Leah Ryan Fund: The Leah
Leah Ryan Fund: The Leah supports emerging women, trans and non-binary playwrights with financial support, a workshop and a public reading to develop and present a completed full-length play.
This grant was recently updated
Applications now open November 2, 2026 (previously “Late Fall 2026”), with a December 15, 2026 deadline replacing dates TBD. Finalist notification moves from March 2026 to March 2027, and the Vassar public reading/summer workshop moves from 2026 to 2027.
Funder: Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley
Due Dates: March 2027 (Finalist notification) | Summer 2027 (Workshop)
Funding Amounts: $5,000 cash prize, plus a public reading and summer workshop at Vassar College in 2027
Summary: The Leah supports emerging women, trans and non-binary playwrights with a cash prize and development opportunities for a completed full-length play.
Key Information: Submissions are capped at 400; finalists have one week after notification to submit their full play.
Description
The Leah is an annual playwriting prize offered by the Leah Ryan Fund through the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley. It recognizes emerging women, trans and non-binary playwrights from around the world and supports the development and presentation of a completed, full-length theatrical work written in English.
The winner receives financial support alongside a public reading and summer workshop through the Powerhouse Theater Program at Vassar College in 2027. The program welcomes theatrical works beyond the traditional three-act structure, but does not accept musicals. The prize is part of the Leah Ryan Fund’s mission to sustain writers facing individual challenges and systemic oppression so they can keep writing, connecting, creating and thriving.
