, and a brief bio of the writer whose work is being nominated. If you are nominating the work of a writer other than yourself, you are welcome to include some words regarding why you are nominating the work of this particular writer - though such testimony is not required.  If you are nominating your own work (which we also strongly encourage) along with your brief bio you may include a few words on your full-length project - again, this is not required. Max word count for bio and statement is 250 words. Submit a sample consisting of a)10 poems, b) single story, or c) a section of a novella, memoir, or short novel. Maximum length of sample: 20 pages.  Sample revisions are not allowed during nomination period. You are welcome to withdraw and resubmit the sample but it will require an additional fee. Semi-finalists chosen from nominated samples will be invited to submit full manuscripts. They will be given two months from invitation to send in their full manuscripts.
https://yesyesbooks.submittable.com/submit/50519

2/1/16 Paterson Poetry Prize Prize: $1,000 and publication Fee: none
Maria Mazziotti Gillan, Director
Poetry Center
Passaic County Community College
One College Boulevard
Paterson, NJ 07505-1179
  Judge:
Notify:
Published book: For a book of poems, 48 pages or more in length, selected by our judges as the strongest collection of poems published in the previous year. The poet will be asked to participate in an awards ceremony and to give a reading at the Poetry Center. Minimum press run: 500 copies. Each book submitted must be accompanied by an application form. Publisher may submit more than one book for prize consideration. Three copies of each book should be submitted. Books entered in the competition will be donated to the Poetry Center Library at Passaic County Community College. Books must be received in the Poetry Center by February 1 to be considered for the prize. Books cannot be returned. For a list of winners, include an SASE labeled: "Paterson Poetry Prize". Winners will be announced in Poets & Writers and on the website.
http://www.pccc.edu/home/cultural-affairs/poetry-center/prizes

2/1/16 Vinyl 45 Chapbook Contest Prizes: $500, 25 copies, and publication Fee: $15
online entry   Judge:
Notify: May 1
Chapbook manuscript: poetry, prose, and mixed genre chapbook manuscripts, 20-35 pages in length including title page and table of contents. Winner will receive the following: Publication by YesYes Books, $250 prize, 25 author copies,  An additional $250 toward tour expenses,  Help with planning and managing opening book tour, Featured author page and book page on the YesYes website. Additionally, at least 2 Finalists will receive the following:  Much sincere public congratulations for being finalists.  Possible publication by YesYes Books (if a finalist is chosen for publication the contestant will receive all of the items the winner will receive except the $250 prize). YesYes Books does not guarantee publication of finalists.
https://yesyesbooks.submittable.com/submit/50519

2/1/16 Washington Square Poetry Award Prize: $500 and publication Fee: $10 to New York University
submit online   Judge: Natalie Diaz
Notify: spring
Poems: Submit up to three poems (six pages total) or one short story (up to twenty pages). Winners (one in fiction and one in poetry) receive $500 and publication in a forthcoming issue of Washington Square. Selected runners-up may also receive publication.
http://washingtonsquarereview.com/awards/

2/1/16 Michael Waters Poetry Prize Prizes: $3,000 and publication Fee: $25
Southern Indiana Review, Michael Waters Poetry Prize, University of Southern Indiana, 8600 University Boulevard, Evansville, IN, 47712   Judge: Michael Waters
Notify:
Book manuscript: Consist of at least 40 and no more than 80 pages of poetry in 12-point font (no more than one poem per page) per each individual submission. The cover/content pages do not count towards the 80-page maximum. Publication credits, if included, do not count against page limit. Be postmarked or uploaded by February 1, 2016. Electronic entry at site.
http://www.usi.edu/sir/awards-contests/waters-prize

2/1/16 Yemassee Poetry Contest Prizes: $1,000 and publication Fee: $15
online entry   Judge: Catie Rosemurgy
Notify: April
Poems: Up to 3 poems. The poet's name must not appear anywhere in the submission. Submissions that do not conform to these guidelines may be disqualified at the editors' discretion. Entries must be submitted online using Submittable; paper submissions will not be accepted. We welcome multiple entries. However, each entry must be submitted separately and accompanied by an additional entry fee. While we do allow simultaneous submissions, please inform us immediately if the submission is accepted elsewhere by withdrawing the submission in Submittable. Note that no refunds will be issued for submissions that are withdrawn or disqualified.
https://yemassee.submittable.com/submit

February 2 Deadlines
2/2/16 Devil's Kitchen Reading Awards Prizes: $1,000 and reading Fee: $20 to SIUC Dept. of English

Devil's Kitchen Reading Awards/GRASSROOTS
Dept. of English, Mail Code 4503
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
1000 Faner Drive
Carbondale, IL  62901

  Judge: faculty
Notify: June
Published book: One book of poetry (book-length work or single-author collection of poems), one book of fiction (novel, novella, or single-author short fiction collection) and one book of prose nonfiction (literary nonfiction, memoir, or single-author essay collection) will be selected from submissions of single-author titles published in 2015, and the winning authors will receive an honorarium of $1000.00 and will present a public reading and participate in panels at the Devil's Kitchen Fall Literary Festival at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. The dates for the 2016 festival will be October 26-28, 2016. Travel and accommodations will be provided for the three winners. Entries may be submitted by either author or publisher, and must include a copy of the book, a cover letter, a brief biography of the author including previous publications, and a $20.00 entry fee made out to "SIUC - Dept. of English." Entrants wishing to submit entry fees electronically should e-mail a request to grassrootsmag@gmail.com and they will be sent a link to pay by PayPal or credit card. Indicate category on envelope.
http://grassroots.siu.edu/dkawards.html

