The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., (SFWA) are offering multiple scholarships for members of underserved communities to attend the 2021 Nebula Conference Online, June 4–6, 2021. The scholarships and the conference are open to SFWA members and nonmembers alike.

Here are the categories of scholarships available and the quantity restrictions on those scholarships. With the exception of the scholarship for Black Writers, which will remain available for all Black writers until June 6, 2021, scholarship applications must be completed on this form by May 1, 11:59pm Eastern Time. From the applicant pool, the scholarship recipients will be selected by lottery.

• Scholarship for Black Writers: A part of SFWA’s Black Lives Matter Initiative, this scholarship is open to Black writers in the U.S. and abroad. To learn more about this initiative, visit this release on the SFWA.org website. 
• Scholarship for AAPI Writers: A part of SFWA’s AAPI Initiative for 2021, this scholarship is available to Asian writers, Asian American writers, and writers from the Pacific Islands. To learn more about this initiative, visit this release on the SFWA.org website. (limited quantity: 25)
• Scholarship for Writers Based Outside of the U.S.: In an effort to remove financial barriers that may exist for prospective attendees living abroad, we are offering a limited number of free tickets for writers living outside the U.S. (limited quantity: 25)
• Workshop Scholarship: This scholarship is for writers who have been accepted to or attended a writing workshop from June 2020 through June 2021. (limited quantity: 25)

SFWA’s president, Mary Robinette Kowal, had the following to say about the available scholarships, “There are a lot of gatekeepers in the publishing landscape and with these scholarships, we’re hoping that SFWA can begin to open gates for writers.”

SFWA STORE. For the first time, SFWA is also opening a store for Nebula Conference-related gear and memorabilia. Proceeds from the store will go towards the Nebula Conference and SFWA’s other work.

The SFWA Store is branded as The Airship Nebula Gift Shop in keeping with the shared-world experience of the 2021 Nebula Conference Online. That shared world is one aspect of the “Airship Nebula” virtual socializing spaces that are intended to build community among attendees, offering the networking benefits of an in-person conference while hosting it fully online for a second year. Registered participants will receive $20 off their first purchase from the store.

NEBULA CONFERENCE REGISTRATION. For $125 registration, 2021 SFWA Nebula Conference participants will gain entry to professional development panels, mentorship opportunities, office hours with experts, an archive of the content, and access to ongoing educational events throughout the following year. 

Questions about the scholarships, the store, or the upcoming conference may be directed to the SFWA Events Team at [email protected].

[Based on a press release.]