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Financial Aid Program

The Whidbey Writers Workshop is establishing a financial aid program with both a temporary low-interest student loan fund and a permanent scholarship endowment. Once our students become eligible for low-interest Federal student loans, our own loan fund will be phased out and any remaining and/or repaid funds will become part of the scholarship endowment fund. Donors are able to make a gift which will truly keep on giving far into the future.

Non-profit status and tax-deductible donations

• All contributions to the Whidbey Writers Workshop are tax-deductible.  The Workshop is a program of the Whidbey Island Writers Association, a state-chartered non-profit corporation with IRS 501 ( c ) 3 status.
• To support the financial aid program, send checks made out to the Whidbey Writers Workshop with “financial aid program” in the subject line to:Whidbey Writers Workshop, PO Box 145, Langley, WA 98260.

History

• In 1998 a small group of writers created the Whidbey Island Writers Association (WIWA), a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization dedicated to supporting writers and promoting the literary arts.
• In 1999 WIWA began its signature event, the annual Whidbey Island Writers Conference. In addition, the association offers writing contests for children and adults, writing workshops and classes, scholarships, readings and literary talks, writing groups and an anthology of contemporary writing, Sea of Voices, Isle of Story. Through its unique, year-round educational and networking services, WIWA creates opportunities for writers and brings world-class programs to this small, Northwest island community.
• In 2002, WIWA began planning the country's first independent Master of Fine Arts program in Creative Writing.
• In 2004, WIWA completed fund-raising for the initial year of operation of the program.
• Later that same year the Whidbey Writers Workshop low-residency M.F.A. Program was authorized by the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board. At that time, the WIWA Board of Directors created the M.F.A, board and delegated to it much of the responsibility for the M.F.A. program, with WIWA board oversight.
• In August, 2005, the Whidbey Writers Workshop began offering M.F.A. classes. Nine students enrolled in the degree program, and five more attended the intensive residency as non-degree students.
• By August of 2006, enrollment reached fifteen M.F.A. candidates, with ten more attending the intensive residency as non-degree students (Whidbey Island Writers Association membership had grown to over 200).

On August 25, 2007, the Workshop will hold its first graduation exercises, with eight students on track to receive their M.F.A. degrees

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