Start a Site

Overview

The National Writing Project accepts new site applications each year in January from eligible university/higher ed institution partners in the U.S. Before starting the application process, we encourage potential applicants to learn more about the work of local Writing Project sites and to contact Writing Project sites in your state or region to see if they serve your area, to ask questions, and/or discuss the potential for partnerships. Details about the application process are listed below. For more information, contact us at support@nwp.org.

Application Process and Timeline

A faculty member, typically in a College of Education, Department of English, or Department of Writing Studies, leads the effort to establish an NWP site at the university.

1. Submit a letter of intent to apply to start a National Writing Project site (due in mid-September annually).
2. Upon approval of the letter of intent, receive an NWP New Site Application.
3. Complete and submit Application (due in late January annually).
4. Applicants are notified of the application review results in February.
5. In March or April, approved applicants receive an invoice for technical assistance by NWP staff in their first year.
6. Universities with approved applications host an invitational summer institute according to the NWP program model.
7. Upon the completion of a successful invitational summer institute, the new Writing Project site joins the NWP network officially in fall and is eligible to apply for funding through NWP, when available. There is no assurance of funding from the NWP, so it is important that the Writing Project site make plans to be self-sustaining through university support and local funding sources.

Letter of Intent to Apply

To request an application, prepare the letter of intent to apply on university letterhead, addressed to Elyse Eidman-Aadahl, Executive Director. Scan the letter to PDF and email to support@nwp.org. The letter can be signed by the interested faculty member, department head, or university designee. The letter of intent is generally no more than a page and should include

• the college or academic department interested in hosting a National Writing Project site
• name(s) and field of study of interested faculty
• a description of the intended service area for the site, as well as any potential collaborating schools and districts
• any relationship between existing interests and initiatives at the applicant institution and the interest in starting a site. Letters of intent are reviewed to determine the relationship of the proposed site and service area to existing sites of the National Writing Project. Please visit our list of NWP sites to look for or contact sites in your area.