February 15 Deadlines
2/15/16 Vermont Studio Center Fellowship Competition Prize: residencies/fellowships Fee: $25 to Vermont Studio Center
Vermont Studio Center
80 Pearl Street
Box 613
Johnson, VT, 05656
802-635-2727 Judge:
Notify: within 8 weeks after deadline
10 pages: Full Fellowships, awarded on the basis of merit, enable artists and writers to come to VSC for four weeks at no fee. VSC offers over 50 Full Fellowships a year, which are open to all artists and writers. Applications may be submitted at any time. Applicants who wish to be considered for a Full Fellowship must submit their applications by the Full Fellowship Application Deadlines (2/15, 6/15, 10/1); applications must be received, not postmarked, by the application deadline. The Admissions office suggests that applications be submitted six months prior to the desired Residency start date. To Apply: Fill out the application form and include the following: Portfolio or manuscript, Resume, $25 application fee*, Copy of tax form (for need-based award and aid), References: names, addresses and telephone numbers of three people who know your work. Writers: 2 copies of a manuscript without your name on any of the pages; clip a cover sheet with your name, address and the title of the piece (if applicable) to the manuscript. Manuscript length: Poets: up to 10 pages, all others: 10-15 pages. *For some Restricted Fellowship Awards, the application fee may be waived. The full fee for a 4 week residency is $3,500. Full Fellowships, awarded on the basis of merit, enable artists and writers to come to VSC for four weeks at no fee. VSC offers Partial Fellowships in grants and work exchange aid that reduces Residency fees
http://vermontstudiocenter.org/

2/15/16 Orison Prize in Poetry Prize: $1,500 and publication Fee: $25
online entry
  Judge: Hadara Bar-Nadav
Notify:
Book manuscript: full-length poetry (60-100 pp.). publication and a $1,500 cash prize, in addition to a standard royalties contract. Finalists will be selected by the editorial staff at Orison Books, and the winners will be selected from among the finalist manuscripts by the judges. Current or former students of the judges, or anyone with a close personal relationship with the judges, are not eligible to submit. In the event that a judge in either genre does not select a winner from among the finalists, the Editor will select a winner. The editors also reserve the right to select no finalists, in which case all entry fees will be refunded to the entrants. All finalist manuscripts will be considered for publication under a standard royalties contract. 
All manuscripts will be read "blind"; do not include your name anywhere in your manuscript file, but only in your Submittable profile and cover letter. Please include an acknowledgments page in your manuscript listing any periodicals where individual pieces from your manuscript first appeared.Original English work only; no translations.
https://www.awpwriter.org/contests/awp_award_series_overview

February 16 Deadlines
2/16/16 Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival Poetry Contest Prizes: $1,000 total Fee: $10
Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival
Poetry & Short Story Contest
252 Twin Lakes Rd
Latrobe, PA 15650
  Judge: Robin Gwynne Becker
Notify: March 31
Poems: Up to 2 poems. Please send two copies of each entry. All entries must be typed on 8 1/2” x 11” paper. Do not staple or connect pages. Poems - Do not put your name on the poem(s). Include a cover sheet that shows your full name, address , and title of poem.
http://www.artsandheritage.com/Portals/12/PSS%202016%20App%20FILL%20IN.pdf

February 29 Deadlines
2/29/16 Donald Hall Prize in Poetry Prize: $5,500 and publication Fee: $30 to AWP
online entry
awp@gmu.edu Judge: Vijay Seshadri
Notify: September
Book manuscript: poetry—48 pages minimum text. Original works in English. No mixed-genre manuscripts can be accepted. Each manuscript must include a title page with the manuscript title only. If the author’s name appears
anywhere on the manuscript, the submission will be disqualified. Do not add a page with acknowledgement of previous publications or a biographical note.Manuscripts must be in .pdf format. Poetry manuscripts may be single-spaced.
https://www.awpwriter.org/contests/awp_award_series_overview

2/29/16 Event Horizon Magazine Science Poetry Competition Prizes: $500 and publication Fee: none
online entry   Judge: Alan Shapiro
Notify: March
Poems: Up to 3 poems.Submitted work shall be inspired by and/or incorporate scientific thinking, concepts, or principles. One submission email per entrant, sent to eventhorizonmag@gmail.com with the subject line “Poetry Competition Submission” and a submission attachment titled “LastName_FirstInitial_PoetryCompetition“. Submission attachment can include up to three (3) original poems written in the English language, with each poem beginning on a new page. There is no limit for line count. Submissions shall have a cover page listing poem title(s), entrant name, email address, physical address, and phone number. Only .doc, .docx, .rtf, and .pdf files will be accepted. Submissions shall NOT have the name of the entrant anywhere but the cover page. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but we must be notified immediately if part/all of the submission has accepted elsewhere.
https://yemassee.submittable.com/submit